Rouge Nez

German naval observation tower at Rouge Nez, on the northwest coast of Jersey – part of the German system of fortifications built on the Channel Islands during the Second World War. Jersey, Channel Islands, UK




This is one of three such observation towers built on Jersey (several more were planned), and along with bunkers, gun batteries and anti-tank walls on the island forms part of Hitler’s ‘Atlantic Wall’ – an extensive string of fortifications stretching from Norway to Spain. The German fortifications on Jersey were out of all proportion both to the island’s size (it’s only 9 miles wide) and its strategic value, but for Hitler the Channel Islands represented a great propaganda coup, with German troops occupying British soil. Around 10% of Hitler’s entire ‘Atlantic Wall’ is concentrated on the little island of Jersey.
For more information on Jersey’s WWII fortifications, see the Jersey Heritage website (you can even stay in one of the other observation towers, at La Corbière on the island’s southwest point) and www.jersey.com. A guide to Jersey’s ‘Occupation Trail’ can be downloaded here.
For more images of Jersey visit Rudolf Abraham photography.
Photos © Rudolf Abraham. No unauthorized use.