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about

PQ17 was an outbound Arctic Convoy during World War 2. It is infamous for having the highest loss of shipping of any convoy during the whole conflict. I wrote this piece after researching the story behind it in the official British History of the War at Sea written in the early 1950's by Captain Roskilde. It was released on the album 'Chasing Light" in 2011. In May 2013 after contact with the Arctic Convoy Museum Group in North West Scotland I was invited to play the song at a special medal ceremony for the Arctic Convoy veterans in Gairloch. Live on BBC National news I played and sang to the very people I'd written about - one of the most humbling and rewarding performances of my career to date. You can find out more about the Arctic Convoys at www.russianarcticconvoymuseum.co.uk

lyrics

PQ17

North Atlantic to the Barents Sea
When the waves hit deck they freeze
Artic convoy, 25 below
No-one was supposed to know
Feeding the eastern front, til the battle’s won
We fought the darkness in the midnight sun

And there’s nowhere to hide, here in the circle
There’s nowhere to run if we go down
It’s a cruel war, and we’d change it if we could
But we sailed north for the greater good

Warnings given and a change of course
Enemy ships, overwhelming force
Ordered to scatter, make it on our own
The escorts left and headed home
We knew the risks, but it made no sense
Alone in the ocean there was no defence

There’s nowhere to hide, here in the circle
There’s nowhere to run if we go down
It’s a cruel war, and we’d change it if we could
But we sailed north for the greater good

And they picked us off one by one
Does the First Sea Lord know what he’s done
Of 36 merchants fit to serve
25 gone ….cos you lost your nerve…

North Atlantic to the Barents Sea
When the waves hit deck they freeze

credits

from Chasing Light, released February 28, 2011
Played and recorded at Foundry Music Lab, Motherwell, Scotland.

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Gareth Davies-Jones Northumberland, UK

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