Transcribed from several documents received from Tony Cooper - His source: Public Records Office, Kew.

Further details have been added with the help of:
"Convoy Rescue Ships 1940-1945", Arnold Hague
"Axis Submarine Successes of World War Two", Jürgen Rohwer
"The World's Merchant Fleets", R. W. Jordan
"Lloyd's War Losses", Vol. I.

Crossed out ships did not sail, underlined returned.

MOWT = Ministry of War Transport

Notes:
Commodore was in Kurdistan.

* Africander does not show up in any convoy to Russia in this time period - the only convoy she's listed in is PQ 18 almost a year later.

** Arena, 4673 gt, is listed as Panamanian in this sailing telegram, but as Irish in the sailing telegram for SC 58.

The Rescue Vessel Dewsbury was also with this convoy for a while. She was on her 1st voyage as such, having started this voyage from Clyde on Dec. 1-1941 with the westbound Convoy ON 42, detached Dec. 9 then returned to Clyde with Convoy SC 57, Dec. 9-Dec. 13. She picked up 2 survivors from Kirnwood on Dec. 10.

Ships sunk:
Star of Luxor, on a voyage from Philadelphia for Belfast and Liverpool with 7094 tons of general cargo and stores, including 1436 tons of base metal, was torpedoed and sunk on Dec. 10-1941 by U-130. She had a crew of 56, including 2 gunners - 4 died.

The same U-boat also torpedoed and sank Kurdistan that day. She was on a voyage from New York for Manchester with 4256 tons of foodstuffs, 2100 tons base metal, and 178 tons of textiles. 53 were on board, including the Commodore and his staff of 6, and 6 gunners. 7 crew, 2 Commodore's staff, and 1 gunner perished.

Additionally, U-130 torpedoed and sank Kirnwood, on a voyage from New York for Ipswich with 5500 tons of grain. She had a crew of 41 and 4 gunners - 12 crew died.

Related external links:
The attack on Star of Luxor
The attack on Kurdistan
The attack on Kirnwood

The Empire Ships - Provides more information on the Empire Ships sailing in this convoy.

Russian Convoy Series - PQ 7A is included.

Back to Convoy Index