How one disastrous decision caused a convoy catastrophe.On the 27th of June 1942 convoy PQ-17 departed Iceland for the Soviet Union. Out of 34 merchant ships, only 11 would make it to port

On the 27th of June 1942 convoy PQ-17 departed Iceland for the Soviet Union. Out of 34 merchant ships, only 11 would make it to port. At first, things seemed to be going well for the convoy as they beat off multiple German air attacks with relative ease. But on the 4th of July, everything went wrong. An order arrived from Admiral Sir Dudley Pound, the First Sea Lord himself reading 'Convoy is to scatter'. Fearing an imminent attack from German surface ships like Tirpitz ....