Evacuated – Occupied – Fortified: the Only British Territory Captured by Nazi Germany

It’s the 28th June 1940. Two weeks ago the British War Office left you and your fellow islanders defenceless. Yet today, you are at the mercy of German bombers raining havoc from above. Amidst your fear, confusion and anger the 1st of July brings an ultimatum from the Germans and later that day, indoctrinated and highly militarised German troops arrive in force. Your life has changed forever. You are now a prisoner of war; a helpless subservient to Nazi rule. This was the harsh reality for the people of Jersey during the second world war lasting five years, from June 1940 – May 1945. 

Hitler’s Masterplan

The German garrisons arrival marked the beginning of Hitlers 8 year strategy towards an impregnably fortified island. Jersey and the rest of the Channel Islands were dubbed an imperative addition to the ‘Atlantic Wall’ which spanned almost 2000 miles from the northern tip of Norway to southern France (see figure 1). Unsurprisingly, this was considered one of the greatest feats of engineering in modern times (Military History Now, 2014).

Figure 1 – Hitler’s ‘Atlantic Wall’ and location of Jersey

Thousands of slave workers from southern and eastern Europe were forcibly instructed to erect hundreds of bunkers, anti-tank walls, railway systems, as well as many tunnel complexes (“Discover Jersey’s Occupation Story”, n.d.). Despite severe mistreatment and abuse these imported workers produced impressive structures that have withstood the test of time. Many of them remain intact today. 

The fortifications were composed of materials brought in by the German army, mainly reinforced concrete and steel. The simplicity of material meant great quantities could be distributed across the Atlantic Wall, with over 20% being designated to the Channel Islands alone (“Virtual Bunker Tours”, n.d.) – does this not accentuate Hitler’s infatuation with the Channel Islands? Walls and ceilings were 2m thick and heavy artillery was installed in specified locations. Some of the bunkers were even equipped to resist a gas attack (BBC News, 2016). Jersey’s coastline quickly became a concrete, well engineered, contiguous network of mass destruction that could be seen for miles (see figure 2). Was Jersey one of Hitlers crazed obsessions or a strategic advancement in his move for world domination?

Figure 2 – Key German fortifications on Jersey

Hitler’s Crazed Obsession – Failed

The quality and complexity of the defence network enclosing Jersey suggests the Nazi’s were fearful of a British Invasion. Yet, it would be futile to propose that the sole function of the Atlantic wall was to defend an invasion attempt. Hitler was demonstrating the might and ability of the German army. You could imagine that such fortifications would put you off committing any sort of rebellion or deter most plans of attack. But, the time and money put into the project is massively wasteful as no single structure was ever used! So why Jersey?

It can be understood that the Channel Islands appeared a valuable asset to the Germans. None of Britain had been taken and they bridged part of the gap (albeit a very small part) from continental Europe to Britain. However, Hitler’s first mistake in his  endeavour with Jersey can be traced back to the 28th June 1940. Remember the bombings of a demilitarised Jersey? It is here where a realisation should have been made. The Channel Islands were clearly insignificant to the strategists of the British War Office. Obviously, and against advice from his trusted generals, Hitler continued with his aspirations for an impregnable wall which in hindsight was destined to fail.

Post War Jersey

“Our dear Channel Islands are also to be freed today.” (Winston Churchill, 1945). 

It is the 8th May 1945. Prime Minister Winston Churchill has announced the liberation from German rule along with the surrender of Western Europe by opposing forces. 

Jersey’s landscape was scattered with reminders from the occupation. Immediately after the war bunkers were considered a nuisance but could not be destroyed due to the mass finance that such demolition would require. Nonetheless, the concrete landscape still brought islanders distress. Thus many of the bunkers were closed off or filled in upon citizen request. 

Nowadays, an array of German WW2 infrastructure still remains. Jersey is home to the best-preserved collection of German Second World War defence works in Western Europe (Hamish, 2019). The bunkers attract thousands of tourists every year. Companies make profit off of their historical significance by hosting educational tours benefitting both tourists and local schools. Hence, Jersey’s coastline remains very much fortified but serves a new purpose. It is a concrete network of preserved and historically significant monuments that symbolise one of the most important events in global history.

It seems Hitler’s loss really is our gain.

List of Figures

Figure 1 – Hitler’s ‘Atlantic Wall’ and location of Jersey.

Figure 2 – Key German fortifications on Jersey.

References

BBC News (2016) German World War Two bunker in Jersey excavated, viewed 19th October 2021. [Available from; https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-jersey-35967051]

Channel Islands Occupation Society (2005-2021) Bunkers, viewed 19th October 2021. [Available from; https://www.cios.org.je/bunkers/]

Discover Jersey’s Occupation Story; From Occupation to Liberation (1940 – 1945), 2021, Jersey, viewed 19th October 2021. [Available from; https://www.jersey.com/guides-features/discover-jerseys-occupation-story]

Hamish (2019) Exploring The German Underground Bunkers Of Jersey, viewed 16th October 2021. [Available from; https://mytravelfix.com/german-underground-bunkers-jersey/]

History Alive n.d., German Fortifications – Hilter’s fatally flawed fortress madness, viewed 16th October 2021. [Available from; https://www.historyalive.je/tours/german-bunker-tour-occupation-1940-45/]

Jersey Heritage n.d., THE OCCUPATION, viewed 19th October 2021. [Available from; https://www.jerseyheritage.org/learn/schools/the-occupation/]

Liberation 75 n.d., Virtual Bunker Tours, Gov.je, viewed 17th October 2021. [Available from; https://www.gov.je/Leisure/Liberation75/events/pages/virtualbunkertours.aspx]

Military History Now (2014) The Atlantic Wall – 11 Key Facts About the Nazi Defences at Normandy, viewed 19th October 2021. [Available from; https://militaryhistorynow.com/2014/06/04/the-atlantic-wall-11-amazing-facts-about-the-nazi-defences-at-normandy/]