Order of battle for Convoy PQ 18

Convoy PQ 18 was the last of the PQ/QP series of arctic convoys during World War II, bound from US and British ports via Reykjavík to the Barents Sea and White Sea ports of the Soviet Union, particularly Murmansk and Archangel. The convoy sailed on 2 September 1942 and arrived three weeks later on 21 September 1942. It was opposed by German sea and air forces based in occupied Norway.

The convoy comprised 40 merchant ships and 4 naval auxiliaries, plus contingents to and from Iceland (48 in all) and was defended by a close escort and a “Fighting Destroyer Escort”, as well as local escort forces, and two distant escort forces (74 warships in total). These were supported by aircraft of the RAF based in the Soviet Union.

The German forces comprised a U-boat group, code-named "Ice Palace", of 12 U-Boats, and a surface attack force of 8 warships, though in the event these were not engaged. These were assisted by the aircraft of Luftflotte 5.