25 September 1943 Part 6

25 September 1943 Channel Islands permanent construction progress during August 1943

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

[Scan 0966.jpg] Army High Command/Army General Staff/General of Engineers and Fortifications attached to Chief of Army General Staff[earlier heading: Commander-in-Chief Army], BranchL (IIW), Channel IslandsA. No. 1613/43 secret command matter. 25 September 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. Enclosed, in accordance with reference 1, item 5, is a report on the state of permanent fortification of the Channel Islands as at 1 September 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]. Receipt: Chief of Army General Staff 25 September 1943; Operations Branch 26 September 1943, no. 9958/43.

[Scan 0967.jpg] Report on permanent construction progress on the Channel Islands (position 1 September 1943). 1. For details of construction status and progress during August, see attached table.

2. The existing shortage of construction materials could not be remedied during the reporting month. Nevertheless, despite reductions in labour and supply, it was possible to increase concrete output by approximately 3,000 m³ compared with the preceding month. Concrete output: Guernsey 10,212 m³; Jersey 14,425 m³; Alderney 5,179 m³; total 29,816 m³. Additional anti-tank walls etc.on all three islands 2,309 m³; overall 32,125 m³.

3. Rock-tunnel construction output increased from 14,291 m³ in the preceding month to 15,088 m³ of usable rock excavation in August.

4. Total construction-material throughput in August 18,266 tonnes, compared with 22,588 tonnes in July.

5. A total 6,454 new mines were laid during the reporting month. Total laid as at 1 September 1943: Guernsey 27,331; Jersey 19,413; Sark 2,582; Alderney 5,910.

German Army High Command records, T-78 Roll 317. Supplied English translation T78_Roll_317_English_Translation.docx. Source images: 0966.jpg, 0967.jpg.