Widerstandsnest La Carriere at St Ouens Bay – Jersey, United Kingdom

Regelbau 631 bunker for 4,7 cm PaK (t) with pebble camouflage – Widerstandsnest La Carriere, Jersey

Widerstandsnest La Carrière was a German coastal defensive position located at St. Ouen’s Bay, Jersey, United Kingdom, during World War Two. As part of the Atlantic Wall, it was fortified to resist Allied landings. The strongpoint included reinforced concrete bunkers, machine gun positions, and an anti-tank wall and obstacles, to protect the wide beach area from invasion. It was equipped with anti-tank guns, heavy machine guns, and mortars, supported by barbed wire, minefields, and trenches. Constructed by the Organisation Todt, the site remains one of many well-preserved fortifications in the Channel Islands, reflecting the German occupation from 1940 to 1945.

Widerstandsnest La Carriere with the R 631 – 4,7 cm bunker on the right, the WaKoFest Jägerstand 10,5 cm in the middle and hill 201 in the back.

Beach front

At the beach front the strongpoint consisted of a Regelbau 631 bunker with a 4,7 cm Pak (t) and coaxial MG 37 (t) machine gun integrated in the anti-tank wall. On the right side of the wall seen from the beach there is a WaKoFest Jägerstand with a 10,5 cm Kanone 331 (f) together with a Regelbau 606 searchlight bunker partly protected by the rocky terrain. The latter is a bunker with a garage for a 60 cm searchlight and crew. Three “Tobruk” bunkers for machine guns are also placed at this Widerstandnest.

WaKoFest Jägerstand with a 10,5 cm Kanone 331 (f) – Widerstandsnest La Carriere, Jersey

WaKoFest Jägerstand for 10,5 cm Kanone 331 (f) – Widerstandsnest La Carriere, Jersey

WaKoFest Jäger casemate with a 10,5 cm Kanone 331 (f) – Widerstandsnest La Carriere, Jersey

St. Ouens Bay with Stützpunkt Etacquerel at the far tip seen from a WaKoFest Jägerstand 10,5 cm gun – Widerstandsnest La Carriere, Jersey

Entrance to WaKoFest Jagerstand for 10,5 cm Kanone 331 (f) – Widerstandsnest La Carriere

Hill 201

On top of hill 201 you find an observation post. Another two bunkers are buried under the sand, a Regelbau 646 water supply bunker and a Regelbau M150 Leitstand, a fire control bunker.

Searchlight Field Garage. Note the rail tracks in front – Widerstandsnest La Carriere, Jersey

Regelbau 606 – 60 cm Searchlight bunker – Widerstandsnest La Carriere, Jersey

Regelbau 606 for a 60 cm Searchlight bunker with a sealed up garage – Widerstandsnest La Carriere, Jersey

Inside the Regelbau 606 for a 60 cm Searchlight bunker – Widerstandsnest La Carriere, Jersey

Observation post on top of hill 201 – Widerstandsnest La Carriere, Jersey

St Ouens bay seen from the observation post at hill 201 – Widerstandsnest La Carriere, Jersey

Footprints of Stahl or Nagel Schuhe (hobnail shoes) on the roof of the observation post – Widerstandsnest La Carriere, Jersey

Museum – Jersey Tours

The WaKoFest Jägerstand and its 10,5 cm Kanone 331 (f) Skoda gun can be seen on the inside. Both gun bunkers lie next to each other and the WaKoFest Jager casemate is part of the Jersey War Tours. A 10,5 cm 331 (f) Skoda gun is still in its position overlooking the bay. All kinds of items are stored inside the bunker to be seen and touched. Information is given on all objects and the location and history of the Widerstandsnest by the tour guides of course. A visit is organized by booking a guided tour. Check out the Jersey War Tours organization on the different types of tours they offer.