31 July 1941 Part 3

July 1941 Release of Maginot Line armour and requirements for island fortification plans

Date note: Only July 1941 is stated; after the cited 21 July order. Sorted at month end without implying an exact day.

[Scan 1165.jpg] Operations Branch V no. 37683/41, top secret. July 1941; day left blank. Third of three copies. Reference: General of Engineers and Fortresses no. 828/41, top secret, of 21 July 1941. Subject: protection of the Channel Islands. To the General of Engineers and Fortresses at Army High Command. Handwritten: Channel Islands file; present again.

1) In the Inspector of National Fortifications’ return on the current construction on the Channel Islands, sent with the referenced order, paragraph 2 requests armour components from Maginot Line works for installation on the islands. Release of this armour from works on the Upper Rhine front is approved. If additional armour is required from other sectors of the Maginot Line, Operations Branch’s agreement is to be obtained.

2) In the Inspector’s order, file 39 no. 067/41, secret, Ia, of 19 July 1941, addressed only to Commander-in-Chief West, he reports the start of reconnaissance for permanent fortification construction on the Channel Islands. Please arrange submission here of the tactical and technical designs, in sections if necessary because of the urgency. This must not impede progress of the work.

3) Please send the Inspector special guidelines on the combat works to be provided to protect airfields against airborne enemy troops. Distribution: General of Engineers and Fortresses, first copy; Operations Branch V, second; after dispatch, Operations Branch IIa, third.

German Army High Command records, T-78 Roll 317. Supplied English translation T78_Roll_317_English_Translation.docx. Source images: 1165.jpg.