Good morning everyone
Merry Christmas to you all and thoughts go out to all working over the holiday and I hope you get some downtime soon! We all appreciate everything you do especially when the rest of us get to rest.
If you have a chance today please take a moment to read this story and celebrate the life of Captain Philip Ayton. Captain Ayton lost his life 77 years ago during the only commando raid “Operation Hardtack 28” on Jersey during the German Occupation.
Have a fantastic Christmas Day!
thanks
Phil
Above (Top) is a The anti-tank bunker (that was cut to make way to the slipway post-war) at Resistance Nest Lewis Tower on the west coast of Jersey. More photos and maps on the website.
1 x French Field Gun (10,5cm Kan. 331 (f))
1 x 4,7cm 4.7cm Czechoslovakian Anti-Tank gun mounted with a Machine Gun (MG37)
1 x 3.7cm German field gun (3,7cm Pak)
2 x MG34 with a twin anti-aircraft mount (Zwillingssockel)
1 x 60cm searchlight (60 cm Scheinwerfer)
Occupation Focus
80 years ago today 25th of December 1940
Today would be the 178th day of the Islands Occupation with 1,596 days remaining.
" Christmas Day. In spite of all our fears, with a bit of saving, scheming, or wangling, mostly the latter, the general provision of festive cheer was nothing short of wonderful. Although poultry was very scarce, the Germans consuming a good deal of it and supplies from France almost unworthy of mention, for some time now there had been a lot of secret pig-killing, which meant that pork which was not sold by the legitimate butcher found its way to consumers. If the Germans had seen some of the tables laden with good things still produced after six months of occupation, no doubt many new Orders would have been issued to "adjust " the situation. During the morning some British planes flew over the Island*."
Leslie Sinel
Civilian working at the evening post
*The planes mentioned in today's entry may be linked to the further afield story below.
Further afield
80 years ago today
25th of December 1940
80 years ago this morning German Admiral Wilhelm Meisel aboard cruiser Admiral Hipper (above) ordered an attack on Allied convoy WS.5 The convoy had been detected on the previous day and the ship's crew had been shadowing it through the night, but failing to realize it was heavily escorted. At 0808 hours, Admiral Hipper fired on troopship Empire Trooper (16 soldiers killed) and freighter Arabistan, but she was soon chased off by a corvette and three cruisers. In retreat, Admiral Hipper fired at her pursuers, striking cruiser HMS Berwick (below) at the rear gun turret, killing 4. Carriers HMS Argus and HMS Furious launched aircraft to hunt for Admiral Hipper as she retreated toward Brest, France for repairs, but the German cruiser would not be found.
The December book recommendation is "The Americans on D-Day."
This book has 450 dramatic photographs captured in northern France during the first day and week of its liberation and is available on kindle! Click the photo to find out more. It also would make a fantastic Christmas Present.
