Kriegsmarine Kriegsabzeichen f?r die Marine Artillerie

[ian jewison]

Here's a late war citation for the Kriegsabzeichen f?r die Marine Artillerie on poor quality paper. Interestingly it is dated 21.2.1945 and signed by Vizeadmiral Friedrich H?ffmeier, Kommandant der Seeverteidigung Kanalinseln.

Hauptgefreiter Karl... was a member of FP Nr. 41645 C - 5 Batterie, Marine-Artillerie-Abteilung 604. Also possibly 2 Batterie!

From what little info I can find out, Marine-Artillerie-Abteilung 604 was on Guernsey and somewhere on the internet (not found again!) there was mention of 5 Batterie being on Sark!?

3 Batterie (Batterie Lothringen) is well known for being stationed on Jersey at Noirmont Point.

Enjoy,

Ian

Edited April 2, 2006 by ian jewison

[Simon Orchard]

Excellent find Ian, Channel islands stuff doesn't crop up too often at all. Do you know what actions it was awarded for? Firing pot shots at allied shipping that strayed into range? Shooting down aircraft?

[ian jewison]

Do you know what actions it was awarded for? Firing pot shots at allied shipping that strayed into range? Shooting down aircraft?

Hi Simon,

That I do not know yet....I have a copy of the Channel Islands Occupation Society (CIOS) Review 1983 which gives a little info on the unit and an in depth book on "Batterie Lothringen" by one of the CIOS committe members but only just started researching it!

I was very pleased to get this, Marine Artillerie/Flak is also an interest of mine but so far I have not found what actions the Battery was involved in....no doubt as you say shooting down aircraft.

I need to find where 5 Batterie was.....there were some actions on Sark I believe February/March 1945 with the Allies but I need to reseach that info again.

Maybe John Temple-West might be able to point me in the right direction?

Cheers,

Ian

Edited April 3, 2006 by ian jewison

[J Temple-West]

Hi Ian.

Just a little background. "Batterie Lothringen" (Noirmont Point, St.Brelade) consisted of 4x 15cm SK L/45 (SK= schiffskanone-"ships guns") turret-mounted German Naval guns (1917) with a range of 16.5km.

There was a corresponding emplacement on the island of Guernsey and between the two, the channel between the two islands was covered.

As can be seen from the extract from the official listings of the forces in the CI, ?5 Batterie? was based in Guernsey and it would seem that it was allocated the name ?Batterie Steinbruch?. This is just a quick bit of research and is by no means definitive (as can be seen from the question mark next to the entry for the ?batterie? in question).

I will be paying a visit to the local archives in an attempt to find out a little more, so bear with me.

Listing.

[J Temple-West]

Position of "Batt Lothringen".

[J Temple-West]

One of the gun positions as it was then.

[J Temple-West]

And as it is now.

[J Temple-West]

A priod pic of the command bunker taken during the early days of construction.

[J Temple-West]

Today.

[J Temple-West]

Rangefinder.

[J Temple-West]

"CIOS" plaque explaining the restoration process of the bunker and surrounding emplacements Of "Batterie Lothringen"

[ian jewison]

Thanks for the info John,

Interestingly I replied last night but for some reason that post is not here!?!?

I did find a little info regarding 5 Bttr. being named Kleiner Sark or something like that!?

Cheers,

Ian