23 December 1944 Part 19

Item 13 — reference to original page 315

Radio telegram FT 0604/23 to Naval High Command West and the Commander of E-boats: at 21:15 S 112 sailed for the minelaying operation ordered by FT 2351/21. She stood to and fro at the Minquiers buoy Basse N-Est de Scaux until moonset. Following bearings by the Fu.M.B. on the radar set at Pointe du Roc, Granville, she crept in to five nautical miles north-north-west of Granville. The operation then proceeded according to plan. At 01:00 mines were laid in the centre of the approach route between the approach buoy and La Loup. Despite lively Morse traffic between Granville and Chausey and ‘Anton-Anton’ calls seaward, it is assumed that the operation was carried out unobserved and undetected.

The return route was the same as the outward route. S 112 entered Peter Port at 03:25. On the return passage, four nautical miles south of St Helier, there was a water impact [uncertain wording] on the starboard propeller at 30 [uncertain unit]. Brief docking on 24 December was intended, followed by transfer to St Helier before the International Red Cross ship Vega entered. — Naval Commandant, Channel Islands.

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