1 May 1942 Part 1

1 May 1942 St Malo convoy diary

Secret. War Diary of Convoy Office St Malo, 1–15 May 1942. Officer in charge: Fregattenkapitän Dr Diederichs, chief of the 2nd Patrol Flotilla. [0333 cover, 0334 title, 0335 original pages 2–3.] Weather: E to NE fresh breeze, fair to cloudless, visibility ten to fifteen nautical miles, moderate to fairly rough sea, easterly swell.

00:30: UJ 1411/04 anchor in St Malo Roads with the night troop convoy. 01:00: V 208/09 arrive Guernsey with troop convoy; Alderney leave personnel transfer to RO 8. 03:00: V 208/09 leave with RO 8 for Alderney, then, after releasing the steamer, proceed with convoy to Cherbourg. 07:55: arrive there. I assign V 207/12 to the requested Guernsey–St Malo night troop convoy. Of the intended RO 45, M 1205 and RO 8 convoy, V 208/09 escort only RO 8, since RO 45 is again reported unready and the division orders M 1205 to remain at Cherbourg. V 206/10 receive orders for the St Malo–Jersey night troop convoy. UJ 1411/04 are ordered, as directed by the division, to remain in St Malo Roads. Harbour Commandant Granville requests escort to Jersey and Guernsey on 2 May; I accept and assign V 207/12.

Correction to 30 April, item 2: V 208/09 Holland and Rheinland Jersey–Guernsey; corrected tonnage 1,150 GRT. Situation: V 210/06 ready St Malo for H 49, Diamant, Ad. le Prince and Nordplain troop convoy to Jersey [spelling as typed]; V 208/09 RO 8 night Jersey–Alderney [Guernsey in narrative and next-day correction], then Henka, Gerfried and Antonius Alderney–Cherbourg, then M 1205 and RO 45 Cherbourg–Alderney; V 207/12 St Malo–Guernsey for night troop convoy to St Malo; V 1510/204 ready Cherbourg, convoy in favourable weather; V 205/13 unready Cherbourg; UJ 1404/11 ready St Malo Roads. Tonnage 9,000 GRT, corrected next day to 5,200.

Intentions for 2 May: V 210/06 H 49 night Jersey–Guernsey; V 208/09 Alderney–Jersey–St Malo with convoy; V 207/12 night Guernsey–St Malo; V 204/1510 ready Cherbourg, convoy in favourable weather; V 205/13 unready Cherbourg; V 211 unready St Malo; UJ 1404/11 ready St Malo Roads.

T-1022 Roll 2423, PG 38000, scans 0333–0335.