5 May 1945 Part 5

5 May 1945 Part 5 St Malo and Granville operation cancelled

Radio message from the Armed Forces High Command / Armed Forces Operations Staff, 5 May 1945

1) Naval High Command West, on Violet 4 via naval radio

2) Naval High Command / 1st Naval Staff Division, by courier, fourth copy

1) There can be no question of Naval High Command West crossing into Swiss territory.

2) The Grand Admiral has informed General Eisenhower of his willingness to include the western fortresses in the ceasefire. No answer has yet been received.

3) As soon as the enemy situation no longer allows Naval High Command West to exercise command and requires that command to surrender, command of the western fortresses will pass directly to the Armed Forces High Command / Armed Forces Operations Staff.

4) The operation against St Malo-Granville on 7 May is not to be carried out. Confirm that the corresponding order has been issued to the fortresses.

By order

Signed Jodl

Translator’s note: The order of 6 May, translated below, explicitly identifies the cancelled operation as an operation from the Channel Islands.

German Naval Staff diary. BArch RM 7/854. Published Part A, volume 68. PDF page 455; printed page 445-A. Audited translation reference 47.