In war, it is not just the knavish tricks of the enemy but also the home grown unfortunate occurrences that result in disasters.

This book chronicles the circumstances surrounding an aging Panamanian freighter, the SS Capira, on her last voyage in convoys PQ 15, QP 13 and SC 97. During the period between November 1941 and September 1942 she witnessed a number of significant losses brought about by allied actions that far outweighed those caused by the enemy.

John Chuter tells SS Capira's story using primary archive material from the UK, USA, Canada, Russia and Germany as well as interviews, letters and previously unpublished contemporaneous eyewitness accounts. He recounts the political, strategic, tactical and technical issues that shaped the events, as well reliving the accounts of the extraordinary sailors who took part in the action.