WW2 German Fortifications on Jersey

As you walk around the coast on Jersey it is almost impossible to avoid the large and small concrete structures covering every single beach and cove. The Channel Islands Occupation Society has a very useful website and many of the structures are open in summer (CIOS link) and there is more details on the Occupation Detectives (link)

The Marine Peilstand near cape Gros Nez






on a sunnier day!


Batterie Moltke, with some guns they recovered from the sea beneath the cliffs.








The Jersey Military Museum, inside an old bunker on St Ouens bay with an R35 turret on top.










Strongpoint Corbiere, more bunkers on the SW cape along with another Marine Peilstand converted to a coastguard lookout






Batterie Lothringen, two very short visits, it really needed longer to appreciate this site on cape Noirmount






Interesting details of an action between PT boats and German minesweepers (link)




The Naval Observation post is much lower than the previous pair






A memorial at the small cove where commandos landed in Operation Hardtack 28 (link).


Finally the war tunnels, that were turned into an underground hospital. Lots of interesting stuff on the occupation but very little eye candy.

I was intrigued by Operation Constellation/Condor (link), a plan to invade Jersey in 1943 and the German raid on Granville in 1945 to capture some colliers (link)

Back from Jersey

I've spent the last two weeks tramping the footpaths of Jersey and visiting the various fortifications on the island. I'll follow up with a proper posting later, but good starting points are Jersey Heritage (link) and the Channel Islands Occupation Society (link)

I managed to find all the sites, except one on the CIOS leaflet.



I also picked up some interesting reading

Jersey fortifications - Mont Orgueil

The castle at Mont Orgueil is well worth a visit if you are on Jersey (wiki link). It is remarkably intact having been in use from an iron age fort through to the German occupation.

Its position overlooking Gorey and the Royal Bay of Grouville.


The introduction has a nice model of the castle, but it's difficult to photograph with the reflection




Looking up at the mssively reinforced keep with a Tudor artillery position on the right.




Sir Hugh Calveley (a cheshire lad) heavily involved in the HYW (link)




The view to the north.


The reason for the reinforced keep was to be able to have guns on top to contest the hill that overlooks the rest of the castle.


German conversion of the turrets into observation posts.


View from Gorey pier below


Of course Mont Orgueil was outdated in the age of gunpowder and was replaced as the principle fortification by Fort Elizabeth (next post) but it remained in use, especially by the Napoleonic spymaster Phiippe d'Auvergne.

Back from Jersey

I've had another holiday in Jersey, enjoying the coastal walking and encountering all the various fortifications, especially those from the German occupation.

I found a gun still in its bunker, I think it's a 75mm PAK 97/38

Lots more pictures from my previous visit here (link)

Jersey fortifications - Elizabeth Castle

Elizabeth Castle replaced Mont Orgueil as the principle defence of Jersey from the reign of Elizabeth I to Victoria, and is another site that must be visited (wiki link), It's on an island and can only be approached on foot at low tide or an amphibious vehicle at other times.


Approaching the castle across the causeway.


Impressive walls of the outer ward, which encompasses all the land above high water.




The keep


The parade ground and barracks which contain exhibits and the history of the castle.


A couple of models showing the development of the castle.




linked by a mole there is a rocky outcrop with the hermitage of St Helier and a chapel. It gives a good view back to the south side of the castle.


Some of the exhibits, a Pak 38 and a naval 88mm


A fortress gun.


The view from the keep, as usual converted by the Germans into an observation post.


The parade grounds and barracks. Beyond is St Helier harbour

Yet more German modifications


An impressive line of carronades.


In the reign of Queen Victoria a new fortification, Fort Regent was built above St Helier. Although it's been converted into a leisure complex, it has kept all the original features and well worth a visit. I didn't take any pictures as it was raining heavily when we visited.