This morning I watched "PQ17 : An Arctic Convoy Disaster", presented by Jeremy Clarkson. I really enjoyed it.
This is not a Clarkson household. My partner and I, we are both Guardian reading, BBC4 and Channel4 watching, Radio3 and 4 listening types. I find Clarkson to be witty but also grating with bombastic petrol-head views. However, this is the second good history programme of his that I have seen, the first was about four years ago on the St. Nazaire Raid in 1942. For PQ17 he has presented a good, well-balanced documentary.
A good programme - thank you Jeremy. |
PQ17, July 1942, a convoy of 34 merchant ships loaded with supplies for the Soviet war effort, sailing from Iceland to Archangel in Northern Russia. As the title says, it was a disaster. When the convoy was underway The Admiralty thought the German battleship Tirpitz was putting to sea to intercept it and ordered the convoy escort to leave. This was a totally wrong decision based on totally wrong intelligence. 23 merchant ships were lost, 153 seamen killed.
I recommend you watch the programme if you can.
Lt. Douglas Fairbanks Jr was serving on one of the US Navy escort vessels. |
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