Convoy QP 10

Convoy QP 10 was an Arctic convoy of the Second World War, consisting of empty merchant ships returning from the Soviet Union after unloading. The convoy had 16 merchant ships and an escort of nine warships. The convoy departed Murmansk on 10 April 1942.

The convoy was attacked by German U-boats and aircraft, resulting in the loss of four merchant ships. Stone Street, was damaged by air attack and forced to turn back to the Kola Inlet. The convoy escorts shot down six German aircraft and damaged another during the voyage and arrived at Reykjavík on 21 April.

On 13 April, Adolf Hitler stressed to Grand Admiral Erich Raeder, the Oberkommando der Marine, (Commander-in-Chief of the Kriegsmarine) that "attacks on on the Murmansk convoys are most important at the moment". On 17 April, Vice-Admiral Henry Moore, the Vice-Chief of the Naval Staff, reported that the losses of Convoy QP 10 and the reciprocal Convoy QP 14 was more than 20 per cent and as the weather improved, convoy losses would increase.

Luftflotte 5 was reinforced from 152 aircraft in January to 175 in February and 221 in March made the force much more capable. The increased number of U-boats also required more escorts and this would only be possible if the frequency of Arctic convoys was reduced to three in two months and no more than 25 ships per convoy.