# Arctic Convoys PQ-14



## sglen00

Hi there, i posted before about researching my grandfather who was involved in the Arctic Convoys in World War Two. I have recently had some luck in finding his records and i was looking for more information about what he was involved in. 

I found that he was on Two ships, one called Charpool 162107 and another which i believe was in the PQ-14 convoy called Briarwood 160733. He served on these two ships in 1941 and 1942 as a radio officer. He was formally discharged as an invalid as a result of enemy action.


Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks

sara


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## Hugh MacLean

Hello Sara,

Your initial post was here: http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/showthread.php?t=55355

The ship is not CHARPOOL but 'CLEARPOOL'.

Regards
Hugh


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## sglen00

Many thanks Hugh, 

Handwriting on do***ent is not very clear.

Any information on these two ships would be appreciated

kind regards

sara


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## Binnacle

On June 10 1941 ss Clearpool 5404t, crew 39 & 2 gunners, on ballast passage from London to Tyne then Trinidad was attacked by aircraft off Scarborough. 2 crew killed. Arrived Tees June 11. 1941 repaired at Hartlepool.

Source - Lloyd's War Losses


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## Hugh MacLean

Can you tell me what period of 1941 and 1942 that he served on those ships. I have quite a bit of detail on BRIARWOOD.

Regards
Hugh


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## sglen00

From what i can see on record, he was on Briarwood from 18/3/1942, sailing from S.Shields


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## sglen00

I am not sure if this helps either?


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## Roger Griffiths

Hello,
BRIARWOOD was in convoy PQ14. This convoy is well do***ented and there is lots of information on the internet For example.

http://www.warsailors.com/convoys/pq14.html

Find attached Survivors report. re attack on Clearpool.


regards
Roger


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## Hugh Ferguson

Here's a couple of pages scanned from Admiral B.B.Schofield's book, The Russian Convoys: recognised as the definitive account of those convoys.

(Click on pages to enlarge)


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## RayL

I have a copy of Richard Woodman's 'The Real Cruel Sea', which gives the appearance of being encyclopaedic about the naval happenings of WW2, but isn't in fact.

He makes no mention of S.S. Charpool/Clearpool or even convoy PQ14.

He does mention S.S. Briarwood in the chapter covering July 1940 to May 1941, which of course is before your grandfather joined her. She sailed with the famous S.S. Jervis Bay in Convoy HX84, so try putting "hx84" in Google.

He mentions S.S. Briarwood again in the chapter covering the period May to Dec 1941. She was in Convoy SL81, which was protected by the 7th Escort Group. U-boats sank five of the convoy's 18 merchantmen. Then Woodman had this to say:

Kondors [German FW200 aircraft] continued to sink Allied shipping, but their attacks were not always successful. Bound to New York from Lisbon with a cargo of cork the tramp Briarwood was well-armed for the times with 'the usual 4-inch, five light machine-guns and a 40mm Bofors. Lord knows how Captain Lawrence wangled such luxury ...' recalled Keith Angus, who with four other Canadians was on his way home, by way of New York, after being torpedoed in the Silveryew. He had just completed his apprenticeship, and with his fellow survivors had been asked to undertake lookout duties:

"It was warm summer weather, so why not? Thus I found myself on the monkey's island one afternoon when this four-engined monster loomed out of the east and bore down at us at sea level from astern. Quaking at my first close range air attack, I cocked my stubby Hotchkiss, the instinct to bolt repressed by the consideration 'where to?' The second mate fired the PACs [wire-trailing rockets designed to inhibit low level air attacks], but one of the rockets failed and the whole apparatus came down again, enveloping the Bofors in festoons of wire ... The FW dropped its bombs close aboard but Lawrence had gauged his own move perfectly and they landed where the poop had been a second before. Jerry nonetheless swept us from end to end with cannon and machine-gun fire. The cork on deck absorbed most of it, and there were only a couple of minor injuries. I shot off a clip from the Hotchkiss but the aircraft was over and past in an instant ... Happily the FW called it off and departed."

Hope you find this of interest.


