31 August 1941

August 1941 Island reinforcement communications and construction

Editorial note: Monthly report or annex; placed at the end of the reporting month because no single document date is supplied. Dates within the text retain their original meaning.

The guns of Army Coastal Battery 472, captured French 22 cm pieces, reached Guernsey on 12 August. Krupp fitters began assembling them on 25 August and preparing them for action. Readiness to fire was expected by the end of September.

Fortress Signals Staff 15 arrived on Guernsey on 15 August and was initially placed under the staff of the Inspector of Western Land Fortifications under Commander-in-Chief West.

Courier and command traffic between the mainland and islands improved during August. In the middle of the month the Navy transferred two faster and better-equipped boats to Guernsey to replace the earlier craft. An unarmed Bücker courier aircraft also arrived. It was stationed on Guernsey but could not operate in all weather.

The 2nd Battery, Reserve Flak Detachment 911, arrived on Jersey at the beginning of the month. The 1st Battery, Reserve Flak Detachment 911, likewise arrived at Granville to protect the harbour.

Fifteenth Army order Ia/Az.21 No. 3302/41 Secret of 25 August, referring to Army High Command/Army General Staff/Organisation Section II No. 6704/41 Secret of 19 August, ordered that the staff of the Commander of the British Channel Islands be placed on an established footing.

Commander-in-Chief West order Army Group Command D Section Ia/General of Engineers No. 180/41 Secret Command Matter of 24 July designated Higher Command LX as the permanent tactical authority responsible for the tactical and technical aspects of developing the Channel Islands. As preparation for permanent fortification, Higher Command LX was ordered to submit a tactical reconnaissance report to Commander-in-Chief West at the beginning of September, working with the Navy and Luftwaffe.

On 20 August the chief of the general staff, accompanied by O 1 and the commander of 83rd Division, travelled to Alderney to assess the island’s state of defence.

Building-material supply to the islands changed because approximately thirty wagon-loads a day were now routed through Saint-Malo instead of the Granville supply port. Repair materials continued to be late. Fodder was adequate because grazing was plentiful, but horse losses were regrettably high and were attributed mainly to poor supervision while resting and at pasture. Firm instructions were issued. Each of the Channel Islands held approximately 200 horses.

Frequent motor-vehicle inspections found some vehicles in very poor condition. The commander threatened to punish unit commanders if further breaches of vehicle-maintenance regulations were found. An establishment request for island motor vehicles was submitted, and holdings were checked against the new motor-vehicle establishment instructions dated 1 February 1941.

T-314 Roll 1603, T314_Roll_1603_English_Translation.docx. Source PDF page 0027 | Original document page 1; Source PDF page 0028 | Original document page 2; Source PDF page 0120 | Annex 1 to the activity report of Higher Command XXXXIII Army Corps for August 1941