Good morning everyone!
As an update, if your not local to Jersey, we were really close to being able to welcome back volunteer helpers and restart tours, however, the Government has pushed this date back and we expect a delay of at least a week, possibly longer, Below is talked directly from the Government statement and explains why.
Staying positive, I managed a few hours work in the Tunnel last night and it's recovering and drying up well after the flooding overwhelmed our pumps. Below are some photos and more info on the project on the occupation focus.
Have a fantastic day
thanks
Phil
80 years ago today in Jersey 27th January 1941
Today would be the 211th day of the Islands Occupation with 1,563 days remaining.
Nothing to report on today, if you have family diaries, scrapbooks or information for the blog to share please get in contact.
Its is worth remembering that today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The date marks the anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau by Soviet troops on 27 January 1945. The Holocaust profoundly affected countries in which Nazi crimes were perpetrated, but also had universal implications and consequences in many other parts of the world.
Jersey had 21 islanders (below) who did not return from the Nazi camps and prisons, however, there were also horrendous hardships and punishments handed down by the German forces under the Nazi regime. Locals, slaves, forced labourers all suffered during this brutal period of time. Jersey still retains the scars of the Nazi era Occupation and we remember those we lost and those who suffered every day.
Clifford Cohu
Arthur Dimery
George Fox
Louisa Gould
Maurice Gould
James Houillebecq
Peter Bruce Johnson
Frank Le Villio
William Marsh
Edward Peter Muels
John Whitley Nicolle
Leonce Ogier
Frederick Page
Clarence Painter
Peter Painter
Emile Paisnel
Clifford Querée
Marcel Rossi
June Sinclair
John Soyer
Joseph Tierney
Further afield
27th January 1941
The commonwealth graves commission record 82 deaths this day 80 years ago, the average age was 23.
British Naval Action
British minesweeping trawler HMT “Darogah” hit a mine and sank in the Thames Estuary in southern England.
RAF Action
1 Blenheim bomber sent to Antwerp but turned back. It then had a combat with a Ju 88 off the Essex coast and claimed hits on it.
Luftwaffe Action
During a Luftwaffe attack on Walker Naval Yard, Newcastle, two high explosive bombs fell from an enemy aircraft dive bomber', and narrowly missed an almost completed aircraft carrier ('HMS Victorious' which survived the war). A number of workmen were injured on the jetty, and injuries were also sustained from flying glass . Thirty-one injured were treated by the yard's first aid party. Two of them were then sent to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (one died the following day), two were sent to Wharrier Street First Aid Post and twelve to Walker Hospital.
Japan
80 years ago today American Ambassador Joseph Grew warns US State Department of Japanese plan to attack Pearl Harbor.
This is the coded message sent to the State Department
“My Peruvian Colleague told a member of my staff that he had heard from many sources including a Japanese source that the Japanese military forces planned, in the event of trouble with the United States, to attempt a surprise mass attack on Pearl Harbor using all of their military facilities. He added that although the project seemed fantastic the fact that he had heard it from many sources prompted him to pass on the information.”
Ambassador Joseph Grew diary entry today 80 years ago.
“There is a lot of talk around town to the effect that the Japanese, in case of a break with the United States, are planning to go all-out in a surprise mass attack on Pearl Harbor. I rather guess that the boys in Hawaii are not precisely asleep.”
Occupation Focus
The cover of today's blog is the German Tunnel Ho19 which is found in St Helier close to the harbour and one of our core projects.
Our HO19 project aims are to research and protect this WW2 Tunnel found in Jersey in the Channel Islands. This Tunnel is part of the German Nazi-era fortifications and was built using forced and slave labour. The funding of the project has been made possible by you! either by joining us on a war tour or from donations. However, we are a long way from done and any additional support will help secure further work here and help to secure this important historical site.
As always, much more information on the blue link and 3d tour below
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
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
