10 December 1943

10–11 December 1943 Channel Islands battery construction

No special occurrences for 10–11 December. Construction report follows.

Naval Artillery Battalion 604 — Batterie Mirus: levelling continued at anti-aircraft position No. 1, together with work on anti-aircraft bunker No. 8 and the emplacement beside the fire-control post. The old wooden position was demolished. At No. 1 gun, construction of the emplacement and rearrangement of ammunition continued. Aircraft machine-guns were emplaced against low-level attack.

Batterie Mirus: communication trenches were dug at No. 2 gun and the infantry positions concreted. Camouflage at No. 2 gun and in its surrounding area was improved. The splinter-protection trenches at No. 3 gun were enlarged and a gas-alarm apparatus installed. Work continued on camouflaging the machine-gun positions and digging communication trenches. The firms Kowohl & Bruns worked on camouflage, while Siemens worked on the air-conditioning plant of No. 1 gun.

Batterie Steinbruch: anti-aircraft bunker No. 1 was prepared sufficiently for occupation on 10 December. Work continued on the rooms not yet occupied in anti-aircraft positions Nos. 1, 2 and 4, and on washrooms for crew bunkers Nos. 1–4. Camouflage of the infantry positions continued. Organisation Todt's gardening firm completed filling at anti-aircraft position No. 2 and planting around water tank No. 1.

Batterie Strasbourg: expansion of the close-defence works continued. Organisation Todt completed levelling the foreground and continued camouflaging the battery.

Batterie Lothringen: camouflage work and construction of rifle pits continued. Work also continued on making doors for the ammunition bunkers and fitting out accommodation for Eastern Legion troops. The concrete base for a 7.5-cm gun was enlarged and a Flanders fence erected.

Naval Artillery Battalion 605 — Batterie Annes: Organisation Todt completed pouring the bunker for the return-cooling plant, continued laying lighting cables in ammunition replenishment bunker II, excavated further cable trenches and continued laying the electrical cables. Battery personnel continued clearance and repair work on accommodation and service buildings, and interior work in the fire-control-post bunker, including painting and concrete work.

T-1022 Roll 2422, scans 0734–0735.