8 May 1943

8 May 1943 Channel Islands Sea Defence diary

Weather at 07:00: wind 203°, 13 m/sec. The Alderney radar set was operational again.

During a severe storm in Alderney harbour, two 100-metre sections of the new double T net barrage, a 30-metre hawser barrier, approximately 30–40 C-buoys and one cylindrical buoy were washed away from the mole by heavy breakers. The mole was damaged over a length of approximately 30 metres.

At 1130, the Harbour Construction Department’s twin lighter stranded in Alderney harbour during the severe south-westerly storm. An attempt to salvage the lighter was planned once the weather improved; tug Volkmar was to be requested for this purpose.

The Alderney radar set was out of action. A wooden tower erected by Organisation Todt near the set to support a water tank blew over onto the radar. The lattice structure was smashed, the reflector broke off and the pivot bent; the set was unusable. Preliminary findings indicated that the tower had not been sufficiently anchored. Naval Artillery Battalion 605 photographed the fallen tower and damaged radar.

Naval Artillery Battalion 604 — Battery Mirus: work continued on the mess barrack, earth embankments at the guns, wiring of the guns and ground, roads within the battery and at the fire-control post, and the accommodation bunker at the fire-control post. The working slab for anti-aircraft position I was poured. A detention facility and a cesspit at No. 1 gun, and sentry positions at Nos. 3 and 4 guns, were built. Construction of a septic pit for Nos. 2 and 3 guns began; the drains from those guns were brought together.

Battery Strasbourg: cabling for lighting in the crew and ammunition bunkers progressed. Camouflage of the fire-control bunker was complete; mine-laying continued. Ammunition-trolley tracks and splinter protection at No. 4 gun were under construction.

Battery Steinbruch: shuttering of the ammunition bunker had advanced sufficiently for the T-girders to be installed. Cable and drainage trenches were excavated further. Excavation at anti-aircraft position I began. Painting in accommodation bunker IV was complete; heating, ventilation and lighting work continued. Concreting of the mess-barrack roof began. Work on the communal barrack, repairs to the farmhouse and the workshop barrack continued. A water tank was installed.

Battery Lothringen: the base slab and combat chamber Bruno at the fire-control post were complete. Excavation for installation of the flame-thrower was finished. Wiring continued.

Naval Artillery Battalion 605 — Battery Annes: the source reproduces two weekly construction reports. The first is undated: rust-protective painting of the fire-control post began. The machinery bunker’s pouring date, 30 April, is placed on that date. In the fire-control post the rangefinder with its hood and both target columns were installed. Cable-trench excavation, embankment and levelling work in the southern battery area continued. Specialists from M.A.Z.A. Guernsey began laying the fire-control and communications cables.

Battery Annes, report explicitly dated 2–8 May: Organisation Todt began interior painting and embankment work at the fire-control post. The machinery bunker was stripped of shuttering. Shuttering and reinforcement continued at ammunition replenishment bunker I and pouring materials were brought in. Excavation continued at the fire-control-post accommodation bunker. General work comprised laying fire-control and communications cables, embankment and levelling work in the southern part of the battery. Battery personnel laid turf and carried out camouflage work.

Subsequent undated assessment of the 8 May, 0700, net-barrier incident (scan 0639, registry 1432/43): according to Net Barrier Group West, Channel Coast sector, the prefabricated double T-net sections on the mole had been lashed to bollards with 16-mm steel cables; the buoys were interconnected and secured. Previous experience suggested adequate precautions, particularly since the storage place stood eight metres above water level. Exceptionally heavy breakers nevertheless washed the components away. All were subsequently recovered except eight C-buoys. No culpable conduct by the group was established. Signed for the Commanding Admiral, Channel Coast, by the Chief of Staff [signature not securely read]. The assessment’s date is not given.

T-1022 Roll 2422, PG 37997, scans 0632–0633, 0639.