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Royal Fleet Auxiliary RFA BLACK RANGER |
The entry in the logbook reads: Engagement: September 21 1941 Reykjavik. Discharge: October 19th 1941 Scapa Flow. Rating: 2nd Radio Officer. Description of voyage: Foreign.
This then was Convoy PQ1 (PQ denoting outward and QP inward) and my late father's participation as a radio officer on board the Royal Fleet Auxiliary refuelling tanker Black Ranger.
The ten merchantmen sailed from Hvalfiord, Iceland on September 29th bound for Archangel. The convoy was heavily defended by ten warships including the 8 inch heavy cruiser HMS Suffolk. The convoy faced threats from surface ships, U boats, aircraft and mines.
In the event, all ships reached Archangel
CLICK ON MAP TO ENLARGE |
For Jim, it had been a routine engagement - unlike the torrid time he had experienced on his previous engagement aboard the MV D L Harper which had been attacked by a JU 88 on February 20th 1941 which had bombed and strafed the tanker causing extensive damage.
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