27 June 1942 Part 1

27 June 1942 St Malo convoy diary

Weak variable winds, calm sea, visibility five nautical miles. Guernsey: V 208/202 arrive with convoy. 02:30 Alderney: an overtyped pair arrives with convoy. 01:50 [as entered]: V 203/211 sail from Alderney with convoy for Cherbourg; subsequently arrive Cherbourg. 06:00 St Malo: V 206/209 arrive with convoy. 07:25 Jersey: V 713/M 4604/M 4605 arrive with convoy. Convoys proceed as planned. Remark: V 713’s troop convoy moved so slowly that it had almost three hours’ daylight passage. M 4604/4605 had to be used because otherwise the tasks could not be completed.

The exceptionally high numbers of men on leave and troop transports must again be stressed. The short nights require maximum possible speed, so the troop convoys, often several in one night on different island routes, must be handled by six boats of the 2nd Patrol Flotilla. These have scarcely had a rest day for over three weeks. Their urgently needed rest is hardly possible unless all convoys are suspended for two or three days. I issue orders for today and tonight’s convoys. For Granville’s very late request to Jersey, I assign V 729, again operationally ready, and the command boat of the 44th Minesweeping Flotilla made available by Security West.

Discussion with the Army supply staff establishes that the high volume of troop transport between the islands and St Malo partly arises from troop transfers between islands and extensive training establishments on the islands receiving personnel from the mainland, in addition to leave traffic. Convoy-office work increasingly consists almost exclusively of escorting troop transports. Increasing available escort boats should be reconsidered. Regular boiler cleaning and simultaneous minor repairs are necessary for 2nd Patrol Flotilla boats if their susceptibility to breakdown, with constantly changing harbour, standby and sea service, is not to increase.

15:15 Guernsey: V 202/208 sail with convoy. 16:15 St Malo: M 4430/V 729 sail alone for Granville. 18:00: V 204/206 sail alone for Guernsey. 19:20 Granville: M 4430/V 729 sail with convoy for Jersey. 20:40 St Malo: V 202/208 arrive alone, having detached the RO 21 convoy at Jersey. 23:00 Guernsey: V 204/206 arrive alone. 23:40: V 204/206 sail with Georgi and Hans Wilhelm [as typed] troop convoy for Alderney. 22:30 Jersey: M 4430/V 729 arrive with convoy. 23:30 Cherbourg: V 213/211 sail to patrol position in grid BF 3528/29.

Correction to 26 June: delete V 203 resting Cherbourg; replace V 207/211 with V 203/211; replace V 713/726 in item 7 with V 713/M 4601/4604 [as typed; narrative gives M 4604/4605]. Situation for 27 June: V 203/211 finish Schwalbe troop convoy Alderney–Cherbourg, then ready; V 202/208 finish RO 21 troop convoy Alderney–Guernsey, then convoy to Jersey with RO 21, Diamant and three barges, alone Jersey–St Malo; V 206/209 finish Minotaure and Holland troop convoy Guernsey–St Malo, then ready; V 204/206 alone St Malo–Guernsey, then Georgi and Claus Wilhelm troop convoy Guernsey–Alderney; V 713/M 4601 finish H 2, Nordplain and Ad. le Prince troop convoy St Malo–Jersey, then ready for Ad. le Prince troop convoy Jersey–St Malo; V 729/M Delphin alone St Malo–Granville, then Rheinland, Helma and Rabatt Granville–Jersey; V 207 at Cherbourg, probably out of operational readiness for a considerable period. Tonnage 5,250 GRT.

Intentions for 28 June: V 203/211 at Brummer overnight [night printed 27/18 June], then ready Cherbourg; V 202/208 resting St Malo; V 204/206 finish Georgi and Claus Wilhelm troop convoy Guernsey–Alderney, then ready; V 713/M 4601/4604 finish Ad. le Prince troop convoy Jersey–St Malo, then ready; V 729/Delphin ready Jersey; V 207 Cherbourg, readiness or unready status still being examined; V 209 ready St Malo, then boiler cleaning. Signed Dr Diederichs.

T-1022 Roll 2423, PG 38000, scans 0389.