7 January 1945 Part 3

7 January 1945 — continued

17:45 — A ban on lights and firing was ordered from 18:30 for the take-off of a He 111. The aircraft departed for Germany at 19:30 carrying Leutnant zur See der Reserve Brütt, formerly of the 46th Minesweeping Flotilla. The ban was lifted at 20:00. 18:00 weather: wind north-west 6–7; sea 4; visibility 8 nautical miles; cloud 8/10; cloud base 800 metres.

21:15, Alderney — Morse traffic had been observed intermittently since 19:30 on bearings 10–60°, at ranges of 20 kilometres or more; radar obtained no result.

White flares west-south-west of Guernsey, flashes north of the Casquets and Morse traffic north of Cape de la Hague suggested that enemy anti-U-boat groups were operating north of Alderney and west of Guernsey.

Radio message 2121/7 to Naval High Command West — Minquiers observations for 28 December–6 January: on 2 January at 14:40, two cargo steamers sailed from St Malo towards Granville; on 6 January at 08:25, four transports from Granville came into sight and were out of sight at 10:20. No sightings were reported on the other days.

Enemy convoy traffic during the day: from Cherbourg, three Liberty ships.

T-1022 Roll 2422, PG 37998, Commander of Sea Defences, Channel Islands. T-1022 Roll 2422 — source scan 0761 (original diary page 14)