4 June 1942

4 June 1942 St Malo convoy diary

St Malo: easterly light to weak breeze, very calm to calm sea, visibility 10–15 nautical miles. Night convoys and patrol stations completed. 02:15: V 206/211 arrive Cherbourg from Alderney with NO 8 and a barge; V 203/209 and Livadia arrive Guernsey, as do V 204/202 with Antonius from Alderney. I order V 203/209 to escort the requested night troop convoy to St Malo via Jersey and bring Derfflinger. Day convoys leave as planned. I request two boats from 12th Minesweeper Flotilla at St Malo Roads during night 4/5 June.

10:00: V 208/213 are ordered by radio to return to St Malo after their current escort task for the requested night troop convoy via Jersey to Guernsey. 10:30: V 703/726 leave with Stier and tow for Jersey. 13:00: V 208/213 cannot finish their collected convoy in time to return; I order V 703/726 to take over the night assignment under radio message 1029/99. 13:30: V 202/204 report arrival Cherbourg; immediate degaussing. In the prevailing weather I intend to retain these boats at Cherbourg to man the Carmen group nightly. They are ordered to occupy Carmen from darkness until daylight.

Corrected tonnage for 3 June: 7,430 GRT. Situation: V 703/726 St Malo–Jersey with H 8 S and barges 62 and 300, then alone back to St Malo for night troop convoy with Ems, Holland and Ad. le Prince; V 202/204 after Antonius convoy proceed to Cherbourg for degaussing; V 203/209 continue Livadia convoy to Guernsey, then ready; V 208/213 after St Malo Roads proceed alone to Granville, then escort Rheinland, Touraine and one barge to Jersey, and Hubastone, Rabatt, a tug and two barges to Guernsey; V 206/211 day Cherbourg–Alderney convoy, details not yet known; V 205 eastward; ferries 108/110 ready St Malo. Tonnage 8,670 GRT.

Intentions for 5 June: V 703/726 complete troop convoy to Guernsey; V 202/204 at Carmen overnight, then ready Cherbourg; V 203/209 night troop convoy Guernsey–Jersey–St Malo, then ready; V 208/213 ready Guernsey; V 206/211 night Alderney–Cherbourg convoy, then rest; V 205 eastward; ferries ready St Malo; M 1201/1202 St Malo Roads overnight for the division.

T-1022 Roll 2423, PG 38000, scans 0368.