9 September 1942 Part 1

9 September 1942 Channel Islands Sea Defence diary

Weather: wind from 180°, 2 metres per second.

15:46: a Cherbourg–Alderney convoy consisting of Vp. 207/209 and motor sailing vessels Tinda and Henka was attacked between Cap de la Hague and Alderney by twelve bombers and twenty-four fighters [aircraft numbers faint, read as 12 and 24]. Two harbour-protection boats immediately sailed from Alderney to assist; Cherbourg air-sea rescue was also informed. Henka received bomb hits and Tinda took aboard its crew. Both outpost boats entered Alderney with wounded, then returned to Cherbourg. Losses: two dead, three seriously and fourteen slightly wounded. Vp. 207’s commander suffered an eye wound.

On the return passage Henka’s wreck was found. Salvage failed, so Vp. 209 attempted to sink it with gunfire because it endangered navigation. Firing was discontinued after sixteen 8.8-cm rounds and five observed hits so the wounded could be taken to Cherbourg. The wreck continued drifting east.

19:00: Batterie Elsass’s generating plant was only conditionally ready for action because of lack of diesel fuel. 23:50: Batterie Lothringen practice firing; three 15-cm practice shells with combat charges expended.

T-1022 Roll 2422, PG 37996, scan 0504–0505.