Good Morning
Hope you are all well, not mention yet on the reduction of distancing to 1meter so we can reopen, hopefully, it's soon as numbers of covid are falling and vaccine numbers are rising!
Have a fantastic day
thanks
Phil
80 years ago today in Jersey 11th February 1941
Today would be the 226th day of the Islands Occupation with 1,548 days remaining.
New German Order Released:
"In accordance with an Order of the Military Commander in France. dated 5th February. 1941. Abt. V Pol. Az 287. the Inhabitants of the Channel Islands are forbidden to leave the Islands for the Continent. In approved cases, exceptions to this prohibition may be made by the Field Command 515. Inhabitants of the Channel Islands who leave the Island with-out permission and enter French-occupied territory shall be interned."
The Field Commander SCHUMACHER Colonel
Further afield
11th February 1941
The commonwealth graves commission record 113 deaths this day 80 years ago, the average age was 20.
Atlantic
Contact is lost with British submarine HMS Snapper (below), en route from the River Clyde in Scotland to the Bay of Biscay off France. The crew of 41 was never seen again. Potentially was sunk by German minesweepers M-2, M-13, and M-25.
H.M. Minelayer Plover laid 120 deep mines in the St. George's Channel.
German cruiser Admiral Hipper sank British ship Iceland of Allied convoy HX53 800 miles west of Gibraltar; the entire crew of 23 survived and were picked up by Admiral Hipper.
RAF Action
RAF Bomber Command sends 79 aircraft to attack Bremen and 29 aircraft to attack Hannover overnight.
Luftwaffe Action
Few bombs dropped and doing little damage, causing few casualties.
Occupation Focus
The cover of today's blog is the German Batterie Lothringen Located at Noirmont Point.
Batterie Lothringen
3./M.A.A604 4 x 15cm Skl/45 Naval Guns 10.3 mile range
German Record Details
4 x 15cm SK L/45
6 x 2cm Flak Oerlikon
2 x 7.5cm HK 231 (f)
16 x Abwehrflammenwerfer 42
11 x le.MG 34
2 x MG 311 (f) i.Pz.Dr.T
2 x 5cm Gr.W.36
1 x 2.5cm pak 113 (f)
1 x 150 cm Scheinwerfer
1 x 110 cm Scheinwerfer
1 x 60 cm Scheinwerfer
Book Recommendation
The February book recommendation is "Six Days." The story centres around the paratroopers of the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division and the brave citizens of the quiet French hamlet. The battle of Grainges maybe not as well known as some of the invasion stories but this beautifully illustrated novel captures the true story.
Exploring bunkers Always get permission from the owner Take a torch, a spare and one more for luck Don't go alone & tell someone where you will be and for how long You will get dirty as most are often full of rubbish and may have been used as a public toilet Anything you find still belongs to the person that owns the property Unexploded ordnance is still found in Jersey if you see or find anything that looks like ordnance please call the bomb disposal officer on 01534 612 61
Sources of Information German Documents are housed at The National Archived in Washington or Archive in Kew UK T-78 Roll 317: OKH Coastal and Channel Defenses Files 1940-44 -
T-78 Roll 318: OKH Coastal and Channel Defenses Files 1941-43
T-315 Roll 1639: 216th Security Division War Diary
(Kriegstagebuch), Belgium, France & Russia 1939-42
T-1022 Roll 2423: Various War Diaries (Kriegstagebucher), Channel Islands 1941-44
Atlantic Wall Coastal Battery Lists: Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, & France 1944-45
T-312 Roll 1559: 7th Army War Diary (Kriegstagebuch), France 1941-43 & T-312 Roll 1558
T-315 Roll 1643: 216th Security Division War Diary
(Kriegstagebuch), Belgium, France & Russia 1939-41
T-311 Roll 16: Army Group D War Diary (Kriegstagebuch), Western Front Aug-Nov 1944 Operation Green Arrow - Occupation of the Channel Islands MOD 584 Allied Technical Intelligence Reports 1942-45 German Preparations for Invasion of the United Kingdom 1941-42 B-833, 319th Infantry Division (1941-45) German Seacoast Defenses, European Theatre - prepared by the Artillery Evaluation Board
BBC News & Archives
The Britannica Jersey Occupied by Michael Ginns - ISBN 978-1-905095-29-2 Operation Nestegg Plans Operation Hardtack Plans Operation Basalt Plans RAF Photos care of The National Collection of Aerial Photography
The National Archive of Newspapers Bundesarchiv - Multiple Photos - and Files A Map of slave labour camps. Kindly Provided by Emilio Pérez Photo's and information provided by fans Onsite visits & internet research
Cabinet Papers Second World War memoranda (cab 661- cab 665) After the Battle Multiple Magazines
CIOS Archive & Publications (become a member here)
If we have used any photos or information which you believe to posted without permission, please contact us at info@jerseywartours.com and we will resolve asap.
Jersey War Tours is Registered with the Jersey Financial Services Commission as a Non-Profit Organisation - NPO1207
Jargon Help
Widerstandsnest (WN) = Resistance Nest (RN) A small pocket of resistance, these would be made up of small groups of up to 10 men with light weapons. They would man Anti-tank weapons, an observation post or a field gun. Stützpunkt St.P = Strongpoint (STP) Next level up from an RN and consisted of several RN's. STP areas would have a combination of weapons and different branches of the military used. Examples of this can be found with Strongpoint Greve de Lecq and Strongpoint Corbiere Einsatzstellung = Operational Position or Action Post Smaller MG type position generally it was only maned during an alert Feldwache = Field Watch Early resistance nest
Jägerstand
Jäger Casemate was a special design and name for bunkers designed to hold a 10.5cm field gun
