Jersey

It's 28 years since I was there but I'm sure that the major WW2 related sight will still be the Underground Hospital, built by slave labour. From what I can remember, there were then several small museums of the period but no single large one. I'm going for a beer tomorrow with a friend who was there last year & is interested in military history. I'll get a more up to date view from him & post it over the weekend.

 

Hi VP,

The German built underground hospital is a must. Gorey Castle, long under siege some centuries ago should not be missed.

Enjoy the island,

From another island, cheers, Gerry

 

I spoke to my friend who was there a couple of years ago & he confirmed that the Underground Hospital is the most impressive thing to see. He suggested not starting with it as other places might seem an anti-climax after it. He recommended the Jersey Museum for the history of the island & the Occupation Museum, which are both in St. Helier. He thinks that there is a vehicle museum on the west of the island but didn't visit it. There are also a lot of WW2 fortifications dotted about the place.

 

Surprised you were sober enough to remember anything.
Picture #1 looks scary.

Cold!!!!!!

 

The operating theatre. Is it all in as good nick as this?

 

Hi, just to let you know, the best WW2 sites on Jersey are those that are not seen or open to the general public. So, it is a must for any enthusiast to make contact with a willing local that will show you the hidden bunkers etc.

The Underground Hospital is still open but the Motor museum and occupation museum have closed.

Last summer I found a german morse code signalling devise still mounted on its marble work top. Lots more german goodies buried deep inside many underground bunkers. They were buried/in-tombed by the British in 1945/6 after we were liberated. Many big German naval guns are still visiable over the edge of the cliffs where they were chucked by the British just to get rid of them.

 

I was just reminiscing about my holidays in Jersey in the early 80's. I recall only going to 2 WW2 sites, the Underground hospital and what I believe was a museum in a bunker, I can't remember where that was or what it was called. Just looking on a map and seeing how many more WW2 sites there are for the paying public to visit

 

Have to agree with the 'strange' comment. I think Jersey is a wonderful place appart from some of the people.

Jersey Tunnels are worth a look, although you have to understand that they are ther in order to tell the story of the occupation, not just to show a reconstruction of how they were during the occupation. They were after all, never finished.

The bunker complex at Les Landes is interesting, although the best benefit is gained when you arrange for it to be open during your visit. Recently been renovated so get there soon.

As has been said before, St Owens Bay, with the Jersey Military Museum is worth a trip. It may be small, but very interesting. For those who don't know, St Owens Bay was thought by the Germans to be the most likely place for an invasion and so was one of the best defended areas on the already very well defended island.

Worth a week, with a day or two on occupation sights, but more than that can be a little much.

 

As has been said before, St Owens Bay, with the Jersey Military Museum is worth a trip. It may be small, but very interesting. For those who don't know, St Owens Bay was thought by the Germans to be the most likely place for an invasion and so was one of the best defended areas on the already very well defended island.

Did the Welsh invade ???? For the uneducated it's St Ouen's (Saint Wan, as in wand without the 'd')

Worth a week, with a day or two on occupation sights, but more than that can be a little much.

As a local I'd prefer for the grockles just to send us their money and not clog up our roads by stopping in the most inopportune places to consult a map

 

Did the Welsh invade ???? For the uneducated it's St Ouen's (Saint Wan, as in wand without the 'd')

My typing error and my apologies.



As a local I'd prefer for the grockles just to send us their money and not clog up our roads by stopping in the most inopportune places to consult a map

Well if you could actually make roads that are wide enough for more than one car at a time you wouldn't have as much of a problem would you?

As for just wanting the money but not the tourists.... hey, in an ideal world. But we all have to put up with somethings in order to have the money coming in. How about realizing that the money is there because of the visitors and not despite them? Or it's a bit like a shopkeeper not wanting customers.

 

My typing error and my apologies.





Well if you could actually make roads that are wide enough for more than one car at a time you wouldn't have as much of a problem would you?

As for just wanting the money but not the tourists.... hey, in an ideal world. But we all have to put up with somethings in order to have the money coming in. How about realizing that the money is there because of the visitors and not despite them? Or it's a bit like a shopkeeper not wanting customers.

The money's here because of the offshore finance industry, tourism is just incidental ;-)

 

The money's here because of the offshore finance industry, tourism is just incidental ;-)

Well if that is the case, why not just stop the island actively attracting so many tourists and see how much of that money from the financial services actually makes it into the local economy. Not enough to keep the ordinary Islanders in employment, let alone all the Poles and Portuguese that have been attracted as 'cheap' labor for the service industry.

I do think that the Channel Islands put up a face of financial strength, but in actual fact it is all based on some very sketchy foundations. Therefore there is safety in diversity. Finance, agriculture and tourism all play their part shoring up each other.

 

A recent report from our Gov't showed that the financial services sector provided slightly less than 60% to the islands economy, tourism and agriculture combined less than 7%, like I say incidental, the other 33% being made up of the services industries.

The offshore finance industry was instigated in 1961, and has grown to a level whereby in excess of £60bn passes through Jersey annually. We have had a flat 20% tax rate since 1947, but taking into account various allowances the majority of the population pay less than 13% tax. As for being a tax haven with dodgy dealings, there is more bent money passing through the banks of the onshore jurisdictions such as the UK and US than passes through the whole of the Offshore finance industry. Jersey is considered to be one of the best regulated jurisdictions, with strict anti-money laundering procedures and laws.

As for "cheap" labour, the UK can't stand on ceremony there, at least all labour in Jersey in monitored and we have very few if any "illegals" working here. Those in cheap labour, live in reasonable accomodation (not dos-houses) and in the main send their money home, so are supporting other economies which are not as advanced as ours.

One thing you may not have noticed as you travelled around the islands that are a legacy from the Occupation are the road makings, which are a yellow line at each junction which means stop, not give way. These were introduced by the occupying forces, ironically it was Germany who recently tried to impose a standard across Europe and have these removed from Jersey roads.