2 May 1942 Part 1

2 May 1942 St Malo convoy diary

Convoys carried out as planned. Remark: lock delays and restrictions, combined with shortening nights, make St Malo–Jersey–Guernsey convoys in one night difficult. Weather: slight sea, light westerly breeze, moderate visibility. The division orders that UJ 1411/04 are not yet to depart; I leave them in the roads initially, then bring them into harbour. Harbour-protection boats H 7 and H 8 from Brest are brought in to replenish stores.

14:00: divisional teletype G 7223 concerns the submarine-chaser convoy to Brest. Lock difficulties make departure on 3 May doubtful. The harbour commandant is asked to lock them out no later than 14:30 on 3 May; H 7 and H 8 are ordered to join. 14:15: I give RO 45, reported unready for days, sailing orders for tonight after it again tried to remain at Cherbourg with the lame excuse that it had no sailing order.

Correction to 1 May: V 210/06 ready St Malo for H 49, Diamant and Ad. le Prince night convoy to Jersey; V 208/09 RO 8 Guernsey–Alderney, then Henka, Gerfried and Antonius to Cherbourg, returning to Alderney without convoy. Tonnage 5,200 GRT.

Situation: V 210/06 H 49 Jersey–Guernsey, then without convoy to Jersey for night troop convoy to St Malo; V 208/09 RO 8 Alderney–St Malo, ready in roads for night troop convoy; V 207/12 Holland night Guernsey–St Malo, then without convoy to Granville, then Granville–Jersey–Guernsey with Favorit, Nazagan, Comptoir 66, Gabes Georges Guynemer, H 67, H 266 and H 9321 for Jersey, Pondicherry, Pointe à Pitre and Comptoir 51 for Guernsey [names and grouping as typed]; V 1510/204 ready Cherbourg; V 205 unready Cherbourg; UJ 1404/11 ready St Malo harbour; V 211 unready St Malo; M 1205/06 RO 45 Cherbourg–Jersey; V 213 ready Cherbourg. Tonnage 10,650 GRT [overtyped figure; the closing table gives 10,600].

Intentions for 3 May: V 210/06 H 2 and Ad. le Prince night Jersey–St Malo; V 208/09 night St Malo–Jersey–Guernsey with Holland for Jersey and Livadia for Guernsey; V 207/12 ready Guernsey; V 1510/204 Cherbourg–Alderney with three coasters, two tugs and two barges, then two tugs to Carteret and two tugs and five fishing cutters to Cherbourg; V 205 unready Cherbourg; UJ 1404/11 ready St Malo harbour; V 211 unready St Malo; M 1205/06 Jersey–St Malo, then ready; V 213 ready Cherbourg.

T-1022 Roll 2423, PG 38000, scans 0335–0336.