3 June 1942 Part 1

3 June 1942 St Malo convoy diary

St Malo: variable light breeze, very calm sea, visibility 10–15 nautical miles. Night convoys and patrol stations completed. I order V 203/209 to escort Livadia St Malo–Guernsey during night 3/4 June; V 208/213 are assigned St Malo Roads. The measuring station reports that V 202 requires degaussing. V 204 received only magnetic quality grade III, barely acceptable, on its last range run; both are to proceed to Cherbourg after the Alderney–Guernsey troop convoy.

Further requests: St Malo sea-transport office needs a barge convoy to Jersey on 4 June; Granville needs two groups to Jersey and Guernsey. I assign V 703/726 to the former and V 208/213, after St Malo Roads duty, to the latter. 12:30: 3rd Security Division confirms M 1204 group for Carmen/Caruso during night 3/4 June. 2nd Security Division reports that 38th Minesweeper Flotilla will take V 205 east from Cherbourg on its night task.

Correction to 2 June tonnage: 7,050 GRT. Situation: V 703/726 ready St Malo; V 202/204 escorting Derfflinger and Karel to Guernsey via Jersey, then alone to Alderney for Antonius night troop convoy to Guernsey; V 203/209 ready St Malo for Livadia; V 208/213 ready St Malo; V 206/211 night Alderney–Cherbourg with Mikiland, then Mikimaus, and day convoy back to Alderney, vessels not yet known; V 205 ready Cherbourg for eastward passage; M 2101/2102 [as typed] St Malo Roads night 2/3 June; ferries 108/110 ready St Malo, minor repairs. Tonnage 4,980 GRT, corrected on 4 June to 7,430.

Intentions for 4 June: V 703/726 day convoy St Malo–Jersey with tugs and barges; V 202/204 day passage Guernsey–Cherbourg for degaussing; V 203/209 continuing Livadia convoy to Guernsey; V 208/213 at St Malo Roads overnight, then alone to Granville and collected convoy via Jersey to Guernsey; V 206/211 night Alderney–Cherbourg convoy, vessels not yet known; M 1204 at Mikado/Mikimaus [as listed, whereas the narrative names Carmen/Caruso]; V 205 east with 38th Minesweeper Flotilla; ferries ready St Malo. 21:50: M 1204 group reports leaving Cherbourg for Carmen/Caruso. Its order to transfer tugs Robur, Oceanit and Barfleur to St Malo on 4 June is cancelled because the tugs are not at Cherbourg. 23:00: V 203/209 and Livadia leave for Guernsey.

T-1022 Roll 2423, PG 38000, scans 0367–0368.