1 July 1942 Part 3

1 July 1942 Operations Branch assessment and proposed fortress organisation

Editorial note: Other copies or associated sheets are cited together; repeated text is counted once.

[Scan 1044.jpg] Operations Branch (IIa), 1 July 1942. Opinion on the report of Colonel (GS) Lamey concerning the Channel Islands. 1. Agreement is given to the proposal to simplify supply organisation by establishing a common supply staff on the mainland, while the islands receive independent supply officers with the corresponding agencies.

2. The view that Jersey is the more important island and that the command staff therefore belongs there does not accord with Commander-in-Chief West’s previous views. He has hitherto described Guernsey as particularly threatened and believed that possession of Guernsey facilitates an attack on Jersey. Commander-in-Chief West would have to be consulted again.

3. Conversion of 319th Division into static fortress troops appears expedient. Armed Forces High Command will under no circumstances agree to withdrawal of substantial elements of 319th Division. This eliminates the possibility mentioned by Colonel Lamey of employing 319th Division on the mainland. 4. Armed Forces High Command will likewise not agree to placing Alderney under 320th Division. 5. A fundamental change in tactical command organisation therefore appears out of the question. Eventual objective approximately as on page 2.

[Scan 1054.jpg] Page 2: Fortress Division Channel Islands, formerly headquarters 319th Division, on Guernsey, simultaneously commanding the two fortress regiments (five battalions) employed on Guernsey, formerly Infantry Regiments 583 and 584 less III Battalion. Subordinate: Fortress Battalion Alderney, formerly III Battalion/584; Fortress Brigade Jersey, formerly “Commandant of the British Channel Islands”, comprising one fortress regiment (formerly Infantry Regiment 582) and one machine-gun battalion (Machine-Gun Battalion 16).

Original source image 1054.jpg — T-78 Roll 317. Operations Branch assessment and proposed fortress organisation.

German Army High Command records, T-78 Roll 317. Supplied English translation T78_Roll_317_English_Translation.docx. Source images: 1044.jpg, 1054.jpg, 1053.jpg, 1055.jpg.