12 October 1942 Part 1

12 October 1942 Channel Islands Sea Defence diary

Weather: wind from 270°, 3 metres per second.

02:29: 2nd Battery, Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battalion 496, Fort Essex, Alderney, detected naval targets bearing 117°, range 73 hm (7.3 km). Anti-Aircraft Battery 496 fired twelve 8.8-cm rounds. The targets fired a valid recognition signal.

The targets were Vp. 210 and minesweeper M 461[final digit obscured by a hole], travelling Cherbourg–St Malo. The order to open fire came from Island Commander Alderney through the former artillery commander, Lieutenant Colonel Baltruschat. The current artillery commander, Kapitänleutnant Baumgarten, knew nothing of the detections or firing intentions. Harbour Commandant Alderney had passed the two ships’ sailing intentions from Cherbourg to St Malo to the Island Commander at 22:10 and to Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battalion 496 at 22:18. The Island Commander’s handling of fire against naval targets clearly contradicted 319th Infantry Division’s orders. The matter was referred to the division, with a request that it instruct him to refrain from further interference in fire against naval targets.

07:25: combat readiness, Alert Level I, cancelled immediately. 21:30: 319th Infantry Division ordered readiness grade “Threatened danger” throughout the Channel Islands from 23:00 on 12 October until 07:30 on 13 October. Otherwise no special occurrences.

T-1022 Roll 2422, PG 37996, scans 0526.