23 June 1944 Part 9

23 June 1944 Part 9 Bombing of Alderney harbour and anti-aircraft batteries

Date note: 23 June 1944.

Secret. Urgent. Seventh Army Headquarters, Ia. 23 June [1944].

To Army Group B Headquarters. Ia morning report, 23 June.

1. LXXXVI Army Corps. Enemy advanced with tanks to the southern and eastern edges of Sainte-Honorine. Fighter-bomber attacks on our positions south of the village. Situation still unclear. Counter-attack with concentrated forces initiated.

2. I SS Panzer Corps. Front quiet.

3. XXXXVII Panzer Corps. Parts of 2nd Panzer Division participated in the search for enemy parachutists near Cappy [source place spelling uncertain].

4. II Parachute Corps. In 3rd Parachute Division’s sector, continuing enemy artillery and mortar harassing fire, particularly on the left. At 04:30 an enemy concentration close in front of our main line of resistance was broken up by concentrated artillery fire. Heavy enemy artillery harassing fire in the sector of Battle Group 352nd Infantry Division.

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During the night, individual transport gliders landed behind the enemy main line of resistance opposite 3rd Parachute Division, apparently for resupply. In the left-hand sector, opposite Battle Group 352nd Infantry Division, the enemy withdrew by up to 1,000 metres on our right flank. The enemy has dug in 1 km east of La Meauffe; La Meauffe is free of enemy.

5. LXXXIV Army Corps. The search for parachutists around Gavray has so far produced no result. Enemy artillery harassing fire against 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division. Late in the evening the enemy advanced against Saint-Nicolas bridge in Battle Group König’s sector, 91st Infantry Division, under very strong artillery support; repulsed. In the Saint-Lô-d’Ourville area two penetrations were eliminated by counter-attack; main line of resistance again unchanged in our hands. Lively enemy artillery harassing fire.

6. Group von Schlieben. Throughout 22 June, enemy bomber and fighter-bomber formations bombarded the landward front and rear fortress area, considerably increasing artillery and mortar fire on targets along the landward front. During the afternoon, enemy tanks, strongly supported by artillery and ground-attack aircraft, attacked northeastwards from the Teurthéville-Hague area. Some enemy elements penetrated the landward front and reached the area 1 km south of Nouainville [source spelling softened] in strength hitherto unknown. Countermeasures initiated with the last available reserves.

Simultaneously the enemy attacked the landward front on both sides of the Valognes–Cherbourg road, advancing with infantry and tanks into the wood 2 km south of La Glacerie. Naval emergency units are forming a blocking line.

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Northwest of Le Theil, enemy tanks and infantry advanced along the Le Theil–Digosville road to 2.5 km southeast of Digosville. Fighting with enemy elements at the airfield continues. The enemy has continually reinforced.

All fortress reserves have now been committed. The fortress urgently requests the reinforcements already asked for.

Anti-Aircraft Regiment 30, employed in the fortress under the outstanding leadership of its commander, Colonel Herrmann, has since 6 June destroyed ninety-six aircraft, five transport gliders, eleven tanks, three armoured reconnaissance vehicles, one anti-tank gun and four motor vehicles.

7. LXXIV Army Corps. On 22 June at 20:30, fifteen Thunderbolts bombed Alderney harbour and anti-aircraft batteries. Damage and casualties slight.

8. XXV Army Corps: nothing special to report.

9. Enemy air activity in the Army area: many aircraft passed through heading south and southeast. Numerous Mustangs circled in the Laval and Mayenne areas; further aircraft on sabotage missions near Pontivy, Rennes, Nantes and Angers. Harassing aircraft over Brittany. Naval reconnaissance near Brest and Morlaix.

Seventh Army Headquarters, Ia No. 1698/44 Secret. Signed Pemsel. Certified correct: [signature indistinct], Major, General Staff.

After dispatch: Senior Quartermaster; Ic; Air Force Liaison Officer; O1; war diary.

German Seventh Army Headquarters (AOK 7), NARA T-312 Roll 1565. Roll 1565 Jersey and Channel Islands English translations.docx, reference 56. Scan extracts: img103_08_13766_15750.jpg, img103_09_15750_17754.jpg, img103_10_17754_19760.jpg. Extract filenames identify the original image strip, section number and horizontal pixel boundaries; these are not archival frame numbers.