29 July 1944

29-31 July 1944

Batteries Elsass and Blucher, Alderney, engaged two destroyers north of the island; they withdrew under smoke at high speed, and Elsass believed it may have hit the bow of one vessel. Battery Strasbourg, Guernsey, engaged two probable destroyers eight nautical miles south-east of Guernsey at 03:35; they withdrew westwards without an observed hit. Numerous landing ships, transports and escorts moving to and from Cherbourg were observed from Alderney. [T-1022/2174, PG 38470, scans 0901-0915]

The naval command reported that the American breakthrough at Granville had severed the principal mainland link with the Channel Islands. Granville harbour installations, secret material and communications were destroyed as German Army, Luftwaffe and naval personnel withdrew towards St Malo. The loss of the port was described as particularly serious because Granville had been the principal transhipment point for supplying the islands.

An attempted movement of a Kimose with three KFKs from St Malo to St Helier was reported without incident. Nevertheless, the preferential provisioning ordered for the islands had not been achieved: practically no food replenishment had arrived for seven weeks. St Malo had not assembled the larger food shipment, Guernsey reported only about forty-four days of provisions, and fuel shortages threatened water supply and sanitation. The command noted that the islands might have to depend increasingly on their own harvest.

The evacuation and destruction of Granville greatly reduced the prospect of sending replacement vehicles and supplies to the islands. The diary recorded movements between St Peter Port, St Helier and St Malo, including vehicles, approximately 168 tonnes of cargo and 225 cattle carried towards the islands during the closing days of July.

The St Malo record adds that Granville's harbour demolitions initially left two of four lock-chamber charges and the west mole inadequately destroyed; repeat demolitions made the lock unusable for a prolonged period. Granville was evacuated as the front approached. St Malo Convoy Control supplied about 250 sailors for harbour defence under Kapitanleutnant Karsten. Battery Ile de Cezembre fired location rounds at enemy vessels threatening an outgoing convoy; three enemy gunboats made smoke and withdrew north-north-east.

Roll 4009, PG 37595, scans 0014–0029 and 0038–0040.
Roll 2424, PG 38004, scans 0906–0910 (St Malo Harbour Commandant War Diary).