Festung opens batterie site after a decade of hard work
ONE of the largest projects ever undertaken by Festung Guernsey saw a former German artillery installation in St Saviour’s opened to the public on Saturday.
It haw taken the group’s volunteers more than 10 years to dig out trenches and bunkers that had previously been used by almost 150 German troops during the Occupation.
Batterie Scharnhorst had been the site of four 15cm Kanone 18 guns and thanks to the support of the landowner, Festung Guernsey was able to clear and dig out two of the emplacements.
Saturday was the first time the public had been invited to see what had been uncovered, and dozens of islanders turned up to explore the many trenches, bunkers and the main gun emplacements.
To add to the authenticity, Festung Guernsey members had provided decommissioned German weapons, hand grenades, a set of field binoculars and a field telephone around the location, as well as lots of photos and information boards detailing the site’s history.
What surprised many visitors was the area covered by the two emplacements. But, pointed out Festung Guernsey’s Paul Bourgaize, there were two other emplacements that remain buried in nearby fields, meaning that only about half of the full site has been uncovered.
These fields are in different ownership, but there is still part of the site to which the group has access that is yet to be uncovered: ‘There’s a cook house under bushes that, long-term, might be next to open up,’ he said.
It is planned to open Scharnhorst to the public perhaps twice a year in future, but Mr Bourgaize said it would only happen in the summer owing to the land getting too marshy in the winter.
‘And you’d be surprised at how much maintenance this site needs,’ he added.
Enjoying looking through the periscope-like binoculars was 15-year-old Jacob Bellis: ‘I sometimes like to explore these places,’ he said. ‘I’ve been to others, and not just the German ones.’
‘This has become his obsession,’ said Jacob’s father, Christian. ‘But I’ve always had an interest since I was a kid.’
He was impressed with the batterie and the work done by the volunteers: ‘It’s great for tourism as well,’ he added. ‘It gives you an appreciation of the lengths the Germans went to.’
. To find out more, festungguernsey.org.gg/
