16 December 1942 Part 3

16 December 1942 St Malo Convoy Control Office

Weather: South to south-south-east force 6–7, overcast, rainy, sea 6.

0030, Malo: V 207/13 arrived with Minotaure and Rob. Müller 8 from Guernsey–Jersey. 0730, Malo: M 4613/07 with M 4245/46, last detected after leaving Cherbourg near P 328 at 2035 on 15 December, had still not arrived at their destination Jersey. I requested a position report with radio message 0744/77. 0819, Malo: my radio station picked up radio message 0744/77. 0905, Malo: storm warning received by radio. 0910, Malo: I ordered by telephone immediate readiness for V 711/22 at Cherbourg and V 208/09, V 703/04 and M 4611/06 at Guernsey. 0930, Malo: V 208/09 reported postponement of sailing with hospital ship Hüxter for Malo owing to weather.

0940, Malo: I spoke to Fighter Command 3 about employing two aircraft to search for M 4613/07 and M 4245/46. During the call Naval Signal Station Corbière reported that M 4245/46 were entering Jersey and M 4613/07 continuing towards Malo. 0950, Malo: immediate readiness for the boats named at 0910 cancelled.

Remark: the four boats were expected in Jersey at about 0100. At about 0400 Jersey was asked whether they had entered. Ozet Cherbourg was asked for radar detections, but these could no longer be obtained. The lack of operational readiness of the radar sets on Guernsey and Jersey proved a disadvantage. Group leader M 4613 erred in not radioing when he foresaw a delay of several hours in arrival at Jersey. No reply followed the request for a position report either. This showed that the group leader, Sub-Lieutenant Fiegath [name as read], failed to appreciate that the body responsible for convoy control and possible assistance must receive the information needed for its decisions. [Contemporary writer’s assessment.]

Tasks: (1) shadow hospital ship Hüxter Guernsey–Malo; (2) night troop convoy Karel from Guernsey; (3) night troop convoy Malo–Jersey–Guernsey. Assigned: (1) V 208/09; (2) V 703/04; (3) V 210/12. Tasks 1 and 3 were cancelled during the morning; weather made task 2 unlikely as well.

1040, Jersey: M 4245/46 arrived from Cherbourg. 1130, Malo: M 4620 and M 4430 sailed for navigation instruction for watch-officer trainees. 1410, Jersey: M 4613/07 entered. Remark: why the two boats, already heading for Malo, turned back is incomprehensible. Continuing with an offshore wind, they could have expected decreasing seas in Malo Bay.

The following was sent to 3rd Security Division. Correction to 15 December: item 1 cancelled owing to weather; reduce escorted tonnage by 400 GRT. Situation for 16 December: (1) V 703/04 ready at Guernsey, convoy Guernsey–Alderney if weather permits or improves; (2) M 4430/4720 [4720 printed here, 4620 in timed entries] navigation instruction off Malo; (3) M 4602/04/00/12/01 ready at Malo; (4) V 207/13 complete night troop convoy Guernsey–Jersey–Malo, then V 207 boiler cleaning and V 213 ready; (5) V 208/09 and M 4611/06 ready at Guernsey; (6) V 210/12 ready at Malo; (7) V 711/22 ready at Cherbourg; (8) M 4607/13 complete night passage Cherbourg–Jersey with M 4245/46, then independently Jersey–Malo. Escorted tonnage: 400 GRT.

Intentions for 17 December: (1) V 704/03 Guernsey–Alderney with Karel, then onward convoy to Cherbourg; (2) M 4602/04/00/12/01/07/13 ready and fitting out at Malo; (3) V 207 boiler cleaning; (4) V 213 ready at Malo; (5) V 210/12 night troop convoy of 17/18 December from Malo with La France to Jersey [destination corrected], Rob. Müller 8 and Minotaure to Guernsey; (6) V 208/09 shadow hospital ship Hüxter Guernsey–Malo; (7) M 4606/11 combined convoy Guernsey–Jersey; (8) V 711/22 Cherbourg–Alderney with convoy, weather permitting.

1515, Malo: V 703/04 reported the planned night troop convoy Karel Guernsey–Alderney would not proceed owing to stormy wind and heavy seas. 1600, Malo: M 4620/4430 returned from navigation instruction. No convoys sailed at night owing to continuing bad weather. Signed Dr Diederichs.

T-1022 Roll 2423, scans 0662–0663, title and original pages 2–3. Title: War Diary of St Malo Convoy Control Office, 16–31 December 1942. Chief: Commander (Fregattenkapitän) Dr Diederichs, Chief of 2nd Patrol Boat Flotilla. Archival registry Ch 24511.