2 June 1942 Part 1

2 June 1942 St Malo convoy diary

St Malo: light winds, very calm sea, visibility 15–20 nautical miles. Scheduled convoys completed. Only St Malo Roads occupied; no Caruso-group position because the Cherbourg patrol section carried out night convoys. 05:50: ferries 108/110 leave Guernsey for St Malo with B 8 S, two barges and lighter Georges. 11:00: the sea-transport chief requests urgent transfer of tug Hermes from Cherbourg to Brest. 11:15: the ferries and convoy arrive St Malo. 11:30: I order V 213 to leave Cherbourg with Hermes as soon as possible. V 206/211, due to complete their Cherbourg–Alderney return convoy about 01:00 on 3 June, are then to occupy Caruso until daylight.

The harbour commandant requests a 3 June day convoy to Guernsey via Jersey; I allocate V 202/204. 13:30: Alderney requests a night troop convoy to Guernsey. With the Cherbourg pair already assigned to a convoy and Caruso from about 01:00 until daylight, no additional escort can be sent to Alderney. I promise the convoy for night 3/4 June and order V 204/202 to proceed to Alderney after their St Malo–Jersey–Guernsey convoy on 3 June.

Situation: V 703/726 completing Jersey–St Malo troop convoy with Minotaure, Maas and Holland, then ready; V 202/203/208 ready St Malo; V 204/209 at St Malo Roads night 1/2 June, then ready and magnetic-range run; V 206/213 Alderney–Cherbourg with Lena, Heinrich and Weber; V 206/211 day Cherbourg–Alderney convoy, then ready for night return troop convoy; V 213 Cherbourg–St Malo with Hermes; ferries 108/110 Guernsey–St Malo with B 8 S, Georges and two barges. Tonnage 4,350 GRT, corrected on 3 June to 7,050.

Intentions for 3 June: V 703/726 ready St Malo; V 202/204 day convoy with Derfflinger and Karel via Jersey to Guernsey, then alone to Alderney for night troop convoy to Guernsey; V 203/208/209/213 ready St Malo; V 206/211 night Alderney–Cherbourg, then Mikimaus and daytime readiness at Cherbourg; V 205 eastward; M 1201/1202 St Malo Roads night 2/3 June for the division.

14:15: I warn V 206/211 by teletype of a possible encounter after about 03:00 with four boats of 12th Minesweeper Flotilla between point 26 and Cherbourg, citing divisional secret order 1706 on the minesearch task for 22nd Minesweeper Flotilla. [Both flotilla numbers occur in the entry.] 16:00: V 213 and Hermes leave Cherbourg; I warn the boat by radio of a possible encounter with four boats of 12th Minesweeper Flotilla around 23:00 between points 27a and b. 23:45: V 213 and Hermes enter St Malo.

After discussion with the company commander of the ferries at Brest, which are to be transferred with an accommodation barge, I propose that the two ferries proceed together to St Malo towing the barge. A naval officer would temporarily be placed aboard to supervise navigation. The weather is favourable and the north coast provides enough refuge ports if it deteriorates.

T-1022 Roll 2423, PG 38000, scans 0366–0367.