10 May 1942 Part 1

10 May 1942 St Malo convoy diary

[The date is corrected by hand to 10 May; the following situation and intentions confirm the date.] St Malo. Easterly moderate to fresh breeze; weak breeze at the western entrance; cloudy to overcast with isolated light rain; visibility eight to ten nautical miles. 01:30: V 202/03 enter after completing their yard period. Yesterday’s convoys and those intended for night 9/10 May run as planned. 09:00: divisional teletype advises that the Siebel ferries may be employed on 12 May; details to follow.

11:15: Harbour Commandant St Malo reports the lock closed today from 06:00 to 16:00. This requires orders to V 213/1510: after finishing the convoy to Alderney under way since 10:00, proceed to Guernsey and take H 23 via Alderney to Cherbourg, joining other vessels at Alderney. V 208/09 are to take the intended night convoy via Jersey and bring two vessels from there to St Malo. The division is informed.

Correction to 9 May, item 7: without suction dredgers owing to weather. Situation: V 210/12 eastward from Le Havre; V 208/09 ready Guernsey for Holland night troop convoy 10/11 May as far as Jersey; V 207/06 protect Olwe; V 1510/213 Cherbourg–Alderney with Midsland, Heinrich, Dorothea Weber, Antonius and Claus, then without convoy to Guernsey and Guernsey–Cherbourg with H 23, taking a coaster from Alderney to Cherbourg; V 204/05/03/02 ready St Malo; V 211 unready St Malo. Tonnage 4,294 GRT, corrected next day to 5,800.

Intentions for 11 May: V 210/12 eastward passage; V 208/09 Jersey–St Malo with Holland, Sable d’Or and Ad. le Prince, then ready; V 207/06 protect Olwe; V 1510/213 ready Cherbourg for Alderney convoy; V 204/05 ready St Malo for night troop convoy to Guernsey; V 203/02 ready St Malo, replenish equipment, provisions and coal; V 211 unready St Malo.

13:30: divisional teletype concerns a larger Brest–Jersey convoy whose onward escort I am to take over, expected off Jersey at 18:00 on 11 May. 14:30: Harbour Commandant Granville requests escort for 17:30 on 11 May. I assign V 203/02, ordering them ready for sea on 11 May, then to Granville to take over the convoy at 17:00: one vessel for Jersey and three for Guernsey. 23:00: divisional teletype cancels the remainder of the Brest–Jersey convoy. Its partial convoy arrives off St Malo about 16:00 on 11 May and therefore cannot serve as a westbound convoy. Escort boats are to return immediately to Lorient with M 1202.

T-1022 Roll 2423, PG 38000, scans 0341.