23 August 1942 Part 2

23 August 1942 St Malo Convoy Control Office

Weather: South-westerly, veering through west [initial wording partly overwritten]; light to weak breeze; fair to cloudy; visibility 15–20 nautical miles; very calm to calm sea; coastal fog in the morning.

[0]320, Malo: V 209/11 arrived with night troop convoy from Guernsey–Jersey. [0]600, Jersey: M 4605/01 sailed for passage with gear to Granville and back. [0]630, Alderney: V 707/04 sailed with Lena to Cherbourg. [0]800, Jersey: M 4611/04 sailed to Guernsey to stand ready for the planned escort of Group 56's tug with two barges to Lézardrieux. [0]900, Cherbourg: V 707/04 arrived with convoy from Alderney. [1]200, Guernsey: M 4611/04 arrived without convoy from Jersey.

Requests: (1) escort Group 56's tug and two barges from Cherbourg to Lézardrieux; (2) night troop escort for Georgi from Guernsey to Alderney. For (1), I assign V 707/04 to the daylight Cherbourg–Guernsey leg, and M 4611/04 to the onward daylight Guernsey–Lézardrieux leg on 24 August. V 707/04 will undertake (2) after completing (1).

The following was sent to 3rd Security Division. Situation for 23 August: (1) V 213/08 and UJ 1411 at the disposal of 2nd Security Division; (2) V 209/11 completing the night troop convoy of 22/23 August from Guernsey with Minotaure to Jersey and La France to Malo, then readiness; (3) V 207/06 ready at Malo; (4) M 4611/04 independent passage Jersey–Guernsey, then readiness; (5) M 4605/01 passage with gear Jersey–Granville and back, then ready at Malo; (6) V 707/04 with Lena Alderney–Cherbourg, then daylight passage with Group 56 and two barges Cherbourg–Guernsey, followed by night troop convoy of 23/24 August with Georgi Guernsey–Alderney; (7) V 210/12 Dunkirk–Boulogne. Escorted tonnage: 1,400 GRT.

Intentions for 24 August: (1) V 213/08 and UJ 1411 at the disposal of 2nd Security Division; (2) V 209/11/07/06 ready at Malo; (3) M 4611/04 daylight escort Guernsey–Lézardrieux with Group 56 and two barges; then back as in item 4 [intervening convoy wording is struck through]; (4) M 4605/01 daylight passage with Loriot to Lézardrieux, then return to Malo with M 4611/04 using gear; (5) V 707/04 completing the night troop convoy of 23/24 August, Guernsey–Alderney, then onward to Cherbourg with a possible convoy; (6) V 210/12 continuing west under orders of 2nd Security Division.

1400, Cherbourg: V 707/04 sailed with Group 56's tug.

Supplement to the remark of 20 August, 2200: Enquiry with Harbour Commandant Alderney establishes that the naval signal station there is said to have read V 209's Morse request for Malo entry lights from 0300 as 0030. The commanding officer of V 209 states, on the contrary, that precisely to avoid mistakes he had the station repeat the request, which was unequivocally given as “0300”.

1845, off Jersey: M 4605/01 completed the ordered checking passage Jersey–Granville and back with SSG without result. I report this by teleprinter to Commander, Security Forces West and 3rd Security Division. M 4605/01 commence independent passage to Malo.

2100, Cherbourg: V 707/04 sailed for Guernsey with Group 56's tug and two barges destined for Brest. [This second departure entry is retained as written; the earlier entry is 1400.] 2130, Cherbourg: 12th Minesweeping Flotilla sailed to Lézardrieux. Since it knew of V 707/04's radio-notified intended night passage from Guernsey to Alderney, I arrange notification to V 707/04 of the possibility of an encounter [transmission abbreviation partly obscured]. 2330, Guernsey: V 707/04 sailed with Georgi, carrying troops, to Alderney.

Signed on behalf: Wunderlich.

T-1022 Roll 2423, scans 0462–0463 right, original page 13 (duplicate photographs), and scan 0464 left, original page 14. The page-13 times have partly obscured leading digits.