23 December 1942 Part 2

23 December 1942 St Malo Convoy Control Office

Weather: South-west force 2–3, visibility 8 nautical miles, fine.

0100, Alderney: V 703/04 arrived with convoy from Cherbourg. 0130, Alderney: V 703/04 sailed with Karel for Guernsey. 0245, Guernsey: M 4621/24 arrived with convoy from Malo. 0430, Jersey: V 711/22 released convoy and continued to Malo. 0500, Jersey: M 4613/12/07 sailed for Granville to collect convoy. 0700, Granville: FK 27/30 sailed for Malo. 0815, Malo: V 711/22 arrived from Jersey.

Tasks: (1) Meteor, Holstein, Claus Wilhelm, Schokland and Maas Guernsey–Malo; (2) Otto, Welle, Wittekind and Irène Jersey–Malo; (3) Pointe à Pitre from Granville to Jersey, Mazagan to Guernsey, Corona from Jersey to Guernsey; (4) night troop convoy from Malo, Minotaure to Guernsey and La France to Jersey; (5) return night troop convoy Minotaure from Guernsey and La France from Jersey to Malo; (6) night troop convoy Karel Guernsey–Alderney; (7) night convoy Karel, Gerfried, Tinda, Schwalbe and Hydra Alderney–Cherbourg; (8) route sweep with ORG Malo–Brest. Assigned: (1) M 4621/24; (2) UJ 1402 and M 4245/46; (3) M 4613/12/07, first Jersey–Granville; (4–5) V 208/09; (6–7) V 703/04; (8) A Group, 46th Minesweeper Flotilla, under 3rd Security Division's order.

0830, Granville: M 4613/12/07 collected convoy for Jersey–Guernsey. 0905, Malo: V 208/09 sailed into the roads for handling exercises with the watch-officer course. 0945, Guernsey: M 4621/24 sailed with convoy for Malo. 1000, Malo: FK 38 sailed with buoy tender Augustin Fresnel for Minquier 5. 1030, Malo: FK 27/30 arrived from Granville. 1040, Guernsey: SA 4 sailed for Malo. 1200, Jersey: UJ 1402 and M 4245/46 sailed with Otto, Welle, Wittekind and Irène for Malo. 1200, Jersey: M 4613/12/07 released Pointe à Pitre and took Corona and Rabat into convoy for Guernsey. 1230, Malo: FK 38 and buoy tender returned owing to weather. 1350, Malo: SA 4 arrived from Guernsey.

The following was sent to 3rd Security Division. Special occurrence: on 22 December the total tonnage escorted since the convoy office's establishment passed 2,000,000 GRT. Correction to 22 December: item 2 add Spinel Cherbourg–Alderney; item 5 cancelled owing to weather; item 8 task carried out by M 4621/24 because of weather; item 9 returned to Malo after sailing owing to weather.

Situation for 23 December: (1) V 703/04 complete night troop convoy of 22/23 December Alderney–Guernsey, later night troop convoy of 23/24 December Guernsey–Alderney with Karel; (2) V 711/22 complete night convoy Cherbourg–Jersey–Malo, then rest; (3) V 208/09 with watch-officer course in Malo roads, then night troop convoy of 23/24 December from Malo, La France to Jersey and Minotaure to Guernsey; (4) UJ 1402 and M 4245/46 with coastal motor vessels Otto, Welle, Wittekind and Irène Jersey–Malo; (5) M 4621/24 with Schokland, Maas, Claus Wilhelm, Holstein and Meteor Guernsey–Malo, then see item 10; (6) M 4613/12/07 with Pointe à Pitre and Mazagan Granville–Jersey–Guernsey, exchanging Pointe à Pitre for Corona at Jersey; (7) C Group, 46th Minesweeper Flotilla, ready at Malo; (8) V 213 repairs at Malo; (9) V 210/12 Jersey–Granville with the commander, then independently to Malo; (10) A Group, 46th Minesweeper Flotilla, Malo–Brest with ORG. Escorted tonnage: 7,250 GRT.

Intentions for 24 December: (1) V 703/04 with Gerfried, Tinda, Schwalbe, Hydra and Karel Alderney–Cherbourg, then rest; (2) V 711/22 rest at Malo; (3) V 208/09 complete night troop convoy Malo–Jersey–Guernsey and immediately return with night troop convoy Guernsey–Jersey–Malo, then rest at Malo; (4) UJ 1402 and M 4245/46 at Malo; (5) V 210/12/13 and B and C Groups, 46th Minesweeper Flotilla, rest at Malo.

1413, Malo: attack on Malo lock by two groups of six bombers. About 40–50 bombs dropped; hits in St Servan and the roads, none in the lock area. Six French people and one soldier dead; two lighters sunk. One aircraft possibly shot down by shore anti-aircraft fire. [Initial diary report; the following day's account revises the French fatalities to seven and states no shoot-downs were observed.]

1430, Jersey: Paul et Janine, Comptoir 66, Saigon and FK 23 sailed for Granville. 1530, Guernsey: M 4613/12/07 arrived with convoy from Jersey. 1600, Malo: V 208/09 anchored in the roads after returning from handling exercises. 1630, Guernsey: M 4613/12/07 sailed towards Malo with Helma for Jersey. 1645, Malo: M 4621/24 arrived with convoy from Guernsey and anchored in the roads. 1700, Guernsey: V 703/04 sailed with Karel for Alderney. 1730, Malo: V 208/09 sailed with night troop convoy for Jersey–Guernsey. 1730, Malo: M 4430 sailed with three lobster boats for Brest under 3rd Security Division's order. 1745, Jersey: V 210/12 sailed with the commanding general for Granville. 1750, Malo: M 4245/46 and UJ 1402 arrived with convoy from Jersey. 1750, Granville: Paul et Janine, Comptoir 66, Saigon and FK 23 arrived from Jersey. 1800, Jersey: M 4613/12/07 released Helma and continued to Malo. 1830, Malo: A Group, 46th Minesweeper Flotilla, sailed for route sweep with ORG, first to Brest. 1830, Malo: I radioed a possible encounter between V 208/09 and M 4613/12/07 at Ida 3 around 2000.

2000, Alderney: V 703/04 arrived with Karel from Guernsey. 2020, Granville: V 210/12 disembarked the commanding general; 2045 continued to Malo. 2145, Malo: I advised of possible overtaking of M 4430 with lobster boats by A Group, 46th Minesweeper Flotilla. 2315, Guernsey: V 208/09 anchored in the roads and released Minotaure to enter. 2320, Malo: V 210/12 arrived from Granville. 2350, Malo: M 4613/12/07 arrived from Jersey. Signed Dr Diederichs.

T-1022 Roll 2423, scans 0670–0671, original pages 16–19.