Tony B

Careful, we will spoil our reputations! :-D it is haveing some one who is informed to speculate with that sparks the intrest and helps find the answers. The German records, the war diaries German Navy 1940 to 1945 are in the Jersey Archive. They came from the Channel Island Occupation society. I'm a member so will contacting them. I've got some info on the German Naval presence in the island's, there was quite a bit of action, mostly small scale and overshadowed by the 'bigger picture'. when I've sorted it out I'll let you know what I find. articale has gone off to Mark on cemetery today.

Yeah and that's all on stop start driving! :banghead:

As was said to the organisers a long time ago. 'If we don't bring our vehicles all you have is a big empty feild'. Time they were reminded!

You've mad me deterimined to try and find out more. Time to go back to books and internet. Thanks for help and advice. Nice to have a intelligent person to argue and bounce ideas off! :-D

I don't know where the German records went. :blush: I'll try the Channel Island Occcupation Society and Damien. The whole story has some odd points. By August, Cherbourg was well within Allied reach. The allies had air and naval superiority. The only other port other than fishing ports near the island's are Granville and St Malo, Dinard. There sems to have been a lot of men on board the sweeper. Page must have thought it odd to mention it. He'd have some idea of the number of crew to expect, and being aremed with small arms and grenades? I intially wondered if it mighht have something to do with the Granville raid, http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/52/a4041352.shtml But the dates are wrong. I wonder if the sweeper was taking troops or casualties from France to Island for treatment? Though thinking about it they may have been running from Gurnersey. The Germans also had Flack lighters based in the Islands, these were armed to the teeth, including 37mm, which seems odd on a sweeper. Must have been one of the last naval sorties from the island's. lack of fuel etc led to some of the naval vessels being stripped of guns and shore mounted in Sark. The Germans claimed the Gestapo Geheime Staats Polizei, Secret State Police were not in the Island's. They were Gehime Feldpolizei Secret FEILD Police. Those that had dealings with them , wouldn't find much diffrence. They used a house called Silvertide at Harve De Pas, and drove a purple car.

Welcome david, all intrests coverd here. The bar is queit at the momnt as many are on twenty four hour stag at Beltring.

:rofl::drive: Enjoy!

Thanks Degsey. Just goes to show, things hapen in your backyard and are very little known. The picture in Moltke was only done in the last few years. There is also a new to me memorial at Lothrign on Nioirmont Point to Sqd Ldr R Snicker Woodward DFC RAF and W/o Donals Burton McPhail RCAF lost flyiing whirlwinds on 7/12/1942. doing a search on 509 i found the report of Page when he returned to the US, that site stated that there was some confusion in spelling of names. Adds to the puzzle. Unfortunatley Jersey Archives are sufering funding problems at the moment, so on line acess is not very good, and visting hours reduced. Next time I get over I'll try to go there.

Wait till you get a puncture!:-D

Easy, number 6 means-'If we decide we want to get you on something, that'll do!':-D

Getting intresting. There are four names, not asssociated with PT 509. Edward J Pycz 8619350, W.H. Kearns. J. J. Manning. Woodrow W Anderson. All USN all buried 6. 11. 1944. back to books and internet.

I'm going to check on the other names tonight. They are quite a lot later dated 6.11.1944. The English hospital Page mentions is the States of Jersey General Hospital in St Helier, than as now the only General hospital on the island. Any patient requiring specialist treatment is sent now to UK, either Southampton, or one of the london hospitals. At that time any German casualties were sent to France or back to Germany. Following D-Day casualties were sent in the intial stages to Jersey, and proably Gurnersey , but I don't knw. The German's sent all the civillian patients home, or to private nursing homes. the published acounts of the time are horrific enough. Litle or no equipment, no drugs or anisthetic. Jersey civillian Doctor's and Surgeouns offred their services but were refused. I've heard accounts of containers of amputatred limbs and soild dresings dumped in the street. Due to the seige there was no fuel for for the creamatorium or incinerators. i have also heard that one german doctor could stand no more and comitted suicide. The Underground hospital was never intended as such. It was another storage tunnel and underground barracks. The equipment it was fitted with was Feild Hospital type. though it was sopisticated, including portabkle X Ray equipment. The picture is an X Ray ubit currently at Batterie Moltke. It was used by a local vet for many years.

The Northern Ireland thing kicked off, this time, in 1969. That was about the time the new lighting regulations changed the headlights to the wings. I suppose some of the earlier 2a must have been out there at least to begin with.

That's the man Degsey. There were a number of US casualties and prisoners in Jersey, naval USAAF, and some soldiers after the Granville raid. The had a seperate camp on the edge of St Helier, the site is now layed out with reversing bays for learner drivers. A number of US burials were re-patriated in the early 1970's. I'd like to find out a bit more, the odd thing is the Jersey War Cemetery, despite have Allied and US war graves is nothing to do with either CWWGC or the US authorities. The action is supposed to be the highest losses for PT boats in the Channel. There is a memeorial in one of the bunkers in Jersey. Poor picture I'm afraid. Cross referencing to do , but two casualties from PT 509 at least Darril Bricker and Richard Horsefeild, but there are two later USN burials as well.

When its working remind me, I REALLY musn't upset you! :shocked:

Just watched it. Very moving. Must get there soon.

Chertsey 1966

Yes, My son has a military 2A 88 and 109.

MDP also used to compete!

How can I go about tracing USN fallen? I'm doing an articale for Pathfinder on the Jersey War Cemetry. Some casualties buried there are USN, I belive from a PT boat action in the Channel after D-Day. the action was by PT Squadron 34 August 1944.

I was wondering what you had to cut that required a 7 foot bar. :-D Does confirm the WD link though. I wonder if Clive has the specification somewhere in his collection?

Welcome along Atherton.

welcome Chaz, the youngsters are all off playing at Beltring this week, so at least you can get to the bar.

Should be with you in about twenty minutes, takes a bit of time to slide down the hill! :-D

Sunny bright and dry .