The destruction of the Anglo-American convoy PQ 17 was one of the worst naval disasters of WWII. Hunted down by German U-Boats, Luftwaffe and the notorious Tirpitz, the 35 merchant ships headed for Arkhangelsk were carrying 700 million dollars worth of cargo, including tanks, aircraft and other supplies. With these supplies all destined for the Soviets to utilise against Hitler’s during Operation Barbarossa, what effect did the destruction of this convoy have for the German war effort, and what might have happened had it reached its destination intact?