Phil (JWT Admin)
Jan 17, 20214 min
Good morning everyone
I hope your weekend is going well, will have some new content for you tomorrow, I am going to set up some regular Twitch broadcasts, so for those interested please follow us on https://www.twitch.tv/thejerseyislander
Have a fantastic day!
thanks
Phil
Above (top) is the German Resistance Nest La Rocque B. The Resistance Nest La Rocque B together with the Resistance Nest La Rocque A, forms the “Strong Point La Rocque”. It lies between the Resistance Nest La Rocque A and the Operational Position Le Hurel.
As always, much more information on the blue link
Today would be the 201st day of the Islands Occupation with 1,573 days remaining.
Nothing I can find in local diaries but in the German war Diary they record: 3./Radfahrwachbataillon 613 was relieved by the 3./Landesschützenbataillon 221 on Guernsey, with strength 2 officers, 11NCOs and 86 other ranks.
RAF Action
Germany Wilhelmshaven
81 aircraft attempted to follow up the successful raid of the previous night but fewer crews found the target. Wilhelmshaven reports only light damage with 2 people killed. 5 aircraft — 2 Wellingtons, 2 Whitleys, 1 Hampden — lost.
S.S. Almeda Star
The SS Almeda Star was a British turbine steamer of the Blue Star Line. 80 years ago today, at about 35 nautical miles (65 km) north of Rockall in heavy seas, German U-96 commanded by Kptlt Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock, hit her amidships with one G7e torpedo, causing Almeda Star to stop. She did not sink immediately so U-96 fired again at 0805 and 0907 hrs, hitting Almeda Star in the stern and again amidships. The ship had launched four lifeboats but still had people on deck when U-96 surfaced and opened fire on her with her 88 mm deck gun. Between 0932 and 0948 hrs, the submarine fired 28 incendiary shells, about 15 of which hit Almeda Star and started small fires aboard. The fires soon went out so at 0955 hrs U-96 hit the ship with a fourth torpedo, which exploded in her forepart. Within three minutes Almeda Star sank by her bow. All 360 people aboard were lost, including those in the four lifeboats that had been launched.
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