6 January 1945 Part 3

6 January 1945 — continued

Radio message 0748/6 to Naval High Command West and the Commander-in-Chief U-boats reported numerous flares and L.G. firing [source abbreviation] north-east of Alderney, apparently an anti-U-boat hunt north-east of Guernsey, together with dull engine noises at sea.

12:47, Alderney — Sea-target alarm was given following radar and visual reports of destroyers in grid B.F. 3519, upper left. From 12:56 to 12:57 Batteries Annes and Blücher engaged the target by radar-controlled fire. The alarm ended at 13:05.

Battle report: at 12:56 Batteries Annes and Blücher engaged an escort-destroyer-sized target on bearing 9°, at 190 hectometres, by radar-directed fire using the Koppelverfahren procedure, in a sudden concentration of fire. The target increased speed from 15 to 30 knots, zigzagged and withdrew north-eastwards. Ammunition expenditure: Annes, eight rounds, “Sprgr. Kz L 4,6 m.H.”; Blücher, eight rounds, “Sprgr. Kz”, medium charge. [Shell designations retained as printed; no calibre is stated here. “No casualties/losses” is crossed out in the source.]

14:15 — F.K. 27/28 returned from supplying the Minquiers. 15:00 — V 215, formerly of the 2nd Outpost Flotilla and now of the 46th Minesweeping Flotilla, was decommissioned; see War Diary, 31 December 1944, pages 330–331.

15:06, Alderney — Two Campbell-class destroyers in grid B.F. 3517, slowly northbound. 15:25, Casquets — One destroyer was observed in each of grids B.F. 2639 and 2636, departing on bearing 330° and out of sight by 15:44.

T-1022 Roll 2422, PG 37998, Commander of Sea Defences, Channel Islands. T-1022 Roll 2422 — source scan 0757 (original diary page 10)