29 March 1942

29 March 1942 St Malo convoy diary

Weather: NE light air to light breeze, hazy visibility, very calm to calm sea. Fregattenkapitän Dr Diederichs, Chief of the 2nd Patrol Flotilla, resumes direction of the Convoy Control Office. Convoys are sent out according to the intention and situation reports. With fog developing, V 210/V 208 anchor by Corbière lighthouse. The part of their convoy intended for Jersey enters there. The intended night troop convoy from Guernsey to St Malo cannot be carried out.

Remark: there is again a serious shortage of escort vessels. In practice only one pair is available for St Malo convoy duty because V 211/V 212 protect Olwe under divisional orders. From 31 March a pair will be tied up for General Eberth’s three-day inspection voyage, leaving no escort boats during that period. Discussions with the division begin to obtain additional boats.

Correction to 28 March, point 4: Cherbourg–Alderney with Claus Wilhelm, back with Gerfried, Claus Wilhelm and Schwalbe, then Cherbourg–Alderney with Claus Wilhelm. Corrected tonnage: 1,395 GRT. Situation: V 213 condenser repair Brest; V 212/V 211 protect Olwe; V 210/V 208 listed St Malo–Jersey–Guernsey with three cutters for Le Havre, three tugs and five barges for Jersey, Stier, two coastal motor vessels and Georges for Guernsey, then night troop convoy Guernsey–Jersey with Derfflinger, Karel and Livadia; V 207/V 204 Alderney–Guernsey with RO 8 and Holstein, then night Guernsey–Alderney with the three cutters. V 206 unready St Malo; V 209 boiler cleaning St Malo; V 205 dock Cherbourg. Escorted tonnage: 8,784 GRT. [Next day corrects the actual limits of these movements.]

Intention for 30 March: V 213 Brest degaussing-range passage and firing-in the 8.8 cm gun; V 212/V 211 protect Olwe; V 210/V 208 Jersey–St Malo with Derfflinger, Karel and Livadia carrying troops; V 207/V 204 Alderney–Cherbourg with three cutters for Le Havre, then ready Cherbourg; V 206 unready St Malo; V 209 boiler cleaning, perhaps ready thereafter; V 205 dock Cherbourg.

T-1022 Roll 2423, PG 38000, scans 0290.