19 July 1942 Part 2

19 July 1942 — St Malo Convoy Control Office

Weather: north-west, moderate to fresh breeze; light precipitation; marked deterioration in the morning, visibility decreasing to 5 nautical miles; slight to moderate sea.

01:00, Alderney — V 713/211/04/09 sailed for Cherbourg. Position Brummer was not occupied because of this duty. 03:25, Alderney — V 203/02 arrived from Jersey with RO 8. 04:20, Jersey — V 711/24 arrived with a convoy from St Malo. 04:25, Cherbourg — V 713/211/09/04 arrived from Alderney.

Convoy requests: (1) Alderney–Cherbourg; (2) night troop convoy RO 21 Alderney–Guernsey; (3) daytime convoy H 49 Jersey–Guernsey; (4) daytime convoy Granville–Jersey; (5) night troop convoy Guernsey–Jersey. I allocated the following and issued corresponding orders: (1) V 203/02; (2) V 713/211, proceeding unescorted Cherbourg–Alderney for this purpose; (3) V 711/24; (4) M 4605/1; (5) V 713/724 [designation as printed]. For the night troop convoy on 20/21 July, in which the Commander of Security Forces West wished to participate, I intended to employ V 206/08.

10:00, Alderney — V 203/02 sailed for Cherbourg with a convoy. 11:45, Granville — M 4605/1 sailed for Jersey with a convoy. 12:40, Cherbourg — V 203/02 arrived with a convoy from Alderney. 13:30, Jersey — V 711/24 sailed with a convoy for Guernsey.

For the Commanding Admiral France’s inspection voyage from St Malo to Jersey on the afternoon of 21 July, no boats of the 2nd Outpost Flotilla were available following the loss of service of V 209/04. I requested two boats of the 12th Minesweeping Flotilla by teletype from the 3rd Security Division; permission was subsequently granted.

Report to the 3rd Security Division: special occurrence, 18 July — V 204/09 engaged twelve Spitfires north-east of Alderney; two confirmed and two very probable aircraft destroyed were claimed. Correction to the situation of 18 July, item 2: voyage abandoned after the engagement; boats entered Alderney, so the convoy was not carried out.

Situation for 19 July: (1) V 713/211 night voyage Alderney–Cherbourg with V 209/04, then unescorted Cherbourg–Alderney for the RO 21 night troop convoy Alderney–Guernsey on 19/20 July. (2) V 204/09 night voyage Alderney–Cherbourg with V 713/211, then out of operational readiness at Cherbourg. (3) V 203/02 completing the night troop convoy of 18/19 July Guernsey–Alderney with RO 21 [as stated in the summary], then Alderney–Cherbourg with Tinda, Heinrich and Lena; readiness. (4) V 711/24 completing the St Malo–Jersey convoy with H 49; Jersey–Guernsey; night troop convoy Guernsey–St Malo on 19/20 July with RO 8 and Minotaure. (5) M 4605/1 Granville–Jersey with Normand, Mazagan, Comptior 66, amended to 51, Gabes, G. Guynemer and H 307 [overtyped names retained as read], then readiness. (6) V 208/06 St Malo readiness. (7) M 4604 St Malo readiness. Escorted tonnage: 11,305 GRT.

Intentions for 20 July: (1) V 713/211 completing the Alderney–Guernsey night troop convoy of 19/20 July, then ready for Guernsey–Alderney on 20/21 July with Georgi. (2) V 203/02 at Position Caruso during the night of 19/20 July; Alderney–Cherbourg with a convoy, then readiness. (3) V 711/24 completing the night troop convoy on 20 July, then unescorted St Malo–Guernsey, then the night troop convoy of 20/21 July with H 49 to Jersey and RO 21 and others to Granville. (4) M 4605/1 Jersey readiness. (5) V 206/08 with the Commander of Security Forces West aboard, night troop convoy St Malo–Jersey with Livadia and others [the date is typed 19/20 July here; the detailed 20 July record gives 20/21 July]. (6) M 4604 St Malo readiness.

16:45, Guernsey — V 711/24 sailed with a convoy for Jersey [as printed; the later entry records its departure to St Malo]. 18:15, St Malo — Admiral Ruge arrived; the commander of the 2nd Outpost Flotilla reported to him. 18:30, Cherbourg — V 713/211 sailed for Alderney without a convoy. 21:10, Alderney — V 713/211 arrived for the night troop convoy. 22:30, Guernsey — V 711/24 sailed for St Malo with the night troop convoy. 23:00, Alderney — V 713/211 sailed for Guernsey with RO 21 in the night troop convoy. Signed: Diederichs.

T-1022 Roll 2423, scans 0417 (original pages 8–9).