4 October 1942 Part 6

4 October 1942 British commando raid on Sark and original sketch

Editorial note: Raid during the night of 3–4 October. This is the German report’s account and allegations.

The divisional report describes a British commando raid against a house occupied by one non-commissioned officer and four men of 2nd Company, Engineer Battalion 349. The raiders landed on Sark during the night of 3–4 October and surprised the detachment. A struggle followed as prisoners were being removed. One German soldier was killed and others were wounded or taken away. The surviving defenders, island reserve and neighbouring posts raised the alarm, but the raiders escaped by a difficult route to their landing place.

Recovered British equipment included daggers, sub-machine-gun and pistol magazines, wire cutters, a crowbar, torches, headgear, clothing and other small items. The report concluded that detailed local knowledge had assisted the withdrawal and considered possible support from inhabitants, including clandestine communications and carrier pigeons. Higher headquarters demanded precise answers on the state of the guard, time of alarm, communications, landing place, casualties and the arrangements for supplying Sark. Subsequent orders tightened sentry, alarm and local-defence arrangements on the smaller islands.

Operational sketch of the British commando raid on Sark, 3–4 October 1942. Source PDF page 0451.

T-314 Roll 1603, T314_Roll_1603_English_Translation.docx. Source PDF pages 0446–0459 | Report, interrogatory papers and sketch concerning the raid of 3–4 October 1942