21 January 1942

21 January 1942 St Malo convoy diary

War Diary of the Convoy Control Office St Malo, 21–31 January 1942. Head: Fregattenkapitän Dr Diederichs, Chief of the 2nd Patrol Flotilla. File cover and title: scans 0230–0232; handwritten cover reference 15615. The English index is scan 0229, not 0230.

I assume command of the Convoy Control Office St Malo.

Personnel preparations said to have been made by the A II B.S.W. amounted only to the presence of the Supply Staff West, led by, Rittmeister Schellin. [A II B.S.W. retained as printed.] The Sea Transport Officer, Kapitanleutnant Hartmann, was still in Granville; no representative of 319th Division was present. Communications were inadequate: telephone connections with the islands were poor and the teleprinter at the St Malo Harbour Commandant's office was heavily overloaded, causing large delays. Co-operation with the St Malo Harbour Commandant began well; the Granville Harbour Commandant appeared uninformed about events in his own port.

Situation, 21 January: V 208/V 213 sailed from Jersey to Granville with Diamant, Adolph le Prince, Pontigerry, Derfflinger and Claus Wilhelm, then entered St Malo with Derfflinger. M 4007/M 4000 were on passage St Malo–Jersey–Guernsey with Robert Müller 8 and Holstein; Robert Müller 8 remained at Jersey. M 4008/M 4005/M 4003 ready; V 212 boiler cleaning; M 4010 under repair at St Malo.

Intention for 22 January 1942: M 1201 and M 1207 from St Malo to Granville, thence with troop transport Favorit to Jersey; Claus Wilhelm and Holland to join if necessary. M 4007 and M 4000 ready at Guernsey; V 208, V 213, M 4008, M 4005 and M 4003 ready; V 212 in dock; M 4010 under repair at St Malo. Supplement: cancel M 1201/M 1207 and use M 4005/M 4003 for Granville-Jersey.

T-1022 Roll 2423, PG 38000, scan 0233, original pages 2–3.