31 December 1941 Part 1

December 1941 Island reinforcements progress reports and supply

Editorial note: Monthly report or annex; placed at the end of the reporting month because no single document date is supplied. Dates within the text retain their original meaning.

As part of the reinforcement of the islands, 2nd Landesschützen Battalion 467 arrived on Guernsey on 5 December. Four 22 cm guns for Army Coastal Battery 471 arrived there on 7 December, followed by 4th Company, Fortress Construction Battalion 157, on 8 December.

Completion of the departure of 216th Infantry Division was reported to Fifteenth Army on 25 December. Fifteenth Army also ordered 83rd Infantry Division to depart after being relieved by the incoming 320th Infantry Division. The latter began arriving on 18 December and assumed command on Alderney on 23 December.

Following the conference of 27 November on the permanent fortification of the Channel Islands, recorded at Annex 1, the implementing order was issued on 3 December as Annex 2.

Under Commander-in-Chief West order Army Group Command D Section Ia/General of Engineers/Pioneer 1 No. 275/41 Secret Command Matter of 13 November, the first construction-progress report was submitted on 19 December. Army High Command instructions required an officer courier to deliver the report and be able to answer detailed questions. Major Bechtold of Fortress Pioneer Staff 19 was selected and delivered the report to Commander-in-Chief West on 20 December. The order of battle and employment of forces on the islands is shown in the attached war organisation at Annex 3.

The corps supported the establishment at Granville of a branch of the Rouen front-collection centre by supplying personnel and matériel. Army High Command appointed a separate commander for the joint-services island supply staff, freeing the divisional quartermaster, and also assigned a food-supply specialist. The previously ordered accumulation of island stocks was practically complete during December. A later Army Group order required the Channel Islands to hold twelve weeks of food and fuel from mid-January.

A bakery company was requested for 711th Infantry Division because Bakery Company 319 was needed on the islands. 319th Infantry Division left a light transport column at Coutances to support the poorly equipped 711th Division. Current food supply on the mainland and islands remained secure, winter clothing arrived in the allotted quantity and column resupply proceeded smoothly. Serious difficulties in equipping 83rd and 216th Infantry Divisions for movement east were overcome. Signed Neymeyr.

Operational situation map accompanying the December 1941 activity report. Source PDF page 0184.

T-314 Roll 1603, T314_Roll_1603_English_Translation.docx. Source PDF page 0040 | Original document page 1; Source PDF page 0041 | Original document page 2; Source PDF page 0181 | Quartermaster section, December 1941; Source PDF page 0184 | Map annex to the December activity report