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## Hugh Ferguson

PQ.14 Convoy: with acknowledgements to Bob Ruegg & Arnold Hague for their book "CONVOYS TO RUSSIA"


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## Bob Murdoch

Try Woodmans book Arctic Convoys. Malta ones are also covered in a seperate book called Malta Convoys.
Cheers Bob


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## Hugh MacLean

Hello Sara,
On the CRS 10, there is a column marked 'Date and Place of Discharge'. Can you tell me what it says please?

As Roger says in #8 there is a lot out there on the internet about the ship and PQ 14, just Google it. If you have any specific questions that you need answered please feel free to ask on here. Most of my information about 'BRIARWOOD' deals with Operation FB. I cannot see your grandfather's name on the crew list but I assume that would be because he had left the ship by that time.

BRIARWOOD made her first voyage to North Russia, in convoy PQ-3 during November 1941. She made her second trip to North Russia in PQ-14. Twenty-four ships left in the outward convoy, sixteen returned with weather damage, one ship was lost and seven, including BRIARWOOD reached Murmansk. Captain William Henry Charles Lawrence, OBE, was in command of BRIARWOOD and he was vice commodore of PQ-14. The commodore was taking passage in SS EMPIRE HOWARD and when this vessel was lost Captain Lawrence took over the duties of commodore for the remainder of the passage. There were as many escorts as there were merchantmen when they reached Russia. 
He was made commodore of the homeward bound convoy, QP-11 and for the excellent performance of his duties he was made a CBE. She sailed for home in convoy QP-11 with twelve other merchantmen and a strong Royal Navy escort. Off northern Norway the convoy was attacked by German destroyers and after a fierce battle one Russian merchantman had been sunk, one British escort was damaged and one German destroyer was at the bottom of the Barents Sea. The remaining twelve merchantmen of the convoy were brought safely to Reykjavik on 7 May 1942. 

If you need any advice about the Arctic Star and his campaign medal entitlement just ask.

Regards
Hugh


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## Hamish Mackintosh

Another book worth reading is. Sacrifice for Stalin, the Cost and Value of the arctic convoys re-assessed, by David Wragg ISBN1 84415 357 6


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## sglen00

sorry, haven't been on here the last few days, internet was down. Thanks so much everyone for your input, will definitely look up some of these books. 


Hugh, the handwriting is hard to read, but i think it says 28.12.42, g'gow.


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## sglen00

RE. Hugh, 

in regards to applying retrospectively for medals for my grandfather, i think i have the ships movements and i have the C.R.S 10. is this all i need? Where to i supply to/ get forms from?

many thanks.

sara


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## Hugh MacLean

Hello Sara,

That will be all the do***entary evidence you require. Contact the Registry of Shipping and Seamen at the address below and ask for a medal application form. Return same with copies of the do***entary evidence and anything else they may ask for such as copy of death certificate. (May be quicker to give them a phone and get them to send it to you).

The ship returned to Loch Ewe 12th December 1942. I note he was discharged from service on 30th December 1942, his CRS 8 (Certificate of Discharge from MN) was issued on 24th December. 

The Registry of Shipping & Seamen (RSS) 
MCA Cardiff 
Anchor Court 
Keen Road 
Cardiff 
CF24 5JA 

TEL: 029 2044 8844 
www.mcga.gov.uk 
[email protected] 

Regards
Hugh


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## collerant

Hugh MacLean said:


