24 June 1942 Part 1

24 June 1942 St Malo convoy diary

St Malo: weak to gentle NW breeze, slight sea, visibility ten nautical miles. Enemy aircraft enter the area several times during the night; anti-aircraft fire. 01:15: bomb detonations are heard at sea off St Malo. Night convoys proceed as intended. The proposed rest period of 27–29 June for the 2nd Patrol Flotilla’s boats, only six currently able to sail, reported to Security West yesterday, is not approved.

For a Jersey–Guernsey convoy, I order V 206/209 to sail at 13:30 for Jersey, carry out the escort and return Guernsey–St Malo with H 49’s night troop convoy and the tugs Robur and Barfleur. V 203/207 are ordered to Carmen during night 24/25 June. After completing the Robur/Barfleur convoy Cherbourg–Guernsey, V 202/208 are to take Georgi’s night troop convoy Guernsey–Alderney, then return her to Guernsey without troops [handwritten amendment]. 11:00: a night troop convoy requested only now for this evening must be refused because the late request leaves no boats available. I ask the Sea Transport Chief for better convoy planning and advance notice so escort boats can be provided in good time, especially for troop convoys.

M 1201/1204 are assigned to St Malo Roads during night 24/25 June. The Jersey–Guernsey convoy is cancelled, so V 206/209 are ordered directly to Guernsey for the return troop convoy to St Malo. 13:30: V 206/209 sail. Remark: unclear arrangements by Sea Transport Office St Malo have allowed more than 1,000 men on leave to accumulate at St Malo. Transporting them in a combined St Malo–Jersey–Guernsey convoy is impossible during the present short nights; even St Malo–Guernsey is too long for the hours of darkness. To clear St Malo, I consider stronger escort necessary but sufficient to permit one and a half hours of daylight passage in the early morning. I request M 1201/1204 from the 3rd Security Division for night 25/26 June. I refuse Harbour Commandant Granville’s convoy requested for 25 June, Granville–Jersey–Guernsey, for lack of boats.

Situation: V 203/207 at Mikado/Mikimaus during night 23/24 June, then ready Cherbourg; V 202/208 finish Georgi troop convoy Guernsey–Alderney–Guernsey, then alone Guernsey–Cherbourg, Robur and Barfleur Cherbourg–Guernsey, followed by Georgi night troop convoy Guernsey–Alderney; V 206/M 4601 finish Holland, Ad. le Prince, Schokland and Karel night troop convoy Jersey–St Malo; V 206/209 alone St Malo–Guernsey, then ready for H 49, Robur and Barfleur night convoy to St Malo; M 4601/4604 ready St Malo. Tonnage 4,850 GRT.

Intentions for 25 June: V 203/207 at Mikimaus overnight, then ready Cherbourg; completion of Georgi night troop convoy Guernsey–Alderney–Guernsey, then ready Guernsey [boat numbers omitted]; V 206/209 finish H 49, Robur and Barfleur night convoy Guernsey–St Malo; M 1201/1204 St Malo Roads at the 3rd Security Division’s disposal; M 4601/4604 ready St Malo. Signed Dr Diederichs.

T-1022 Roll 2423, PG 38000, scans 0386–0387.