21 December 1942

21 December 1942 St Malo Convoy Control Office

Weather: South to south-west force 5–6, sea 3–4, visibility 10 nautical miles, cloudy to overcast.

Tasks: (1) Weber Cherbourg–Alderney; (2) Karel with troops Alderney–Guernsey; (3) Rob. Müller 8 and Minotaure from Guernsey, La France from Jersey, all with troops, to Malo; (4) transport the commander of 84th Corps Guernsey–Jersey; (5) coastal motor vessels Otto, Welle and Wittekind Cherbourg–Jersey; (6) Ronwyn convoy, number 3329, westward from Jersey under 3rd Security Division's order; (7) route sweep with ORG Malo–Brest under the same authority. Assigned: (1–2) V 703/04; (3) V 213/08; (4) V 210/12; (5) V 711/22; (6) UJ 1401/14; (7) A Group, 46th Minesweeper Flotilla. UJ 1402 was ordered to escort M 4245/46 and Welle, Otto and Wittekind westward after their arrival at Jersey. Under 3rd Security Division's order this convoy receives number 3331.

1200, Malo: I put the new radio station on KLW into service. This fulfils a long-requested prerequisite for better control of convoys in the Channel Islands area. [KLW retained as printed; no expansion established from this entry.]

The following was sent to 3rd Security Division. Correction to 20 December: items 2, 5, 8 and 9 cancelled owing to weather. Tonnage on 20 December: 1,000 GRT. Situation for 21 December: (1) V 711/22 with convoy 3331 Cherbourg–Jersey; (2) V 703/04 with Weber Cherbourg–Alderney, then night troop convoy of 21/22 December with Karel Alderney–Guernsey; (3) V 208/13 night troop convoy of 21/22 December with Minotaure and Rob. Müller 8 from Guernsey and La France from Jersey to Malo; (4) V 210/12 Guernsey–Jersey with the commanding general; (5) A Group, 46th Minesweeper Flotilla, with ORG Malo–Brest; (6) UJ 1401/02/14 with Ronwyn Jersey–Brest [02 included here although separately undergoing repairs in item 8]; (7) V 209 and M 4600/01/02/04/05/06/07/11/12/13 ready at Malo; (8) M 4245/46 and UJ 1402 minor repairs at Jersey. Escorted tonnage: 3,650 GRT.

Intentions for 22 December: (1) V 711/22 complete convoy 3331 Cherbourg–Jersey, then independently to Malo; (2) V 703/04 complete night troop convoy of 21/22 December with Karel Alderney–Guernsey; (3) V 208/13 complete night troop convoy Guernsey–Jersey–Malo, then readiness; V 213 repair boiler leak; (4) V 210/12 ready at Jersey for the commanding general; (5) V 209 and M 4600 Malo–Guernsey with RO 21 and H 49; (6) M 4613/12 independently Malo–Granville, then combined convoy Granville–Jersey–Guernsey; (7) C Group, 46th Minesweeper Flotilla, ready at Malo; (8) UJ 1402 minor repairs at Jersey.

1530, Jersey: UJ 1401/14 sailed westward with Ronwyn. 1730, Guernsey: V 210/12 sailed for Jersey with the commanding general. 2020, Jersey: V 210/12 arrived from Guernsey. 2030, Malo: Sea Transport Office Cherbourg reported that tasks 1, 2 and 5 must again be postponed owing to weather. 2300, Guernsey: V 208/13 sailed with Minotaure and Rob. Müller 8 via Jersey for Malo. Signed Dr Diederichs.

T-1022 Roll 2423, scans 0668–0669 left, original pages 12–14.