31 December 1944 Part 15

Measures for the arrival of the Red Cross supply ship

Supplementing the Guidelines, the following is ordered for implementation of the measures when the Red Cross supply ship approaches:

I.1. As soon as the supply ship is sighted and identified, the officer of the watch at the Naval Commandant’s headquarters—or at the Harbour Commandant’s headquarters in Jersey—is to notify: (a) the Commander or Fortress Commandant; (b) the Naval Commandant; (c) A I; (d) A III; (e) the Senior Naval Officer, Jersey only; (f) the Harbour Commandant, Guernsey only; (g) the Flotilla Commander, Harbour Defence Flotilla, or the Group Commander in Jersey; (h) the Port Medical Officer; and (i) the M.N.O., or Signal Master in Jersey.

I.2. The Harbour Defence groups in Guernsey and Jersey are to keep two suitable boats ready to assist and to carry the boarding party to the supply ship. Depending on circumstances, V 204 will also be used for this purpose in Guernsey.

I.3. On receiving the report, the Harbour Commandant is to ready the parties already organised. The Hüst. officer [uncertain title] is to allocate and brief the men.

II.1. Before the ship enters harbour, the following are to board: (a) the Port Medical Officer—Oberstabsarzt Dr Conrad, or Stabsarzt Dr Hartmann in Jersey—to carry out the prescribed port-health measures; (b) the pilot—Oberleutnant zur See Meyer or Wagner, and Oberleutnant zur See Grohne in Jersey; (c) the M.N.O. with one signalman, to disable the radio station and establish communication with shore; (d) the Naval Commandant’s A III officer; (e) the Commander’s representatives; and (f) an interpreter, probably for Swedish.

II.2. The ship’s berth is Cambridge Pier in Guernsey and Victoria Pier in Jersey.

II.3. It is intended that the ship be searched and its crew checked while still in the roadstead at the approach buoy, by a pre-arranged party under the Hüst. officer [uncertain title]. The party consists of approximately fourteen men: four to search the machinery; four to search the rest of the ship; two to cordon off the ship during the search; two Geheime Feldpolizei men to check the crew; and two guards for the crew during the check and search. The search is to take place in the presence of one of the ship’s officers and is expected to last three hours.

T-1022 Roll 2423, PG 37998, Commander of Sea Defences, Channel Islands. Source scan 0171 — Implementing Order