13 October 1942 Part 3

13 October 1942 St Malo Convoy Control Office

Weather: South-west to west, light to weak breeze, freshening in the morning; cloudy, becoming overcast in the morning, rain in places; visibility 10–12 nautical miles, falling to 5; very smooth to calm sea, northerly swell.

0200, Guernsey: V 710/24 sailed with RO 21, Minotaure and Holland for Jersey–Malo. 0430, Jersey: V 710/24 took La France and Sperber into the convoy and continued to Malo. 0640, Alderney: V 713/02 sailed with Spinel for Cherbourg. 0830, Malo: V 710/24 arrived with convoy from Guernsey–Jersey. 0920, Cherbourg: V 713/02 arrived with Spinel from Alderney.

Requests: (1) Rob. Müller 8, Malo–Guernsey; (2) bridge convoy Cherbourg–Alderney. Orders: V 714/08 for (1). For (2), 3rd Security Division cancels the bridge convoy despite good weather because, as only now becomes clear to me, a protected vessel is to be escorted from east to west.

Remark: I order the minesweepers M 4605/04/02 at Guernsey to Malo, to have them available there for repeated sweeps of the Malo–Granville route with SSG [sweeping-equipment abbreviation retained]. I consider sweeping necessary because aircraft activity over the sea off Granville was observed last night and mines may have been dropped.

1100, Malo: V 714/08 sailed with Rob. Müller 8 for Guernsey. 1100, Guernsey: M 4605/04/02 sailed for Malo. 1340, Malo: Secret teletype from 3rd Security Division states that one pair must be provided at Lézardrieux for the special task; the St Aubin’s Bay task, which might have required two pairs, is cancelled. I earmark V 210/09 at Malo and notify V 714/08 that the task mentioned to them orally as a possibility is cancelled. Further teletype received concerning provision of three smoke-laying vessels at Lézardrieux.

The following was sent to 3rd Security Division. Situation for 13 October: (1) V 713/02 early Spinel convoy Alderney–Cherbourg, ready; (2) UJ 1407/01 ready at Cherbourg, later at 3rd Security Division’s disposal; (3) V 212/13 ready at Cherbourg; (4) V 210/09 evening Malo–Lézardrieux for special task under 3rd Security Division; (5) V 714/08 Rob. Müller 8 convoy Malo–Guernsey, ready.

(6) V 710/24 night to 13 October with troops, Minotaure, RO 21 and Holland from Guernsey, La France and Sperber from Jersey, to Malo, ready; (7) M 4605/04/02 passage Guernsey–Malo; (8) M 4612/11/01 ready at Malo. Escorted tonnage: 6,700 GRT.

Intentions for 14 October: (1) V 713/02/212/13 ready for bridge convoy Cherbourg–Alderney during night to 15 October; (2) UJ 1407/01 released to 3rd Security Division; (3) V 209/210 anti-aircraft protection at Lézardrieux under 3rd Security Division’s order; (4) V 710/24 ready at Malo; (5) M 4605/04/01/02 repeated SSG sweeps Malo–Granville and return; (6) V 207 operational again at Malo, degaussing-loop test; (7) M 4611/12 ready at Malo; (8) V 714/08 ready at Guernsey.

1800, Malo: Received secret teletype 3351 from 3rd Security Division ordering UJ 1407/01 to sail with M 254 as advance protection for the protected vessel. The subchasers are thereby withdrawn from the Convoy Control Office’s control. 1830, Malo: To replace them, 2nd Security Division dispatches subchasers UJ 1405/16 from Le Havre to Cherbourg by secret teletype, at the Convoy Control Office’s disposal. 1830, Malo: Now that the intentions for the coming night are known, I also send shipping-movement reports to Commander Security West and 5th E-boat Flotilla, which has requested information about possible encounters for its 2000 departure. 1840, Malo: M 4605/04/02 arrived from Guernsey.

1900, Malo: Received 3rd Security Division shipping movements G 15628. The protected vessel will sail later than assumed under secret teletype 3351. At the same time received intended sailing of three harbour-protection boats as smoke-laying vessels, Malo–Lézardrieux. I issue a correction to the shipping-report service. 2000, Malo roadstead: V 209/10 move to the roadstead for later departure to Lézardrieux. Minotaure, as an ocean-going tug, also anchors in the roadstead at immediate readiness. 2000, Malo: Three harbour-protection boats sailed for Lézardrieux. 2115, Malo: Alert 1 ordered. 2315, Cherbourg: UJ 1407/01 and M 254 sailed for Lézardrieux.

Signed: Dr Diederichs.

T-1022 Roll 2423, scans 0549–0550, original pages 21–22.