Convoy JW 55B

Convoy JW 55B was an Arctic convoy sent from Great Britain by the Western Allies to aid the Soviet Union during World War II. It sailed in late December 1943, reaching the Soviet northern ports at the end of the month. All ships arrived safely.

During the voyage JW 55B was approached by a German force centred on the battleship Scharnhorst; no contact was made with the convoy, but Scharnhorst was sunk, in the Battle of the North Cape, by the battleship HMS Duke of York (17) and a handful of Royal Navy light surface combatants.

The convoy consisted of 19 merchant ships which departed from Loch Ewe on 22 December 1943. Close escort was provided by a force of two destroyers and three other escort vessels. There was also an Ocean escort, comprising the destroyer Onslow (Capt J A McCoy commanding) and seven other Home Fleet destroyers. The convoy was also accompanied initially by a local escort group from Britain, and was also joined later by the ocean escort of convoy JW 55A, out of Murmansk. A cruiser cover force comprising Belfast (V Adm R Burnett commanding), Norfolk, and Sheffield also followed the convoy, to guard against attack by surface units. Distant cover was provided by a Heavy Cover Force comprising the battleship Duke of York, the cruiser Jamaica and four destroyers under the command of V Adm Bruce Fraser.

...
Wikipedia