 Nyorai kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Ngarava dzakaramba dziri muIceland kusvikira pana 15 May, apo dzakatanga kudzokera kuScapa Flow, dzichisvika ikoko pana 3 June. Zuva rakatevera racho, Admiral Harold Rainsford Stark, Mutungamiriri weNaval Forces Europe, akashanyira ngarava yacho ndokuigadzira dzimbahwe rake renguva pfupi. Musi wa 7 June, King George VI akauya kuzotarisa Washington, uye pashure pokunge Stark abva iye akatangazve kutungamira makondirakiti muArctic; izvi zvaisanganisira makondirakiti QP 12, PQ 16, uye PQ 17. Maviri okutanga akaitika panguva imwe chete, neQP 12 ichidzoka kubva kuSoviet Union nepo PQ 16 ichitakura imwe mutoro wezvinhu nezvombo. Washington, Victorious, uye ngarava yehondo yakapa rutsigiro rurefu asi haina kubatwa zvakananga neGerman U-zvikepe uye ndege dzakapinda muPQ 16; QP 12 yakanyanyisa kunzvenga kutarisa kweGerman uye yakapfuura pasina chiitiko chakakosha. 