19 December 1942 Part 2

19 December 1942 St Malo Convoy Control Office

Weather: North-west to west force 6–7, cloudy, rain showers, squally, easing towards morning.

0115, Malo: V 210/12 arrived with convoy from Guernsey. 0200, Jersey: UJ 1401/02/14 anchored with Ronwyn in St Aubin's Bay roads. 0800, Guernsey: M 4606/11/04/05 sailed with combined convoy: Sperber and Comptoir 51 for Jersey; Helma, Rheinland, Tourane, Nestor and Guynemer with Naphta II for Granville; Quatrieme, Panama and Surinama for Malo. Spes Salatis and Gueppe 58 with two barges were to join at Jersey for Malo. The Granville portion proceeds separately with M 4611/06. [Vessel spellings and the differing destination of Comptoir 51 in the later entry are retained.]

Tasks: (1) convoy Cherbourg–Alderney; (2) night troop convoy Karel Alderney–Guernsey; (3) combined convoy Guernsey–Jersey–Granville–Malo; (4) shadow hospital ship Hüxter Jersey–Malo; (5) night troop convoy La France to Jersey, Minotaure and Rob. Müller 8 to Guernsey; (6) transport the general Granville–Guernsey; (7) equipment passage of A Group, 46th Minesweeper Flotilla, Malo–Brest, under 3rd Security Division's order. Assigned: (1–2) V 711/22; (3) M 4604/05/06/11; (4) V 208/13; (5) V 208/13 after task 4; (6) V 210/12, first proceeding Malo–Granville; (7) as above.

1015, Jersey: V 208/13 sailed with hospital ship Hüxter for Malo. 1155, Jersey: Meteor and Paul et Janine sailed without escort for Guernsey. 1245, Malo: Naval Signal Station Malo ordered to signal V 208/13 immediately on sighting: anchor in the roads; sail at 1800 with La France for Jersey, Minotaure and Rob. Müller 8 for Guernsey, all carrying troops. 1300, Guernsey: S.A. 4 sailed independently for Malo. 1340, Guernsey: S.A. 4 returned owing to heavy seas. 1430, Malo: V 210/12 sailed for Granville to be at the disposal of the commander of 84th Corps. 1440, Guernsey: Paul et Janine arrived independently; Meteor following with engine damage.

The following was sent to 3rd Security Division. Correction to 18 December: item 7 cancelled; reduce escorted tonnage by 400 GRT. Situation for 19 December: (1) V 703/04 ready at Cherbourg; (2) V 711/22 independently Cherbourg–Alderney, then Karel night troop convoy to Guernsey; (3) M 4602/00/01/07/12/13 ready and fitting out at Malo; (4) M 4604/05/11/06 combined convoy Guernsey–Jersey–Granville–Malo; (5) V 208/13 shadow Hüxter Jersey–Malo, then night troop convoy of 19/20 December from Malo with Minotaure and Rob. Müller 8 for Guernsey and La France for Jersey; (6) V 210/12 independently Malo–Granville, then Granville–Guernsey; (7) V 209 repairs at Malo; (8) A Group, 46th Minesweeper Flotilla, equipment passage Malo–Brest. Escorted tonnage: 9,000 GRT.

Intentions for 20 December: (1) V 703/04 with convoy Cherbourg–Alderney; (2) V 711/22 complete night troop convoy of 19/20 December Alderney–Guernsey, then return; (3) M 4600/01/02/04/05/06/11/12/13/07 ready at Malo; (4) V 208/13 complete night troop convoy of 19/20 December Malo–Jersey–Guernsey, then return; (5) V 210/12 ready at Guernsey; (6) V 208/09 ready at Malo [208 appears in both items 4 and 6].

1500, Malo: FK 26/29 sailed for Jersey. 1500, Malo: A Group, 46th Minesweeper Flotilla, reported its equipment passage to Brest postponed 24 hours owing to weather. 1530, Malo: V 208/13 anchored in the roads; hospital ship Hüxter entered. 1530, Jersey: M 4606/05 entered owing to weather with suction dredgers Surinama and Trans and the Jersey portion of the convoy. M 4604 remained with disabled Naphta II at Corbière. 1530, Granville: M 4611 released Comptoir 51, Rheinland, Helma, Tourane and Nestor to enter, continuing alone towards Malo. Remark: M 4611's commanding officer has been instructed that independent passages by single boats are prohibited.

1545, Guernsey: Meteor arrived late owing to engine damage (see 1440). 1555, Granville: convoy brought by M 4611 entered. 1620, Malo: I ordered UJ 1401/02, which under 3rd Security Division's order were not yet taking convoy 3329 onward, to sail to assist Naphta II drifting at Corbière. 1655, Jersey: UJ 1401/02 sailed as ordered. 1700, Granville: V 210/12 arrived from Malo. 1750, Malo: report via naval command signal station that V 213 had a boiler leak in the port furnace; still capable of steaming for the time being. 1755: I ordered V 213 to carry out the night task with V 208 if the boiler permitted; otherwise V 208 to carry out the task alone.

Remarks: no other boat capable of steaming was available: V 207 was undergoing major boiler cleaning and V 209 tracing a condenser contaminated with oil. I considered postponement inappropriate if all the tasks accumulating before Christmas were to be carried out. 1800, Malo: V 213 reported it would participate. V 208/13 sailed with La France for Jersey, Minotaure and R. Müller 8 for Guernsey. I submitted the request for measures for this task to the sea commands [“Maßnahmenbestellung”; the specific measures are not stated]. 1830, Malo: Naval Sea Transport Office Cherbourg reported tasks 1 and 2 cancelled owing to heavy seas.

1940, Jersey: UJ 1401/02 entered with Naphta II's rescued French crew of four. Remark: Naphta II grounded with anchor down on the sandy beach at La Rocco, north of Corbière, at half tide. Reportedly no damage occurred. Intention: salvage Naphta II at high water on 20 December. 2000, Malo: by radio message 2032/91 through HNO Cherbourg, I advised of possible encounters near Ida 5 between V 210/12, V 208/13 with convoy, and FK 26/29. 2000, Malo: M 4611 arrived from Granville. 2055, Malo: I gave Commander Security West (western operations branch) and 3rd Security Division a telephone report on Naphta II's position. 2130, Jersey: M 4604 arrived from assisting Naphta II (see 1530). 2200, Jersey: FK 26/29 arrived from Malo. 2240, Guernsey: V 210/12 arrived from Granville with the commander of 84th Corps. 2315, off Jersey: V 213/08 released La France for St Aubin's Bay roads and continued to Guernsey. Signed Dr Diederichs.

T-1022 Roll 2423, scans 0666–0667 left, original pages 8–10.