Occupation Museum treasures Guernsey

[Fuzeman]

A few of the German grenades at the Occupation museum Guernsey

 

[Millsman]

The museums on Jersey are great as reference places. It's all genuine stuff left behind when the 11500 German soldiers left the island and when you see the originals you realise that a heck of a lot of the nazi stuff being sold these days is fake. When you compare paints and patina of the Jersey exhibits the difference hits you.

John

 

[dano1917]

patina

Yes John, When I look at the pictures that Fuzeman posted the originality appears obvious. Certainly has changed my mind on a few pieces out there advertised as original. While I have a couple of WW2 grenades I am not a WW2 collector but do like to stay abreast of what is out there. I have seen a lot of German WW2 sticks that I would now consider suspect...Dano

 

[Fuzeman]

Have you read Liberated by Force 135 by Mark Lamerton its an excellent book.If you go to Guernsey which had the largest German garrison in May 13,000 for a population of just under 26,000 the amount of equipment, was tremendous, then in the scrap drive of 47 most of the bunkers and fortifications on all the islands were stripped of their internal fittings, the guns were dropped over the cliffs at Les Landes, several being rescued by the Guernsey occupation society and returned to their original emplacements as were Jerseys.

 

[Millsman]

In the late 70's I worked with a lady who had friends on Jersey and they visited every year. This friend's house had housed German soldiers in the war and when they returned to it after the war the loft space was full off arms and munitions. They threw wheelbarrow loads of mortar bombs over the cliffs into the sea but kept the rest and loved showing their guests boxes of new K98s still in their crates. I've no idea if they are still there, but when I was in Jersey recently I was talking to one shooter there who said there was one member of his gun club that had 150 WW2 weapons on his certificate and shot many of them regularly. Another member had 100. Jersey firearms laws were not changed like those in the mainland UK.

John (green with envy)

 

[Fuzeman]

Hi John
Thats very true every time the states of Jersey propose strict gun laws ! they are thrown out, not like Guernsey, who use similar laws to the UK

 

[Millsman]

Perhaps Jersey shows that having armed citizens does not lead to a lawless society? Maybe someone should do some comparisons to the mainland where mainly criminals have guns.

John

 

[navyman]

Couldn't agree more John,
Just look at Switzerland as a prime example of armed and trained citizens keeping war at bay for many years?
Cheers,
Guy.