17 January 1943 Part 2

17 January 1943 St Malo Convoy Control Office

Weather, 0800: South-east to east force 4–5, turning south-west at midday, overcast, visibility 8–10 nautical miles, sea 3. 0445, Alderney: V 207/424 sailed with convoy for Cherbourg. 0800, Cherbourg: V 207/424 arrived with convoy from Alderney.

Tasks: (1) combined convoy Granville–Jersey–Guernsey; (2) UJ 1401/02 Malo–Cherbourg for Nordvard escort duty; (3) salvage tugs Baldar [name as read] and Gerfried with salvage equipment, and Spinell, Cherbourg–Alderney. Assigned: (1) M 4612/04/05/07, independently Malo–Granville beforehand; (2) under 3rd Security Division's order; (3) V 424 and M 4047.

0810, Jersey: FK 27/30 sailed with Sperber for Guernsey. 1000, Guernsey: FK 01/07 sailed for Granville. 1150, Guernsey: FK 27/30 arrived with Sperber from Jersey. 1200, Malo roads: UJ 1401/02 arrived from west and anchored. 1330, Guernsey: FK 27/30 sailed for Jersey. 1430, Malo: M 4612/04/05/07 sailed for Granville.

Report to 3rd Security Division. Situation: (1) V 212/10 night troop convoy of 17/18 January with RO 21, La France and RO 8 Jersey–Malo; (2) V 711/22 night troop convoy of 17/18 January with Rob. Müller 8 and H 49 Guernsey–Malo; (3) V 207/424 night convoy Lena, Schwalbe, Weber, Franka, Hydra and Claus Wilhelm Alderney–Cherbourg, then V 207 readiness and V 424 item 4; (4) V 424 and M 4047 evening convoy with salvage tugs Baldar and Gerfried and Spinell Cherbourg–Alderney; (5) V 206/11 ready at Malo; (6) M 4600/01/06 rest at Jersey; (7) M 4612/04/05/07 independently Malo–Granville, then combined convoy Granville–Jersey–Guernsey; (8) UJ 1401/02 evening Malo–Cherbourg passage. Escorted tonnage: 14,200 GRT.

Intentions for 18 January: (1) V 212/10 complete night troop convoy of 17/18 January Jersey–Malo, then readiness; (2) V 711/22 complete night troop convoy of 17/18 January Guernsey–Malo, then readiness; (3) UJ 1401/02 complete Malo–Cherbourg passage, then item 5; (4) V 424 and M 4047 return Alderney–Cherbourg, then item 5; (5) UJ 1401/02, V 424, M 4047 and V 704 if ready, evening Nordvard convoy Cherbourg–Malo; (6) V 206/11 ready at Malo; (7) V 207 aKB at Cherbourg [abbreviation retained]; (8) M 4600/01/06 convoy Jersey–Granville or Malo; (9) M 4612/04/05/07 complete convoy Granville–Jersey–Guernsey.

1730, Granville: M 4612/04/05/07 arrived from Malo. 1735, Jersey: FK 27/30 arrived from Guernsey. 1800, Granville: M 4612/04/05/07 took Midsland, Nestor, Rabat, Gabes, Guynemer, Helma, Normand, Comptoir 51 and 66, and H 81 into convoy for Jersey–Guernsey. 1900: under 3rd Security Division's order, V 424/M 4047's convoy Cherbourg–Alderney and return was cancelled because 2nd Torpedo Boat Flotilla was sailing for a special task. 1915, Jersey: V 210/12 sailed with RO 21, La France and RO 8 for Malo. 2030, Malo: UJ 1401/02 sailed for Cherbourg under 3rd Security Division's order. 2100, Guernsey: V 711/22 sailed with Rob. Müller 8 and H 49 for Malo. 2215, Jersey: M 4612/04/05/07 detached part of convoy, continuing to Guernsey with Helma and Normand. 2400, Malo roads: V 210/12 arrived with convoy from Jersey and anchored. Signed Wunderlich.

T-1022 Roll 2423, scan 0713, original pages 4–5.