22 August 1942 Part 2

22 August 1942 St Malo Convoy Control Office

Weather: South-west to west, moderate to fresh breeze; fair to cloudy; visibility 8–10 nautical miles, clearing towards evening to 10–15; calm to slightly disturbed sea.

0200, off Jersey: V 209/11 released La France to enter. 0355, Guernsey: V 209/11 arrived with Minotaure. 0545, Jersey: M 4605/04 sailed for Ida 4.

0900, Malo: I find that my order to M 4611/01 to proceed to Jersey was not transmitted to the boats. The intended sweep of route Ida 4–11–9 with gear therefore cannot yet be carried out. I order M 4605/04 by radio to re-enter Jersey. M 4611/01 are to proceed to Jersey; the route check is then to take place on 23 August.

Today's only request is for a night troop convoy from Guernsey with Minotaure to Jersey and La France onward to Malo. I issue the corresponding order to V 209/11.

3rd Security Division reports that the tug of Group 56 with two barges is ready at Cherbourg for passage west. It is to be taken to Lézardrieux and then escorted to Brest with Loriot as convoy 3301 by 7th Patrol Flotilla.

The following was sent to 3rd Security Division. Correction to the situation for 21 August, item 4: V 707/04 with combined convoy Alderney–Cherbourg. Addition: V 207/06 ready at Malo.

Situation for 22 August: (1) V 213/08 and UJ 1411 at the disposal of 2nd Security Division; (2) V 209/11 completing the night troop convoy of 21/22 August, Malo–Jersey–Guernsey, and night troop convoy of 22/23 August from Guernsey with Minotaure to Jersey and La France to Malo; (3) V 207/06 ready at Malo; (4) M 4611/01 Guernsey–Jersey without convoy, then readiness; (5) M 4605/04 ready at Jersey; (6) V 707/04 Cherbourg–Alderney with combined convoy; (7) V 210/12 at Vlissingen. Escorted tonnage: 1,650 GRT.

Intentions for 23 August: (1) V 213/08 and UJ 1411 at the disposal of 2nd Security Division; (2) V 209/11 completing the night troop convoy of 22/23 August, Guernsey–Jersey–Malo, then readiness; (3) V 207/06 ready at Malo; (4) M 4611/01/05/04 to sail from Jersey for work with gear, Ida 4–Ida 11–Ida 9 twice in each direction; on completion M 4611/01 to Malo and M 4605/04 to Guernsey, then readiness; (5) V 707/04 ready for Alderney–Cherbourg convoy; (6) V 210/12 continuing west under orders of 2nd Security Division.

1350, Jersey: M 4611/01 arrived from Guernsey. 1950, Jersey: M 4605/04 returned from passage with gear, Jersey–Granville and back. My order in radio message 0959/20 to enter Jersey was not received because the radio was unserviceable. I am also told that M 4604's main engine repeatedly fails while towing the SSG gear, so the gear had to be recovered from 1030. I therefore pair M 4604 with M 4611, which does not yet have gear aboard, for escort service on 23 August, and order M 4605/01 to make the passage with gear from Jersey to Granville and back on 23 August despite the consequently small search width.

[1]930, Cherbourg: V 707/04 sailed with Franka and Dorothea Weber to Alderney. [2]130, Guernsey: V 209/11 sailed with the night troop convoy Minotaure for Malo via Jersey. [2]220, Alderney: V 707/04 arrived with convoy from Cherbourg. [2]330: V 209/11 took La France, carrying troops, into convoy to Malo.

Signed on behalf: Wunderlich.

T-1022 Roll 2423, scan 0461 right, original page 11, and scans 0462–0463, original pages 12–13. Scans 0462 and 0463 photograph the same two diary pages; the text is included once. Some hour digits on page 13 are obscured by the binding.