1 March 1945

1 March 1945 Hospital ship evacuation postponed

c) The evacuation of wounded and sick personnel and civilians from the Channel Islands and the Atlantic bases has had to be postponed for the time being because the British Government has refused safe passage for the hospital ship Erlangen. This hospital ship, which is in the Mediterranean, was to take aboard such people, who placed a burden on the fortresses, on her voyage home, even at the risk that the enemy might remove them from the ship after intercepting and taking control of her.

German Naval Staff diary. BArch RM 7/70; former British Admiralty reference Case GE 167, PG 31739. Published Part A, volume 67. PDF page 20; printed page 14. Audited translation reference 26.