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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

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

MERCANTILE CONVOY

CABLEGRAM RECEIVED CGD

Origin Opnav, Washington           Ser. No. 843

Ref’d to       Date

O-1            4 Sept.

53 ADR                       SECRET

Simsadus.

843. Your 3845.1 Assumption correct, HB2 will be handled and routed by Department and sailed regular schedule every 8 days. You continue furnishing approach routes using admiralty secret charts, cables reoutes direct Department. Department will prescribe ocean routes Department will cable you sailings and times and ocean routes Department will keep Commodore Wells3 fully informed You will keep Admiralty informed of dates times and routes. Department dispatch to you considered sufficient and Commodore Wells will not continue his reports on HB convoys. This in effect for HB 13 sailing September 10th Furnish route for this convoy immediately. Inform Admiralty 15503 843

                        Benson

                        8:30 a.m. 4 Sept. 1918

Source Note: Cy, DNA, RG45, Entry 517B. Handwritten date confirmed by typed notation at end of cable.

Footnote 1: See: Sims to Opnav, 31 August 1918 and William S. Benson to Albert Gleaves, 3 September 1918.

Footnote 2: HB-13 left New York on 10 September 1918 and was due to arrive on 26 September 1917. HB refers to homeward convoys to the Bay of Biscay.

Footnote 3: Capt. Roger T. Welles, Chief of the Office of Naval Intelligence.

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