15 August 1942 Part 1

St Malo Convoy Control Office 15 August 1942

Weather: S, moderate to fresh breeze; overcast; visibility about 10 nautical miles; calm to slightly disturbed sea.

0048: HS 206 reports by radio that HS 191 has sunk and its crew has been rescued.

Remark: Nothing has yet been established about the cause of the sinking. Enemy action apparently does not come into consideration.

0315 — Off Jersey: V 209/11 release Rob. Müller 8 and Schokland to enter harbour, and take over RO 21 for Guernsey.

0355: A radio message arrives from HS 206 reporting distress signals sighted in the direction of Alderney; HS 206 is proceeding there.

0515 — Guernsey: V 209/11 arrived with RO 21 from Jersey.

0730 — Malo: M 4611/01 sailed without convoy for Granville.

Convoy tasks: (1) Combined convoy Granville–Jersey–Guernsey. (2) Loriot with barge H 274 PM, Guernsey–Malo. (3) Loriot with H 274 PM and H 20 PM, Malo–Lézardrieux.

I assign: For (1), M 4611/01, proceeding without convoy from Malo to Granville for this purpose. For (2), V 209/11. For (3), V 712/08, which at Lézardrieux are then to assemble Loriot and its tow together with Pierrot and its tow, already lying there, into convoy 3291 for Brest, as ordered by the 3rd Security Division, and take it onward.

1000 — Granville: M 4611/01 take over the combined convoy and proceed to Jersey.

1000 — Guernsey: V 209/11 sailed with convoy for Malo.

1230 — Malo: A teletype message arrives from the 3rd Security Division's Command concerning the passage of Sperrbrecher 175 and 184 (mine-clearing barrier-breaker vessels), Cherbourg–Lézardrieux, during the night of 15/16 August. There is no possibility of an encounter with convoys in Channel Islands traffic.

A further teletype arrives from BSW Command concerning a special operation by the 8th Minesweeping Flotilla. There is likewise no possibility of an encounter with that force.

Report to the 3rd Security Division — A. Situation on 15 August 1942:

1. V 712/08: readiness at Malo for convoy 3291, Malo–Lézardrieux. [“Readiness at Malo” is repeated in the typed line.]

2. V 213/08: Cherbourg, at the disposal of the 2nd Security Division.

3. V 209/11: completion of the night troop convoy Malo–Jersey–Guernsey; later Guernsey–Malo with Loriot and H 274 PM.

4. UJ 1411/04: Cherbourg, at the disposal of the 2nd Security Division.

5. V 707/04: repairs at Cherbourg.

6. M 4601/11: independent passage Malo–Granville; Granville–Jersey–Guernsey with a combined convoy; readiness. [The report types the section as M 4601/11; movement entries give M 4611/01.]

7. V 206/M 4605/04: readiness at Malo. [The final digit of the abbreviated minesweeper designation is overtyped.]

Escorted tonnage: 7,500 GRT.

B. Intentions for 16 August 1942:

1. V 712/08: completion of the night passage to Lézardrieux with convoy 3291, then continuing westwards.

2. V 213/08 and UJ 1411/04: at the disposal of the 2nd Security Division.

3. V 209/11/06/4605/04: readiness at Malo. [Combined vessel designations as typed.]

4. V 707/04: repairs at Cherbourg.

5. M 4601/11: readiness at Guernsey. [Section designation as typed.]

1600 — Off Jersey: M 4611/01 release the Jersey portion of the convoy to enter harbour and continue to Guernsey.

1845 — Malo: V 209/11 arrived with Loriot and barge 274. Loriot reports machinery damage. Once it is established that repairs will take several days, I report to the 3rd Security Division and ask whether V 712/08 should proceed westwards with the remainder of convoy 3291 lying at Lézardrieux.

1945 — Guernsey: M 4611/01 arrived with convoy from Granville.

I request by teletype the transfer of V 203 [number uncertain] from Cherbourg to Ouistreham from 19 August, and take over this task from the 2nd Security Division.

Signed: Dr Diederichs.

T-1022 Roll 2423, scan 0450, original pages 26–27, from the 15 August heading to the signature. St Malo Convoy Control Office war diary. Source variants in vessel numbers and uncertain readings are marked locally.