7 October 1942 Part 4

7 October 1942 St Malo Convoy Control Office

Weather: Mostly light winds from variable directions, freshening only briefly; mostly overcast; visibility below 5 nautical miles, cloudy to strongly hazy; light precipitation; calm sea; widespread coastal fog.

Requests: (1) night troop convoy from Malo, La France for Jersey, RO 21, Minotaure and Holland for Guernsey; (2) night troop convoy RO 8, Guernsey–Jersey–Granville; (3) two coasters Cherbourg–Alderney and return; (4) Planet, Malo–Brest; (5) Gerfried and Antonius, Cherbourg–Alderney; (6) Dorsch, Hydra, Schwalbe and Iris, Alderney–Cherbourg. I assign V 209/724 to (1), V 213/710 to (2), UJ 1407/01 to (3), V 707/05 to (4), thereby releasing them from the Convoy Control Office’s area, and UJ 1407/01 to (5) and (6).

During the day I repeatedly obtained weather reports from the Cherbourg naval weather service. They forecast continuing unfavourable weather with fog and poor visibility; the bridge convoy therefore remained out of the question today.

The following situation and intentions were sent to 3rd Security Division. Situation for 7 October: (1) V 713/02/210, M 4612 and UJ 1407/01 ready at Cherbourg; (2) V 213/710 night troop convoy of 7/8 October with RO 8, Guernsey–Jersey; (3) V 209/724 night troop convoy of 7/8 October from Malo, La France for Jersey, Minotaure, Holland and RO 21 for Guernsey; (4) V 707/05 sail from Malo in the evening with Planet for Lézardrieux; (5) V 714/08 and M 4611/01/02 off Paimpol; (6) M 4605/04 ready at Jersey; (7) M 4430 and seven lobster boats at Malo available for navigation course until further notice. Escorted tonnage: 5,600 GRT.

Intentions for 8 October: (1) V 713/02/210, M 4612 and UJ 1407/01 ready at Cherbourg for second bridge convoy; (2) V 710/213 night troop convoy of 7/8 October RO 8, Jersey–Granville, then independently to Malo; (3) V 209/724 complete night troop convoy of 7/8 October Malo–Jersey–Guernsey, then return convoy of 8/9 October Guernsey–Jersey–Malo; (4) V 707/05 coal at Lézardrieux, tow target, then proceed to Brest under 3rd Security Division’s order; (5) V 714/08 proceed to Malo after V 707/05 arrive off Paimpol; (6) M 4611/02/01 return to Malo after practice firing off Paimpol; (7) M 4605/04 ready at Jersey.

1730: Only now did I receive telephone notice that 8th Minesweeping Flotilla intended to sail westward at 1800. The lock booked for a convoy to pass out at 1800 could no longer be freed. By taking the 1900 lock booked for convoys, without prior notice, 8th Minesweeping Flotilla delayed the allotted lock times for the night troop convoy to Guernsey and the [amended convoy description unclear] by an hour. The arrangements already ordered also had to be changed. Remark: Had 8th Minesweeping Flotilla given early notice of its intended departure, I would naturally have arranged the lock so that neither it nor the convoys suffered these disruptions.

1930, Malo: Five boats of 8th Minesweeping Flotilla sailed for Brest. 2000, Cherbourg: UJ 1407/01 sailed with Gerfried and Antonius for Alderney. 2000, Malo: V 714/08 arrived from Paimpol.

2045, Malo: V 209/724 sailed with RO 8 [as printed here; RO 21 in the assignments], La France, Minotaure and Holland for Jersey–Guernsey. 2045, Malo: V 707/05 sailed for Lézardrieux; net tender Planet missed the rendezvous. Remark: A temporary telephone fault left the Convoy Control Office without signal communications. The lack of its own radio transmitter was particularly conspicuous: the pair V 707/05 could not be recalled. Only after I requested 3rd Security Division over another line to recall V 707/05 by radio to collect Planet off Malo roadstead were the escorts brought together with their charge.

2110, Guernsey: V 710/213 sailed with RO 8 for Jersey. 2115, Malo: Alert 1 ordered. 2230, Malo: V 707/05 sailed with Planet for Lézardrieux. 2400, Malo: M 4611/01/02 arrived from Paimpol.

Signed: Dr Diederichs.

T-1022 Roll 2423, scans 0540–0542, original pages 12–14.