19 June 1942

19 June 1942 St Malo convoy diary

St Malo: wind about N, visibility eight nautical miles, patchy fog, very calm to calm sea. Night convoys and patrol stations completed as intended. 03:30: V 204 enters St Malo. 10:30: V 211/213 enter. 11:15: V 209 enters. 15:00: Commander Security West teletype Gkdos 3612 assigns V 203/207 to convoy 3274. I give corresponding orders through the Sea Transport Office Cherbourg. Under the same teletype I employ three boats of the 46th Minesweeping Flotilla for Cherbourg–Alderney escort duties and return. Mikado/Mikimaus cannot be occupied during night 19/20 June because these three boats have escort tasks and no other boats are available for Cherbourg or the position; a corresponding teletype is sent to Security West.

V 202/206 receive orders for the night convoy 19/20 June Guernsey–Jersey–Granville. At Granville they are to anchor with the convoy from arrival until 11:30 on 20 June, providing anti-aircraft protection because the convoy cannot enter harbour before then. At 12:00 they take over the Granville–Jersey–Guernsey convoy. I order Minotaure, sailing Guernsey–Jersey in the night convoy, to remain at Jersey; V 208/209 will escort her to St Malo on the evening of 20 June. This avoids the troops aboard having to spend a whole day at anchor off Granville unnecessarily. M 4604/4605 are assigned to St Malo Roads.

Situation: V 203/207 at Mikado during night 18/19 June, then Georgi troop convoy Alderney–Cherbourg under fighter escort; V 202/206 finish Holland, Minotaure and H 49 troop convoy St Malo–Jersey–Guernsey, then ready for Diamant, Holland, Hubbastone and Minotaure night convoy Guernsey–Jersey–Granville; V 204/209 finish Osceani, D 124 S, barges and Redon convoy Cherbourg–St Malo, then V 204 out of operational readiness and V 209 resting; V 211/213 finish Livadia and RO 45 troop convoy Guernsey–St Malo, then V 211 ready and V 213 coaling; V 208 ready St Malo. Tonnage 11,470 GRT.

Intentions for 20 June: V 203/207 at the 2nd Security Division’s disposal for convoy 3274 under Security West Gkdos 3612; V 202/206 finish Diamant, Hubbastone and Holland night convoy Guernsey–Jersey–Granville, then collected convoy Granville–Jersey–Guernsey; V 208/209 alone St Malo–Jersey and return with Minotaure night troop convoy; V 211/213 ready St Malo; M 4604/4605 St Malo Roads at the 3rd Security Division’s disposal, then the mine-warfare school. Signed Dr Diederichs.

T-1022 Roll 2423, PG 38000, scans 0383.