4 February 1945

4 February 1945 Channel Islands command corrects the Jersey rescue orders

Editorial note: Placed by the 4 February forwarding endorsement; the originating letter’s date is not fully legible. Naval Staff received it on 11 February. This retrospective correspondence concerns the November 1944 rescue and includes the command’s response to the flotilla’s criticism.

Secret. Commander Sea Defence Channel Islands, reference G 44/45 A I, to Naval High Command West. Subject: duplicate war diary of the 24th Minesweeping Flotilla “Karl Friedrich Brill”, 1–30 November 1944. Previous correspondence: Sea Commander Channel Islands G 5641 of 21 December 1944, destroyed when the aircraft was shot down. Enclosed is the duplicate diary, including its engineering section, for 1–30 November 1944.

Comments of the Sea Commander, on the 8 November entry, second paragraph, last sentence: The radio message 1150 from the chief of the convoy office to the commander of the 24th Minesweeping Flotilla, “Breithaupt sailed at 1145 with M 412”, contained an incorrect boat number because the departure report was transmitted incorrectly by the Jersey naval signals station. It should have read “M 452”. As it was not known that M 412 was still in harbour, radio orders continued to be addressed to M 412 until the matter was clarified in a telephone conversation with the Flotilla Commander after his return.

The commander of the 24th Minesweeping Flotilla is also mistaken in believing that contradictory orders were issued by two authorities. The convoy office’s orders had been agreed with the Sea Commander. It would, however, have been more appropriate for only one authority to issue orders to the forces at sea. There was a misunderstanding between the chief of the convoy office and the Sea Commander. It has therefore been ordered that in future radio orders during convoy operations will be issued by one authority only. Signed Hüffmeier.

Naval High Command West, secret reference 349/45 FI, headquarters, 4 February 1945: forwarded to Naval High Command, First Division of the Naval Staff, after examination. Nothing to add. By order [signature]. Naval Staff receipt stamp: 11 February 1945, with two enclosures.

Translator’s note: The date heading is corrected by hand to February. This entry is placed by the forwarding endorsement; the originating Channel Islands letter has no fully legible date. Page 17 repeats the concluding part of the letter.

T-1022 Roll 3252, 24th Minesweeping Flotilla and reviewing commands. Supplied English translation T1022_R3252_English_Translation.docx. 4 February 1945 | Entry 0017 | Source PDF pages 17–18. Selected island-related extract; the date above identifies the event or later report, while the source reference may identify the start of its diary period.