25 October 1943 Part 5

25 October 1943 Security Forces West assessment of the Mazagan loss

Editorial note: Higher-command review of the Mazagan loss of 29 August, not a further casualty.

Secret command matter. Commander of Security Forces West, 25 October 1943, Gkdos 3902 A5. To Naval Group Command West, Operations Staff. Copies to 3rd Security Division and 46th Minesweeping Flotilla.

Enclosed is the war diary of Groups A, B and C, 46th Minesweeping Flotilla, for 16–31 August 1943, with engineering section and the 3rd Security Division's comments.

1. Group B diary, 20 and 24 August, pages 21/22: attention is drawn to the use of barrage balloons aboard escorted vessels.

2. Group C diary, 28/29 August, pages 32/33, report page 37 and division comments: the loss of the lighter Mazagan on the rocks off Saint Helier occurred after release from convoy, in unfavourable weather. Responsibility for navigation therefore rested with the lighter's master. The convoy began off Granville when the weather was not yet bad. Wind and sea increased only en route to the point where convoy handling became difficult. Whether the forecast should have suggested postponing the convoy requires further investigation.

Even then, however, Saint-Malo escort office could have cancelled only if it considered the passage from Granville roads to release at Hinguette impossible. As a rule the escort leader cannot cancel, since tides at Granville generally no longer permit entering harbour, while remaining in the roads is inadvisable owing to the air threat.

Responsibility for ensuring that weather permits entry and departure in the difficult Channel Islands harbours must rest with the Sea Transport Chief or local harbour commandants, who also send the vessels out to the convoy rendezvous outside harbour. This incident shows particularly clearly the great difficulties of convoy traffic within the Channel Islands and the necessity for the closest cooperation. For Commander of Security Forces West, Chief of Staff [signature].

T-1022 Roll 3129, 46th Minesweeping Flotilla and reviewing commands. Supplied English translation T1022_R3129_English_Translation.docx. Record 480 | Source PDF scans 480, 481.