27 May 1941

27 May 1941 Corps visit to Jersey and Guernsey

Editorial note: Visit of 24–27 May, placed on its final day. The supplied translation says the Guernsey battery had been ready since early June, although this is a May visit report. That chronological inconsistency is retained and requires checking against the German original.

At 1730 hours on 24 May the party left Saint-Lô for Granville. A trial voyage by S-boat at 1845 hours had to be abandoned because the storm and sea were too severe, and the party spent the night at the Jullouville rest home.

At 0830 hours on 25 May the steamer Diamant sailed from Granville for Jersey and arrived at about 1100 hours. After the reception at the harbour, the party travelled to Lady Trent House at Millbrook. Briefings were given by the Commander of the British Channel Islands, Oberst Graf von Schmettow; the island commander, Major Haas, commander of III Battalion Infantry Regiment 584; the artillery commander, Major Stein, commander of III Battalion Artillery Regiment 319; and the quartermaster, Major Graf von Helldorf. Lunch at Government House at 1330 hours was followed at 1430 by a tour of the island under the direction of the Commander of the British Channel Islands and a visit to the Bailiff of Jersey. A joint dinner was held at Government House at 2000 hours.

At 0830 hours on 26 May the party left for Guernsey, accompanied by the Commander of the British Channel Islands. After a stormy crossing it arrived at 1100 hours. The reception at the harbour was followed by briefings at the headquarters of I Battalion Infantry Regiment 584 from the island commander, Major Gies; Major Feuker, commander of I Battalion Infantry Regiment 584; the commander of Machine-Gun Battalion 16; Hauptmann Barentfels, commander of 7th Battery Artillery Regiment 319; Kapitänleutnant Kellermann, commander of Naval Artillery Battalion 604; and Customs Inspector Brandt. Lunch at Government House was followed by a tour of the island under Major Gies. The party returned to the Gardener’s Royal Hotel at 1800 hours and dined together at 1930 hours.

The party left Guernsey at 0930 hours on 27 May and reached Jersey at 1100 hours. After lunch at Government House it inspected the grounds of Park Manor. Before departure there was a conference with Feldkommandant Oberst Schumacher. The party sailed at 1700 hours, reached Granville at 1930, dined with 319th Infantry Division and conferred with its commander, Generalmajor Müller, before returning to Saint-Lô at 2230 hours.

Jersey

Oberst Graf von Schmettow opened with a survey of Jersey’s terrain and possible approaches. He identified St Ouen’s Bay on the west coast as the island’s most endangered point. An unguarded aerodrome lay on the western side. The only reconnaissance means available were Luftwaffe acoustic detectors. The communications network required thorough reorganisation, and Leutnant Nussbaum of Naval Signals Detachment 400 was still needed. In an alarm, all exchanges were to be occupied by the local civilian air-defence organisation, not as telephone operators but solely for supervision. Carrier pigeons and signalling lamps were required as supplementary communications.

The island commander explained that Jersey was divided into east, north, west and south fronts. Each contained between two and seven permanent field posts. These strongpoints had all-round obstacles, although some still required improvement. Seven hundred landmines had been laid on the east and north coasts. Only the full first ammunition issue was initially available.

The artillery commander stated that Jersey’s artillery main effort lay on the west coast. The 15.5 cm battery and one 7.5 cm platoon were therefore deployed there. Long-base fire control had not yet been introduced for the 15.5 cm battery because trained personnel and signals equipment were lacking; rangefinders were urgently needed. It was desirable to retain the battery commander, Oberleutnant Thieme, and the experienced detachment from 216th Infantry Division. The artillery suffered from a serious shortage of personnel after the extensive release of chemists, railwaymen and forestry workers. The three guns of the 15 cm naval battery were ready to engage visible targets, and an artillery communications network existed and was being extended.

The quartermaster of the island group had to supply sixty-four units. Jersey possessed stores for feeding 5,000 men for three to four months, as well as its own bakery and cold-storage installations. All meat, and initially all other food, had to be brought from the mainland. Repeated transhipment, the long route and inadequate escorts caused losses through theft and spoilage, although vegetables were soon expected to be purchased on the island.

