Courage in a crucial convoy
Arctic Convoy PQ18, by John McKay
Author John McKay is already known to these review pages, having in 2021 published Surviving the Arctic Convoys, the story of convoy veteran Charlie Erswell, who shared his still-vivid memories with McKay towards the end of his long life.
Inspired by Erswell to find out more about the British supply missions to northern Russia, the author has now brought his focus to one particular convoy – PQ18 – which he describes as 'one of the most dangerous voyages for any mariner in any area of operations during the Second World War'.
Convoy PQ18 followed the disastrous PQ17, in which intelligence failures and other mistakes in command had led to a rout by the Germans. This made the next convoy especially difficult, argues McKay: 'Under constant attack from the air, U-boat wolf-packs and extreme weather, the twenty-five days it took to escort PQ18 to Archangelsk and the returning QP14 back to Iceland became the most important of the whole Arctic theatre.'
It's a powerful story, and the author tells it well in Arctic Convoy PQ18, a thoroughly-researched book that gives full credit to the Merchant Navy vessels and seafarers in the convoys.
Arctic Convoy PQ18: 25 Days That Changed the Course of the War
By John McKay
Pen & Sword, £22
ISBN: 978 13990 36603
Buy this book in the Nautilus Bookshop
While you're there, why not browse the rest of the titles in our unique maritime bookshop, which sells all the books reviewed on these pages.
Buy nowMore Books
How to 'make it' in the superyacht industry
Superyacht Success, by Brendan O'ShannassyBack in 2022, we reviewed Brendan O'Shannassy's memoir Superyacht Captain. Now Capt O'Shannassy has returned with a new book that focuses on how crew can navigate their careers.
Love for seafaring conquers all
No Quitting, by Andrea BarkerAndrea Barker's memoir of her 1990s Merchant Navy cadetship tells of her eagerness and determination to follow the career pursued by generations of her family. Unfortunately, there were choppy waters ahead...
Radio revelry
Barques, Sparks and Sharks, by Len WilsonSeafarers are known for their story-telling abilities, and Orkney-born Len Wilson does not disappoint in this memoir of his years as a radio officer
Mastering our harbours
Harbours and Their Masters, by Mark Ashley-MillerNovice skipper Mark Ashley-Miller recently spent five years circumnavigating the UK and Ireland as a charity challenge – interviewing and photographing the harbour masters he met along the way.