4 January 1943 Part 4

4 January 1943 St Malo Convoy Control Office

Weather: North-west to west force 3–4, visibility 5 nautical miles, long moderate north-westerly swell. 0145, Guernsey: V 210/13/07/08 arrived with Rob. Müller 8 and RO 45 from Jersey–Malo. 0230, Guernsey: V 210/13 sailed for Cherbourg. 0625, Cherbourg: V 210/13 arrived from Guernsey. 0800, Malo: V 711/22 sailed with convoy for Jersey.

Tasks and escort requests: (1) Corona, Meteor, Spes Salutis, Irene and Claus-Wilhelm Malo–Jersey–Guernsey; (2) night troop convoy, RO 21, H 49 and Rob. Müller 8 Guernsey–Malo; (3) night troop convoy, Holland Jersey–Malo; (4) Oost Vlandern, Helma, Sperber and Nestor Jersey–Granville–Malo; (5) night troop convoy, Lena and Tinda Alderney–Guernsey; (6) route checking with SSG Jersey–Granville–Malo. Assigned: (1) V 711/22; (2–3) V 207/08; (4) M 4600/01/06, proceeding independently Guernsey–Jersey beforehand and Granville–Malo afterwards; (5) V 210/703, proceeding independently Cherbourg–Alderney beforehand; (6) M 4602/04/05/07.

0815, Jersey: M 4602/04/05/07 sailed to check route with SSG via Granville to Malo. 0850, Guernsey: M 4600/01/06 sailed for Jersey. 0900, Malo: FK 07/20 and HS 36/38 sailed for Guernsey. 0930, Malo: ten French fishing cutters sailed for Jersey. 3rd Security Division approved this independent passage by teletype and stipulated daylight passage. 1000, Alderney: FK 08/22 sailed for Guernsey. 1015, Jersey: Paul et Janine, Claus and Arques sailed for Guernsey. 1020, Jersey: M 4600/01/06 arrived from Guernsey. 1230, Jersey: M 4600/01/06 sailed with convoy for Granville. 1250, Guernsey: FK 08/22 arrived from Alderney.

Report to 3rd Security Division. Situation: (1) V 704 still aKB at Cherbourg until 5 January [abbreviation retained]; (2) M 4600/01/06 independently Guernsey–Jersey, then Helma, Sperber, Nestor and Oost Vlandern to Granville, afterwards independently Granville–Malo; (3) V 207/08 [added in margin] complete night troop convoy of 3/4 January Malo–Jersey–Guernsey, later RO 21, H 49 and Rob. Müller 8 from Guernsey and Holland from Jersey to Malo; (4) V 210/13 complete night troop convoy of 3/4 January Malo–Jersey–Guernsey and independent Guernsey–Cherbourg passage, later items 5–6; (5) V 213 at Cherbourg, degaussing currently impossible because installation not operational until 7 January; (6) V 210/703 independently Cherbourg–Alderney, then night troop convoy of 4/5 January, Lena and Tinda Alderney–Guernsey; (7) V 209/12 and M 4612 ready at Malo; (8) V 711/22 combined convoy Malo–Jersey–Guernsey, then readiness; (9) M 4602/04/05/07 route checking with SSG Jersey–Granville–Malo. Escorted tonnage: 9,450 GRT. [Corrected down by 600 GRT on 5 January.]

Intentions for 5 January: (1) V 704 coaling at Cherbourg; (2) C Group of 46th Minesweeper Flotilla fitting out at Malo; (3) V 207/08 complete night troop convoy of 4/5 January Guernsey–Jersey–Malo, then readiness; (4) V 210/703 night troop convoy Guernsey–Alderney, then convoy Alderney–Cherbourg; (5) V 213 rest at Cherbourg; (6) V 209/12 and M 4612 ready at Malo; (7) V 711/22 ready at Guernsey.

1430, Jersey: V 711/22 detached Corona and Meteor, continuing to Guernsey with remaining convoy. 1445, Guernsey: Paul et Janine, Claus and Arques arrived from Jersey. 1500, Granville: M 4600/01/06 detached Helma and Nestor, continuing to Malo with Oost Vlandern. 1640, Jersey: ten French fishing cutters arrived from Malo. 1640: Harbour Commandant Jersey informed me that Schokland was also joining the Jersey–Malo night troop convoy.

Remark: as five vessels would now be escorted by only two patrol boats, with a large total number of men on leave aboard, I decided to separate the Guernsey–Malo and Jersey–Malo convoys. I ordered V 212/09, at three hours' readiness in Malo, to sail for Jersey at 2000 and take Holland and Schokland into convoy for Malo. V 207/08 were ordered to proceed directly Guernsey–Malo with RO 21, H 49 and Rob. Müller 8. Harbour Commandant Jersey was informed.

1820, Guernsey: V 711/22 arrived from Jersey with remaining convoy; FK 07/20 and HS 36/38 arrived from Malo. 1945, Cherbourg: V 210/703 sailed for Alderney. 2015, Malo: M 4600/01/06 arrived with Oost Vlandern from Granville–Jersey; V 212/09 sailed for Jersey to collect convoy. 2045, Malo: I radioed possible encounters between V 207/08 and V 212/09. 2115, Malo: M 4602/04/05/07 arrived from equipment passage; no mines. 2130, Alderney: V 210/703 took Lena and Tinda into convoy for Guernsey. Remark: on departure V 210 and Tinda made slight contact. Tinda returned to Alderney as a precaution. The damage subsequently proved very slight and did not affect seaworthiness. 2200, Guernsey: V 207/08 sailed with RO 21, H 49 and Rob. Müller 8 for Malo. 2330, Jersey, near Corbière: V 212/09 arrived from Malo to collect Holland and Schokland. Draft signed Dr Diederichs; certified correct, Wunderlich, Lieutenant Commander.

T-1022 Roll 2423, scans 0687–0688, original pages 6–9.