20 November 1943

20 November 1943 Channel Islands Sea Defence diary

22:45 — Weather: wind 68°, 7 m/sec. M 4622 grounded while leaving St Helier harbour. It was refloated at 24:00 and towed into harbour with a leak in the bow. There were no personnel casualties.

Construction report, Naval Artillery Battalion 604.

Batterie Mirus: ground beside the fire-control post was dug over and excavation began for a splinter-protection and communication trench at No. 1 gun. Infantry positions were further overhauled. Road work and an underground cable was laid at No. 2 gun. A drainage ditch was dug at No. 3 gun. Krupp continued work on No. 3 gun.

Batterie Mirus: Siemens carried out welding on the air-conditioning plant at No. 4 gun.

Batterie Steinbruch: the auxiliary fire-control post was demolished and crew bunker No. 2 occupied. Organisation Todt's camouflage firm camouflaged the entrance to the main fire-control post and worked on anti-aircraft bunker No. 2. The gardening firm carried out filling work at anti-aircraft position No. 2.

Batterie Strassburg: expansion of the close-defence positions continued. Organisation Todt continued levelling the foreground and painting the lower storey of the fire-control post. The camouflage firm began camouflaging the battery.

Batterie Lothringen: camouflage work, rifle positions and installation of the armoured hoods continued. Fifteen-centimetre cartridges were moved and splinter-proof conversion of the ammunition shelter at No. 1 gun began.

Naval Artillery Battalion 605, Batterie Annes: work already begun continued; no other changes were reported.

T-1022 Roll 2422, scans 0727–0728.