STP Victoria Tower
Details
This is a Martello tower and was the last tower to be built in Jersey. It was constructed in 1837 and named after Queen Victoria to commemorate her accession to the throne. Victoria Tower would have been one of the first military buildings to be constructed under the reign of the newly crowned queen.
The purpose of the tower was to prevent the enemy from landing at Anne Port and to prohibit access to Mont Saint Nicolas, thus safeguarding Mont Orgueil. Following a survey of the island's fortifications by Lieut.-Colonel G. G. Lewis (the Commanding Officer of the Royal Engineers), in 1831, the Defence Committee ordered a series of forts to be built. The tower was constructed under the guidance of Lieutenant-Colonel K. H. Oldfield, the Commanding Engineer in Jersey.
During the Occupation, the German forces fortified this hilltop, but most of their works are now inaccessible. The requisitioned land was used as the headquarters for the 2nd Battalion Artillery Regiment.
Numbers
Four NCOs and twenty-four Other Ranks. Reserve: Three officers, eleven NCOs and thirty-six Artillery Other Ranks and one NCO and twenty Naval Ratings.
German Record Details
3 x le.MG 34 (2 als s.MG eingesetzt)
2 x 5cm Gr.W.210(f)
2 x 20cm le.Lad.Werfer
1 x 3,7cm Pak
1 x 4,7cm Pak K/36 (t) mit MG gekoppelt
1 x m.Flammenwerfer
1 x 40cm Scheinwerfer
1 x 150cm Scheinwerfer (Haus Garenne)
2 x le.MG 34 d.Art
2 x MG 08 d.Art
2 x 2cm Flak 38 d.Marine
Weapons and Equipment
Three light Machine Gun 34’s (two also with heavy Machine Gun mounts)
Two 5cm French mortars
Two 20cm spigot mortars
One 3.7cm Anti-Tank guns
One 4.7cm Czechoslovakian Anti-Tank gun mounted with a Machine Gun mounted on a revolving platform One medium flamethrower
One 40cm searchlight
One 150cm searchlight
Two light Machine Gun 34’s of the Artillery
Two Machine Gun 08’s of the Artillery
Three 2cm Anti-Aircraft guns of the Navy
Objective and Function (translated)
The Strongpoint Victoria Tower has in particular orders to defend Gorey Harbour and Anne Port Bay from enemy landings from the sea and through fire to prevent attack from land and air. Additional defence with infantry. The Battalion Command Post of II/Artillery Regiment 319 and the Radio Location Apparatus (RADAR) of the Navy. By attack against Gorey Harbour work together with Resistance Nest Gorey Harbour, by attack against the Strongpoint work together with the Artillery and Navy
WW2 Maps & Documents
WW2 Aerial Photos
WW2 Photos
Recent Photos
Exploring bunkers:
• Always get permission from the owner
• Take a torch, a spare and one more for luck
• Don't go alone & tell someone where you will be and for how long
• You will get dirty as most are often full of rubbish and may have been used as a public toilet
• Anything you find still belongs to the person that owns the property
• Unexploded ordnance is still found in Jersey if you see or find anything that looks like ordnance please call the bomb disposal officer on 01534 612 612.
Jargon Help
Widerstandsnest (WN) = Resistance Nest (RN)
Small pocket of resistance, these would be made up of small groups of up to 10 men with light weapons. They would man Anti-tank weapons, an observation post or a field gun.
Stützpunkt St.P = Strongpoint (STP)
Next level up from an RN and consisted of several RN's. STP areas would have a combination of weapons and different branches of the military used. Examples of this can be found with Strongpoint Greve de Lecq and Strongpoint Corbiere
Einsatzstellung = Operational Position or Action Post
Smaller MG type position generally it was only maned during an alert
Feldwache = Field Watch
Jäger Casemate was a special design and name for bunkers designed to hold a 10.5cm field gun
Sources of Information
German Documents are housed at The National Archived in Washington or Archive in Kew UK
T-78 Roll 318
T-78 Roll 317
T-315 Roll 1639
T-315 Roll 1643
T-311 Roll 27
T-312 Roll 1545
AOK 7 War Diary
OKW War Diary
Operation Green Arrow - Occupation of the Channel Islands MOD 584
Allied Technical Intelligence Reports 1944-45
German Preparations for Invasion of the United Kingdom 1941-42
B-833, 319th Infantry Division (1941-45)
German Seacoast Defenses, European Theatre - prepared by the Seacoast Artillery Evaluation Board
Jersey Occupied by Michael Ginns - ISBN 978-1-905095-29-2
Operation Nestegg Plans
Operation Hardtack Plans
Operation Basalt Plans
RAF Photos care of The National Collection of Aerial Photography
Bundesarchiv - Multiple Photos - and Files
A Map of slave labour camps. Kindly Provided by Emilio Pérez
Photo's and information provided by fans
Onsite visits & internet research
After the Battle Multiple Magazines
If we have used any photos or information which you believe to posted without permission, please contact us at info@jerseywartours.com
