16 April 1942 Part 1

16 April 1942 St Malo convoy diary

Secret. War Diary of Convoy Control Office St Malo, 16–30 April 1942. Officer in charge: Fregattenkapitän Dr Diederichs, chief of the 2nd Patrol Flotilla. [Scan 0318 cover, 0319 title, 0320 original pages 2–3.] Weather: ENE strong to stiff wind, moderate to fairly rough sea, squally, visibility five to eight nautical miles.

For tonight’s Jersey–St Malo troop convoy I order V 213/11 to sail for Jersey at 12:15 and return during the night with H 49. V 206/12 protect cable-layer Olwe by day between Guernsey and Jersey. 15:30: for the Granville convoy requested for 17 April, I assign V 204/08. V 207/08 are ordered to continue to St Malo after reaching Guernsey about 18:00, entering if possible or otherwise anchoring in the roads. V 204/08 are to leave for Granville without convoy at 06:00 on 17 April. The V 1510/704 troop convoy with Georgi still appears impracticable because of strong wind and fairly rough sea.

Correction to 15 April, item 4: postponed owing to weather; corrected escorted tonnage 13,100 GRT [500 less than the first-half closing table]. Situation: V 206/12 protect Olwe searching between Jersey and Guernsey; V 213/11 afternoon St Malo–Jersey without convoy, evening H 49 troop convoy to St Malo; V 207/08 escort three vessels Cherbourg–Guernsey, later without convoy Guernsey–St Malo; V 1510/704 convoy under 15 April item 4, weather permitting; V 204 ready St Malo; V 209 unready St Malo; V 210 boiler cleaning St Malo; V 205 dock Cherbourg. Escorted tonnage 3,100 GRT.

Intentions for 17 April: V 206/12 protect Olwe; V 204/11/13 ready St Malo, night troop convoy 17/18 April; V 207/08 ready St Malo; V 1510/704 ready Cherbourg, possible night convoys; V 209/10 unready St Malo; V 205 dock Cherbourg.

T-1022 Roll 2423, PG 38000, scans 0318–0320.