25 July 1943 Part 5

25 July 1943 Channel Islands permanent construction progress during June 1943

Date note: Cover 25 July 1943; report status 1 July 1943. Cover placed before report for reading order.

[Scan 0954.jpg] Army High Command/Army General Staff/General of Engineers and Fortifications attached to Commander-in-Chief Army, BranchL (IIW), Channel IslandsA. No. 1160/43 secret command matter (corrected from 1179/43). 25 July 1943[day corrected]. Four copies; copy 3. To Armed Forces High Command/Operations Staff/Operations, with one additional copy (copies 1 and 2).

References: 1. Armed Forces High Command/Operations Staff/BranchL (IOp) no. 441760/41 secret chiefs’ matter, 20 October 1941; 2. Army High Command/Army General Staff/General of Engineers and Fortifications (LIIW) no. 6075/42 secret, 15 October 1942. Subject: Fortification of the English Channel Islands. Five enclosures.

Enclosed, in accordance with reference 1, item 5, is a report on the state of fortification of the Channel Islands as at 1 July 1943. New construction maps of the three islands, with status[partly obscured, apparently 1 July 1943], are enclosed. By order: [signature unclear]. After dispatch: Adjutant to Chief of Army General Staff (copy 3), with request to forward to Operations Branch (II). Receipt 25 July 1943, nos. 2456/43 and 7418/43.

[Scan 0953.jpg] Report on permanent construction progress on the Channel Islands (position 1 July 1943). 1. For details of construction status and progress during June, see attached table.

2. The shortage of cement and reinforcing steel on the Channel Islands has still not been remedied. Six structures on Guernsey with reinforcement and shuttering completed could therefore not be concreted during the reporting month owing to lack of cement. Concrete output: Guernsey 14,336 m³; Jersey 10,268 m³; Alderney 3,825 m³; total 28,429 m³. Additional anti-tank walls etc.on all three islands together 2,054 m³; overall 30,483 m³.

3. Rock-tunnel construction output declined in June following withdrawal of two rock-drilling companies transferred to Commander-in-Chief South and Commander-in-Chief Southeast respectively. It amounted to 11,382 m³ of usable rock excavation.

4. Supply declined slightly owing to insufficient provision of shipping. Total sea transport 18,881 tonnes, compared with 20,590 tonnes in the previous month.

5. Mines laid as at 1 July 1943: Guernsey 24,200; Sark 2,582; Jersey 13,638; Alderney 5,910.

German Army High Command records, T-78 Roll 317. Supplied English translation T78_Roll_317_English_Translation.docx. Source images: 0953.jpg, 0954.jpg.