27 November 1941

27 November 1941 Conference on permanent fortification of the Channel Islands

The conference ran from 11.00 to 13.45. The corps commander transferred the chair to the chief of staff, Lieutenant-Colonel i.G. von Oppen. Von Oppen announced that Hitler, as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, had ordered the permanent fortification of the Channel Islands and read the draft guidance prepared under Army High Command leadership. Discussion centred on the time required to complete the strengthened field works, planning and execution of permanent works, and the installations to be included in the first construction stage.

Major-General Müller estimated that current work would take about two more months. Von Oppen concluded that strengthened field fortification should therefore be reached within two to three months. Lieutenant-General Schmetzer proposed that permanent work begin with flanking coastal strongpoints; on Alderney, shell-proof accommodation for reserves was especially urgent. Captured guns from Russia capable of penetrating 130 mm of armour at 1,000 metres were suitable for flanking positions. Forty had initially been reserved, but the army representatives considered one hundred necessary: forty each for Guernsey and Jersey and twenty for Alderney. If the number of flanking works could not be increased, intermediate positions were to be created.

Concrete works had to be designed for their final garrisons because they could not later be enlarged as field works could. Searchlight installations, particularly for long-range illumination of the foreground, posed difficulties because no satisfactory type was available. Close-defence arrangements, including flame-throwers, were to be developed carefully. The flat north-east of Guernsey was to be cleared to improve observation. Beach walls up to 2.5 metres high, planned as anti-tank obstacles, would also form effective infantry obstacles.

The divisions were ordered to begin tactical and technical reconnaissance immediately with Schmetzer’s staff. Detailed reconnaissance of the coastal strongpoints, flanking guns and other urgent installations was expected to take at least two months. The Navy stated that its heaviest battery was to be on Guernsey; the two proposed 12 cm batteries for Guernsey and Jersey had not yet been secured, and the armament of Sark and the Îles Chausey remained open. Von Oppen called for a fresh artillery reconnaissance to determine whether the naval plan required reinforcement, possibly by army batteries, and whether existing army coastal batteries with foreign weapons would be rearmed with German equipment. The ultimate responsibility for artillery defence also remained to be settled. Six mortar batteries were expected to disappear from the final scheme. Alderney was to receive three additional light batteries, preferably mobile.

The Luftwaffe was asked to state its requirements for airfield development, flying units and anti-aircraft positions. The existing anti-aircraft organisation was to remain substantially unchanged. Guernsey and Jersey were each expected to receive two to four heavy searchlights, while further searchlights might be required for foreground illumination; none of the Luftwaffe’s heavy searchlights was planned for Alderney. The commander stressed that illumination requirements must be determined during the reconnaissance of every island.

The Luftwaffe required extensive ground installations on Guernsey, Jersey and Alderney. Alderney airfield was no longer to be permanently obstructed because it was needed for occasional supply and other purposes. Since coastal weather could prevent operations from mainland bases while still permitting operations from the islands, storage for ten operational sorties of fuel and ammunition was required. Forty aircraft pens and one workshop were proposed for each of Guernsey and Jersey, together with shell-proof towers for sensitive signals equipment and an expanded communications network.

Von Oppen emphasised the permanent communications system. Existing cables between the islands and the mainland, including improvements then under way, were to be checked against the final requirement. A Guernsey-Alderney cable was particularly desired so Alderney could be placed under the island-group commander; if a cable was impossible, a radio-telephone substitute was required. The Luftwaffe already had such a link but had avoided using it because of interception risk. The flat island of Alderney was considered vulnerable to airborne landing throughout its area.

For the first building stage, the Navy placed its two heaviest mainland batteries - first Paimpol and second Cap de la Hague - alongside the heavy battery planned for Guernsey. Selected permanent gun positions and crew shelters were also to be advanced into the first stage. The airfields, including Jersey, were to be developed sufficiently to operate reconnaissance and artillery-co-operation aircraft with fighter protection. Proposals for the installations to be included in the first stage were to be submitted by the agreed deadline.

Monthly progress reports were to use overlay maps with explanatory tables. 319th and 83rd Infantry Divisions would submit them after all participating service authorities had supplied material through the island commanders. Army High Command requested copies of all documents concerning the islands and their fortification. The corps commander expressed particular appreciation to Major-General Müller and closed the meeting with thanks to all present.

T-314 Roll 1603, T314_Roll_1603_English_Translation.docx. Source PDF pages 0166–0173 | Annex 1 to the December activity report | Record of conference held at Higher Command XXXXIII Army Corps on 27 November 1941