19 August 1942

19 August 1942 St Malo Convoy Control Office

Weather: Sea breeze continuing, then cloud and rain showers; visibility up to 10 nautical miles outside the showers. West to south-west, moderate to fresh breeze; calm to slight sea. [The wording immediately before the visibility figure is partly unclear.]

0310, Alderney: V 707/04 sail with RO 21 for Guernsey.

0445, off Jersey: V 206/09 release Meteor and Klaus Wilhelm to enter harbour and continue to Guernsey.

0525, St Malo: A radio message arrives concerning an attack by surface forces at Dieppe.

0700, Guernsey: V 206/09 arrive with RO 45.

0700, Guernsey: V 707/04 arrive with RO 21.

0720, St Malo: A radio message reports that enemy units have landed at Berneval [spelt “Bernevale” in the source]. Convoy tasks are: (1) V 707/04 to proceed without a convoy from Guernsey via Alderney to Cherbourg; (2) night troop convoy Georgi, Guernsey–Alderney; (3) night troop convoy RO 21, Guernsey–St Malo.

0830, St Malo: A radio message from 1411 reports developments in the engagement with enemy landing forces at Dieppe. I issue orders for the convoy tasks: task 1 as above; task 2 to V 206/09; task 3 to M 4605/04.

0950: S.T.O. Cherbourg [abbreviation retained] requests the early arrival of the V 707/04 pair at Cherbourg because of urgent convoy duties.

1005: I have a radio message sent to the V 707/04 pair instructing them to expedite their passage via Alderney to Cherbourg.

1130: A radio message from UJ 1411 reports the presumed loss of UJ 1404.

1145: A telephone conversation with A1, BSW establishes that shipping movements between Alderney and Cherbourg are not desired.

1150: I issue radio orders to V 707/04 to remain at Alderney.

Remark: This order no longer reaches the pair at Alderney: they have already sailed from there for Cherbourg with a vessel under escort.

1230, St Malo: “Coastal alarm” is ordered, increased readiness having already been ordered at 0900 that morning.

1300: A message from the 3rd Security Division reports that BSW has ordered immediate readiness in the ports of the Boulogne–Cherbourg area.

1310: Discussion with the commander of the 8th Minesweeping Flotilla. The five boats of that flotilla in harbour, and V 211, remain at immediate readiness. The flotilla commander subsequently reports that BSW does not, for the time being, intend to deploy forces.

Situation for 19 August reported to the 3rd Security Division: (1) V 213/08/UJ 1411/04: at the disposal of the 2nd Security Division. (2) V 206/09: finish the night troop convoy of 18/19 August, St Malo–Jersey–Guernsey; night troop convoy of 19/20 August with Georgi, Guernsey–Alderney. (3) M 4611/01: St Malo, ready. (4) V 707/04: Guernsey–Alderney–Cherbourg; ready. (5) V 207: Cherbourg, ready. (6) M 4605/04: Guernsey, ready for the night troop convoy of 19/20 August, Guernsey–St Malo with RO 21. (7) V 210/12: farther west. Escorted tonnage: to be reported later.

Execution of the night convoys depends on further developments. Intentions for 20 August: to be reported later.

Remark: For the time being I do not report intentions for 20 August, since they depend on developments in the situation.

1345, Cherbourg: V 707/04 arrive with the convoy from Alderney.

1530, St Malo: BSW’s brief situation report for 1200 arrives.

1610, St Malo: BSW’s brief situation report for 1400 arrives.

1620, St Malo: A message from Sea Commander, Channel Islands states that shipping traffic is to cease for the time being.

Remark: This message is evidently intended for harbour-protection boats and other vessels.

1730: A telephone conversation with A1, BSW establishes that convoys may be carried out as planned. I issue corresponding orders to V 206/09 and M 4605/04.

Remark: I do not authorise the Cherbourg–Alderney convoy proposed by S.T.O. Cherbourg, since it consists only of slow vessels which I do not wish to send out during the coming night.

2040: I send the report of the positions of the night convoys of 19/20 August to the 3rd Security Division [recipient supplied by the handwritten insertion].

2130: In a supplement to today’s situation report, I report my intentions for 20 August. The alarm state at St Malo continues, with certain restrictions.

2130, Guernsey: V 206/09 sail with Georgi for Alderney.

2145, Guernsey: Four motor torpedo boats sail for Cherbourg.

2150, St Malo: A war teleprinter message from the 3rd Security Division reports the motor torpedo boats’ passage. I submit a radio message with “Kr.” precedence to the 5th Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla on K.K.W., stating that there is no possibility of an encounter on their passage, since V 206/09 and their convoy have already been overtaken.

Remark: Although I give the radio message the urgency marking “Kr.”, it is not transmitted until [time left blank] hours. Until then, K.K.W. is not released for the message. [The source leaves the time unfilled; K.K.W. is retained without expansion.]

2230, Guernsey: M 4605/04 sail with RO 21 for St Malo.

2400, Cherbourg: Four motor torpedo boats arrive. Signed on behalf: Wunderlich.

T-1022 Roll 2423, scan 0459 left-hand page (original page 6, from 19 August), right-hand page (page 7), and scan 0460 left-hand page (page 8, through the signature preceding 20 August).