17 August 1942 Part 2

17 August 1942 St Malo Convoy Control Office

Weather: Light northerly wind; cloudy; visibility 10–12 nautical miles; very calm to calm sea. Coastal haze and deteriorating visibility in the morning.

0100, Guernsey: M 4611/01, with the commander of the 46th Minesweeping Flotilla aboard, sail without a convoy for St Malo.

0120, Alderney: V 206/11 arrive with the convoy from Guernsey.

0230, off Jersey: V 712/08 release La France to enter harbour and continue to Guernsey.

0310, Alderney: V 206/11 sail later than intended with a slow convoy to Guernsey.

0400, Guernsey: Having completed the night troop convoy, V 712/08 begin their passage without a convoy to Lézardrieux.

0735, Guernsey: V 206/11 arrive with the convoy from Alderney.

0900, St Malo: Five boats of the 8th Minesweeping Flotilla arrive. Convoy tasks are: (1) night troop convoy Minotaure, Guernsey–St Malo; (2) night troop convoy La France, Jersey–St Malo; (3) daytime combined convoy Cherbourg–Alderney and return. I combine tasks 1 and 2 and issue orders to V 206/11; task 3 goes to V 707/04, which have completed repairs to their battle damage.

0910: A teleprinter message from the commander of the 5th Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla reports the boats’ return to Cherbourg.

1000, St Malo: M 4611/01 arrive without a convoy from Guernsey.

1210, St Malo: An escort request for 18 August arrives from the Granville Harbour Commandant. I allocate M 4605/04.

Correction to the situation for 16 August, sent to the 3rd Security Division: Item 6: M 4611/01, night passage Guernsey–St Malo.

Situation for 17 August: (1) V 712/08: finish the night troop convoy of 16/17 August from St Malo with La France to Jersey and Minotaure to Guernsey; then proceed independently Guernsey–Lézardrieux under the 3rd Security Division’s order, and are released to that Division for the westward passage with the remainder of convoy 3291. (2) V 213/08/UJ 1411/04: at the disposal of the 2nd Security Division. (3) V 206/11: finish the Guernsey–Alderney night troop convoy with RO 21, then Alderney–Guernsey with tug Cigale and two barges; later, night troop convoy of 17/18 August with Minotaure from Guernsey and La France from Jersey to St Malo. (4) V 209/M 4611/01/05/04: St Malo, ready. (5) V 707/04: Cherbourg–Alderney and return with a combined convoy; ready. (6) V 210/12: to IJmuiden. Escorted tonnage: 7,400 GRT.

Intentions for 18 August: (1) V 213/08/UJ 1411/04: at the disposal of the 2nd Security Division. (2) V 206/11: finish the night troop convoy of 17/18 August, Guernsey–Jersey–St Malo; ready. (3) V 209/M 4611/01: St Malo, ready. (4) M 4605/04: independent passage St Malo–Granville, then Granville–Jersey–Guernsey with a combined convoy. (5) V 707/04: Cherbourg, ready for convoy duty. (6) V 210/12: IJmuiden–Rotterdam.

1800, Cherbourg: V 707/04 sail with a convoy for Alderney.

1930, St Malo: BSW’s Chief of Staff and A2 arrive. I report to them.

2045, Alderney: V 707/04 arrive with the convoy from Cherbourg.

2245, Alderney: V 707/04 sail with a convoy for Cherbourg.

2300, Guernsey: V 206/11 sail with Minotaure for Jersey–St Malo. Signed on behalf: Wunderlich.

T-1022 Roll 2423, scan 0457 right-hand page (page 3, from 17 August) and scan 0458 left-hand page (page 4, through the signature preceding 18 August).