20 January 1943

20 January 1943 St Malo Convoy Control Office

Weather: South force 4–5, cloudy, occasional light precipitation, visibility 3–4 nautical miles, sea 2–3. 0340, Guernsey: V 724/23 arrived with convoy from Cherbourg. 0445, Jersey: V 711/22 arrived with night troop convoy from Malo. 0500, Guernsey: V 210/12 arrived with night troop convoy from Malo. 0745, Malo: M 4602 sailed to roads with four Hummer boats and WO course.

Tasks: (1) night troop convoy Rob. Müller 8 Guernsey–Malo; (2) Schwalbe Guernsey–Alderney–Cherbourg; (3) La France Jersey–Malo; (4) Nordvard Cherbourg–Malo, item 5 of 19 January. Assigned in task list: (1) V 210/12; (2) V 722/11; (3) V 724/23; (4) UJ 1401/02, V 424/704 and M 4047 under 3rd Security Division's order. [Items 2–3 are transposed relative to the situation list and recorded movements below; source retained.]

Remark: 3rd Security Division ordered steamer Sperber, bound for St Nazaire, prepared urgently to join Nordvard's convoy. Sperber was in Guernsey and would join the Guernsey–Malo night troop convoy. It was nevertheless impossible to have her ready in time to join Nordvard.

Report to 3rd Security Division. Correction to 19 January, item 5: postponed 24 hours. Situation for 20 January: (1) V 212/10 complete night troop convoy of 19/20 January Malo–Guernsey, then night troop convoy Rob. Müller 8 and Sperber Guernsey–Malo; (2) V 711/22 complete night troop convoy of 19/20 January Malo–Jersey, then night troop convoy of 20/21 January with La France Jersey–Malo; (3) V 724/23 complete night convoy Cherbourg–Guernsey, evening night troop convoy Schwalbe Guernsey–Alderney, then onward convoy Alderney–Cherbourg; (4) UJ 1401/02, V 424, M 4047 and V 704 evening Nordvard convoy Cherbourg–Malo; (5) M 4602 and four Hummer boats in Malo roads available to WO course; (6) C Group of 46th Minesweeper Flotilla and M 4612 ready at Malo. Escorted tonnage: 2,700 GRT.

Intentions for 21 January: (1) V 212/10 complete night troop convoy of 20/21 January Guernsey–Malo, then readiness; (2) V 711/22 complete night troop convoy of 20/21 January Jersey–Malo, then readiness; (3) V 724/23 complete night convoy Alderney–Cherbourg, then readiness; (4) UJ 1401/02, V 424, M 4047 and V 704 complete Nordvard convoy Cherbourg–Malo, then evening Sperber and Nordvard Malo–Brest; (5) V 206/11 combined convoy Malo–Guernsey; (6) M 4604/05/07 morning independent passage Malo–Granville, then combined convoy Granville–Jersey–Guernsey; (7) C Group of 46th Minesweeper Flotilla and M 4612 ready at Malo.

1600, Malo: FK 23/31 sailed for Jersey. 1630, Malo: M 4602 returned from roads with Hummer boats and WO course. 1700, Guernsey: V 724/23 sailed with Schwalbe directly for Cherbourg. 1830, Cherbourg: UJ 1401/02, V 424/704 and M 4047 sailed with Nordvard, 3,333 GRT, for Malo [an initial V 724 in escort list is struck out]. 2100, Cherbourg: V 724/23 arrived with Schwalbe from Guernsey. 2325, Guernsey: V 210/12 sailed with Rob. Müller 8 and Sperber for Malo. 2345, Jersey: FK 23/31 arrived from Malo [the source says “aus von”, an apparent typing error]. Signed Wunderlich.

T-1022 Roll 2423, scans 0715–0716, original pages 9–10.