5 December 1942 Part 3

5 December 1942 St Malo Convoy Control Office

Weather: South-south-east force 4–5, overcast, sea 3–4.

Requests and tasks: (1) night troop convoy from Guernsey with Schokland, H 49 and Minotaure, from Jersey with Holland, to Malo; (2) onward H 2 convoy Guernsey–Cherbourg; (3) night troop convoy Karel Guernsey–Alderney; (4) target-tug protection off Cherbourg; (5) Spinel and Gerfried Cherbourg–Alderney; (6) Hydra Alderney–Cherbourg; (7) route sweeping with SSG Ida 8–Malo. Assigned with corresponding orders: (1) V 212/09; (2) V 703/04 and M 4611/12; (3) V 207/13; (4–6) V 711/22; (7) M 4600/01/02/05.

0800, Îles Chausey: M 4600/01/02/05 weighed anchor for route sweeping towards Malo. 1410: top-secret teleprinter message from 3rd Security Division received concerning transfer of T 4/T 10 Brest–Cherbourg, ordering Convoy Control Office to keep one pair at Guernsey and one at Cherbourg at immediate readiness during their passage. I sent radio order 1847/18 to V 207/13 through Naval Signals Officer Cherbourg: after escorting Karel, return to Guernsey and remain at immediate readiness there on 6 December, 0400–0700, then proceed to Malo. After their arrival at Cherbourg V 703/04 received teleprinter orders to remain at immediate readiness there on 6 December, 0600–0900. Through Naval Signals Officer Cherbourg I also reported possible overtaking of V 711/22’s convoy with Hydra.

The following was sent to 3rd Security Division. Corrections to 4 December: item 6, H 2 onward passage Guernsey–Cherbourg postponed owing to weather; item 7, M 4604 entered Malo owing to machinery damage. Situation for 5 December: (1) V 212/09 complete night troop convoy of 4/5 December Malo–Jersey–Guernsey, later night troop convoy of 5/6 December from Guernsey with Schokland, H 49 and Minotaure, from Jersey with Holland, to Malo; (2) V 703/04 and M 4611/12 Guernsey–Cherbourg with H 2; (3) V 207/13 night troop convoy of 5/6 December Guernsey–Alderney with Karel; (4) V 208 and M 4604/06 repairs at Malo; (5) V 711/22 target-tug protection off Cherbourg, evening Cherbourg–Alderney with Spinel and Gerfried; (6) C group of 46th Minesweeping Flotilla route sweeping with SSG Ida 8–Malo. Escorted tonnage: 8,400 GRT.

Intentions for 6 December: (1) V 212/09 complete night troop convoy of 5/6 December Guernsey–Jersey–Malo, then ready; (2) V 703/04 and M 4611/12 fitting out at Cherbourg; (3) V 207/13 complete night troop convoy of 5/6 December Guernsey–Alderney, return convoy Karel Alderney–Guernsey; (4) V 208 and M 4604/06 repairs at Malo; (5) V 711/22 Alderney–Cherbourg with Hydra; (6) C group of 46th Minesweeping Flotilla route checking with SSG Malo roads, Ida 7, Ida 8, then Granville.

1500, Guernsey: V 703/04 and M 4611/12 sailed with H 2 and tug Balidar for Cherbourg. 1715, Guernsey: V 207/13 sailed with Karel for Alderney. 2030, Cherbourg: V 703/04 and M 4611/12 arrived with H 2 and Balidar from Guernsey. 2030, Alderney: V 207/13 released Karel and returned towards Guernsey.

2330: operational teleprinter message from Fighter Command 3 (Jafü 3) and an enquiry from the radar plotting centre (Ozet) received concerning ship targets detected between Alderney and Guernsey. These were V 207/13, returning to Guernsey after escorting Karel to Alderney in accordance with radio order 1847/18 on the coastal long-wave and harbour-protection circuits. Harbour Commandant Alderney had transmitted their departure report on the harbour-protection circuit with radio message 2105/96. Under Group West order G 1075/42 A 4 these radio messages counted as notification to Ozet, the Naval Signals Officer and Security Division, among others, although the supplementary shipping report was not issued by teleprinter until 2305 because Convoy Control Office’s teleprinter had failed.

2nd Security Division reported the next day that the late supplement had caused considerable uncertainty in the radar picture. This would have been unnecessary if the radio messages had been evaluated correctly. It is also incomprehensible why Fighter Command 3, Ozet, 2nd Security Division and Sea Commander Normandy did not immediately address their enquiries to Convoy Control Office for these vessels in the Channel Islands area. Clear identification would have followed at once. [These assessments are the diary writer’s.] 2345, Guernsey: V 207/13 arrived from Alderney. Signed Dr Diederichs.

T-1022 Roll 2423, scans 0647–0648, original pages 9–11.