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Strongpoint Corbière, located at the southwestern tip of Jersey, was a significant German coastal artillery battery and fortified area during World War II. It formed part of Hitler's Atlantic Wall, designed to defend the western waters of the Channel Islands from Allied attacks. The site featured an array of weaponry and six main fortifications with thick concrete walls and ceilings, including specialized bunkers like the unique Jägerstands designed to house French 10.5 cm guns, a Regelbau 633 combat bunker with a 5 cm M19 mortar, an M19 Automatic Fortress Mortar Bunker, a Type 634 Sechsschartentürm (6-Loophole machine gun turret), and a Type 606 Searchlight Bunker.
Volunteers from the Channel Islands Occupation Society (CIOS) have been restoring Strongpoint Corbière for over 30 years, transforming it into a site that tells the history of Jersey's Occupation. The restored complex, including an M19 mortar bunker uniquely connected by a long underground corridor to a neighboring machine gun bunker, allows visitors to experience the 'working atmosphere' of the fortifications. Each room within the bunkers has been restored to reflect its operational appearance during the war, incorporating firsthand accounts from soldiers stationed there and information about the forced laborers who constructed the site. The CIOS regularly holds open days, allowing the public to explore multiple bunkers, view displays of military vehicles, munitions, and uniforms, and learn about the interactions between soldiers and civilians, as well as events like a failed escape attempt by islanders.
Open days on selected dates, generally 14:00-17:00. Check the CIOS Jersey website for specific dates.
Channel Islands Occupation Society (CIOS) Jersey: [email protected], [email protected]
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