25 July 1942 Part 2

25 July 1942 Channel Islands Sea Defence diary

Weather: wind from 203°; speed not entered.

14:00–15:00: No. 4 gun of Batterie Mirus was fired in. No defects. Ammunition expenditure: three rounds of 30.5 cm.

Construction, Naval Artillery Battalion 604 — Batterie Mirus. No. 1 gun: no material change from the report of 18 July. No. 2 gun: assembly had advanced far enough for the turret to traverse and aim electrically; ammunition hoists could also operate electrically. No. 3 gun: turret electrical installation continued; machinery bunker ready for installation of the machinery; formwork was being removed from the crew bunker. No. 4 gun: ready for action with hand operation; concreting of machinery and crew bunkers continued. Fire-control post: no material change from 18 July.

Nos. 1 and 2 guns were thus ready for action under power, Nos. 3 and 4 by hand. A further 162 shells with their associated cartridge charges had been delivered, making 552 shells in all. [The printed figures do not reconcile with the 380 recorded on 18 July; both contemporary figures are retained.]

Batterie Strassburg: no changes. Batterie Steinbruch: Nos. 3 and 4 guns had been installed. Concreting continued. The full ammunition outfit of 960 high-explosive shells and 200 illuminating shells had been delivered.

Naval Artillery Battalion 605 — Batterie West. Fire-control post: excavation continued. Turret 1: excavation continued and laying the base began. Turret 2: excavation completed. Turret 3: gun mounted and excavation around the circular platform continued. Turret 4: shuttering of the circular platform began. Excavation began for the machinery building and accommodation bunker at Turret 3. The base slab for the accommodation barrack at No. 2 gun was poured; the accommodation barrack at No. 1 was erected. All four guns were now installed.

T-1022 Roll 2422, PG 37996, scan 0473–0474.