17 February 1943

17–18 February 1943 Channel Islands Sea Defence diary

17 February: wind 45°, 5 m/sec. The 18 February wind field prints 45°, 45 m/sec [as printed; possibly a missing separator in the speed].

At 23:35 and 00:25, Batterie West on Alderney fired one three-round spread of illuminating shells on each occasion. The Alderney radar station had detected vessels which, from their behaviour, position and course, and from the known shipping movements, could not immediately be identified as friendly. Ammunition expenditure: six 15-cm illuminating shells

Both targets proved to be friendly boats. They were travelling outside Route Herz and approached the island away from its prescribed approach route. Since the reported German minesweepers were using Route Herz, it was reasonable to suspect that the targets approaching Alderney might be enemy vessels.

T-1022 Roll 2422, PG 37997, scan 0600.