3 January 1945 Part 2

3 January 1945 — continued

10:05, Alderney — One escort destroyer in grid B.F. 3528, waiting and on a varying course. 11:15, Guernsey — One unidentified escort vessel in grid B.F. 2932, course west.

12:00 — Wind west-south-west 6; sea 4; visibility 12–15 nautical miles; cloud 8/10; cloud base 1,000 metres. 18:00 — Wind south-west 7–8; sea 4–5; visibility 5 nautical miles; cloud 10/10; cloud base 1,000 metres.

Radio message 1949/2 from the 2nd Naval Staff, Commander-in-Chief U-boats/Operations: the local assessment is important when evaluating reported detonations. For example: (1) Are depth-charge, torpedo, mine, boiler or ammunition explosions to be assumed? (2) How are the observers’ reliability and expertise assessed? Reply, radio message 1931/3: regarding message 1942/2 [the reference differs from 1949/2 above], repeated depth-charge patterns were clearly heard on the night of 20/21 December 1944. The detonation on 26 December (see also message 1315/26) shook houses on Alderney strongly. Earlier detonation reports have not been conclusively explained. It has been ensured that each detonation report is checked by experienced officers according to point 1.

Unloading of the I.R.K. ship Vega was completed at noon. The plan for 4 January at 11:00, with a favourable current, was for M 4613 to escort Vega from Jersey, by way of Guernsey, westwards while maintaining at least 3 nautical miles' distance. Because of the weather, transfer of the escort detachment was to take place in Peter Port Roads.

Enemy traffic observed: from Cherbourg, one brightly lit hospital ship.

T-1022 Roll 2422, PG 37998, Commander of Sea Defences, Channel Islands. T-1022 Roll 2422 — source scan 0752 (original diary page 5)