Batterie Moltke
Les Landes, St Ouen, Jersey, Channel Islands.
Rating: 4.6 ★ (134 ratings)
Details
Batterie Moltke is an uncompleted World War II former coastal artillery battery in St Ouen, in the north-west of Jersey. It was constructed by Organisation Todt for the Wehrmacht during the occupation of the Channel Islands. The battery structures include bunkers, gun emplacements, and the Marine Peilstand 3 tower, which are on Les Landes, a coastal patch of heathland at the north end of St Ouen's Bay. The primary purpose of this battery would have been the defence of St Ouen's Bay in the event of an amphibious assault by the Allies, although Jersey's entire coastline would have been within range of the guns, as would the stretch of water between Jersey and Sark.
Originally planned to be armed with modern German 15 cm SK C/28 naval guns, these never arrived due to Allied bombing raids in Europe. Instead, four captured French Canon de 155mm GPF guns, known as 15.5 cm K 418(f) by the Germans, were installed. One of the original guns can be seen there today. The Channel Islands Occupation Society (CIOS) maintains and restores parts of the site, including gun emplacements, bunkers, and barracks, operating some as a museum to tell the story of Jersey's Occupation. The exterior areas of the site, including the gun emplacements, are accessible year-round.
Location
Opening Hours
The exterior gun emplacements are always open. The subterranean museum under Gun Emplacement number 4 has specific opening hours, often on Sundays, or by tour. Check with the Channel Islands Occupation Society or Jersey Bunker Tours for details.
Contact
Channel Islands Occupation Society (CIOS) manages the site. Specific contact for tours may be through Jersey War Tours or Jersey Bunker Tours. Trail Monkey Jersey has also organized events here.
Comments
On close inspection, the array of bunkers, observation towers and gunpits are impressive in their construction and their field of vision over the ocean.
The bunker wasn't open the day we walked along this coastline but that did not detract from the experience.
If you have an interest in military history and/or the occupation of Jersey by the Germans in World War Two, I strongly recommend that you visit here.
This location is the first heavy artillery position, in range to interdict naval traffic and fire support for rest of coast to the North and Atlantic Wall beach approaches to the South East.
Warning - German fortifications can be hazardous! ⚠️
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Very intriguing set up.