13 July 1942

13 July 1942 St Malo convoy diary

St Malo: fresh N breeze, precipitation, visibility four to five nautical miles, disturbed sea. Night convoys were partly delayed by adverse current; otherwise no special events despite repeated enemy-aircraft presence over the islands. 04:00 St Malo: M 4601/4604/4605 arrive with troop convoy from Jersey. 06:00: V 202/208 arrive with troop convoy from Guernsey. 06:00 Cherbourg: V 204/209 return from position. Requests: day convoy Cherbourg–Alderney and return, V 713/729; day convoy Alderney–Guernsey, same boats; night troop convoy Guernsey–Alderney, same boats; day convoy Alderney–Granville [as typed; subsequent movements give Jersey–Granville], V 711/724; night troop convoy Guernsey–St Malo, V 203/M 4601 [request wording; movements give M 4611]. Remark: total escorted tonnage since this office was established on 21 January 1942 passes one million GRT today.

Correction to 12 July item 5: add Alderney–Cherbourg with Schwalbe, Heinrich and Corona. Situation: V 209/204 at Brummer overnight, then ready Cherbourg; V 713/729 Cherbourg–Alderney with Nordfels, Kochelsee and Claus Wilhelm, then Guernsey–Alderney overnight with Claus Wilhelm; V 711/724/203/M 4611 finish RO 21, Nordplain, Minotaure and Holland St Malo–Guernsey; V 711/724 alone Guernsey–Jersey, then RO 8, Helma and Diamant Jersey–Granville, then alone to St Malo; V 203/M 4611 with Minotaure and Holland Guernsey–St Malo; M 4601/4604/4605 finish Ad. le Prince and Karel Jersey–St Malo, then ready; V 202/206 ready St Malo; V 208 not combat-ready St Malo. Escorted tonnage 6,210 GRT; cumulative total 1,001,840 GRT.

Intentions for 14 July: V 209/204 at Brummer then Bremse overnight, followed by convoy Alderney–Cherbourg; V 713/729 finish Claus Wilhelm to Alderney, then ready; V 711/724 ready St Malo; V 203/M 4611 finish Minotaure and Holland to St Malo, then ready; V 202/206 ready St Malo; M 4601/4604/4605 convoy St Malo–Jersey, then ready.

14:00 Guernsey: V 711/724 sail alone to Jersey. 14:15 Cherbourg: V 713/729 sail alone to Alderney; the intended Nordfels has engine damage. 16:40 Jersey: V 711/724 take over convoy to Granville. 17:00 Alderney: V 713/729 sail with convoy to Guernsey. 18:45 St Malo: following a telephone request by Sea Transport Officer Granville for a convoy to Guernsey on 14 July, I radio through Naval Signals Officer Cherbourg ordering V 711/724 to enter Granville after their current task and carry out the convoy tomorrow. 19:40 Granville: V 711/724 arrive with convoy.

The Division’s renewed instruction to berth boats singly alongside the pier because of expected low-level enemy air attacks cannot always be met at St Malo, as also generally in the island harbours: pier space is insufficient for boats of 2nd Patrol, 12th Minesweeping and 46th Minesweeping Flotillas. 21:00: the Division teletypes the position of V 708/712’s convoy overnight. I radio V 204/209 and V 708/712 through Cherbourg that an encounter is possible between 01:00 and 03:00 between points 326 and 254. 22:15 Guernsey: V 203/M 4611 sail with night troop convoy for St Malo. 22:30: V 713/729 arrive with convoy from Alderney. The intended Guernsey–Alderney troop convoy is not ready and is postponed to night 14/15 July. 23:00 Cherbourg: V 209/204 sail for Carmen/Caruso. Signed Dr Diederichs.

T-1022 Roll 2423, PG 38000, scans 0406–0407.