> Hello Sara,
> On the CRS 10, there is a column marked 'Date and Place of Discharge'. Can you tell me what it says please?
> 
> As Roger says in #8 there is a lot out there on the internet about the ship and PQ 14, just Google it. If you have any specific questions that you need answered please feel free to ask on here. Most of my information about 'BRIARWOOD' deals with Operation FB. I cannot see your grandfather's name on the crew list but I assume that would be because he had left the ship by that time.
> 
> BRIARWOOD made her first voyage to North Russia, in convoy PQ-3 during November 1941. She made her second trip to North Russia in PQ-14. Twenty-four ships left in the outward convoy, sixteen returned with weather damage, one ship was lost and seven, including BRIARWOOD reached Murmansk. Captain William Henry Charles Lawrence, OBE, was in command of BRIARWOOD and he was vice commodore of PQ-14. The commodore was taking passage in SS EMPIRE HOWARD and when this vessel was lost Captain Lawrence took over the duties of commodore for the remainder of the passage. There were as many escorts as there were merchantmen when they reached Russia.
> He was made commodore of the homeward bound convoy, QP-11 and for the excellent performance of his duties he was made a CBE. She sailed for home in convoy QP-11 with twelve other merchantmen and a strong Royal Navy escort. Off northern Norway the convoy was attacked by German destroyers and after a fierce battle one Russian merchantman had been sunk, one British escort was damaged and one German destroyer was at the bottom of the Barents Sea. The remaining twelve merchantmen of the convoy were brought safely to Reykjavik on 7 May 1942.
> 
> If you need any advice about the Arctic Star and his campaign medal entitlement just ask.
> 
> Regards
> Hugh


Captain William Henry Charles Lawrence was my grandfather. My Father still has the OBE/CBE awards in his house.


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## Hugh MacLean

William Henry Charles Lawrence b. 1905, London. Discharge No. R9408. Certificate of Competency No. 37489.
Just some of the ships he served in. He also has a BOT Cert of Competency 37489 available via the Ancestry website which will list the ships he served his apprenticeship on. Further records will be held in his CRS 10 at Kew and Lloyd’s Captains Register held at the London Metropolitan Archive.

146516 - PACIFIC COMMERCE – 20 May 1926 (indentures completed)
146693 - ROYAL PRINCE – 6.11.1924
146693 - ROYAL PRINCE – 6.5.1925
146516 - PACIFIC COMMERCE – 15.6.1925
146516 - PACIFIC COMMERCE - 30.9.1925
146516 – PACIFIC COMMERCE – 30.1.1926
137462 - SOUTHWESTERN MILLER – 4.8.1926
143463 – WAIKAWA – 15.12.1926
142258 – COMINO – 20.4.1927
147462 – SOUTHWESTERN MILLER – 7.6.1927
147652 - PACIFIC TRADER – 3.2.1928
146693 – ROYAL PRINCE – 4.4.1930
160468 - PACIFIC EXPORTER – 16.10.1931
147652 - PACIFIC TRADER – 11.12.1933
160723 – KINGSWOOD – 21.3.1939
160733 – BRIARWOOD – 1940
14 May 1943 in transit aboard ss EDAM along with 14 others to join ss SAMUEL VERY 1.6.1943.
Records after this date should be held in his CRS 10.

BRIARWOOD was one of the lucky ships that escaped without damage from convoy HX-84 in which HMS JERVIS BAY was sunk by ADMIRAL SCHEER. She was under the command of Captain W. H. Lawrence, on a voyage Halifax to Oban with 6,500 tons of steel and timber.
In August of 1941, BRIARWOOD was again under attack. Captain Lawrence was still in command and this time the vessel was bound from Lisbon to New York via Gibraltar. In position 4054N 1916W she was attacked by a four-engined FW 200 “Condor” aircraft. Captain Lawrence was invested with the OBE for their efforts in this action.

London Gazette 6 January 1942 – For the probable destruction of an enemy aircraft.
LAWRENCE, William Henry Charles – Captain – OBE(Civ)
HARDY, Jack – Second Officer - MBE(Civ)
HALLIDAY, William Charles Cyril – Gunner – BEM(Civ)
London Gazette 30 July 1942 – For service in Russian Convoy PQ14 in April 1942
BETTERDIDGE, James Woodings D/JX 34784 – Leading Signalman RN – DSM

London Gazette 18 August 1942 – For like services
CHAPMAN, Royston William John – Chief Officer – Commendation

For like services as Convoy Commodore - LAWRENCE, William Henry Charles – Captain – CBE(Civ)
For like services and for taking charge of an Oerlikon gun

HETHERINGTON, John Richardson – Chief Steward – BEM(Civ)

Regards
Hugh


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