14 October 1942 Part 6

14 October 1942 Convoy action and coastal alerts

Between 02:05 and 02:22 on 14 October, a German convoy steaming west fought enemy naval units north-west of Cherbourg. Naval Commander Normandy placed the Cherbourg east and west coastal-artillery groups on Alert Level II and authorised harassing fire against positively identified and plotted enemy vessels. Corps headquarters ordered Alert Level I for the relevant infantry regiments from 02:55. The alert in the Cherbourg sector and on the islands was later cancelled. Generaloberst Dollmann inspected the western Cotentin coast.

Repeated night alerts followed from 14 to 20 October. Orders clarified that heightened readiness required all coastal machine guns, infantry heavy weapons and artillery to be immediately ready, with reinforced patrols. Transport of 165th Infantry Division was completed on 17 October; one train had derailed after sabotage near Nevers. Lieutenant-General von Schacky auf Schönfeld was installed as commander of the Cherbourg defended area, and 165th Infantry Division assumed command there on 19 October.

T-314 Roll 1603, T314_Roll_1603_English_Translation.docx. Source PDF pages 0350–0381 | Daily diary sheets and annex register