31 January 1942 Part 2

31 January 1942 St Malo convoy diary — operational assessment

Communications again proved inadequate, producing incorrect dispositions, renewed demands upon already insufficient communications resources and disruptions to the convoy service that could have been avoided.

The boats had suffered sea damage and had no provisions, not because of negligence by their commanders or duty failures by ships' administrative petty officers, but because the Naval Provisions Office at Malo was wholly inadequately equipped for the needs of operating formations. For example, when pepper was requested, the provisions office proposed issuing half a peppercorn per crew member; patrol boats needed more than this homeopathic dose. Remedial action has been initiated. The diary records that patrol and minesweeping crews nevertheless met the demands of daily employment, bad weather and shortages with cheerful readiness. It requests an early increase in the forces available to the Convoy Control Office, because personnel and boats already damaged by the sea could not sustain the burden indefinitely.

Closed 31 January 1942. Signed Dr Diederichs, Fregattenkapitän, Chief of the 2nd Patrol Flotilla and Convoy Control Office St Malo.

T-1022 Roll 2423, PG 38000, scan 0239, original page 14.