18 June 1941 Part 2

18 June 1941 Army report to Armed Forces High Command on reinforcement and permanent construction

[Scan 1199.jpg] Army High Command, Army General Staff, Operations Branch IIa no. 1175/41, top secret. Headquarters, 18 June 1941. Commanders only; convey only by officer. Eighth of eight copies. Reference: Chief of Armed Forces High Command no. 44938, top secret, of 10 June 1941. Subject: protection of the Channel Islands. To Armed Forces High Command/Operations Staff/Branch L. Army High Command reports:

1) For immediate reinforcement of the Channel Islands, Commander-in-Chief West has been ordered: a) to increase Guernsey’s and Jersey’s garrisons to at least one reinforced infantry regiment each; b) to increase tank forces on both islands; c) to reinforce artillery with heavy and the heaviest batteries; d) to provide protection against heavy naval artillery bombardment by constructing field fortifications. Forces for a, b and d are drawn from those ultimately remaining with Commander-in-Chief West.

[Scan 1200.jpg] For c, Commander-in-Chief West will receive: Alderney, one battery of 15 cm guns 18, range 24.8 kilometres; Guernsey, two batteries of French 22 cm guns, range 22 kilometres, two batteries of 15 cm guns 18, range 24.8 kilometres, and three batteries of 21 cm mortars 18, range 16.7 kilometres; Jersey, one battery of French 22 cm guns, range 22 kilometres, and three batteries of 21 cm mortars 18, range 16.7 kilometres. Commander-in-Chief West may alter distribution, reporting changes to Army High Command. These forces exhaust Army High Command’s last current reserve of the heaviest coastal-defence artillery.

Commander-in-Chief West’s attention has been particularly drawn to active and passive air protection on the islands and to securing supply through ample stocks. Army High Command requests that Naval High Command and the Luftwaffe Commander-in-Chief be instructed to support him in these matters.

2) Reconnaissance and preparations have been ordered for final permanent construction on the Channel Islands. For execution, Commander-in-Chief West is being assigned:

[Scan 1201.jpg] Two fortress engineer staffs, one fortress construction battalion and one construction battalion. The Inspector of Western Fortifications has been made available to him for reconnaissance and construction.

Army High Command requests that the ultimate artillery armament be entrusted to the Navy, since Army artillery employment against naval targets can only be regarded as a temporary expedient.

3) From 20 June Army High Command will report continually on reinforcement progress.

By order [signature unclear]. Distribution: Armed Forces High Command/Operations Staff/Branch L, first copy; for information Commander-in-Chief West, second; Organization Branch, third; Quartermaster-General, fourth; General of Artillery, fifth; General of Engineers and Fortresses, sixth; Operations Branch V, seventh; Operations Branch IIa, eighth.

German Army High Command records, T-78 Roll 317. Supplied English translation T78_Roll_317_English_Translation.docx. Source images: 1199.jpg, 1200.jpg, 1201.jpg.