12 July 1942

12 July 1942 St Malo convoy diary

Guernsey: weak W–NW breeze, light rain, visibility 15–20 nautical miles, calm sea. 00:00: V 206/M 4611 depart with RO 8 for Granville. 02:10 Jersey: V 209/204 release convoy and proceed to Cherbourg. 05:15 St Malo: M 4601/4604/4605 sail alone for Granville. 06:00 Cherbourg: V 202/208 return from position. 07:00 Granville: V 206/M 4611 release RO 8 to enter and continue to St Malo. 07:30 Cherbourg: V 209/204 arrive and relieve V 202/208. 08:45 St Malo: V 206/M 4611 arrive. 08:45 Granville: M 4601/4604/4605 sail with convoy for Jersey.

Today’s convoy requests arrive very late. First, Guernsey–Alderney night troop convoy, already postponed twice by 24 hours, is assigned to V 713/729. Second, Guernsey–St Malo night troop convoy: V 202/208 are radioed to wait at Guernsey until dark with their day convoy for St Malo, then take Livadia and Robert Müller 8. Third, another night troop convoy is requested [heading says Guernsey–St Malo; the orders concern Jersey–St Malo]. M 4601/4604/4605 are held at Jersey with the Granville convoy. Before their first task, V 713/729 are to take Karel and Holstein to Jersey, avoiding excessive size of V 202/208’s night convoy, and take over the Guernsey-bound portion of the Granville convoy. M 4601/4604/4605 remain at Jersey for Ad. le Prince, Karel and Holstein to St Malo overnight.

Fourth, a St Malo–Guernsey troop convoy is requested very late, with numbers increasing throughout the morning. Over 1,000 men require four boats: V 203, V 711/724 and M 4611. Remark: poor planning. Fifth, a Granville–Guernsey convoy requested only at 12:30 has to be refused because arrangements for the other tasks are already made. I discuss the repeatedly poor planning with the sea-transport chief. Despite the lack of preparation, almost all requests have been fulfilled. After a telephone discussion with Sea Transport Officer Cherbourg about V 202/208’s delayed departure, I order immediate sailing to catch the favourable tide to Guernsey. V 202’s commander may leave the slow oil barges there until 13 July if necessary to complete the night convoy. V 204/209 are to occupy Caruso after the Cherbourg–Alderney task.

11:20 Guernsey: V 713/729 sail with Karel for Jersey; Holstein has dried out. 13:30 Jersey: they release Karel and take over the Guernsey convoy from M 4605’s group. 14:00 Cherbourg: V 209/204 sail with convoy for Alderney. 15:15 Jersey: M 4605’s group arrives with convoy from Granville and Karel from Guernsey. 15:45 Guernsey: V 713/729 arrive with the Granville convoy taken over from M 4605’s group. 16:20 Alderney: V 209/204 arrive with convoy. 18:00: they sail with convoy for Cherbourg. 20:30 Guernsey: V 202/208 arrive with convoy from Cherbourg. 20:30 Cherbourg: V 204/209 sail with convoy for Alderney [as recorded, inconsistent with surrounding movements]. 22:30 Guernsey: V 202/208 sail with troop convoy for St Malo, leaving the slow oil barges. 22:40 Jersey: M 4601/4604/4605 sail with troop convoy for St Malo. 23:00 Cherbourg: V 204/209 sail for Carmen. 23:30 St Malo: V 203/711/724/M 4611 sail with troop convoy for Guernsey.

Corrections to 11 July: item 3 postponed 24 hours by rough sea; item 5 read V 209/204; item 6 read V 203. Situation: V 202/208 at Brummer overnight, then ready Cherbourg for B 123 S, Chantill and Vogun to Guernsey, followed by Livadia, Robert Müller 8 and Holstein to St Malo; V 711/724/203/M 4681 [typed; movements and intentions give M 4611] ready St Malo for RO 21, Nordplain, Minotaure and Holland with over 1,000 men, escorted by four boats tonight; V 713/729 take Karel Guernsey–Jersey and return with Tourane and Comptoir 51 from M 4605/4601/4604’s Granville convoy, then ready for Georgi and Claus Wilhelm to Alderney; V 206/M 4611 finish RO 8 and Saigon Guernsey–Granville overnight, then alone to St Malo; V 209/204 alone Jersey–Cherbourg, then Lena, Weber and Dorsch to Alderney; M 4601/4604/4605 alone St Malo–Granville, then Helma, Nestor, Tourane and Comptoir 51 to Jersey, ready for Ad. le Prince and Karel to St Malo overnight. Escorted tonnage 13,040 GRT.

Intentions for 13 July: V 202/208 finish Livadia, Robert Müller 8 and Holstein to St Malo, then ready; V 711/724/203/M 4611 finish RO 21, Minotaure, Nordplain and Holland to Guernsey, then ready; V 713/729 finish Georgi to Alderney, then convoy to Cherbourg; V 206 ready St Malo; V 204/209 at Brummer overnight, then ready Cherbourg for convoys; M 4601/4604/4605 finish Ad. le Prince and Karel to St Malo, then ready. St Malo Roads unoccupied because of shortage of boats. Remark on 23:30: inadequate supervision by the harbour captain again delayed locking out and departure by one and a half hours. Signed Dr Diederichs.

T-1022 Roll 2423, PG 38000, scans 0405–0406.