The convoy initially consisted of 20 merchant ships, most of which had arrived with PQ 17. The convoy commodore was Capt. JCK Dowding, in Ocean Voice. The close escort comprised two destroyers, four corvettes, three ASW minesweepers, and four ASW trawlers, supplemented by three AA cruisers. Most of these had also arrived with PQ 17. Senior Officer for the escort was Capt. JHF Crombie, in the minesweeper Bramble. The convoy was joined at sea by the ocean escort from PQ 18, comprising the cruiser Scylla, the escort carrierAvenger, and 16 destroyers. These were supported by a cruiser cover force, of three cruisers and eight destroyers, and a distant cover force of two battleships, a cruiser, and four destroyers. This was a substantial force, though weakened by its five day battle protecting PQ 18. QP 14 was opposed by a patrol line of seven boats in the Norwegian Sea, and by German air forces, though these were also depleted from their attack on PQ 18.
Voyage
QP 14 departed Archangel on 13 September, the day after the attack on PQ 18 started. It was accompanied by a local escort of four ASW minesweepers, which departed after two days. On 16 September QP 14 passed PQ 18 and the ocean escort began to transfer, leaving in groups to avoid drawing attention. QP 14 remained undetected until 20 September, when was attacked and sunk by. A search for the U-boat found nothing. That afternoon the two submarines detached from the convoy in an attempt to strike at the shadowing U-boats, which were travelling on the surface to maintain speed. In poor weather detected and fired four torpedoes at her, but the U-boat was warned by a premature explosion and escaped. That night the convoy was attacked again; Silver Sword was sunk by, and the destroyer was torpedoed by. She was taken in tow, but foundered four days later, before she could be brought to port. On 22 SeptemberU-435 penetrated the escort screen and torpedoed three ships, one of them, Ocean Voice, carrying the convoy commodore, leaving him adrift for the second time. The oiler was also hit, and could not be saved; she was scuttled later that day. On 23 September the pursuing was attacked and sunk by a Liberator of Coastal Command, flying escort for the convoy. QP 14 arrived at Loch Ewe on 26 September.
