14 February 1942 Part 2

14 February 1942 Third Security Division reviews January convoy diary

Secret, G 692 AIV/Br., 14 February. To Commander of Security West in duplicate, copy St Malo Convoy Control Office. Submits the diary for 21–31 January in one copy.

The diary is submitted in a single copy. Comment 1 - insufficient number of security boats: from 21 to 23 January the office had three boats of the 2nd Patrol Flotilla and six boats of the 40th Minesweeping Flotilla, nine boats in all, of which an average of two were out of service. From 24 to 31 January, after the Cherbourg-Alderney task was added, five boats of the 2nd Patrol Flotilla and six boats of the 40th Minesweeping Flotilla were available, eleven in all, again averaging two out of service.

Experience showed that at least twelve boats were required for Channel Islands convoy work, including Cherbourg-Alderney, assuming an average of two out of service or fitting out. An increase to sixteen boats was urgently desired so that escorted vessels could be adequately protected; convoys of twelve or more ships could no longer be sufficiently protected , especially when the weakly armed boats of the 40th Minesweeping Flotilla had to be used.

The stronger armament proposed by the Chief of the 2nd Patrol Flotilla would bring some improvement but would remain only an emergency solution; with long convoys even two boats could not be everywhere.

Signal stations at St Malo, Guernsey and Granville, improved teleprinter and telephone connections between St Malo, Granville, Cherbourg and the Channel Islands, and provision of two steamers for leave traffic were urgently required. The flotilla was directed to initiate appropriate measures or submit requests.

The assumption of the Convoy Control Office by the Chief of the 2nd Patrol Flotilla, and the conduct of Channel Islands convoys by that flotilla, would have operational and administrative advantages, especially if remaining organisational deficiencies at other Army and Navy offices were removed and, if circumstances permitted, the five boats of the 2nd Patrol Flotilla still operating off Brest could be transferred to St Malo.

Daily weather details are henceforth to be entered in column 2 of the diary. Signed Hans Hartmann [signature reading].

T-1022 Roll 2423, PG 38000, scans 0242–0243; scan 0241 partly duplicates the first page.