1 April 1944

1 April 1944 Channel Islands Sea Defence diary

Source cover: Roll 2422, scan 0813, secret war diary 1–15 April 1944; attachment G 2332 H [last digit indistinct], archival reference KA 37113 d. Translation from local scans; editorial qualifications in square brackets.

No special occurrences. Construction follows.

Naval Artillery Battalion 604, Batterie Mirus: further development and camouflage of machine-gun positions at the fire-control post and No. 3 gun; camouflage around No. 2 gun; infantry positions developed. Camouflage of No. 3 gun turret and construction of a machine-gun position there; machine-gun barrage-fire fixture at No. 4 gun; interior work in its bunker. Epa and Seipa continued; 30.5-cm propellant cartridges reworked. Infantry command post at the battery commander's house and Düsseldorf, Essen and Hamburg anti-aircraft positions continued. Firefighting pond at the service building begun; Würzburg set work continued.

Batterie Steinbruch: infantry positions developed and camouflaged; further shuttering at generating-set and searchlight bunker B, likewise A. Earth banking at anti-aircraft position 4. Camouflage firm completed Nos. 1 and 4 guns.

Batterie Lothringen: old fire-control post demolished; second dummy battery position begun; camouflage work. Ventilation installed in the fire-control post.

Batterie Strassburg: shelter-hole lining complete; concrete roof of water basin poured; shuttering removed from generating-set bunker A. Wire obstacles at the fire-control post, camouflage of infantry positions and demolition of the Brown House continued. Second 7.5-cm position cannot be completed for lack of cement.

Naval Artillery Battalion 605, Batterie Annes, Organisation Todt: new concrete roof poured for ammunition bunker I and earth banking begun. Battery camouflage and levelling continued; earth banking at accommodation bunker 4; water pipe at the machinery bunker repaired. Battery work: earthworks for splinter-proof searchlight storage continued; an accommodation barrack demolished; position trenches constructed; bunker approaches camouflaged and levelled.

Batterie Elsass: wire obstacles and reserve fire-control post continued. Pit for gas protection made; machine-gun position concreted; further shelter holes and air-raid rooms fitted out. Searchlight Bruno position and positions for light and heavy mortars constructed. Artillery command post: heating installation complete; painting continued; earth banking finished. Naval radar: splinter protection. Battalion headquarters: infantry-defence installations developed.

Roll 2422, scans 0814–0815, original pages 30–31.