26 July 1943 Part 5

26 July 1943 Route checks and enemy surface contacts

26 July, 00:17: Point 328. 03:30, message 0311/66: enemy target in BF 3575, changing courses. 03:35: alarm. 03:45, message 0324/68: plotting station II No. 40 bears target 197°, 7.6 nautical miles, course 232°, speed 6–8 knots; several ship targets. Enemy bears 90° from our position at 5.2 nautical miles; several small enemy targets.

03:50: this could only be an enemy motor-torpedo-boat formation; as one boat had steering damage, gear was immediately recovered and passage to Guernsey begun. Position three nautical miles northeast of new Point 332; calm, heavy haze, visibility temporarily 500–800 m, otherwise 1–2 nautical miles. No attack followed and poor visibility prevented observation. Because M 4618's steering damage required temporary towing, no attempt could be made to intercept the enemy on its return passage.

04:37, message 0425/75: plotting station II No. 40 bears enemy 328°, 12.9 nautical miles, course 310°, speed amended to fifteen knots. 04:45: alarm ended. 05:50: entered Guernsey, secured at head of Middle Pier. No mines or grapnel detonations. Intention to sail at 22:00 for Saint-Malo, sweeping Ida 6–new 332–Ida 3–2–1. 16:15, message 1551/20: proceed instead overnight with SDG(F) from Guernsey to Jersey. Signed von Bechtolsheim.

T-1022 Roll 3129, 46th Minesweeping Flotilla and reviewing commands. Supplied English translation T1022_R3129_English_Translation.docx. Record 412 | Source PDF scans 412.