Good morning everyone
I hope you all had a great weekend, we have been busy emptying buckets and cleaning. All of our sites are looking good and thanks to the donations and gifts from the wishlist. Thanks to you it has been an easier lockdown in December & January than expected.
Have a fantastic day!
thanks
Phil
Occupation Focus
Above (top) is the German Strongpoint Victoria Tower This tower is a Martello and was the last tower to be built in Jersey. It was constructed in 1837 and named after Queen Victoria to commemorate her accession to the throne. Victoria Tower would have been one of the first military buildings to be constructed under the reign of the newly crowned queen. In WW2 the Germans heavily armed Victoria Tower and equipped it with flame-throwers and machine-guns. The tower also had an anti-aircraft position mounted on the roof.
Weapons and Equipment
Three light Machine Gun 34’s (two also with heavy Machine Gun mounts)
Two 5cm French mortars
Two 20cm spigot mortars
Two 3.7cm Anti-Tank guns
One 4.7cm Czechoslovakian Anti-Tank gun mounted with a Machine Gun mounted on a revolving platform One medium flamethrower
One 40cm searchlight
One 150cm searchlight
Two light Machine Gun 34’s of the Artillery
Two Machine Gun 08’s of the Artillery
Three 2cm Anti-Aircraft guns of the Navy
80 years ago today 11th January 1941
Today would be the 195th day of the Islands Occupation with 1,579 days remaining.
The eating of more potatoes is advised due to shortages. Appeal made for old or unserviceable clothing.
Further afield
11th January 1941
Bank Station London
On 11 January 1941, 56 people were killed and 69 were seriously injured when a German bomb hit the booking hall, with the blast travelling down the stairs and escalators to the platforms. The crater, measuring 120 by 100 feet (37 m × 30 m), was covered with a Bailey bridge for the traffic to pass over. The station itself was closed for two months.
Germany
52 RAF Bombers (Hampdens and Wellingtons) Report having bombed primary targets at Wilhelmshaven, Germany. No losses. Wilhelmshaven reports 1 house burnt down, a barn destroyed by an exploding Flak shell and a boy killed by a falling Flak-shell splinter.
Wellington Bomber
Hampden Bomber
The January book recommendation is "A Hero Among Millions."
A touching story by a son of a quiet hero/ survivor of World War II who happened to be the commander of Squadron 34 who operated in the Channel Island waters.
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 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
