18 May 1943

18 May 1943 Channel Islands Sea Defence diary

Weather: wind 45°, 5 m/sec. At 02:10, harbour-protection boats FK 25 and FK 08, on position 7 off Jersey in grid square B.F. 3812 centre, received an air-raid warning. Four aircraft of unidentified type approached from the south-south-west, one directly towards the boats. They displayed no recognition signal and were fired upon.

At 02:20, three more aircraft approached from the same direction, again with one making a direct approach. They displayed a recognition signal only after being fired upon; no hits were observed. At 04:00, the boats were approached directly by another three aircraft. After fire was opened, the aircraft displayed recognition signals; no hits were observed. All aircraft flew at 50–100 metres. Ammunition expenditure: 135 rounds 2-cm and 50 machine-gun rounds.

Between 02:01 and 02:06, FK 26 in Guernsey harbour fired 45 rounds 2-cm at an approaching aircraft of unknown type after an air-raid warning. No hits were observed.

At 02:20, St Malo Convoy Control informed the Sea Commander's operations room that German aircraft had departed the St Malo area for England between 01:35 and 02:05. The local anti-aircraft brigade had not previously advised the Sea Commander that friendly aircraft would operate in his command area. It was ordered henceforth to forward relevant departure reports, particularly those affecting shipping routes, so subordinate units and ships could be warned.

The report added that the engagement of friendly aircraft was chiefly caused by the aircraft themselves failing to comply with orders requiring wide clearance of German warships and convoys on prescribed routes. If aircraft disregarded the order, all naval forces and steamers were authorised to fire without warning. Aircraft flying at approximately 200 metres during bright moonlight could not reasonably expect harbour-protection boats and convoys, after repeated British attacks, to withhold fire.

No. 3 gun of Army Coast Battery 468 was unavailable while being rebuilt.

At 23:45, FK 26 on position 7 off Jersey fired 17 rounds 2-cm at an unidentified aircraft flying south from the north. The aircraft displayed no recognition signal after fire was opened; no hits were observed.

T-1022 Roll 2422, PG 37997, scans 0642–0643.