17 September 1942 Part 3

17 September 1942 St Malo Convoy Control Office

Weather: Westerly, light to moderate breeze; cloudy; visibility 12–15 nautical miles; calm sea, slight to moderate swell.

0130, Malo roadstead: V 707/05 arrived with convoy from Jersey. 0300, Cherbourg: V 710/24 sailed with Spinel for Guernsey. 0300, Cherbourg: V 212/08 sailed independently for Alderney. 0500, Cherbourg: V 209/M 1207 sailed with Schwalbe for Alderney. 0520, Alderney: V 212/08 sailed with Karel for Guernsey. 0730, Alderney: V 209/M 1207 arrived with Schwalbe from Cherbourg. 0800, Jersey: M 4611/05 sailed with Normand, Corona, Chiemsee and Irene for Granville–Malo. 0810, Guernsey: V 212/08 released Karel and continued to Malo. 0930, Guernsey: V 710/24 arrived with Spinel from Cherbourg.

Requests: (1) Normand from Jersey to Granville, Corona, Chiemsee and Irene to Malo; (2) Spes-Salutis, Sable d’Or, two tugs and four barges, Malo–Jersey; (3) one coastal motor vessel in the evening, Alderney–Cherbourg; (4) night troop convoy from Malo, La France and Robert Müller 8 to Jersey, Minotaure to Guernsey. I assign M 4611/05 to (1), V 713/02 to (2), V 209/M 1207 to (3), and V 707/05 to (4).

1015, Granville: M 4611/05 released Normand and continued to Malo. 1155, Malo: V 713/02 sailed with Spes-Salutis, Sable d’Or, two tugs and four barges for Jersey. 1325, Malo: V 212/08 arrived from Guernsey.

The following was sent to 3rd Security Division. Situation for 17 September: (1) V 209/M 1207 with Schwalbe at 0500 Cherbourg–Alderney, then two coastal motor vessels in the evening Alderney–Cherbourg; (2) V 212/08 independently at 0300 Cherbourg–Alderney, then Karel to Guernsey, independently onward to Malo; (3) V 710/24 with Spinel at 0300 Cherbourg–Guernsey, ready; (4) V 707/05 completed the night evacuee convoy of 16/17 September, Minotaure and La France Jersey–Malo; night convoy of 17/18 September with La France and Robert Müller 8 to Jersey and Minotaure to Guernsey; (5) V 713/02 combined convoy Malo–Jersey, then ready; (6) M 4611/05 combined convoy Jersey–Granville–Malo, then ready; (7) M 4604/01 rest at Malo. Escorted tonnage: 9,750 GRT.

Intentions for 18 September: V 207 again under Convoy Control Office orders; M 1207 released to 12th Minesweeping Flotilla. (1) V 209/07 escort Cherbourg–Alderney–Guernsey; (2) V 710/24 escort Alderney–Cherbourg; (3) V 707/05 complete the troop convoy of 17/18 September, then evacuees Guernsey–Jersey–Malo; (4) V 713/02 Jersey–Granville with any available convoy, then combined convoy Granville–Jersey–Guernsey; (5) M 4611/05/04/01 rest at Malo.

1430, Malo: M 4611/05 arrived with the remainder of the convoy from Jersey via Granville. 1830, Jersey: V 713/02 arrived with convoy from Malo. 2020: Notification that 5th E-boat Flotilla was proceeding west from Cherbourg. I communicated possible encounters through the Naval Signals Officer by short radio message, covering Cherbourg convoys and 12th Minesweeping Flotilla’s Malo–Cherbourg passage. 2320, Malo: V 707/05 sailed with the night troop convoy for Jersey–Guernsey.

Signed: Wunderlich.

T-1022 Roll 2423, scans 0514–0515, original pages 2–4.