The Channel Island Military Museum

The Channel Island Military Museum The best Occupation experience on the Island. A vast collection displayed in a German bunker.
(1)

We open for the season every year on the Monday before Good Friday and close at the end of October for the winter. The Museum is housed in a German bunker which once formed part of Hitlers Atlantic Wall defences. All the rooms and corridors are full of German military and civilian Occupation items. Hundreds of items, many personnel stories, and a 40 minute commentary. Well worth the visit if your

interested in the history of the Island. The artefacts on display in the Museum are a very small part of the owners collection which he started when he was 7 years old and is still searching for new items today nearly 50 years later. His lifelong passion has been to save all and any items from the 5 years of German Occupation, after hearing his Grandparents stories about the Occupation and those of his Father he became determined that this time should not be forgotten. The Occupation happened here on the Island of Jersey and is the most important time in the Islands recent history, the Museum and all the artefacts on display are evidence of this time and an exceptionally rare and valuable insight into those times for tourists and researchers alike.

Tuesdays item of interest is a follow on from the MG.15 gunners pouch that was posted yesterday.Here is the MG.15 from t...
11/08/2026

Tuesdays item of interest is a follow on from the MG.15 gunners pouch that was posted yesterday.
Here is the MG.15 from the museums collection. A fairly clean example, and for its size it’s a sturdy bit of kit.
It’s seen here with its drum magazine in place.

Below is some information from the internet which may be of interest.

The MG 15 (Maschinengewehr 15) was a German 7.92mm machine gun primarily designed by Rheinmetall in the early 1930s as a flexible-mount defensive weapon for Luftwaffe combat aircraft.
It is well-known for its blistering 1,000 rounds per minute rate of fire and its distinct double-drum ammunition feed.
During the early stages of World War II, the MG 15 served as the standard defensive armament across almost all major Luftwaffe bombers and tactical aircraft, including the Heinkel He 111, Junkers Ju 88, and Dornier Do 17.
It features a pistol grip and trigger structure designed for crew gunners to physically swing, track, and aim at enemy fighters from waist mounts or open rear cockpits.

It is completely air-cooled, relying heavily on the high-altitude slipstream of the aircraft to keep the barrel from warping.
Instead of using ammunition belts that could tangle or restrict movement in a tight cockpit, the MG 15 relies on a 75-round "double-drum" (Doppeltrommel) magazine.
This design feeds ammunition alternately from two independent side-by-side drums into the central receiver.
Despite its efficiency, the extreme 1,000 RPM fire rate burns through a full 75-round drum in just 4.5 seconds of continuous firing, forcing gunners to make rapid, frequent magazine swaps during dogfights.
By late 1940 and 1941, the Luftwaffe began replacing rifle-caliber (7.92mm) defensive guns like the MG 15 with heavier, belt-fed weapons and auto cannons (such as the MG 81, MG 131, and MG 151/20).
As thousands of MG 15s became redundant, Germany officially modified over 17,600 units for ground infantry use. The infantry conversion kits typically added:
A removable bipod for stability
A temporary shoulder stock attached to the rear receiver
A carrying sling and specialized transport harnesses holding three double-drum magazines

Calibre: 7.92×57mm Ma**er
Operation: Recoil-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of Fire: ~1,000 rounds/min
Feed System: 75-round double-drum magazine

Mondays item of interest is this very nice complete MG.15 gunners pouch. The condition is near mint and it goes nicely w...
10/08/2026

Mondays item of interest is this very nice complete MG.15 gunners pouch. The condition is near mint and it goes nicely with our MG15 that is on display in the Museum. Such gunners kits are not too easy to find today, so we are very pleased to have it in the collection.

Below is some information from the internet which may be of interest.

