简介：JeremyClarksontellsthedramaticstoryoftheArcticconvoysoftheSecondWorldWar,fromRussiatothefreezingArcticOcean. Accompaniedbymovingfirsthandtestimonyfromthemenwhoservedontheseconvoys,ClarksonrevealstheincrediblehazardsfacedbymembersoftheMerchantandRoyalNavywhodeliveredvitalwarsuppliesviatheArctictotheSovietUnion:temperaturesofminus50degrees,hugeicebergs,colossalwaves,nottomentionGermanU-boatsandtheLuftwaffe.ItisnowonderthatChurchilldescribedtheArcticConvoysas'theworstjourneyintheworld.' Between1941and1945,morethan70convoysdelivered4milliontonnesofmaterialtotheUSSR,yetoneconvoyinpartiuclarwouldcometosymbolisethedangersfacedbythemenwhoservedonthem.CodenamedPQ17,thisconvoyof35merchantshipswouldbedescribedbyChurchillasoneofthemostmelancholynavalepisodesofthewar. RetracingtherouteofPQ17fromtheArctictotheRussianwinterportofArchangel,Clarksonrevealshow,onthenightofJuly4th1942,thisjointAnglo-Americanconvoybecameoneofthebiggestnavaldisastersofthe20thcentury.Tomakemattersworse,thecauseofthedisasterlaynotinthebrutalconditionsoftheArctic,orthemilitarymightoftheGermans,butamisjudgementmadeinthecorridorsoftheAdmiraltyinLondon.…