22 May 1943 Part 1

22 May 1943 Channel Islands Sea Defence diary

Weather: wind 360°, 2 m/sec. Between 01:35 and 01:40, M 4600 reported that, while escorting a convoy from Guernsey to Cherbourg, it had twice been attacked with bombs by aircraft approaching from the west. The tug Volkmar was struck by one bomb which failed to detonate and entered Cherbourg with the dud aboard.

At 01:45, the steamer Arnold Maersk, travelling in convoy from Granville to Guernsey, grounded at the entrance to Jersey on the Grunes aux Dardes, position 49°09.6′ N [final mark unclear], 2°09.1′ W. The steamer rapidly made water, broke apart and sank. The entire crew was rescued in difficult waters by boats of the Jersey harbour-protection group. The equipment was recovered insofar as it could be reached.

Batterie Mirus: work on the service building and the wiring of the grounds and guns continued. Krupp fitters began repairs to No. 1 gun. Embankment work at Nos. 2, 3 and 4 guns continued. External doors at No. 4 gun were installed and made usable. Anti-aircraft position 3 was poured, internal shuttering of anti-aircraft position I began, and several doors were fitted to the ammunition bunkers.

Batterie Strasbourg: internal timber lining and painting began in the new fire-control post. The ventilation systems were almost completed. Camouflage work at the post ended and renewal of the camouflage at the guns was half complete.

Batterie Steinbruch: Organisation Todt completed the shuttering of the ammunition replenishment bunker. The field of view for the fire-control post was cleared further; cable trenches were laid and drainage work for crew bunker II continued. Embankment work for anti-aircraft position I began, work at No. 4 gun advanced and the gun bunkers received camouflage paint. Siemens continued the lighting and heating installations. Work continued at the Bauernhaus searchlight position. Battery personnel continued the communal barrack and began fitting out a reading room.

Batterie Lothringen: camouflage of searchlight B and battery wiring continued. Installation of the flame-throwers was completed.

Naval Artillery Battalion 605 — Batterie Annes: internal painting and embankment work at the fire-control post continued, and internal lining began. Embankment work continued at the machinery bunker; work continued at ammunition bunker I and the fire-control-post accommodation bunker.

Battery Annes, continuation: the source repeats that Strabag and all its workers had been withdrawn. Battery personnel laid turf, carried out camouflage work, dug four cover pits against tanks and burnt part of the gorse. [This is the legible continuation at the top of scan 0645.]

T-1022 Roll 2422, PG 37997, scans 0643–0645.