25 June 1943 Part 3

25 June 1943 Channel Islands permanent construction progress during May 1943

Date note: Cover 25 June 1943; report status 1 June 1943.

[Scan 0951.jpg] Army High Command/Army General Staff/General of Engineers and Fortifications attached to Commander-in-Chief Army, BranchL (IIW), Channel IslandsA. No. 990/43 secret command matter. 25 June 1943. 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. Two enclosures (attached).

Enclosed, in accordance with reference 1, item 5, is a report on the state of fortification of the Channel Islands as at 1 June 1943. By order: [signature unclear]. After dispatch: Adjutant to Chief of Army General Staff (copy 3), with request to forward to Operations Branch (II). By order: [signature unclear]. Received 26 June 1943, no. 2032/43; Operations Branch received 29 June 1943, no. 6552/43.

[Scan 0952.jpg] Secret command matter. Report on permanent construction progress on the Channel Islands (position 1 June 1943). 1. For details of construction status and progress during May, see attached table.

2. Output in permanent construction during May was somewhat impaired because several ships carrying cement were sunk by enemy action. A serious shortage of cement resulted, particularly on Guernsey, so that eight structures with reinforcement and shuttering completed could not be concreted. Concrete output: Guernsey 12,697 m³; Jersey 9,798 m³; Alderney 2,926 m³; total 25,421 m³. In addition, anti-tank walls etc.on all three islands together 1,949 m³; overall 27,370 m³.

3. Rock-tunnel construction showed a considerable increase in output during the reporting month. A total 25,530 m³ of usable rock excavation was completed (compared with 16,271 m³ the preceding month).

4. Supply suffered severely from unfavourable weather in the first half of May, but total sea transport of 20,590 tonnes was achieved, compared with 20,808 tonnes in the preceding month.

5. Mines laid as at 31 May 1943: Guernsey 22,009; Sark 2,206; Jersey 11,125; Alderney 4,762.

German Army High Command records, T-78 Roll 317. Supplied English translation T78_Roll_317_English_Translation.docx. Source images: 0951.jpg, 0952.jpg.