29 January 1943

29 January 1943 Channel Islands Sea Defence diary

Weather: wind from 210°, 3 m/s.

About 2300: Claus Wilhelm, escorted by two patrol boats, collides with motor minesweeper 4606 coming from Cherbourg, two nautical miles south of St Peter Port, grid BF 3571, left edge centre. The motor minesweeper is damaged. Claus Wilhelm tows her into St Peter Port, where she sinks beside the pier just before being secured. The crew is rescued. She lies at a place that dries at low tide, so salvage should not present great difficulty. Claus Wilhelm has only minor damage and is seaworthy.

Before departure, the commanders of the patrol boats sailing with Claus Wilhelm from Guernsey towards Alderney had been warned by the Guernsey Harbour Commandant’s watch officer, Boatswain Kühn, of the possibility of meeting motor minesweepers bound from Cherbourg to Guernsey. St Malo Convoy Control Office had also reported over the coastal long-wave circuit the possible meeting in BF 3571 between patrol boats 406/11 with their convoy and motor minesweepers 4612/06. [Boat-number groups retained as printed; the general route towards Alderney and the collision south of St Peter Port are both the source’s statements.]

Signed Steinbach.

T-1022 Roll 2422, PG 37997, scan 0589–0590.