13 March 1944 Part 3

13 March 1944 Normandy radar reports concerning the Channel Islands

Normandy radar reporting station — 1944-03-13

Night 13/14 March. Wind W–NW 5–6, visibility 5–8 nautical miles, sea 2–3. The observer on the Cap de la Hague I set from 0030 to 0200, radio corporal Gossmann, confused the two opposing movements which passed one another at 0204 about three nautical miles north of point 328: two minesweepers Cherbourg–Guernsey and two minesweepers St Malo–Alderney–Cherbourg. This produced an apparent 180° swing onto the reciprocal course in the radar picture. Since the northbound boats were only [detected] seven minutes before the encounter [continued on next frame].

Normandy radar reporting station — 1944-03-13

Continuation of 13/14 March: The boats were detected only seven minutes before the encounter and were approximately one hour twenty minutes early without having reported this. In addition, individual inaccurate detections of the southbound boats yielded a calculated speed of about 25 knots. The St Malo–Cherbourg movement was therefore initially classified as enemy and an enemy locating signal transmitted, since the St Malo–Alderney–Cherbourg movement was expected about an hour later. When the northbound boats altered course towards Alderney, the enemy locating signal was immediately cancelled. Assessment of the radar picture was greatly hindered by the northbound minesweepers being detected only seven minutes before the encounter and the observer immediately confusing the targets before the set commander could be called into the set. Two locating signals for navigational assistance.

T-1022 Roll 2448, T1022_R2448_English_Translation.docx. Archive and frame references follow.
PG 38122 | Frame 00668 | original page 35 verso
PG 38122 | Frame 00669 | original page 36