Good Morning
I hope you all had a good weekend. I am still recovering from a broken foot so still taking it easy but will soon be back out there, getting more content for the blog and website. We have a provisional opening date for tours on the 1st of March and the diary is open for rebooking.
80 years ago today in Jersey 15th February 1941
Today would be the 230th day of the Islands Occupation with 1,544 days remaining.
Not much in the diaries from 80 years ago but below is issued to the people of Jersey 80 years ago.
Further afield
15th February 1941
The commonwealth graves commission record 214 deaths this day 80 years ago, the average age was 28.
RAF Action
Bomber Command flew 184 sorties on this evening in 1941
Atlantic
It is now thought that the ship which attacked the convoy 640 miles west of Cape St. Vincent on the 12th February was certainly a Hipper class cruiser. A cruiser of this class was reported in dry dock at Brest by air reconnaissances on the 15th.
On the 15th H.M. Submarine Cachalot (below) laid fifty mines in West Fjord.
Mediterranean
On the night of the 15th/16th four Swordfish aircraft attacked and sunk an escorted merchant vessel, believed to be the Italian s.s. Juventus (4,920 tons), thirty miles east of Sfax (Tunisia).
Luftwaffe Action
Up to the 15th February 1941, the following damage to domestic house property in London and elsewhere has been reported:
Destroyed and damaged beyond repair
In London 33,595
Elsewhere (excluding Scotland) 60,290
Seriously damaged but repairable In London 123,395
Elsewhere (excluding Scotland) 175,520
Occupation Focus
The cover of today's blog is the German MP1 Tower, for Naval artillery direction and rangefinding. The Marine Peilstand 1 Tower (Meßstellung 1), is one of three finished, however, the original plans where to have nine of these towers. The Forth had been started with two floors built. But they stopped the construction when removing slave, forced and German workers from the islands, sending them to France for work on the Atlantic wall defences.
As always, much more information on the blue link, including the exact location and map.
Book Recommendation
The February 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
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