7 November 1943 Part 2

7 November 1943 Guernsey radar targets and excessive ammunition expenditure

Secret. To the Admiral commanding the Channel Coast. On 2 November, between 02:18 and 05:00, seven army coastal batteries and two naval batteries, including the 30.5 cm Mirus battery, fired a total of 529 rounds, including eight 30.5 cm rounds, at five targets located by the radar sets on Guernsey. Illuminating shells and searchlights revealed a balloon floating on the water, connected by a cable to another balloon about 500 metres above it.

The batteries expended the following percentages of their entire ammunition stocks on the island: naval battery Steinbruch, 15.5 cm, 3 percent; Army Coastal Batteries 462 and 463, 15 cm, 2 percent; Army Coastal Batteries 464, 465 and 466, 21 cm, 4.6 percent; Army Coastal Batteries 471 and 472, 22 cm, 3.2 percent.

This incident demonstrates the danger that the batteries may exhaust their ammunition before the enemy begins a serious operation. The corps recognizes the need to engage radar contacts even when their nature cannot yet be conclusively established. Nevertheless, fire must remain under firm control. Commit larger numbers of batteries and greater quantities of ammunition only when the situation indicates an enemy attack. Please take this into account in radar-directed firing and review the existing orders if necessary. Signed Marcks, General of Artillery.

T-314 Roll 1604, T314_R1604_English_Translation.docx. 7 November 1943 | Source PDF pages 1166. Selected island-related text; document or report date governs placement.