20 June 1942 Part 1

20 June 1942 St Malo convoy diary

St Malo: weak to moderate N–NE breeze, visibility 10–15 nautical miles, calm sea. Night convoys and patrol stations completed as intended. 10:30: Minotaure arrives with troops. Contrary to orders to enter Jersey and remain there during daylight, she turned away off Jersey and proceeded without escort to St Malo. I reported this disobedience of an operational order, endangering a troop transport, to the Sea Transport Chief. V 208/209’s intended escort task therefore falls away; they are ordered to St Malo Roads during night 20/21 June. V 211/213 receive orders for the night troop convoy requested by Sea Transport Office Cherbourg, Alderney–Cherbourg and return [the subsequent situation specifies Alderney–Guernsey].

Situation: V 203/207 at the 2nd Security Division’s disposal for convoy 3274; V 202/206 finish night convoy Guernsey–Jersey–Granville with Minotaure, Diamant, Hubbastone and Holland, then Rabatt, Comptoir 66 and Nestor Granville–Jersey–Guernsey, V 206 to St Malo because of illness [handwritten addition]; V 211/213 alone St Malo–Alderney, then Georgi night troop convoy Alderney–Guernsey; V 208/209 ready St Malo. Tonnage 5,670 GRT.

Intentions for 21 June: V 203/207 as above; V 202 ready Guernsey; V 211/213 finish Georgi convoy Alderney–Guernsey, then Guernsey–Alderney–Cherbourg with Georgi; V 208/209 St Malo Roads during night 20/21 June at the 3rd Security Division’s disposal; V 206 resting St Malo. 14:30: radio order to V 202/206 that V 202 take the convoy onward from Jersey to Guernsey alone and V 206 return to St Malo as quickly as possible because of an illness. 13:30 [entered after 14:30]: V 211/213 leave St Malo for Alderney.

22:20: a radio report arrives. It is safely assumed that the report of an attack in grid 3542 originates from V 211/213, although a follow-up report is lacking. 22:35: enquiry at Guernsey establishes that detonations were heard to the north. 23:15: light ENE breeze, very calm to calm sea, visibility five to eight nautical miles. V 211’s radio message is only partly clear; repetition establishes a fighter attack on V 211/213, with a number wounded and damage to machinery and radio equipment. The 3rd Security Division Cherbourg reports by telephone one dead aboard V 211 and twenty-three wounded across both boats.

I order the planned night troop convoy Alderney–Guernsey and return cancelled. After learning that two air-sea rescue boats are under way to transport the wounded Alderney–Cherbourg, I abandon the already prepared dispatch of hospital ship Hüxter, previously arranged with the Sea Transport Chief. I report the action to Commander Security West by telephone. 23:40: I request a situation report from V 211/213 by short radio message, since no report has yet arrived on the boats’ defensive success or combat readiness. Signed Dr Diederichs.

T-1022 Roll 2423, PG 38000, scans 0384.