7 January 1943

7 January 1943 St Malo Convoy Control Office

Weather: North-north-east force 2–3, sea 2, visibility 8 nautical miles. 0030, Guernsey: V 711/22 arrived with convoy from Jersey. 0050, Alderney: V 702/04 arrived with convoy from Cherbourg [702 as typed; surrounding entries give 703]. 0100, Alderney: V 703/04 sailed with Lena and Tinda for Guernsey. 0430, Guernsey: V 703/04 arrived from Alderney. 0540, Malo: M 4612/02/04/05 sailed with Normand for Granville.

Convoy requests: (1) Normand Malo–Granville; (2) combined convoy Granville–Jersey–Guernsey; (3) combined convoy Jersey–Malo; (4) night troop convoy Rob. Müller 8 from Guernsey and Holland from Jersey to Malo; (5) night troop convoy Lena Guernsey–Alderney; (6) Lena Alderney–Cherbourg. Assigned: (1), then (2), M 4612/02/04/05; (3) V 207/08; (4) V 711/22; (5), then (6), V 703/04.

0925, Granville: M 4612/02/04/05 detached Normand and took Saigon, Mazagan, Gabes, Comptoir 66, Bizon and Rheinland into convoy for Jersey–Guernsey. 0930, Malo: V 212 sailed with Hummer boats to the roads for manoeuvring exercises with the WO course [abbreviation retained]. 1020, Guernsey: FK 01/03 sailed for Jersey. 1200, Jersey: V 207/08 sailed with Sable d'Or, Meteor and one tug for Malo. 1240, Jersey: M 4612/02/04/05 detached Saigon, Mazagan, Gabes and Comptoir 66 to enter St Helier, continuing with Bizon and Rheinland to Guernsey. 1240, Malo: sailing order received for A Group of 46th Minesweeper Flotilla to check route Malo–Brest.

1355, Malo: report received from Harbour Surveillance Station Cherbourg through Naval Commandant N. According to French fishermen from the six cutters that entered Cherbourg, the boats had proceeded together from Jersey to Cap de la Hague, where they were fired on at 0020 on 6 January. Four cutters have been unaccounted for since. I asked the Naval Commandant to investigate and report the result.

1400: 3rd Security Division's teletype received concerning the passage of six boats of 2nd Torpedo Boat Flotilla Brest–Jersey–Cherbourg, with orders to the Convoy Control Office to stop convoy traffic. I therefore arranged V 703/04's departure with convoy under item 5 so that they would reach their destination before the torpedo boats' passage. Lena's onward convoy was cancelled; V 703/04 were to proceed independently Alderney–Cherbourg. I also cancelled Holland's Jersey–Malo convoy because Aubin roads were to remain clear, and ordered V 711/22 directly Guernsey–Malo with Rob. Müller 8. Departure was fixed to avoid encountering the torpedo boats.

Report to 3rd Security Division. Situation: (1) V 210 minor repairs at Cherbourg; (2) V 207/08 combined convoy Jersey–Malo; (3) V 703/04 night troop convoy of 6/7 January with Lena and Tinda Alderney–Guernsey, then evening night troop convoy of 7/8 January, Lena Guernsey–Alderney; (4) V 213 rest at Cherbourg; (5) V 212 and six Hummer boats in Malo roads with WO course; (6) M 4612/02/04/05 with Normand Malo–Granville, then combined convoy Granville–Jersey–Guernsey; (7) V 209 and M 4600/01/06/07 ready at Malo; (8) V 711/22 complete night troop convoy of 6/7 January Malo–Jersey–Guernsey, then night troop convoy of 7/8 January with Holland and Rob. Müller 8 Guernsey–Jersey–Malo [planned route retained as recorded, despite cancellation above]. Escorted tonnage: 8,500 GRT.

Intentions for 8 January: (1) V 210 minor repairs at Cherbourg; (2) V 207/08/09/12 and M 4600/01/06/07 ready at Malo; (3) V 703/04 complete night troop convoy of 7/8 January, then Lena Alderney–Cherbourg; (4) M 4612/02/04/05 combined convoy Guernsey–Jersey–Malo; (5) V 711/22 complete night troop convoy of 8/9 January [as typed], Guernsey–Jersey–Malo; (6) V 213 degaussing at Cherbourg.

1415, Jersey: FK 01/03 arrived from Guernsey. 1420, Jersey: FK 01/03 sailed for Granville. 1700, Malo: Naval Commandant N reported two of the missing French fishing cutters had entered Le Tréport. 1700, Guernsey: V 703/04 sailed with Lena for Alderney. 1715, Cherbourg: S 81/65 sailed for Guernsey to collect damaged S 116, which had entered there. I radioed possible encounters with V 703/04. 1730, Guernsey: M 4612/02/04/05 arrived with convoy from Jersey–Granville. 1730, Granville: FK 01/03 arrived from Guernsey [as entered; they had passed Jersey]. 1800, Malo: A Group of 46th Minesweeper Flotilla sailed to check route to Brest under 3rd Security Division's order. 1900, Malo: V 207/08 arrived with convoy from Jersey; V 212 and Hummer boats returned from roads. 1930, Alderney: V 703/04 detached Lena and proceeded to Cherbourg. 2015, Guernsey: S 81/65 collected S 116 for passage to Cherbourg. 2200, Cherbourg: V 703/04 arrived from Alderney. 2250, Cherbourg: three S-boats arrived from Guernsey. 2400, Guernsey: V 711/22 sailed with Rob. Müller 8 for Malo. Draft signed Dr Diederichs; certified correct, Wunderlich, Lieutenant Commander.

T-1022 Roll 2423, scans 0691–0692, original pages 14–16.