1 May 1943 Part 6

1 May 1943 Channel Islands permanent construction progress during April 1943

Date note: Report status 1 May 1943; covering note has no legible issue date and receipt 28 May 1943. Referenced table not in supplied adjacent scans.

[Scan 0947.jpg] Army High Command/Army General Staff/General of Engineers and Fortifications attached to Commander-in-Chief Army, BranchL (IIW), Channel IslandsA. No. 853/43 secret command matter. Four copies; copy 3. To Armed Forces High Command/Operations Staff/Operations, with one additional copy (copies 1 and 2).

References: 1. Armed Forces High Command/Operations Staff/BranchL (IOp) no. 441760/41 secret chiefs’ matter, 20 October 1941; 2. Army High Command/Army General Staff/General of Engineers and Fortifications (LIIW) no. 6075/42 secret, 15 October 1942. Subject: Fortification of the English Channel Islands. Two enclosures (attached).

Enclosed, in accordance with reference 1, item 5, is a report on the state of fortification of the Channel Islands as at 1 May 1943. By order: [signature unclear]. After dispatch: Adjutant to Chief of Army General Staff (copy 3), with request to forward to Operations Branch (II). By order: [signature unclear]. Receipt stamps 28 May 1943, nos. 1808/43 and 5676/43.

[Scan 0948.jpg] Report on permanent construction progress on the Channel Islands (position 1 May 1943). 1. For details of construction status and progress during April, see the attached table.

2. Output achieved in permanent construction during April increased by 3,090 cubic metres over the preceding month and amounted to: Guernsey 16,024 m³; Jersey 8,351 m³; Alderney 4,439 m³; total 28,814 m³. In addition, anti-tank walls etc.on all three islands together 3,474 m³; overall 32,288 m³.

3. Rock-tunnel construction in April produced 16,271 m³ of usable rock excavation (compared with 15,500 m³ in the previous month).

4. Sea-transport output continued to rise. 20,808 tonnes of construction materials were shipped to the islands in April, compared with 17,939 tonnes in March and 15,878 tonnes in February.(Guernsey experienced 14 days’ interruption of supplies owing to mining of the harbour waters.)

5. Mines laid as at 30 April 1943: Guernsey 20,919; Sark 2,206; Jersey 7,919; Alderney 4,764.

German Army High Command records, T-78 Roll 317. Supplied English translation T78_Roll_317_English_Translation.docx. Source images: 0947.jpg, 0948.jpg.