16 May 1943

16 May 1943 Channel Islands Sea Defence diary

SECRET. War diary for 16–31 May 1943; annex to Sea Commander Channel Islands B.Nr. G 2971, handwritten file number 30887 d and Naval War Staff registry 1351/43 [readings of handwritten numerals].

No special occurrences.

Batterie Mirus: construction of the service barrack and the earth embankments at the guns continued. The guns and battery grounds were wired further, and road building continued. Work advanced on the accommodation bunker at the fire-control post. Door frames began to be installed in the accommodation bunkers at Nos. 3 and 4 guns; the doors had already been fitted at No. 2 gun. The air-conditioning systems at Nos. 2, 3 and 4 guns were completed, while work continued at No. 1 gun. Reinforcing iron began to be placed in anti-aircraft position I.

Batterie Strasbourg: splinter protection at No. 4 gun was completed. Installation work in the new fire-control post ended, and internal fitting-out with timber and Heraklith panels began.

Batterie Steinbruch: Organisation Todt placed the iron girders in the ammunition bunker and continued the reinforcement work. Clearing of the field of view for the new fire-control post and work on the cable and drainage trenches continued. Levelling work at No. 4 gun began. Siemens personnel continued work on the lighting and heating installations. The engineering staff continued work at the position for the second searchlight. Battery personnel continued the communal barrack.

Batterie Lothringen: camouflage work on searchlight B resumed. Installation of the flame-throwers and wiring of the battery continued. Work on the new fire-control post remained suspended pending arrival of the ventilation pipes from Guernsey.

Naval Artillery Battalion 605 — Battery Annes: Organisation Todt continued interior painting and embankment work at the fire-control post and began internal lining. Earth embankment work continued at the machinery bunker. Work continued at ammunition bunker I and the fire-control-post accommodation bunker.

The Strabag firm and all its workers were withdrawn from Battery Annes. Battery personnel laid turf, worked on camouflage, dug four cover pits against tanks and burnt some of the gorse in the battery grounds.

T-1022 Roll 2422, PG 37997, scans 0640–0642.