12 May 1944 Part 3

12 May 1944 Part 3 Shipping losses: Guernsey convoy and Jersey–St-Malo route

Date note: 12 May 1944 memorandum.

Army headquarters 12 May 1944

War diary copy Annex 25

Chief Quartermaster discussion points with Chief Quartermaster West

1. In reply to the question of which motor-transport companies might be available to the Army in the event of combat, the following was communicated by telephone to Chief Quartermaster West/Qu 2 on 10 May 1944:

Twelve Organisation Todt companies, 1,420 tonnes.

Two bus companies currently being converted: one with 90 buses and one with 150 buses.

One 150-tonne column, currently employed on OT work with LXXXIV Army Corps headquarters.

One wood-gas company from Commander Army Supply Troops 575, currently distributed among depots and supply establishments.

One further motor-transport company being planned through reorganisation of the arrangements for providing mobility.

2 Material losses in shipping to the islands

a The steamer Bizon, 780 gross registered tons, 1,200 loading tons, sank from a torpedo hit during an attack by enemy motor torpedo boats about ten nautical miles south of Guernsey at approximately 02:40 on 8 May 1944. Total loss.

Personnel casualties: two dead and three wounded. No personnel travelling on official duty were aboard. The remaining ships of the convoy entered Guernsey undamaged.

Bizon’s cargo, totalling 968 tonnes, included artillery ammunition for the division — explanation in Annex 1; artificial fertiliser for the field command headquarters; and one wagonload each of petrol and diesel for Engineer Group II L, belonging to Fortress Engineer Commander XIX.

b The motor lighter Comtoir 66, 500 gross registered tons, 579 loading tons, was damaged by a mine near St-Malo on the voyage from Jersey to St-Malo and was towed into St-Malo by a tug.

Cargo: OT building materials and barrack components for OT.

No personnel casualties; severe engine damage; out of service for a lengthy period.

3 The following was reported to Ia

For individual divisions, the tonnage for conversion to Infantry Division 1944 mobility and that for the advance detachment cannot be separated. At present the following is available:

A Tonnage for providing mobility

XXV Army Corps: 265th Infantry Division, 33.3 tonnes; 275th Infantry Division, none; 343rd Infantry Division, none; 353rd Infantry Division, 76.0 tonnes.

[Continued in reference 15.]

German Seventh Army Headquarters (AOK 7), NARA T-312 Roll 1571. Roll 1571 Jersey and Channel Islands English translations.docx, reference 14. Scan extracts: img035_06_9796_11730.jpg. Extract filenames identify the original image strip, section number and horizontal pixel boundaries; these are not archival frame numbers.