9 December 1942

9 December 1942 Channel Islands Sea Defence diary

Weather: wind from 315°; speed not entered.

1600: Battery Lothringen fires on a drifting mine, which is not destroyed and passes out of sight. Ammunition: 30 rounds of 2-cm. 1755: The Jersey Harbour Commandant has a drifting mine in St Brelade’s Bay blown up.

Harbour protection boats FK 06 and FK 13 run aground by Les Ardentes buoy while travelling from Jersey to Granville. They are taken in tow by patrol boats at 1630. FK 06 sinks on the way to Granville. At 2050 patrol boat 207 tows the damaged FK 13 into Granville.

Detailed account of the previous day: FK 06 and FK 13 had orders to travel from Guernsey on 8 December, via Jersey, where couriers were to be put aboard a harbour protection boat from St Helier, to Granville. On 9 December they were to proceed from Granville to St Malo for the ordered degaussing measurements. They sailed at 1205 and put the couriers ashore at 1500. Led by FK 13, they passed Les Nuisible buoy, the eastern Minquiers buoy and Les Ardentes buoy, leaving them well to starboard. Before dark, land was visible ahead which FK 13’s boat commander took to be the coast near Granville.

After dark a light appeared on the starboard bow, towards which they steered. Soon the boats were among rocks. FK 13 touched bottom without damage. By manoeuvring towards another light approximately opposite the first, the boats got clear. FK 06 fired a request for a mole light and later two single red stars. FK 13’s signalman attempted to contact the shore. Radio requests were sent to Jersey and Granville for a pilot and instructions. Eventually contact was established with Jersey signal station and harbour protection boat FK 28, which had left St Helier to search. FK 06 and FK 13 met FK 28 about 15 nautical miles south-west of Corbière, or west of the Minquiers, and were led to St Helier, arriving about 0300.

On 9 December FK 06 and FK 13 left Jersey at 1200 for Granville. Stürmannsmaat Sachs of Harbour Protection Group Jersey was assigned as pilot, initially aboard FK 13. Sachs first steered for the eastern Minquiers buoy but found Nuisible buoy ahead; tidal set was considerable. As FK 06 was supposed to have a reliable compass, Sachs transferred to her. According to Sachs a south-easterly course was steered. After passing the eastern Minquiers buoy, Les Ardentes buoy appeared to port and an easterly course was immediately taken. Both boats nevertheless grounded. FK 06 was taking much water forward; FK 13 lost her propeller. A distress signal was fired.

Patrol boat 207 came from a passing convoy and took FK 06 in tow; motor minesweeper 6412 [as first printed] towed FK 13. FK 06 had to be abandoned after one and a half hours owing to heavy flooding. She sank at 1745 in 11 metres of water, at 48°55.8′ N, 1°45.6′ W. FK 13 was brought to Granville by motor minesweeper 4612 [as subsequently printed] and later patrol boat 207. [The source gives both 6412 and 4612 for the motor minesweeper; the discrepancy is not resolved here.]

The diary attributes the incident to disobedience and insufficient seamanship, knowledge and experience. A formal report of the incident is to establish the circumstances.

Signed Steinbach.

T-1022 Roll 2422, scan 0567–0568.