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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Vice Admiral William S. Sims, Commander, United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, to Office of the Chief of Naval Operations

BATTLE CRUISER RAID

August 31, 1918.

Opnav.

     CS1

H I G H L Y  S E C R E T

 Your 724.2 Admiralty prefer HX and HC convoys3 be not diverted to Azores. Should necessity arise before a new plan can be agreed upon one or more battleships will be dispatched from Berehaven to escort these convoys. Commander Battleship Division Six4 instructed that diversion plan is in effect for US and HB convoys.5 Request information whether convoys now ar [i.e., at] sea are fully aware of plan and whether any instructions must be given them from here in case the contemplated situation arises. <195531.>

SIMS.

Source Note: Cy, DNA, RG 45, Entry 517B. Document identifier in columnar fashion in upper right-hand corner: “1/3/C/J/O.”

Footnote 1: That is, Chief of Staff who was Capt. Nathan C. Twining.

Footnote 3: Convoys from Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia, to England.

Footnote 4: RAdm. Thomas S. Rodgers.

Footnote 5: H.B. convoys were store ship convoys from New York for Bay of Biscay ports. By “US” convoys, Sims presumably meant troop ship convoys from the United States to France; these were using designated as “Group.” Wilson, American Navy in France: 47. The instructions, dated 31 August, were sent to both Rodgers and Capt. J.R. Poinsett Pringle, chief of staff of the destroyer flotilla at Queenstown. DNA, RG 45, Entry 517B.

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