27 January 1942 Part 1

27 January 1942 St Malo convoy diary

Steamer H 23 was not ready to sail and remained at St Malo. The other intentions were carried out. Transporting soldiers in small steamers and coasters is unsatisfactory, especially in bad weather: several hundred are usually crowded together without adequate shelter. Loading so many aboard unsuitable vessels is also dangerous in an air attack. The conversion of passenger steamers Amethyst and Turkoise at Le Havre for troop transport has been delayed from week to week since mid-November; it should be accelerated so soldiers can be accommodated below deck to avoid losses. Naval signal stations should be established urgently at Granville, St Malo and Guernsey, particularly with convoy traffic expected to increase.

Situation 27 January: M 4010/V 213 entered Malo at 01:00; M 4007/M 4000 entered Cherbourg at 09:20 to replenish stores; M 4008/M 4003 left Jersey at 13:00 with Hubbastone and Holland for Granville, then Malo; V 206/V 213 left Malo at 13:45 with Robert Muller 8 for Jersey and coaster Karel and Derfflinger for Guernsey; M 4005 at Guernsey; V 208 under repair, V 212 out of dock, V 205 and M 4010 ready at Malo. Escorted tonnage: 1,578 gross registered tons.

Intention for 28 January: V 206/V 213 ready overnight at Guernsey; at 09:00 to leave Guernsey with Adolph le Prince and Favorit for Granville, M 4005 to Malo; V 206/V 213 at 16:30 from Granville with Claus Wilhelm for Jersey; M 4007/M 4000 to escort Cherbourg-Alderney and return; V 208 and V 212 fitting out, V 205 beginning boiler cleaning, M 4003/M 4005/M 4008/M 4010 ready at Malo. Amendments: the movement listed as situation item 4 reached only Jersey because of sea and wind; in intention item 1 substitute Jersey for Guernsey. Intention item 2 could not be carried out because of wind and sea; item 4 was cancelled because of fog, wind and sea. M 4010/M 4003 were to sail this afternoon after coaling under 3rd Security Division G 394 (continuation on scan 0236).

T-1022 Roll 2423, PG 38000, scan 0235, original pages 6–7.