Artic Sea - Frame 1

Background
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Convoy PQ18 and Return QP14 - PQ18 left Loch Ewe in Scotland
on the 2nd with over 40 merchantmen. The hard learnt lessons
of PQ17 and previous convoys were not forgotten.
Close escort was provided by 17 warships plus escort
carrier "Avenger" and two destroyers.
On the 13th, aircraft torpedoed nine ships, but next day
"Avenger's" Hurricanes ensured only one more ship
was lost to air attack. In total over 40 German aircraft
were shot down by the convoy's defences..
Avenger's war service commenced on 3 September, when she
left Scapa Flow on her first official active duty,
as an escort to convoy PQ18 to the north of Russia.
She was equipped with 12 Sea Hurricanes from 883 Squadron,
and 3 Swordfish from 825 Squadron.Convoy PQ-18 to
Russia in September 1942, where her aircraft sank the German
submarine U589 on 14 September with the assistance
of the destroyer HMS Faulknor.  
The Avenger arrived back in Scapa Flow on 3 October after
a very active first operation.
Her Swordfish had flown 32 sorties and attacked 6 of the
 16 U-Boats sited, while the Hurricanes had destroyed and
damaged 26 aircraft in 31 combats during 59 sorties.
They had engaged German U-Boats, flying boats,
Junkers Ju88 bombers and Heinkel He111 bombers.
In all 13 merchant ships were lost,
but the convoy claimed 42 German aircraft destroyed.