16 August 1942 Part 2

16 August 1942 Channel Islands Sea Defence diary

SECRET war diary of the Commander of Sea Defence, Channel Islands, 16–31 August 1942; enclosure to G 968. Weather: wind from 270°, 3 metres per second. No special occurrences.

Construction, Naval Artillery Battalion 604 — Batterie Mirus. Nos. 1 and 2 guns: no important changes; accommodation work continued. No. 3: machinery installation had advanced sufficiently for powered operation to be expected the following week. No. 4: turret cabling and concreting of the crew bunker completed. Fire-control post: rangefinder ready except for its power drive.

The first two guns had been ready for powered operation for several weeks, but the unfinished ammunition-bunker conveyor still impeded rapid fire. Engineer Staff 19 reported that rails had not arrived because of incorrect routing by Naval High Command. Temporary rails and block-and-tackle arrangements outside the ammunition-bunker openings were planned. Bunks, lockers and tables for No. 1 gun accommodation were expected the following week.

Batterie Strassburg: repaired rangefinder returned; ready for action. Batterie Steinbruch: preparations for concreting the surrounding walls continued; pouring at No. 1 expected early the following week.

Naval Artillery Battalion 605 — Batterie West. Fire-control post: excavation and blasting continued. Turret 1: circular base poured; shuttering and reinforcement continued. Turret 2: work suspended. Turret 3: pouring the working base begun; accommodation barrack completed and occupied. Turret 4: base pouring, shuttering and reinforcement continued. Machinery bunker: excavation continued. Work on the sewage settling tank and excavation and blasting for the kitchen and communal room continued.

T-1022 Roll 2422, PG 37996, scan 0487–0489.