26 May 1942

26 May 1942 St Malo convoy diary

St Malo. Moderate S–SW breeze, visibility 10–15 nautical miles, patches of rain and haze; later gentle to moderate breeze. 05:08: radio report that V 207, towing V 213, and V 202 re-entered Cherbourg at 04:30. 05:45: V 213’s commander telephones that boiler damage forced the boat to extinguish its fires at sea. The flotilla engineer travels to Cherbourg to examine the damage. V 204 continues with the Sperrbrecher to St Malo and anchors in roads at 07:30.

09:20: after discussion with Sperrbrecher 6’s commander and the 12th Minesweeping Flotilla chief, onward passage west is postponed until 27 May. V 704/12’s intended onward voyage with cable-layer Olwe and HS 08 under divisional G 9036 is abandoned because of heavy seas. Harbour Commandant St Malo cancels the other planned convoys because of bad weather and heavy seas. 23:15–01:20: practice alarm aboard V 211. Heavy rain, strong to stiff SW wind, heavy sea.

Situation: V 208/09 ready St Malo, requested night convoy cancelled at 14:00 because of weather; V 207/02 on position during 25/26 May under divisional orders, then tow V 213 to Cherbourg, ready for day convoy to Alderney with three coasters, Position Caruso–Mikimaus during 26/27 May [position designation as typed]; V 211 ready St Malo, at sea at night for hydrophone course; V 204 Cherbourg–St Malo with Sperrbrecher 6, then ready; V 213 Cherbourg boiler damage; SF 108/110 ready St Malo; V 704/12 ready St Malo, sailing provisionally postponed twenty-four hours. Tonnage 2,750 GRT.

Intentions for 27 May: V 208/09 ready St Malo for night troop convoy, weather permitting; V 207/02 on position until daylight, then Cherbourg readiness; V 204/11 ready St Malo for night troop convoy; SF 108/110 day convoy St Malo–Jersey–Guernsey with Saigon and three tugs each towing two barges, weather permitting.

T-1022 Roll 2423, PG 38000, scans 0354–0355.