21 December 1944 Part 55

Item 12 — reference to original page 312

Radio telegrams FT 1840/21/g 67, 1855/21/g 69 and 1847/21/g 71 to Naval High Command West. At 09:00 one LCP approached the observation post on Maitresse Island, Minquiers, with a corvette behind it. A landing attempt by a pincer movement was assumed. Secret material and cipher documents were destroyed and an appropriate uncoded radio report was sent. The LCP was engaged with machine-gun fire and turned away after hits were observed.

It approached slowly again while the occupants waved. After landing they identified themselves as five escaped German prisoners of war: one M.A. cadet from the Marine Assault Battalion [uncertain expansion of M.A.] and four paratroopers from Brest. They had escaped from Granville. One wounded paratrooper had been fired upon. The pursuing corvette withdrew. Two small craft closed; when A.F. 65/71, sent from St Helier for relief, approached, they likewise withdrew.

The observation post was provided with new cipher documents and the post commander was relieved so that he could report. At 15:45 A.F. 65/71 entered St Helier with the five German prisoners. The LCP had to be left behind because it was leaking. Intention: reinforce the observation post with a 2 cm gun on a land mounting and recover the LCP on 22 December. — Naval Commandant, Channel Islands.

T-1022 Roll 2423, PG 37998, Commander of Sea Defences, Channel Islands. Source scan 0167 — decoded-message annex, continuation