Good morning everyone
I hope you are all having a good weekend. maintenance continues and the list of jobs needed to help maintain our WW2 sites is getting smaller.
Have a fantastic day!
thanks
Phil
80 years ago today in Jersey 24th January 1941
The German Field Commander of Jersey revokes the curfew for the non-military zone.
Today would be the 208th day of the Islands Occupation with 1,566 days remaining.
Further afield
24th January 1941
RAF Action
On the 24th January, a Coastal Command Beaufort attacked the oil refinery at St. Nazaire, but was unable to observe results. Four Beauforts bombed the docks at Lorient on the night of the 24th/25th January with inconclusive results.
North Africa
All Italian outposts surrounding Tobruk, Libya were captured by the Allies. Meanwhile, en route to Derna, Libya, British 7th Armored Division encountered units of the newly organized Italian Special Armoured Brigade and defeated them near Mechili, destroying 9 Italian tanks at the cost of 7 British tanks.
A British Matilda tank on its way into Tobruk, displaying an Italian flag, 24 January 1941. This is photograph E 1772 from the collections of the War Museums (collection no. 4700-32).
Atlantic
German submarine U-123 sank Norwegian ship “Vespasian” with a torpedo 200 miles west of Ireland at 2148 hours, killing the entire crew of 18.
Occupation Focus
The cover of today's blog is the German Resistance Nest Fort Aubin which is found in St Aubins bay. St. Aubin's Fort is a small walled fortification 500 metres off shore in St. Aubin's Bay. The first fort was built in 1542. In the beginning, it served to protect the harbour from pirates, and in later years was developed as part of the island defences during the many Franco English wars. Major alterations were made in the 19th C. and during the WWII Occupation of Jersey, 1940-45, the Germans added concrete bunkers and gun emplacements. There is a rare bunker here (the cover photo) a Type 628 Personnel Shelter, this was the only 628 type built on Jersey, 1 of only 28 built-in Occupied Europe.
As always, much more information on the blue link
The January book recommendation is "A Hero Among Millions."
A touching story by a son of a quiet hero/ survivor of World War II who happened to be the commander of Squadron 34 who operated in the Channel Island waters.
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, these 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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