5 August 1942 Part 1

St Malo Convoy Control Office 5 August 1942

Weather: Wind about N, light to moderate breeze; clear to cloudy; visibility 8–10 nautical miles, coastal haze in the morning; calm to slightly disturbed sea, westerly swell.

0035 — Jersey. V 711/24 take on an additional convoy and continue to St Malo.

0100 — St Malo. T 13/4 sailed for Lézardrieux.

0200 — St Malo. A secret teletype is received amending the intentions of the 4th S-Boat Flotilla (see above, 2130), after the boats have already been in Cherbourg for a long time.

0310 — Guernsey. V 213/08 arrived from Alderney with a convoy.

0500 — St Malo. V 711/24, with a convoy from Guernsey–Jersey, anchored in the roads.

St Malo. The following convoy tasks have been received:

1. Combined convoy Cherbourg–Alderney–Guernsey.

2. Night troop convoy Guernsey–Alderney with Georgi.

3. Night troop convoy St Malo–Jersey–Guernsey.

For items 1 and 2, I issue orders to V 712/08. V 209/11 are allocated to item 3. They pass out through the locks at 1700 and anchor with the convoy in St Malo roads until 2200 to provide anti-aircraft protection.

The following situation and intentions were reported to the 3rd Security Division:

A. Situation on 5 August 1942

1. V 712/08: Cherbourg–Alderney with a combined convoy, then Alderney–Guernsey with a combined convoy. Later, night troop convoy of 5/6 August, Guernsey–Alderney, with Georgi.

2. V 711/24: completion of the night troop convoy of 4/5 August with Minotaure and Holland to St Malo. At readiness.

3. V 213/08: completion of the night troop convoy of 4/5 August, Alderney–Guernsey, with Georgi and Maas. At readiness.

4. V 209/11: night troop convoy of 5/6 August from St Malo with RO 21 for Jersey, and Holstein, Rob. Müller 8 and La France for Guernsey.

5. V 206 and M 4605/04: St Malo, at readiness.

6. M 4601/11: Jersey, at readiness.

7. T 4/13: passage St Malo–Lézardrieux.

Tonnage escorted: 16,000 gross register tons.

B. Intentions for 6 August 1942

1. V 712/08: completion of the night troop convoy of 5/6 August, Guernsey–Alderney. At readiness.

2. V 711/24: St Malo, at readiness.

3. V 213/08: Guernsey–St Malo with RO 45.

4. V 209/11: completion of the night troop convoy of 5/6 August, St Malo–Jersey–Guernsey. At readiness.

5. M 4605/04: St Malo, at readiness.

6. M 4611/01: Jersey, at readiness.

7. V 206: docking for cleaning of the hull bottom.

1615. T 10/14 announce that they intend to proceed from St Malo to Guernsey during the night of 5/6 August. Times will be announced later.

1630 — St Malo. A teletype from the 3rd Security Division is received concerning convoy 3308.

1700. A teletype from the 3rd Security Division is received concerning a sortie by our own aircraft east of Cap de la Hague during the night of 5/6 August, requesting the positions of our own forces.

I send F.d. Luft [abbreviation retained], with copies to BSW and the 3rd Security Division, the following teletype:

“1. Four minesweepers are proceeding eastwards with gear deployed: point 330 at 2400, point 326 at 0300, arriving Cherbourg at 0500.

2. Two patrol boats and one steamer depart Guernsey for Alderney at 2300, arriving there about 0230.”

The group of the 12th Minesweeping Flotilla proceeding to Cherbourg is also informed:

“1. During the coming night, possible encounter with, or overtaking of, two patrol boats and one steamer departing Guernsey for Alderney at 2230, arriving there at 0230.

2. Expect a sortie by our own aircraft east of Cap de la Hague after midnight.”

V 712/08 are similarly informed by radio through M.N.O. Cherbourg:

“1. Four boats of 12. M.S. are proceeding eastwards with gear deployed, at point 330 at 2400 and at point 326 about 0300.

2. Expect a sortie by our own aircraft east of Cap de la Hague from 0000.”

St Malo. T 10/14 are informed in writing, as are V 209/11. [The two messages above give differing Guernsey departure times, 2300 and 2230; both are retained.]

1700 — Cherbourg. V 712/08 sailed with a convoy for Alderney–Guernsey.

1910 — St Malo. A group of the 12th Minesweeping Flotilla sailed for a passage with gear deployed to Cherbourg, in accordance with the 3rd Security Division's order.

2200 — St Malo. V 209/11 sailed with a convoy for Jersey–Guernsey.

2330 — St Malo. A secret teletype from BSW is received concerning intentions for the 3rd Torpedo-Boat Flotilla from the evening of 7 August.

Signed: Dr Diederichs.

T-1022 Roll 2423. Corrected translation from the original scan images.
scan 0439, original pages 8–9, repeated in scan 0440.