26 June 1942 Part 1

26 June 1942 St Malo convoy diary

St Malo: moderate E–NE breeze, calm sea, visibility eight nautical miles. Night convoys proceed as planned without special incident. 04:30: V 202/208 with RO 21 enter Alderney. 05:15 Alderney: V 203/207 depart with convoy for Cherbourg. 06:15 Guernsey: M 1201/1204 and V 206/209 arrive with convoy. M 1201/1204 leave with Robur/Barfleur for Point 28, proceeding with minesweeping gear deployed. I assign V 713/729, coaling this morning, to the St Malo–Jersey troop convoy during night 26/27 June. The 3rd Security Division confirms by radio that V 713/729 remain at my disposal until further orders. Remark: M 4601/4604/4605 are only of limited use for escort tasks because they lack radio and have low cruising speed.

13:00: V 207 reports that vibration of the propeller shaft has made her unready for operations and that six weeks in a shipyard are needed. Since the explanations of the cause are unintelligible, I order a detailed examination by the engineering director at Cherbourg and a further report. V 203 cannot receive the intended rest because V 211/203 must now undertake the escort tasks together.

Situation: V 203/207 finish Alderney–Cherbourg night troop convoy with Heinrich, Weber and C 33 S, then V 203 resting Cherbourg; V 207/211 ready Cherbourg for night troop convoy Cherbourg–Alderney–Cherbourg; V 202/208 finish RO 21 night troop convoy Jersey–Alderney, then RO 21 night troop convoy Alderney–Guernsey during night 26/27 June; V 206/209 finish Minotaure and Holland troop convoy St Malo–Guernsey, then ready for their return to St Malo overnight; M 1201/1204 finish troop convoy with V 206/209 [night printed 26/27 June], then Guernsey–Point 28 with Barfleur and Robur, take over Oceanie and Pfalzburg and continue west; V 713/726 ready St Malo for H 2, Nordplain and Ad. le Prince troop convoy to Jersey [726 typed here; surrounding orders give 729]. Tonnage 5,380 GRT. [The situation list retains V 207 and V 203’s planned rest despite the machinery report above.]

Intentions for 27 June: V 207/211 finish Alderney–Cherbourg troop convoy, then ready; V 202/208 finish RO 21 troop convoy Alderney–Guernsey, then ready; V 206/209 finish Minotaure and Holland troop convoy Guernsey–St Malo, then ready; V 713/729 finish H 2, Nordplain and Ad. le Prince troop convoy St Malo–Jersey, then alone to Guernsey and ready; M 4601/4604/4605 ready St Malo; V 203 resting Cherbourg.

16:00: M 4601/4604/4605 report that the convoy transfer at Point 28 took place as ordered at 10:00. V 729 has meanwhile reported unready for operations, so I order M 4604/4605 to conduct the night convoy to Jersey with V 713. 20:45: V 713/M 4604/M 4605 sail from St Malo and anchor in the roads. 23:00 Guernsey: V 206/209 depart with Minotaure and Holland for St Malo. 23:30 Alderney: V 202/208 sail with RO 21 for Guernsey. Signed Dr Diederichs.

T-1022 Roll 2423, PG 38000, scans 0388.