29 August 1943

29 August 1943 Mazagran and the subsequent Admiral assessment

Undated subsequent assessment by the Commanding Admiral Channel Coast of the 29 August entry, page 93. Naval Staff registry 2055/43. Signed for the Admiral by the Chief of Staff; signature unclear. Placed with the casualty without assigning an issue date.

Mazagran was escorted by boats of the 46th Minesweeping Flotilla, not by harbour-defence boats; that case therefore did not support the diary's criticism. Harbour-defence craft were not normally used for escort duties. Only on Guernsey–St Malo convoys, or the reverse, did they take over vessels destined for Jersey inside La Corbière, allowing the patrol boats to continue with the remaining convoy to St Malo. Otherwise the patrol boats could not complete the escort in one night and would have to wait with the convoy in St Helier Roads, which was itself doubtful in stronger south-east to south-west winds.

The loss of Poincaré resulted from an unexpected deterioration in the weather and the inadequate suitability of both tug and master, as already stated in the local assessment of the casualty report. In the well-lit western passage, gyro-compass and echo-sounder equipment were of secondary importance; the harbour-defence crews' detailed local knowledge compensated for the lack of such equipment.

It had meanwhile been agreed with St Malo convoy-control station that it would conduct convoys as far as, or take them over at, the 2° 12′ W line of the d'Azette–St Clement leading lights. Harbour-defence boats would remain near arriving or departing vessels up to that point to provide pilots and assistance. The Channel Islands Harbour Defence Flotilla was instructed to provide Jersey with the most capable boats available.

T-1022 Roll 2422, scans 0695.