The Ghost Ships of Archangel

The Arctic Voyage That Defied the Nazis

By: William Geroux

Narrated by: Arthur Morey

An extraordinary story of survival and alliance during World War II: the icy journey of four Allied ships crossing the Arctic to deliver much needed supplies to the Soviet war effort.

On the fourth of July, 1942, four Allied ships traversing the Arctic separated from their decimated convoy to head further north into the ice field of the North Pole, seeking safety from Nazi bombers and U-boats in the perilous white maze of ice floes, growlers, and giant bergs. Despite the risks, they had a better chance of survival than the rest of Convoy PQ-17, a fleet of 35 cargo ships carrying $1 billion worth of war supplies to the Soviet port of Archangel - the limited help Roosevelt and Churchill extended to Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin to maintain their fragile alliance, even as they avoided joining the fight in Europe while the Eastern Front raged.

The high-level politics that put Convoy PQ-17 in the path of the Nazis were far from the minds of the diverse crews aboard their ships. US Navy ensign Howard Carraway, aboard the SS Troubadour, was a farm boy from South Carolina and one of the many Americans for whom the convoy was to be a first taste of war; aboard the SS Ironclad, Ensign William Carter of the US Navy Reserve had passed up a chance at Harvard Business School to join the Navy Armed Guard; from the Royal Navy Reserve, Lt. Leo Gradwell was given command of the HMT Ayrshire, a fishing trawler that had been converted into an antisubmarine vessel. All the while, The Ghost Ships of Archangel turns its focus on Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin, playing diplomatic games that put their ships in peril.

The 24-hour Arctic daylight in midsummer gave no respite from bombers, and the Germans wielded the terrifying battleship Tirpitz, nicknamed The Big Bad Wolf. Icebergs were as dangerous as Nazis. As a newly forged alliance was close to dissolving and the remnants of Convoy PQ-17 tried to slip through the Arctic in one piece, the fate of the world hung in the balance.

©2019 William Geroux (P)2019 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“In this gripping history, Geroux recounts the fascinating story of multinational convoy PQ-17, which sailed through treacherous ice-filled waters to deliver tanks, explosives, and other supplies to support the Soviet WWII effort...WWII aficionados, and anyone else who likes a good story, will find this well-written adventure tale a real pleasure.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

“This book is sheer enjoyment.... A riveting saga.... Using marvelous accounts from first-person perspectives, Geroux crafted a history to be enjoyed by naval enthusiasts, mariners and World War II fans. This is not one to miss!” (Virginia Gazette)

“An important but overlooked point in World War II.... A nightmarish story of survival in the ice fields of the Arctic; an engaging read for fans of military history.” (Library Journal)

Amazing, Untold Story

With all of the WWII books and accounts, the story of ships traveling through arctic waters during WWII is one truly remarkable story. After reading about fighting around Alaska, this tale of escape from German U-boats through Arctic waters, and the near misses, truly astonishes. It's hard to imagine temperatures so cold and war at the sea going on at the same time. What bravery of these men, and William Geroux brings the reader so close to the action one can feel it. Arthur Morey is a most superb narrator every time. he's in his element here.

History at its finest!

naval-history, war-is-hell, WW2, arctic-warfare, historical-places-events, historical-research

4-4-2019 Amazing research and presentation! I kept diving into it despite my total lack of foreknowledge. So much to learn and keep annoying friends and family with tidbits and more, even the Norwegians! Ok, just to give examples: in 1940 the Norse who were at sea when the Nazis seized Norway were forced to live at sea or in temporary lodgings in Allied or Neutral nations, one converted Liberty Ship in the convoy included an old cannon from a public park in Baltimore among its armaments, not only was the Nazi Wolfpack doing their best to annihilate the convoy but so was the cold weather and the ice. Included among the many resources is a diary of an Able Bodied Seaman.
I need to get a print copy for the library and hope that an audio is made for a fanatic who spends a lot of time in his car!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Penguin Group-VIKING via NetGalley. Thank you!
5-16-19 Just bought the audio performed by the inimitable Arthur Morey!

Excellent Account of WWII

We generally are not told of the heroics on the periphery of the war. This book does that very well. It is informative and interesting. A good read.

Worldly but Personal

I knew little about the American and British convoys supplying the Soviet Union in WWII with valuable war items.

As as a history teacher, I found the book interesting.

It tells about Merchant Marines sailing in the Arctic Ocean and their heroic efforts bringing supplies to Stalin.


This is why I called the story personnel.

Little known, important ww2 story

Narration: clear, arresting cadence.

Story: excellent, detailed description of important ww2 merchant disaster. Also, vivid account of life in Archangel.the critically important Russian arctic port where war materials were received and sent on to Russian depots.

Highly recommended.

A part of WWII that I knew almost nothging about.

This book ended up being pretty good. I'm a military history buff, but hadn't learned much about this part of the war.

A lot of chaff

This book takes a good, very short story and stretches it out into multiple chapters. There is a lot of context provided that has nothing to do with the story of the convoy. There is even a significant part of a final chapter and talks about global warming and the effects on the ice today of the region where the ships went. All this is unnecessary.

Fantastic Forgotten Bit of Naval History

Geroux is a master of research and story telling. The arctic mariners of WW-II finally get their due. Truly the greatest generation. The story of the arctic supply convoys to keep the Soviet Union alive and able to fight the Nazis is epic. Though not exactly ignorant of naval and military history, I was delighted and intrigued by this telling of the largely forgotten bit of history and the political events surrounding it. Who knew that American troops had ever engaged in combat on Russian soil or of the frozen sacrifices of American and British sailors and merchantmen to feed and arm our communist ally against Hitler? A must read for everyone interested in military history.

A must read!

Perfect for historians and lovers of history. I had heard about the convoy but didn't really dig in to it until now. I'll be reading even more books about pq-17 in the future.

I learned a lot of things I did not know

very good book I learned a lot of things I didn't know about world war II very good