The Road to Liberation - 26th January 1941

Good morning everyone

We have done some work on the map page to increase the resolution of the downloads and make the interactive Jersey map faster. If you have any WW2 maps you would like to add and share please email (info@jerseywartours.com) them to us and we will get them added.

Have a fantastic day!

thanks

Phil

Today would be the 210th day of the Islands Occupation with 1,564 days remaining.

In the German war diary for the Islands, it is recorded that:

Artillery crews for the 15cm-canon batteries arrived on the Channel Islands. Landesschützen units on Guernsey and Jersey have left the island. I believe that Landesschützen were security units for the rear normally consisting of older soldiers, with administrative and POW guarding duties.

It was a quiet Sunday 80 years ago with no available local diary entries for Jersey

The commonwealth graves commission record 79 deaths this day 80 years ago, the average age was 24.

Atlantic

British Minesweeping Trawler Berrie Braes slightly damaged by a mine off Falmouth.

The Kriegsmarine conducted minelaying operations off Norway while the RN submarine “Cachalot” also conducted minelaying operations off Norway.

RAF Action

Weather has been unfavourable to air reconnaissance for the greater part of the past week. The Hipper Class cruiser was last sighted at Brest today 80 years ago when her dry dock was being flooded. A reconnaissance of Wilhelmshaven shows the battleship, Tirpitz, still in the port.

10 Whitleys and 7 Wellington bombers sent to attack the main post office and telephone exchange in Hannover. No losses.

The cover of today's blog is the German Resistance Nest Dune which is found in St Ouens bay.

Weapons and Equipment

Three Heavy Machine Gun 34
 Two Heavy Machine Gun's mounted in a 6 loophole turret Type 632 bunker
 7.5cm Pak Gun

 As always, much more information on the blue link and 3d tour below

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

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