25 April 1942 Part 1

25 April 1942 St Malo convoy diary

Weather: E–NE gale to storm, rough sea, visibility three nautical miles. Yesterday’s daytime and night convoys failed owing to weather. 07:30: at Guernsey I order V 209/12 to undertake the cancelled Holland troop convoy tonight. 08:00: I leave in V 206/10 escorting Schockland to St Malo, arriving 13:30. 16:00: UJ 1411/04 anchor in St Malo Roads, with orders for the night convoy to Jersey at 21:00. V 204/11 report arrival at Cherbourg at 16:00. 20:00: V 209/12 night Guernsey–Jersey convoy. 21:00: UJ 1411/04 night St Malo–Jersey convoy.

Correction headed 23 April [as printed, apparently referring to 24 April]: item 2 ready Guernsey, NNE force 7–8, postponed twenty-four hours; item 4 V 1510/704 ready Cherbourg, convoy cancelled owing to weather; item 8 UJ 1404/11 ready St Malo.

Situation, dependent on weather: V 209/12 ready Guernsey, night Holland and Bordsee to Jersey [name varies from Nordsee]; V 207/13 at Cherbourg with Olwe, no cable work owing to weather; V 206/10 Schockland Guernsey–St Malo; V 1510/704 ready Cherbourg, convoy fails owing to weather; V 204/11 at Cherbourg on special assignment; V 205 unready Cherbourg; V 208 begins boiler cleaning; UJ 1404/11 at 17:00 St Malo–Jersey night troop convoy with H 13, Holstein and Saigon [21:00 in the narrative]. Escorted tonnage 5,700 GRT.

Intentions for 26 April: V 209/12 night Bordsee, H 49 and Nordplein Jersey–St Malo; V 207/13 RO 45 Cherbourg–Guernsey, Olwe not working owing to weather; V 206/10 ready St Malo; V 1510/704 ready Cherbourg; V 204/11 special assignment Cherbourg; V 205 dock; V 208 ready St Malo at 22:00; UJ 1404/11 ready Jersey, night convoy to Guernsey; Siebel ferry to the roads.

T-1022 Roll 2423, PG 38000, scans 0324.