3 January 1945 Part 1

3 January 1945

05:30, Alderney — The Artillery Group reported a blinking light on a lifeboat about 2 nautical miles east-south-east. Two harbour-protection boats were ordered to recover it. At 06:10 fire was seen on the water, probably from the lifeboat.

06:45 — F.K. 08/17 sailed to recover the object. From 06:30 to 09:50 Batterie Blücher stood ready to provide artillery protection. From 07:10 to 08:55 F.K. 01 and F.K. 56 at Guernsey were at immediate readiness in case the recovery boats drifted away in the strong current.

07:35, Alderney — A brightly lit hospital ship was seen in grid B.F. 3552 on a northerly course.

09:00 — Wind west 4; sea 3; visibility 5 nautical miles; cloud 8/10; cloud base 800 metres.

09:25 — F.K. 08/17 returned towing an unmanned raft which had burned. Its equipment indicated American origin, but its precise source was unknown.

The night's events were reported by radio message 1804/3; see the attachment at source scan 0769.

T-1022 Roll 2422, PG 37998, Commander of Sea Defences, Channel Islands. T-1022 Roll 2422 — source scan 0751 (original diary page 4)