Good morning everyone.
We are slowly recovering from the COVID issues and are beginning to add more of the usual tours to the calendar. The first Rib boat tour is scheduled for this Sunday and thank you so much for making it a sell-out! the funds we raise from these tours help pay our electricity, rent and website bills.
Our next tour at sea is a Liberation special and you can book up here, this is a new one looking at the south coast:
For booking on to our landbased bunkers tours here is the link:
We are also ready to open the Tower at Greve de Lecq on an appointment basis for donations please email us (info@jerseywartours.com) if you want to come to see this unique bunker, which includes a collection of WW2 weaponry and equipment.
Finally, our absence on Facebook is very deliberate. This is for two reasons, the first is due to massive data breaches that Facebook has had. And the second is the trolling and constant reports of breaching community standards. There are far too many people on there that just want attention by complaining about anything they can. It's generally the same 80 covid disbelievers/holocaust deniers/"there were no Nazi's on Jersey" personality type.
However, if you want to see daily posts and photos make sure to follow us on Instagram, it's worth making the change!
80 years ago today in Jersey 15th April 1941
Today would be the 289th day of the Islands Occupation with 1,485 days remaining.
Very little in the diaries both civilian and military for Jersey today. But below is a proclamation issued mid-April 1941
Further afield
15th April 1941
The commonwealth graves commission record 159 deaths this day 80 years ago, the average age was 25.
RAF Action
RAF Bomber Command sends 96 aircraft to attack Kiel overnight (210 killed).
Paris
The first major mass arrest of Jews in Paris, France took place.
Luftwaffe Action
Belfast is the target tonight for the bombers of Luftflotte 2 and 3. Starting at 2300 hours, the heavy German air raid by 200 Luftwaffe bombers attacked Belfast, Northern Ireland. The attack would last until 0500 hours on the next day. A total of nine He 111s and Ju 88s from KG 77, KGr 100, KGr 806 and III./KG 55 begin the raid shortly before midnight.
Luftwaffe night raid on Liverpool with 51 bombers.
Newcastle, Sunderland, Hebburn and South Shields were attacked by a total of thirty-eight enemy aircraft which dropped a total of thirty-eight tons of HE (sixty-four bombs), twenty-nine PMs and 4,200 IBs.
Atlantic
Italian submarine “Tazzoli” sank British ship “Aurillac” 500 miles west of Lisbon,
Portugal, killing 1
Book Recommendation
The April book recommendation is "Six Days." The story centres around the paratroopers of the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division and the brave citizens of the quiet French hamlet. The battle of Grainges maybe not be known as some of the invasion stories but this beautifully illustrated novel captures the true story.
Exploring bunkers Always get permission from the owner Take a torch, a spare and one more for luck Don't go alone & tell someone where you will be and for how long You will get dirty as most are often full of rubbish and may have been used as a public toilet Anything you find still belongs to the person that owns the property Unexploded ordnance is still found in Jersey if you see or find anything that looks like ordnance please call the bomb disposal officer on 01534 612 61
Sources of Information German Documents are housed at The National Archived in Washington or Archive in Kew UK T-78 Roll 317: OKH Coastal and Channel Defenses Files 1940-44 -
T-78 Roll 318: OKH Coastal and Channel Defenses Files 1941-43
T-315 Roll 1639: 216th Security Division War Diary
(Kriegstagebuch), Belgium, France & Russia 1939-42
T-1022 Roll 2423: Various War Diaries (Kriegstagebucher), Channel Islands 1941-44
Atlantic Wall Coastal Battery Lists: Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, & France 1944-45
T-312 Roll 1559: 7th Army War Diary (Kriegstagebuch), France 1941-43 & T-312 Roll 1558
T-315 Roll 1643: 216th Security Division War Diary
(Kriegstagebuch), Belgium, France & Russia 1939-41
T-311 Roll 16: Army Group D War Diary (Kriegstagebuch), Western Front Aug-Nov 1944 Operation Green Arrow - Occupation of the Channel Islands MOD 584 Allied Technical Intelligence Reports 1942-45 German Preparations for Invasion of the United Kingdom 1941-42 B-833, 319th Infantry Division (1941-45) German Seacoast Defenses, European Theatre - prepared by the Artillery Evaluation Board
BBC News & Archives
The Britannica Jersey Occupied by Michael Ginns - ISBN 978-1-905095-29-2 Operation Nestegg Plans Operation Hardtack Plans Operation Basalt Plans RAF Photos care of The National Collection of Aerial Photography
The National Archive of Newspapers Bundesarchiv - Multiple Photos - and Files A Map of slave labour camps. Kindly Provided by Emilio Pérez Photo's and information provided by fans Onsite visits & internet research
Cabinet Papers Second World War memoranda (cab 661- cab 665) After the Battle Multiple Magazines
CIOS Archive & Publications (become a member here)
If we have used any photos or information which you believe to posted without permission, please contact us at info@jerseywartours.com and we will resolve asap.
Jersey War Tours is Registered with the Jersey Financial Services Commission as a Non-Profit Organisation - NPO1207
Jargon Help
Widerstandsnest (WN) = Resistance Nest (RN) A small pocket of resistance would be made up of small groups of up to 10 men with light weapons. They would man Anti-tank weapons, an observation post or a field gun. Stützpunkt St.P = Strongpoint (STP) Next level up from an RN and consisted of several RN's. STP areas would have a combination of weapons and different branches of the military used. Examples of this can be found with Strongpoint Greve de Lecq and Strongpoint Corbiere Einsatzstellung = Operational Position or Action Post Smaller MG type position generally it was only maned during an alert Feldwache = Field Watch Early resistance nest
Jägerstand
Jäger Casemate was a special design and name for bunkers designed to hold a 10.5cm field gun
Comments