16 March 1943

16 March 1943 Channel Islands Sea Defence diary

SECRET. War diary for 16–31 March 1943; annex to Sea Commander Channel Islands B.Nr. G 1671 [handwritten reading]; Naval War Staff registry 991/1943. Entries in this half-month are signed on behalf of the commander [signature not securely identified].

Weather: wind 360°, 3 m/sec. At 11:00, a patrol boat of St Peter Port Harbour Surveillance Station (Hüst.) rescued three British airmen (sergeants) from dinghies in grid square B.F. 2695 centre. The prisoners were brought to St Peter Port and handed over to the Luftwaffe; their equipment was secured.

From 11:40 to 12:40, Batterie Steinbruch conducted planned firing to determine the battery's dispersion. Ammunition expenditure: 9 rounds 15-cm.

Batterie Strasbourg had only three guns ready for action. At No. 3 gun the brake cylinder was leaking and the non-return valve was damaged.

T-1022 Roll 2422, PG 37997, scans 0610–0611.