28 September 1942 Part 2

28 September 1942 St Malo diary review

Commander, Security Forces West — 28 September 1942. Secret command matter. Reference Gkdos 3479, A4.

To: Naval Group Command West. For information: 3rd Security Division; St Malo Convoy Control Office.

The war diary of the St Malo Convoy Control Office for 1–15 August 1942 is submitted herewith, together with the comments of the 3rd Security Division.

1. Concerning 1 August, 1045 and 1840, pages 2–3: The view of the 3rd Security Division is correct. Positions “Carmen” and “Caruso” are not to be occupied until further notice.

2. Concerning 3 August, 0130, page 5: In the circumstances, no significance is attached to the submarine sighting report.

3. Concerning 4 August, 2130, page 8, and the comments of the 3rd Security Division: Agreement is expressed with the Division’s view that units not belonging to the BSW force must also give timely notice of their passage. The F.d.S. [abbreviation retained] was informed accordingly a long time ago.

4. Concerning 13 August, 0930, page 21: The establishment of a teleprinter station at Lézardrieux has meanwhile been approved.

5. Concerning 13 August, 1150, page 21: This headquarters has repeatedly reported its concerns about using foreign crews in Channel Islands traffic. A shortage of suitable ships’ crews appears to have prevented their replacement so far.

6. Concerning 13 August, 1400, pages 21–22: The incident demonstrates the importance of repeating take-off reports, hitherto transmitted only on the FVLM frequency, on KKW or KLW as well. [Radio abbreviations retained as read; their expansions are not established here.]

7. Concerning 14 August, 0350, page 24, and the comments of the 3rd Security Division: The St Malo Convoy Control Office’s considerations for a substantial increase in enemy motor torpedo boat activity are correct in principle. It does not, however, appear necessary to have four escort boats protect just one troop transport at a time, particularly on the St Malo–Jersey route. Moreover, frequent appearances by enemy motor torpedo boats are not expected in the navigationally difficult waters of the Channel Islands.

The conclusion that the danger from motor torpedo boats requires a switch to daytime convoys between Alderney and St Malo is not accepted. Given the shortage of fighters, proposal 2 is by no means clearly the best solution either.

Signature: [not securely legible].

Administrative endorsements: Naval Group Command West receipt stamp dated 30 September 1942; handwritten routing marks and initials are partly illegible. These endorsements are separate from the letter’s date of 28 September.

T-1022 Roll 2423, scan 0453 right-hand page and scan 0454 right-hand page (page 2). The letter is dated 28 September 1942 and reviews the St Malo diary for 1–15 August. Reverse-side show-through is not a separate entry.