1 October 1942 Part 3

1 October 1942 St Malo Convoy Control Office

Weather: Light to weak breeze, turning west–south-west at night and freshening to moderate; fair, visibility 12–15 nautical miles, calm sea; early morning coastal haze. Cherbourg: south-east, light air, overcast, visibility five nautical miles, very smooth sea.

0345, Noirmont Point: V 707/05 released Holland and La France for St Helier, continuing with Minotaure to Guernsey. I again obtain a weather report from Cap de la Hague: favourable for the bridge convoy. 0345, Cherbourg: V 713/02/10/24/UJ 1407/01 sailed with the bridge convoy, Tinda and Hydra, for Alderney. The two submarine chasers proceeded as protection offset to the north.

Remark: The convoy leader had telephoned only his intention to sail, omitting the departure report by short radio message required by my secret order 775. For a time there was therefore doubt whether the bridge convoy had actually sailed.

0645, Guernsey: V 707/05 arrived with Minotaure “from Guernsey” [as printed; the passage was from Malo via Jersey]. 0645, Alderney: V 713/02/10/24/UJ 1407/01 arrived with convoy. Remark: The bridge convoy was completed without incident. Favourable tidal conditions enabled its timing so that it entered Alderney shortly before daybreak and setting down the bridge could begin immediately. Throughout the passage, 5th E-boat Flotilla was at immediate readiness in Cherbourg.

Requests: (1) bridge undercarriage/support Alderney–Cherbourg; (2) RO 8 Alderney–Guernsey; (3) night troop convoy, Minotaure and Kurland from Guernsey, La France and Holland from Jersey, to Malo; (4) one lighter and Corona from Guernsey to Jersey–Granville. I assign V 713/02/UJ 1407/01 to (1), V 710/24 to (2), V 707/05 to (3), M 4605/04 to (4), afterwards independently to Malo.

The following was sent to 3rd Security Division. Corrections to 30 September: Item 1, delete Xaver Dorsch; item 2, delete Robert Müller 8 because its MES was unready; item 3, substitute 8,800 GRT. [These are the correction’s own item references; the preceding daily situation lists Robert Müller 8 under other items.]

Situation for 1 October: (1) V 713/02/10/24 with bridge convoy and coastal motor vessels Hydra and Tinda Cherbourg–Alderney, evening as in (2) and (3); (2) UJ 1407/01 protection for (1), evening with V 713/02 and the bridge support Alderney–Cherbourg; (3) V 710/24 ready at Alderney; (4) V 707/05 complete night troop convoy of 30 September/1 October, item 4, then night troop convoy of 1/2 October, Minotaure and Kurland from Guernsey, Holland and La France from Jersey, to Malo; (5) V 212 out of war readiness at Malo until 6 October; (6) V 209/07 rest and minor repairs at Malo; (7) M 4605/04 ready at Guernsey; (8) M 4611/01/02 rest at Malo. Escorted tonnage: 5,100 GRT.

Intentions for 2 October: (1) V 713/02/UJ 1407/01 ready at Cherbourg; (2) V 710/24 with RO 8 Alderney–Guernsey; (3) V 707/05 complete night troop convoy of 1/2 October Guernsey–Jersey–Malo, then readiness; (4) V 209/07 with Schokland and Sperber Malo–Jersey–Guernsey; (5) M 4605/04 combined convoy Guernsey–Jersey–Granville, afterwards independently to Malo; (6) M 4611/01/02 rest at Malo.

Remark: The bridge convoy’s arrival was known from a short radio message at 0654. Harbour Commandant Alderney sent a teletype arrival report at 0915. Although it bore the “SSD” precedence marking, it reached Malo’s teletype office only at 1255 and the Convoy Control Office at 1400.

2000, Lézardrieux: Three boats of 2nd Minesweeping Flotilla sailed for Cherbourg on a route-running passage. 2000, Cherbourg: 5th E-boat Flotilla sailed west with seven boats. I transmit possible encounters by short radio message through the Naval Signals Officer Cherbourg on KKW and KLW. 2050, Guernsey [place amended]: V 707/05 sailed with Minotaure and Kurland for Jersey–Malo. 2310, off Jersey: V 707/05 took Holland and La France into the convoy. 2330, Alderney: V 713/02/UJ 1407/01 sailed for Cherbourg with three coastal motor vessels carrying the bridge support, Volkmar, Gerfried and Weber.

Signed: Dr Diederichs.

T-1022 Roll 2423, scans 0528–0529 covers/title; scans 0530–0531, original pages 2–3. Secret command matter. Head of the office: Frigattenkapitän Dr Diederichs, commander of 2nd Patrol Flotilla. The volume runs from 1 to 15 October 1942. Administrative endorsements include enclosure 2 to Naval Group Command West Gkdos 5403/42 and to Security Forces West G 14574 of 25 November 1942; these are routing references, not diary-entry dates.