Phil (JWT Admin)
Jan 10, 20214 min
Good morning everyone
There are a few glitches on email deliverys at the moment so please accept our appologies on that. Below is a link to our bunker page and we have now addedd a search option which will also pick up info from the blog postings.
Have a fantastic day!
thanks
Phil
Above (top) is the German Strongpoint Le Fret During the Second World War, German forces constructed a complex of defensive concrete bunkers and gun emplacements around the south-west coast of Jersey. Bunkers found at Portelet form part of a complex known as Resistance Nest Le Fret, which includes two searchlight shelters, a Jagerstand-type casemate for a 10.5 cm field gun and a personnel shelter.
Points of Interest:
Jägerstand type casemate for a 10.5cm 331(f)
60cm Searchlight
Type L411a Shelter
Type 621 personnel shelter & 150cm Searchlight for Batterie Lothringenmains / Traces of Trenches and Foxholes
Today would be the 194th day of the Islands Occupation with 1,580 days remaining.
"Labour and Textile Department issue notice and list con-cerning vouchers which may be obtained for procuring articles at subsidized prices."
Leslie Sinel
Civilian working at the Evening Post
Mediterranean
On 10 January 1941 HMS Illustrious was attacked by German dive bombers in the Mediterranean off the italian island of Pantelleria. In the first action by German bombers in the Mediterranean , HMS Illustrious survived this attack.
France
114 Squadron were escorted by fighters and bombed a German ammunition depot in the Forel de Guines, south of Calais.
Portsmouth Blitz
172 people were killed and hundreds more injured or made homeless during the attack, which took place from 5.00pm on 10 January 1941 and into the early hours of 11 January. Thousands of bombs were dropped during the largest air raid on the city during the war. During the Blitz, 930 people were killed in Portsmouth and 2,837 were injured. Over 6,000 properties were destroyed.
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
After the Battle Multiple Magazines
The Bomber Command War Diaries: An Operational Reference Book, 1939-1945
Jersey Heritage Archive
CIOS Archive & Publications (become a member here)
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
American Battle Monuments Commission
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