24 July 1942

24 July 1942 — St Malo Convoy Control Office

Weather: light winds around west; slight sea; visibility 15–20 nautical miles.

01:00, Guernsey — M 4605/04 arrived with a convoy “from Guernsey” [as printed]. Requests: (1) combined daytime Cherbourg–Alderney; (2) combined daytime Granville–Jersey–Guernsey; (3) combined daytime St Malo–Jersey; (4) H 2 under tow Guernsey–St Malo; (5) night troop convoy from St Malo with Ad. le Prince for Jersey, RO 8 and Minotaure for Guernsey. Allocations and orders: (1) V 203/02; (2) M 4611/01, proceeding to Granville with the Cherbourg-bound tug Oceanie; (3) V 206/11; (4) M 4605/04; (5) V 213/08; (6) V 712/08. [No sixth request is visible in the preceding list.]

14:30, St Malo — Codeword received for the 3rd Torpedo Boat Flotilla’s voyage from Le Havre to St Malo.

Report to the 3rd Security Division: correction to 23 July, items 1 and 5 — V 712/08 and V 213/08 night troop convoys postponed twenty-four hours because of strong wind and fairly heavy sea. Item 9 — after the Admiral’s programme changed, R 179/80/81 proceeded Guernsey–Jersey–St Malo.

Situation for 24 July: (1) V 712/08 Guernsey readiness, then night troop convoy 24/25 July Guernsey–Alderney with RO 21, Irene and Holland. (2) V 711/24 resting at St Malo and docking for bottom cleaning. (3) V 203/02 did not occupy position on 23/24 July because of weather; daytime Cherbourg–Alderney convoy. (4) V 213/08 St Malo readiness, then night troop convoy 24/25 July St Malo–Jersey with Ad. le Prince and to Guernsey with Minotaure and RO 8. (5) V 206/11 St Malo–Jersey with Group 58, B 113, S 4 barges and motor vessel Sable, formerly Kochelsee. (6) M 4605/04 Guernsey–St Malo with H 2 and two tugs. (7) M 4611/01 St Malo–Granville with tug Oceanie; onward with Gabes, G. Guynemer, Naphta II and H 16 for Jersey, and Tourane, Comptoir 66 and Oceanie for Guernsey. Escorted tonnage: 12,715 GRT.

Intentions for 25 July: (1) V 712/08 completing the night troop convoy, then combined Alderney–Cherbourg convoy and readiness. (2) V 711/24 in dock at St Malo. (3) V 203/02 at Position Carmen on 24/25 July [handwritten correction], then Alderney–Guernsey daytime convoy. (4) V 213/08 completing St Malo–Jersey–Guernsey night troop convoy, then readiness. (5) V 206/11 Jersey readiness. (6) M 4605/04 St Malo readiness. (7) M 4611/01 Guernsey readiness.

15:30, St Malo — M 4611/01 sailed with Oceanie for Granville. 15:45 — V 206/11 sailed with a combined convoy for Jersey. 17:00 — No information yet about the 3rd Torpedo Boat Flotilla’s voyage; I asked its chief about intentions. No reply. 18:00, Granville — M 4601/11 arrived with Oceanie from St Malo and continued with a combined convoy for Jersey and Guernsey. 19:40, Guernsey — M 4604/05 sailed with H 2 and tugs for St Malo. 19:45, Cherbourg — V 203/02 sailed with four coasters for Alderney. 20:30, Jersey — M 4601/11 detached part of the convoy and continued to Guernsey. 21:45, Jersey — V 206/11 arrived with the combined convoy from St Malo. 21:46, St Malo — V 213/08 sailed with the night convoy for Jersey and Guernsey. 22:00 — Coded teletype from the 3rd Security Division about the torpedo boats’ movements; a coded message giving possible encounters was sent via the Naval Signals Officer. The latter reported that the voyage was not being carried out.

T-1022 Roll 2423, scans 0420–0421 (original pages 16–18).