Phil (JWT Admin)
Jan 18, 20214 min
Good morning everyone
The weekend exploring did not go as planned as we have been hit with a nasty flood in one of the tunnels (see photo below), the recent weather overwhelmed our pumps. Normally with your help its a job for many hands, but unfortunately we are classed as non-essential so we can not allow others into our sites at the moment. I am happy to report that two days of work and we have it under control again. There was time for a quick live video tour of the tower and then the armoury via TikTok thank you for those who joined in.
Have a fantastic day!
thanks
Phil
Above (top) is the Artillery Gun Graveyard, Les Landes. In 1946, after the British Army dismantled the World War Two German gun batteries in Jersey, 29 guns were thrown from off the cliffs at Les Landes (list below).
Batterie Haesler, 4 x 15cm K18 field guns
Batterie Schiefflen, 4 x 15cm K18 field guns
Batterie Mackensen, 3 x 21cm Morser 18 howitzers
Batterie Lothringen, 4 x 15cm Skl/45 Ship gunsr
Batterie Roon, 4 x 22cm K532 (f) field guns
Batterie Moltke, 4 x 15.5cm K 418 (f) field guns
Batterie Ludendorff, 3 x 21cm Morser 18 howitzers
Batterie Hindenburg, 3 x 21cm Morser 18 howitzers
7 of the guns have been brought back up for display across the channel islands.
As always, much more information on the blue link
Today would be the 202nd day of the Islands Occupation with 1,572 days remaining.
Below are two orders from the German Commandant that were registered by the Royal Court 80 years ago today
San Francisco, United States
80 years ago today at the German consulate, in San Francisco, displayed the Reich flag in recognition of the German national holiday (commemorating the anniversary of the country's unification in 1871).
A crowd began to gather under the flag, eventually numbering as many as 3,000, the local paper reported. Onlookers chanted, "Take it down! Take it down!" A nearby department store draped the American flag beside. But that wasn't enough to pacify what police were soon calling a riot.
Two sailors on leave – Harold Sturtevant Jr. and E.G. Lackey – set about scaling the building's fire escape. Three other men and photographer Bill Young (credit below) trailed after them. Sturtevant ducked into the 10th-floor window, followed by Lackey, who handed him a knife and lowered him onto the flagpole. Sturtevant tore the Nazi flag apart while the crowd roared its approval.
German Consul General Fritz Wiedemann called the defacement of the Nazi flag a violation of international law. Lackey and Sturtevant, for their part, were arrested and found guilty of misconduct. But the arresting officer testified that the men "felt they were doing their duty" in destroying the flag. Without a dishonourable discharge on his record, both re-enlisted.
Portsmouth, England, United Kingdom.
British destroyer HMS Castleton was damaged by German bombing while under repair at
Portsmouth.
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