21 August 1942

21 August 1942 St Malo Convoy Control Office

Weather: Westerly moderate breeze, fresh in gusts, later decreasing; cloudy with isolated rain showers; calm to slightly disturbed sea; visibility up to 10 nautical miles.

0400, Malo: V 206/07/09 with Sperber in the roadstead.

Escort tasks: (1) combined convoy Granville–Jersey–Guernsey; (2) combined convoy Malo–Jersey; (3) night troop convoy, La France to Jersey and Minotaure to Guernsey. I assign M 4611/01 to (1), first proceeding without convoy to Granville to collect the convoy cancelled on 20 August; M 4605/04 to (2); and V 209/11 to (3).

Remark, referring to 20 August, 2200: Discussion with the commanding officer of V 209, leader of the convoy from Alderney via Guernsey to Malo, establishes that he gave Harbour Commandant Alderney his intended sailing time as 2030 on 20 August for onward transmission to the Convoy Control Office, and requested Malo lights for 0300. Harbour Commandant Alderney reported the intended sailing time by telephone as 2230 and requested the entry lights for 0030. I am investigating further.

1130: 12th Minesweeping Flotilla reports its intention to sail at 1700 on today's task. Since 1700 is the last possible time set for locking out the night troop convoy, 12th Minesweeping Flotilla's departure is fixed for 1600.

The following was sent to 3rd Security Division. Correction to the situation for 20 August, item 2: V 206/07/09 with Georgi as far as Guernsey and Sperber as far as Malo.

Situation for 21 August: (1) V 213/08 and UJ 1411 at the disposal of 2nd Security Division; (2) V 209/11 night troop convoy of 21/22 August, Malo–Jersey–Guernsey, with La France to Jersey and Minotaure to Guernsey; (3) M 4611/01 independent passage Malo–Granville, then combined convoy to Jersey–Guernsey; (4) V 707/04 ready at Alderney; (5) M 4605/04 Malo–Jersey with combined convoy, then readiness; (6) V 210/12 at Vlissingen. Escorted tonnage: 700 GRT.

Intentions for 22 August: (1) V 213/08 and UJ 1411 at the disposal of 2nd Security Division; (2) V 209/11 to complete the Malo–Jersey–Guernsey night troop convoy, then ready for the night troop convoy of 22/23 August, Jersey–Malo with La France; (3) M 4611/01 to complete the Granville–Jersey–Guernsey convoy, then readiness; (4) V 707/04 ready for Alderney–Cherbourg convoy; (5) M 4605/04 ready at Jersey for convoy to Guernsey; (6) V 210/12 westward under orders of 2nd Security Division.

1230, Malo: M 4611/01/05/04 sailed. M 4611/01 commenced independent passage to Granville; M 4605/04 waited in the roadstead for the combined convoy. 1325: M 4605/04 sailed with convoy to Jersey. 1500, Granville: M 4611/01 sailed with combined convoy for Jersey–Guernsey.

1600: 12th Minesweeping Flotilla began locking out. One boat becoming stuck in the harbour delayed departure until 1715. 1750: V 209/11 with convoy in the lock; sailing. 1750: A message over the harbour-protection wavelength reports that V 707/04 sailed from Alderney with convoy at 1415.

Remark: This message took from its submission at 1437 until arrival at 1750; collection was ordered at 1715. As the convoy had been scheduled only for 22 August, faster notification was necessary to know that it was at sea.

Sea Commander Channel Islands reports that St Peter Port will henceforth be closed from dusk until daylight by a buoy-and-hawser barrier; this had already been announced for Jersey. On request at least an hour in advance, only an 80-metre opening can be made.

Remark: Closing the island harbours with hawser barriers makes night escort work harder. An opening only 80 metres wide is too small at night in the strong cross-current. Since these are not torpedo nets, which could also protect against surprise motor torpedo boat attacks, consideration should be given to closing the hawser barriers only on particular occasions. The positions of St Peter Port and St Helier protect them against an unnoticed approach for a landing or raid, so daily closure and the resulting difficulty for escort work do not appear necessary.

1830, Malo: V 209/11 anchored by the night convoy in the roadstead as anti-aircraft protection. 1845, off Jersey: M 4611/01 released the convoy to enter. 2130, Jersey: M 4605/04 arrived with convoy from Malo. 2200, Guernsey: M 4611/01 arrived with Bizon from Granville. 2200, Malo: V 209/11 sailed with night troop convoy for Jersey–Guernsey.

Signed on behalf: Wunderlich.

T-1022 Roll 2423, scan 0461 left and right, original pages 10–11.