The Channel Islands are an archipelago in the English Channel. Despite lying only 15km off the coast of France at their closest point, the Channel Islands actually form part of Great Britain but not the United Kingdom, although the latter is responsible for the defence of the islands.
In the Second World War, with the German Forces approaching via France, many of the islanders evacuated to England, the Islands being left defenceless to invaders. Eventually, the German forces crossed the sea from France and invaded and occupied Guernsey on June 30th 1940, as a result of Hitler worrying that the British would attack from the west so as to complement the Soviet forces attacking from the east. The islanders of Guernsey suffered great hardships for the next few years, this continuing way after their ‘Liberation Day’ on May 9th 1945.
Due to their location at the south-western ‘entrance’ to the English Channel, the occupying forces set about fortifying the Channel Islands. Guernsey, the second largest of the Islands, and the most north-westerly and so closest to passing ships, was heavily fortified by the occupying German forces, with many gun batteries placed both inland and along the coastal locations. These gun batteries were supplemented by many tunnel systems, observation towers, smaller gun emplacements, command posts, trench systems, and other buildings. Islanders locally refer to these constructions as ‘bunkers’ - many are ‘open to the air’ and can be explored, but please be wary if doing so, as they are now over 70 years old and in various states of decay, flooding, and access. Some have been preserved and/or restored and are open to the public during specific times of certain days throughout the year.
Guernsey had the largest artillery pieces in the Channel Islands, including tanks, and 12,000 troops – this number of troops gave the ratio of one German soldier for every two islanders (compared to France which had a 1:80 ratio, or higher!).
The headland at Pleinmont forms the south-western corner of Guernsey. Lihou Island and the 36m high Hanois lighthouse can be seen from here, as well as Jersey and the French coast on clear days. The prehistoric ‘Fairy Ring’ is a wonderful place to dance around, or one could walk the dramatic cliff paths and marvel at the geological features that make this landscape.
Batterie Dollmann
A large proportion of the Pleinmont headland was covered by the coastal artillery Battery ‘Generaloberst Dollmann’. Although designed by the German occupiers, these fortifications were constructed by workers of the ‘Organisation Todt’, comprising forced or impressed labourers from other occupied countries, and Russian prisoners-of-war. Over 7,000 workers were sent to Guernsey alone during World War Two, so enabling the German Forces to build these fortifications.
Many of the Batterie Dollmann fortifications can still be seen today. Dominating the headland is the German Naval observation and range-finding tower MP3. Peculiar to the Channel Islands, these huge naval direction-finding and signalling stations were known to the German forces as ‘Marinepeilstaende (MP) und Messetellungen’. It was intended that these towers be built on high points all around the coastline of Guernsey, Jersey, and Alderney to provide a complete monitoring chain; in the event, by the end of the Second World War, only seven had been completed. Each observation slit of a tower observed for one particular battery and was fitted with range-finding equipment. MP3 has five observation levels and had a radar unit on the roof. The original rangefinders are still onsite and in working order.
Cross-Sections Of The MP3 Tower
The MP3 tower is open from April to October - Wednesdays and Sundays only, from 2pm to 4.30pm. Please check with the Guernsey Information Centre for further details. The Tower is accessible using various public bus routes. There is a small fee payable if you decide to enter the Tower.
The cacher may also wish to view the Batterie Dollmann Command Post, the ‘Leistand’ or Command Post of the whole headland during the German Occupation. It has two underground levels. Above ground is the range finder position with a huge square concrete roof. A ladder provided access to the plotting room below.
The Army Artillery Observation Post M5 (Prevote Tower) can be seen high on the south coast cliffs. This two-storey tower was the site of an older Napoleonic-aged watch-house which was destroyed to build the tower. The tower was originally clad with granite to camouflage it as a Napoleonic tower.
How To Claim this Virtual Cache
To claim this Virtual Cache, all the cacher has to do is go to the coordinates and take a photo with the German Naval observation and range-finding tower MP3 in the background – there MUST be a unique photo for every cacher who claims this Virtual Cache, with either:
- Each cacher claiming this Virtual as an individual ‘selfie’, with the MP3 as the background, or…..
…..if the cacher does NOT want their face in the photo, either:
- Each cacher claiming this Virtual as an individual ‘selfie’, with the MP3 as the background, but with a piece of paper (etc.), over their face that has their cacher name AND the date AND time written on it, or…..
- A photo of the GPS device as used by each cacher who is claiming this Virtual, the GPS device recording the fact that they are at the coordinates, this device being the foreground of a photo with the MP3 in the background.
Any Logs that have either 1) no photo, or 2) photos that do not display either of the above criteria, will be deleted without notice. Screenshots of the locating icon at GZ will NOT be accepted.
Example of a permitted photo (selfie with a person)
Example of a NOT permitted photo (no person or GPS device present in the photo!)
Virtual Reward - 2017/2018
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between August 24, 2017 and August 24, 2018. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards on the Geocaching Blog.