15 May 1942 Part 3

15 May 1942 Alderney Harbour Captain diary

Cloudy, visibility 4–5 nautical miles; SE 2–3, calm sea, no moonlight. 0425: The lighthouse reported firing at sea to the north-east, with muzzle flashes, 2 cm tracer and artillery fire, at a distance of 5–7 nautical miles. 0445: Lighthouse reported firing had ceased. 0455: The elevated observation post reported two emergency recognition signals fired from the sea on bearing 80°. 0530: Vp 205, damaged by enemy naval forces, was towed into harbour by HS 12/183/192. There were seven dead and thirteen seriously and lightly wounded aboard. The wounded were taken ashore for medical treatment.

0625: HS 183/28/12 departed to search for Vp 204. 0820 [handwritten time, placed later in the source]: They returned from the unsuccessful search. 0925: Tug Hermes and a rescue fast boat arrived from Cherbourg. 0956: HS 184/187 arrived from Guernsey. 1020: The rescue fast boat departed for Cherbourg with the injured. 1030: Tug Hermes departed for Cherbourg with Vp 205 under fighter protection. 1120: HS 184/187 departed for Guernsey. 2220: HS 12/28 departed for patrol position. [The source lists some morning entries out of time order; restored here. Casualty figures are those recorded in this diary.]

T-1022 Roll 2422, PG 37995, scan 0373–0374.