22 April 1942

22 April 1942 St Malo convoy diary

Weather: light wind to light breeze, very calm to calm sea, visibility two to three nautical miles. As always at neap tides, St Malo harbour’s water level is very low and departure is difficult. 09:00: V 204/11 proceed without convoy to Jersey for tonight’s troop convoy. 10:00: at my request the division provides UJ 1411/04 for Cherbourg–Guernsey escort until the morning of 24 April. I instruct the commanders to leave without convoy at 13:00 and supply pilots. Visibility varies but remains very poor; a radio message says V 204/11’s convoy with Livadia is anchored off St Malo [pair as written].

13:00: the two submarine chasers’ departure is delayed more than ninety minutes because, contrary to the arrangement with the harbour commandant, an incoming convoy was admitted to the lock and handled only after I intervened. Remark: it is intolerable for the harbour commandant to leave lock traffic to a Gefreiter and never appear himself. The deficiencies repeatedly reported by commanders cannot be remedied without the harbour captain’s personal intervention.

Situation: V 204/11 St Malo–Jersey, then night troop convoy back to St Malo; V 209/12 Livadia and Nordsee Guernsey–St Malo, then night Maas, Karel, Derfflinger, Holland and Nordplein to Jersey; protection of Olwe; V 1510/704 Hermes, Stade, Sperber, RO 8 and Schwalbe Alderney–Cherbourg, then Gerfried and Midsland to Alderney; V 210/06 ready St Malo, V 206 turbine overhaul; V 205 unready Cherbourg; V 208 unready St Malo; UJ 1404/01 St Malo–Cherbourg with divisional approval, for RO 45’s Guernsey convoy [01 as typed; 11 elsewhere]. Escorted tonnage 8,100 GRT.

Intentions for 23 April: V 204/11 night H 2, Rob. Müller 8 and Holstein Jersey–St Malo; V 209/12 night Holland, Derfflinger and Karel Jersey–Guernsey; V 207/13 protect Olwe; V 1510/704 ready Alderney, possible Cherbourg convoy; V 210/06 St Malo–Jersey without convoy with flotilla chief aboard; V 205 unready Cherbourg; V 208 unready St Malo; UJ 1404/11 RO 45 Cherbourg–Guernsey, weather permitting.

22:00: after a report relayed by the harbour commandant that enemy units have left Portland heading south, I maintain the sailing order for V 209/12. 23:30: heightened alert readiness. 23:50: I order Jersey to hold V 204/11’s intended night troop convoy and radio the convoy that left St Malo at 22:30, here designated V 209/11, to go only as far as Jersey. It can reach Jersey at 05:10.

T-1022 Roll 2423, PG 38000, scans 0322–0323.