15 January 1943 Part 6

15 January 1943 Air raids may cover attacks on submarine bases

Secret teleprinter message. Headquarters LXXXIV Army Corps to the 716th, 709th, 165th and 319th divisions, 15 January 1943. Commander-in-Chief West reports:

“During the night of 14–15 January a continuous air attack took place on Lorient and its immediate surroundings. According to reports so far, military damage is slight. The attack demonstrates the importance the British attach to attacking submarine bases. Before the Saint-Nazaire operation, and finally at its opening, heavy air raids also took place there to force the garrison into air-raid shelters and facilitate a surprise attack.

During air-raid warnings and attacks, all observers and sentries must therefore exercise increased vigilance to ensure lightning-fast mobilisation, including from shelters. We must expect enemy operations of every kind.” Corps Operations reference 472 (245) secret.

T-314 Roll 1604, T314_R1604_English_Translation.docx. 15 January 1943 | Source PDF pages 34. Selected island-related text; document or report date governs placement.