19 September 1942

19 September 1942 St Malo Convoy Control Office

Weather: South to south-west, light to moderate breeze; cloudy to fair; visibility 10–15 nautical miles; calm to slightly disturbed sea, early morning haze.

0130, Alderney: V 710/24 arrived with convoy from Guernsey. 0200, Jersey: V 707/05 took La France and Robert Müller 8 into the convoy [the entry also prints “Guernsey” after “taking in”; retained as an inconsistent place reference]. 0625, Malo roadstead: V 707/05 anchored with convoy. 0830, Guernsey: V 713/02 sailed with Karel, Schokland and Sperber for Malo.

Requests: (1) daylight convoy Karel, Schokland and Sperber, Guernsey–Malo; (2) night troop convoy Roslea [name corrected in the typescript], Nordplain, RO 21, La France and Robert Müller 8, Malo–Guernsey; (3) steamer H 2, Penthievre, towed by Volkmar and G. Guynemer, Malo–Guernsey–Cherbourg for dockyard passage; (4) RO 8 and others, Alderney–Guernsey; (5) two coastal motor vessels, Cherbourg–Alderney; (6) Spinel, Tinda and Schwalbe, Alderney–Cherbourg. I assign V 713/02 to (1) and (3); V 212/08 and M 4611 to (2); V 710/24 to (4); V 209/07 to (5) and (6).

The following was sent to 3rd Security Division. Corrections to 18 September: Add RO 8 to item A.3. Item A.4: “only 500 people” [the surviving previous entry already reads 500]. Corrected tonnage: 8,350 GRT.

Situation for 19 September: (1) V 209/07 with two coastal motor vessels Cherbourg–Alderney; (2) V 212/08/M 4611 ready at Malo, then night troop convoy of 19/20 September with La France carrying troops, RO 21, Robert Müller 8, Roslea and Nordplain, Malo–Guernsey; (3) V 710/24 complete night troop convoy of 18/19 September Guernsey–Alderney, then night convoy RO 8 and others Alderney–Guernsey; (4) V 707/05 complete night evacuee convoy with Minotaure, La France and Robert Müller 8 of 18/19 September Guernsey–Jersey–Malo, then fitting out and rest at Malo; (5) V 713/02 daylight convoy Guernsey–Malo with Karel, Schokland and Sperber; (6) M 4605/04/01 rest at Malo; (7) M 4602 ready at Guernsey. Escorted tonnage: 12,000 GRT [corrected next day to 13,800].

Intentions for 20 September: (1) V 209/07 with Spinel, Tinda and Schwalbe Alderney–Cherbourg; (2) V 212/08/M 4611 complete night troop convoy of 19/20 September Malo–Guernsey, then readiness; (3) V 710/24 complete night convoy of 19/20 September Alderney–Guernsey, then readiness; (4) V 707/05 fitting out at Malo; (5) M 4605/04 independently Malo–Granville, then convoy Granville–Guernsey; (6) M 4602 ready at Guernsey; (7) M 4601 ready at Malo.

1445, Malo: V 713/02 arrived with convoy from Guernsey. 1630, Malo: M 4602 arrived from Jersey with Nestor, Kochelsee, two tugs and five barges. It emerges that M 4602 had not, as assumed and ordered, gone with UJ 1407/01’s convoy to Guernsey and remained available there for convoy elements; instead it had independently gone to Jersey. There it joined the Nestor–Kochelsee tug convoy to Malo and therefore arrived here unexpectedly.

1700: The loop voyage [MES test] of H 2 shows that its MES is still not in order despite repair. Its convoy to Cherbourg is therefore postponed until a new generating set has been installed.

2030, Cherbourg: V 209/07 sailed with Dorsch and Hydra for Alderney. 2100, Alderney: V 710/24 sailed for Guernsey with RO 8, Claus and Iris. 2150, Malo: Short radio message from 8th Minesweeping Flotilla reports that five M-boats intend entering St Malo about 0700 on 20 September after performing task “Elbe”. I give possible encounters by short radio message 2322/75. As with departures on earlier days, it is very disruptive that we do not know the intended route: possible encounters cannot therefore be given with times, and very detailed reports are necessary. 2320, Alderney: V 209/07 arrived with convoy from Cherbourg.

Signed: Wunderlich; Dr Diederichs.

T-1022 Roll 2423, scans 0516–0517, original pages 5–7.