The daily bread ration of 600 grammes was considered too small because sea air gave the men a strong appetite. An increase had not yet been obtained despite medical certification. A canteen had been established but still lacked beer and soft drinks. Purchasing on the mainland was being organised, especially fresh fruit and lemons, because deficiency illnesses were already becoming apparent. Ammunition scales were not yet complete; machine-gun, illuminating and signal ammunition were particularly short, while KAN equipment and all forms for replacement demands were entirely absent. A tyre depot and several fuel depots were administered on the island by the Commander of the British Channel Islands.

Guernsey

Machine-Gun Battalion 16 guarded the whole coast, the local civilian air-defence organisation held individual points, and the navy guarded Saint Peter Port harbour. The island was divided into north, west, south and east defence sectors. I Battalion Infantry Regiment 584 formed the mobile reserve at Saint Peter Port; one platoon from each company was equipped with bicycles for rapid deployment. The absence of heavy mortars was a serious weakness. Seven alarm points were distributed around the island so the reserve could be assembled quickly. The battalion’s personnel were considered good, although officers were short and only half the NCOs were regulars.

Guernsey held three months’ provisions for 2,500 men, intended eventually to be divided between two separate depots. Four ammunition issues were present: 2,000 rounds for the 15.5 cm battery, 4,000 for the 7.5 cm battery and 800 for the naval battery. Fuel was held at the aerodrome and harbour, with several filling stations also available. Conditions otherwise resembled Jersey: bread was insufficient, potatoes had frozen and were partly inedible, and canteen goods were scarce. Large cooking vessels were particularly desired so meals could be prepared in fixed kitchens and the field kitchens spared.

The commander of Machine-Gun Battalion 16 explained that group-sized permanent posts occupied threatened points and were connected by patrols. Half the formation was deployed and half held in reserve. A pioneer group of one NCO, one deputy and ten men was stationed on Sark. The battalion’s eighty-four horses remained on the mainland, together with a detachment of one officer, five NCOs and fifty-five men. The battalion had originated from frontier-guard units and had an average age of thirty-two. It was armed with MG 08 machine guns, though re-equipment with the MG 34 was envisaged. One officer, two NCOs and thirty-eight men had been detached to the captured-gun batteries on the islands.

The battalion had still not received its authorised establishment despite a long-standing request. It also lacked regulations for operations and training. Its history was recorded from formation in the Eifel in March 1940 as a machine-gun barrier battalion of the frontier guard, through security duty before Liège, subsequent clearance operations around Lille, action near Amiens with 1st Cavalry Division, the advance to Tours, subordination to 216th Infantry Division on 24 June 1940 and movement to Guernsey on 13 September 1940.

During operations the battalion could move only by requisitioning captured vehicles and horses. Its vehicle establishment, especially for the machine-gun companies, was inadequate: the battalion had six fighting vehicles, one field wagon and one field kitchen, but no administrative vehicles. Its commander requested conversion into a motorised machine-gun battalion with the appropriate personnel, vehicles and weapons; delivery of administrative vehicles, including at least one field wagon per company and one fuel lorry each for the anti-tank company and headquarters; provision of regulations and equipment tables; and recall of approximately eighty men on rear-area leave while reducing detachments.

Kapitänleutnant Kellermann reported that the 22 cm naval battery on Guernsey had been ready since early June to engage visible targets. Indirect fire could begin once its optical equipment was complete. Minimum range was 10 kilometres and maximum range 22 kilometres; 800 rounds were available. All construction was expected to finish in early August. A charted monument standing near the firing position might have to be removed. Eight Oerlikon guns and two searchlights were ready for air defence, but crews had not yet arrived.

Customs Inspector Brandt stated that individual customs posts were distributed among the harbours and landing places and primarily supervised fishing. They also performed field-gendarmerie duties, including vehicle control, curfew enforcement and blackout supervision. An extension of the fishing zone towards Alderney and Sark had been requested to improve the catch.

T-314 Roll 1603, T314_Roll_1603_English_Translation.docx. Source PDF pages 0074–0080 | Visit by the corps commander and chief of the general staff, 24–27 May 1941