1 November 1942 Part 3

1 November 1942 St Malo Convoy Control Office

Weather: North-west to west, gentle to moderate breeze; very smooth to smooth sea; cloudy, brief rain showers; visibility 10–12 nautical miles; early haze and patches of fog.

0010, Cherbourg: S-boats arrived. 0200, Cherbourg: V 711/29 arrived with Karel and Antonius from Alderney. 0230, Grand Jardin: V 207/08 anchored with convoy because of fog. 0330, Guernsey: M 4605/04/02/01 sailed with Comptoir 66 for Jersey, Nestor, Gabes and Elfriede for Granville. 0500, Malo: V 207/08 anchored with convoy in Malo roads. 0505, Alderney: V 713/02 sailed with Georgi and Lena for Guernsey. 0755, Jersey [preceding 0750 in source]: M 4605/04/02/01 released Comptoir 66 and continued with remaining convoy to Granville. 0750, Guernsey: V 713/02 released convoy and continued independently to Malo.

Convoy requests: (1) Comptoir 66 Guernsey–Jersey, Nestor, Gabes and Elfriede to Granville; (2) night troop convoy Rob. Müller 8 Guernsey–Malo. Orders: (1) M 4605/04/02/01, afterwards Granville–Malo and anchor in roads to be available for mine-warfare course on 2 November; (2) V 714/08.

1045, Granville: M 4605/04/02/01 released convoy and continued independently to Malo. 1100, Malo: 3rd Security Division reports that a pair of boats is no longer required for steamer Ronwyn. I therefore cancel the readiness of UJ 1411/02, which were to proceed to Hera 334. 1310, Malo: Sea Transport Officer Cherbourg reports tug Baldan has lost her propeller; bridge convoy must therefore be postponed four to five days. 1330, Malo: M 4605/04/02/01 anchored in roads.

The following was sent to 3rd Security Division. Correction to situation for 31 October: (1) V 713/02 independently Cherbourg–Alderney; (9) without Rob. Müller 8.

Situation for 1 November, items 1–6: (1) V 713/02 night troop convoy of 31 October/1 November Georgi and Lena Alderney–Guernsey, then independently to Malo; (2) V 711/29/12/13 ready at Cherbourg; (3) V 714/08 night troop convoy of 1/2 November Rob. Müller 8 Guernsey–Malo; (4) UJ 1411/02 Jersey, ready for Ronwyn convoy; (5) M 4611/12/00/06 ready at Malo; (6) M 4605/04/02/01 Malo–Guernsey with Comptoir 66 for Jersey and Nestor, Gabes and Elfriede for Granville, then independently to Malo [departure stated as Malo–Guernsey in this list].

Situation report, continued, items 7–8: (7) V 207/08 complete night troop convoy of 31 October/1 November Guernsey–Jersey [destination after Jersey obscured]; (8) V 210 S-equipment repair at Malo. Escorted tonnage: 2,300 GRT.

Intentions for 2 November: (1) V 711/29/212/13 at Cherbourg ready for convoy; (2) V 713/02 Malo–Brest passage; (3) V 714/08 complete night troop convoy of 31 October/1 November Guernsey–Malo, then ready [dates as printed]; (4) UJ 1411/02 ready at Jersey; (5) V 207/08/10 night troop convoy of 1/2 November from Malo, Holland, Schokland and Sperber to Jersey, RO 8, Minotaure and La France to Guernsey [destinations as printed in this intentions list]; (6) M 4621 (1202), M 4622 (1204), M 4611/12/01/02/04/05/06 in Malo Bay, available for mine-warfare course; (7) M 4600/04 ready at Malo.

1430, Malo: Radio orders received from 3rd Security Division to convoys of group M 1201 and V 712 about passage during night 1/2 November. I report possibility of encountering V 714/08’s convoy by radio through Naval Signals Officer. 1910, Guernsey: V 714/08 sailed with Rob. Müller 8 for Malo.

T-1022 Roll 2423, scans 0593–0594 and 0619–0620, original pages 1–3. The title and original page 2 occur after the diary’s closing page in the scan sequence. The title identifies the commander as Commander (Fregattenkapitän) Dr Diederichs, Chief of 2nd Patrol Boat Flotilla, and the reporting period as 1–15 November 1942.