Exploring a Time Capsule – Les Islet Bunker Complex
I was privileged today to be one of the first people to explore inside a newly excavated WWII German bunker complex that’s not seen the light of day since the late 40s/early 50’s … thanks to my good friends Phil & Andre from the Guernsey Housing Association who are preparing the site to build houses & flats on 😀
The bunker complex was an Army observation and plotting post for 2 batteries on the West coast of Guernsey : Batterie Scharnhorst and Batterie Brandenberg.
The Channel Islands were the most heavily fortified part of the wall, particularly Alderney & Guernsey as the oulying islands in the channel. Nearly 10% of all concrete used in this vast defence system was used in the Channel Islands, because of the propaganda value of controlling British territory. After D-Day on June 6th 1944 the Allies bypassed the islands and did not try to liberate them when they invaded Normandy. The islands’ German garrisons did not surrender until 9 May 1945 – one day after the German armed forces on the mainland. The German garrison on Alderney did not surrender until 16 May.
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