9 June 1942

9 June 1942 St Malo convoy diary

St Malo: northerly gentle breeze, calm sea, visibility ten nautical miles. Night convoys completed. 04:00: V 206/211 with convoy from Alderney to Cherbourg. 06:30: V 213/703, M 1205 and convoy leave St Malo via Jersey for Guernsey. Rising seas and stormy winds keep part of the intended convoy at St Malo.

Remark: transports important to the progress of work on the islands frequently remain in departure ports after even slight weather deterioration, because the towed barges are scarcely suitable for sea state 2–3. I recently saw two new naval transport ferries in Amsterdam; reportedly many exist. I consider them very suitable for island traffic. With three propellers, one 7.5 cm gun and two 2 cm anti-aircraft guns, they offer large capacity at shallow draught. Quickly fitted special arrangements permit horses, slaughter cattle, vehicles and other cargo. Drying out in harbour presents no danger.

About ten such ferries would greatly relieve the shortage of carrying capacity. They offer 200–300 tonnes capacity, strong independent propulsion and 9–10 knots cruising speed, armament permitting independent passage in pairs or groups, military crews living aboard, greater seaworthiness than towed inland-waterway barges, quick loading and unloading, and reportedly immediate availability. [A handwritten marginal amendment concerns capacity but is not sufficiently clear to replace the typed figure.]

08:30: V 203/209 leave Alderney with RO 8 for St Malo. The urgent need to send M 1205 on to Cherbourg leads me to assign V 202/204 from Guernsey. V 202 is to relieve V 211 there, so V 211/204 can receive or finish their 2 cm quadruple mountings. 13:00: V 202/204 and M 1205 leave Guernsey for Cherbourg. I assign V 203/726 to Granville’s collected convoy requested for 10 June.

Correction to 8 June: ferries 108/110 went Guernsey–Jersey with tug and three barges and remained ready Jersey; corrected tonnage 4,510 GRT. Situation on 9 June [heading incorrectly types May]: V 213/703 at St Malo Roads overnight then Robert Müller and Saigon convoy via Jersey to Guernsey; V 202/204 finish RO 45 and Holland troop convoy to Guernsey, then M 1205 to Cherbourg; V 206/211 overnight Alderney–Cherbourg with Dorsch, Claus, Lena and Weber, C 33 S, then rest; V 203/209 Antonius and RO 8 to Alderney, then RO 8 to St Malo; ferries 108/110 Guernsey–St Malo with Nordplain, Schokland, Derfflinger, two tugs and three barges, then ready; V 208/726 ready St Malo; V 205 eastward. Tonnage 10,770 GRT.

Intentions for 10 June: V 208/726 St Malo Roads overnight; V 213/703 night troop convoy Guernsey–Jersey–St Malo with Holland and Ad. le Prince; V 204/211 night Cherbourg–St Malo with RO 21 and two tugs; V 206/202 overnight Mikimaus; V 203/726 alone to Granville then collected convoy via Jersey to Guernsey; V 205 expected Antwerp; ferries and V 209/208 ready St Malo. 16:30: V 203/209 and RO 8 arrive St Malo. 17:00: V 202/204 arrive Cherbourg; V 202 relieves V 211. 20:00: V 204/211 leave with RO 21 and tug Pfalzburg for St Malo. 22:30: V 213/703 leave Guernsey with night troop convoy via Jersey to St Malo. 23:30: V 206/211 [as typed, despite V 211’s earlier departure] leave Cherbourg for Caruso.

T-1022 Roll 2423, PG 38000, scans 0370–0371.