7 June 1943 Part 1

7 June 1943 Channel Islands Sea Defence diary

Weather: wind 270°, 2 m/sec. At 01:15, the commander of the 24th Minesweeping Flotilla, with four M-boats clearing the St Malo–Cherbourg route, reported a mine alarm in grid square B.F. 3572 right centre near Sark. At 02:35 he reported seven mines cut. The 3rd Security Division closed points 328–330 of Route Herz because of the mine danger.

The Cherbourg radar plotting centre reported at 03:00 that targets had been detected at 02:42 in grid square B.F. 3575 upper right, course 30° and speed 16–18 knots; after 02:42 the targets were no longer detected.

The Jersey naval radar set had detected enemy targets between 02:30 and 02:40 within the effective area of the German artillery. Under Group West secret order 10579/42 A2, A4 of 13 May [year uncertain], the plots were passed only to the Cherbourg radar plotting centre. The latter informed the Sea Commander at 03:00, by which time the targets had disappeared.

The poor communications links caused further delay. A request was made to the Admiral Channel Coast, A II, for an exception to the procedure: radar plots should be passed immediately also to the Sea Commander and the local artillery groups. This would allow enemy minelayers to be engaged while approaching, prevent them from laying mines, or force them to turn back.

T-1022 Roll 2422, scans 0651.