Novaya Zemlya under naval escort to deliver desperately needed Lend-Lease supplies to northern Soviet seaports. Destruction of the Allied convoys was thus a top priority for the German Navy — and brought World War II to Novaya Zemlya. The most ill-fated and one of the largest Arctic convoys, code-named “PQ-17,” left Iceland on June 27, 1942. It consisted of thirty-four merchant ships, six destroyer escorts, fifteen additional armed ships (among which were two Free-French corvettes), and three small rescue craft. The fast-moving convoy encountered ice floes on June 30 and was forced to reduce speed. On the following morning, the convoy was
Severny Island ice cap Severny Island ice cap Severny Island ice cap is an ice cap on Severny Island, northern island of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago in Russia. It covers 40% of Severny Island (which is the 30th largest island in the world) at total area of approximately which, if Novaya Zemlya is considered within Europe, makes it the largest glacier by area in Europe ahead of Austfonna at and Vatnajökull at . A number of glaciers flow from the inner ice cap to Severny Island's coastline. The following glaciers have their terminus on the coast of the Barents Sea. The following glaciers have