18 March 1943 Part 2

18 March 1943 Naval Group West review of rescue and harbour restrictions

On Commander, Security Forces West's first comment, 5 January, pages 9–10: the Commander-in-Chief of Naval Group Command West expressed his fullest recognition to the commanding officers and crews of V 212/209.

On the second comment, diary pages 25–26: improvements to Alderney harbour are being examined. It is established that laying the Krupp bridges brought no improvement. They restricted the harbour, and it remains questionable whether a bridge will remain stable with a larger vessel alongside in heavy seas. According to Net Barrier Group West, moving harbour barriers farther seawards to gain space is impossible because they would then not withstand the weather. The only way to gain space is to dispense with the LT net barrier [LT abbreviation retained]. Commander, Security Forces West has been asked to comment. If LT protection must be maintained, there is no alternative to accepting the restricted space. For the Commander-in-Chief, Chief of Staff of Naval Group Command West; signed Hoffmann. Handwritten follow-up routing notes are not sufficiently clear for a reliable full transcription.

T-1022 Roll 2423, scan 0707; Naval Group Command West, Operations Staff secret G 1320/43 A5, command headquarters, 18 March 1943. Submitted to Naval High Command, Naval War Staff, after examination. Received stamp 23 March 1943; subsequent routing annotations partly illegible.