4 September 1942 Part 4

4 September 1942 St Malo Convoy Control Office

Weather: South-west to west, weak to moderate breeze; visibility 10–15 nautical miles; very calm to calm sea; fair to cloudy.

Requests: (1) Klaus-Wilhelm and Corona Guernsey–Jersey; (2) two tugs, two barges and coastal motor vessel Chiemsee Malo–Jersey; (3) night troop convoy from Malo, La France for Jersey, Minotaure, Schokland and RO 21 for Guernsey; (4) combined convoy Granville–Jersey. Orders go to M 4611/04 for (1), M 4605/01 for (2), and V 212/08 for (3); because of the unfavourable tide, the latter must take the convoy into Malo roadstead as early as 1500/1600. V 707/04 are assigned to (4). Teletype G 5094 of 3 September, 1945, orders them off Granville at 1400 on 4 September to take over the convoy. It is transmitted to Guernsey at 0015 on 4 September, but the Harbour Commandant admits failing through error to pass it to the boats. The convoy must therefore be postponed 24 hours.

Remark: Convoy control is hampered in the morning because all telephone lines from St Lô to the islands are continuously engaged from 0700; only exceptional-priority calls get through. More lines to the islands would be very desirable.

0815, St Malo: V 722/05, ordered by 3rd Security Division in radio message 1459/19 on 3 September to sail from Lézardrieux for Malo at nightfall, arrive at 0815 instead of the planned 0200 reported through the night ship-movement service. Their leader reports that he could not send a teletype from Lézardrieux: the nearest machine was 12 kilometres away, and no car was available to carry the message. Since radio transmission from Lézardrieux was forbidden, he could not arrange the measures required for night entry at Malo. In future, in such cases, the authority issuing the sailing order should arrange those measures.

0900, Malo: M 4605/01 sailed with convoy for Jersey. 1300, Guernsey: M 4611/04 sailed with convoy for Jersey. 1300–1500, Malo: V 212/08 took the convoy into the roadstead.

The following was sent to 3rd Security Division. Special occurrence: In convoy 3303, tug D 117 S and barge H 313 PM were filled by the sea and sank between points 328 and 330; the remainder entered Guernsey. Situation for 4 September: (1) V 207/09 ready at Cherbourg; (2) V 707/04/02/10/213 entered Guernsey with convoy 3303 and Heinrich, repairing sea damage; (3) V 212/08 night troop convoy of 4/5 September from Malo, La France for Jersey and Minotaure, Schokland and RO 21 for Guernsey; (4) M 4605/01 daylight escort Malo–Jersey with Chiemsee, B 113 S, H 6 S, H 65 PM and H 298 PM; (5) M 4604/11 daylight escort Guernsey–Jersey with Claus-Wilhelm. Escorted tonnage: 7,570 GRT.

Intentions for 5 September: (1) V 207/09 escort Cherbourg–Alderney–Guernsey, then night troop convoy of 5/6 September with Georgi Guernsey–Alderney; (2) V 707/04/02/10/213 with convoy 3303 and Heinrich at Guernsey, minor repairs; (3) M 4604/11 Jersey–Granville for combined convoy Granville–Jersey–Guernsey; (4) V 212/08 completing the night troop convoy of 4/5 September Malo–Jersey–Guernsey, then ready for convoy 3303; (5) M 4605/04 ready at Jersey. [Vessel pairings vary within the source and have been retained.]

1740, Jersey: M 4611/04 with convoy, “sailed to Jersey” [place and direction are contradictory in the source]. 1915, Jersey: M 4605/01 arrived with convoy from Malo. 2130, Malo roadstead: V 212/08 sailed with La France for Jersey and Minotaure, Schokland and RO 21 for Guernsey.

Signed: Wunderlich.

T-1022 Roll 2423, scans 0481–0482 (duplicate photographs of original page 7) and 0483 (page 8). Page 7 is represented once.