14 January 1943 Part 4

14 January 1943 Alderney Harbour Commandant diary

Partly cloudy, NNW 10–11, then NNW 6–7, visibility 7–8 nautical miles, heavy sea and high swell. 0310: Distress signal from FK 05. 0315: FK 05 driven onto rocks by the old harbour. 0550: Six distress signals in the harbour. 0602: Vp 703 drifting onto the beach. 0715: Assistance from anti-aircraft searchlights requested. 0720: Vp 703 reported: fire out; machinery under water. 0738: Vp 703 reported: boat filled to the brim; crew must soon abandon ship. 0812: Lena reported water rising slowly and machinery likely to remain usable for only two hours; requested permission to come to the pier at daybreak. 0818: Vp 703 reported sinking and inability to get ashore. 0821: Engineers with rescue equipment on the beach; rescue of Vp 703’s crew began. 0900: Lena moored at the pier. 0950: Klaus Wilhelm reported ready for service but one anchor lost. 1018: Xaver Dorsch requested immediate removal of the Russians because water was entering the hold. 1100: Crew of Vp 703 rescued. 1200: Removal of the Russians from Xaver Dorsch began. 1310: FK 05 towed off the grounding site and moored in the small harbour. 2100: Rescue of the Russians and crew from Xaver Dorsch completed. 2330: Vp 704 departed for Cherbourg with Spinel. [The diary calls the people aboard Xaver Dorsch “Russians” and does not specify their status in this entry.]

T-1022 Roll 2422, PG 37995, scan 0456–0457.