28 September 1943 Part 5

28 September 1943 Escort leader report H 5 MO and H 229 PM casualty at Saint Helier

Editorial note: Supplementary account of the H 5 MO and H 229 PM casualty already recorded on 28 September. This is not a second loss.

Copy. M 4612, aboard, 28 September 1943. Escort leader's report: casualty of tug H 5 MO and lighter H 229 PM on 28 September at the Saint Helier entrance.

02:10: convoy arriving from Saint-Malo passed Ida 5. Leader M 4612 with M 4600, M 4601, M 4603 and M 4606; Guêpe 76 towing H 119 PM, H 5 MO towing H 229 PM, and tug Quatrième with tank lighter René. 02:20: leader to all: E yellow; convoy anchor in Saint Aubin's Bay, enter at 07:30. By shortly after 03:00 all minesweepers had anchored. Quatrième secured alongside M 4601. René anchored separately. The other two tugs and their lighters lay about 150 metres from me, their lines apparently already recovered.

I decided to anchor the convoy because water level was still low and the flood stream strong. 03:55: single red stars fired near Dog's Nest. M 4612 could not enter the fairway because the water was still too low; I therefore contacted signal station by Morse. 03:58: signal station confirmed tugs and harbour-protection boats had been notified. I immediately saw harbour-protection boats proceeding to the scene. Quatrième was also sent to the casualty.

04:00: M 4600 weighed anchor and proceeded to the casualty but could not help and finally entered harbour. 07:30: M 4603 and M 4606 entered. 07:50: requested tugs from signal station for René. Meanwhile M 4601 took René in tow and towed her to the middle of the fairway. The tow broke while turning. About 09:00 tug H 6 S came out from harbour to assist and had connected to René by 09:05. About ten minutes later Guêpe 76 also came to help. Once two tugs were attending René, M 4612 entered. 09:35 [report time, differing from diary]: M 4612 secured at Saint Helier. I left M 4601 with the two tugs and René.

The casualty involved H 5 MO and H 229 PM, which grounded and sank at Dog's Nest. H 5 MO and Guêpe 76 with their lighters acted contrary to my convoy order and without informing me. Addition: for the grounding of H 6 S and René, see report by Obersteuermann Jonas, commander M 4601.

T-1022 Roll 3129, 46th Minesweeping Flotilla and reviewing commands. Supplied English translation T1022_R3129_English_Translation.docx. Record 502b | Source PDF scans 502.