The MG15 gunner's kit (specifically the MG.15 Flieger-Sondertasche or gunner's pouch) was a specialized maintenance tool kit issued to Luftwaffe aerial gunners and later ground crews during World War II.
The pouch was typically
crafted from Presstoff (a durable, simulated blackened leather made of layered paper pulp).
Approximately 19 cm tall, 17.5 cm wide, and 2.7 cm deep.
Designed with three specialized metal or aluminum brackets on the reverse side to clip directly onto the interior fuselage walls of German aircraft.
Folds open completely to reveal a series of 8 small internal storage pouches tailored to hold maintenance tools and spare parts.
Because the MG15 was a high-rate-of-fire, open-bolt aircraft machine gun, its pouch contained specific tools to clear jams and swap failing parts mid-flight:
Extraction Tools: Shell extractors specifically sized to pull ruptured 7.92×57mm Ma**er casings out of the chamber.
Oilers: Distinctive, early pre-war brass oil cans featuring built-in folding spouts and screw tops.
Spare Parts: Backup components including replacement firing pins, recoil springs, and minor bolt assembly elements.
Cleaning Rods & Brushes: Compact, multi-piece breakdown rods to clear the barrel bore.

The Museum is open from 10am everyday and last entry is at 4.30pm. With a truly comprehensive and original collection of...
09/08/2026

The Museum is open from 10am everyday and last entry is at 4.30pm. With a truly comprehensive and original collection of Occupation artefacts collected over the last 55 years.
Every room is full of interesting and rare items from the time many of which cannot be seen elsewhere.. No gimmicks, flashing lights etc just items from the time housed in a real German bunker giving a real feeling of what it was like during the 5 long years of German Occupation.

Saturdays item of interest is a real piece of Occupation history. It is the original/first Soldatenheim guest book from ...
08/08/2026

Saturdays item of interest is a real piece of Occupation history. It is the original/first Soldatenheim guest book from the St.Brelades Bay Hotel.
This book was used before the official book had been made and put into use. The cover of the book was originally from a copy of Pliny’s Natural History which had had the pages removed and blank pages bound into it which seems to have been a common practice back then.
And whilst not as ornate as its later counterpart it is in someways much more important. This book has been in the Museum collection for a number of years, I first saw it in my early teens and realised then what a fantastic record it was of the Islands Occupation history. It contains fantastic drawings as well as many signatures of the men and Officers of various units which spent time at the Soldiers Home.
Never did I think I would one day be able to add it in the Museum archive. It has featured in a fantastic talk given by local historian Colin Isherwood where both of the Soldatenheim books sat side by side for the first time in many many years

Below is some information on the books taken from the internet.

The Soldatenheim Guest Books are historic wartime visitors' books kept at the St Brelade’s Bay Hotel in Jersey during the German Occupation (1940–1945). During this period, the hotel was requisitioned and renamed Soldatenheim II “Soldiers' Home II",serving as a recreation and rest center for German troops on their days off.
The guest books are filled with vivid illustrations, hand-drawn sketches, poems, quotations, and signatures left by occupying German forces.

Fridays item of interest is a Soldbuch that has just been added to the collection. It has just been scanned and a quick ...
07/08/2026

Fridays item of interest is a Soldbuch that has just been added to the collection. It has just been scanned and a quick cursory look, further work is needed but that will come over the winter.
Waldemar Pohl was in the Festung Pioneer Stab 19, which was stationed in both Alderney and Jersey. I noted another feldpost stamp which may also have place him in Guernsey as well.
Looking forward to having time to investigate this one when time allows.
The Museum archive is growing almost weekly and many of the documents and photos we have, have been acqired as a reference point for future work on the Occupation. The aquisition of such items is a vital part of the museums work. We are saving and preserving these items before they are lost for good. We are holding an amazing document resource which is regularly used by researchers and historians to further the knowledge and understanding of the time.

Below is some information from the internet as to the use of the Soldbuch.

A Soldbuch (literally "pay book" in German) was a small, pocket-sized military identity card and record book issued to every serving member of the German armed forces (the Wehrmacht) during World War I and World War II.
Despite the name "pay book," its financial function was secondary; it primarily served as the soldier’s mandatory,
on-person identification document. Soldiers were required to keep their Soldbuch in the left tunic pocket of their uniform at all times so it could be presented immediately upon request by military police, superior officers, or civilian authorities.
It contained name, rank, date of birth, physical description, and unit assignments (with past units crossed out but legible). It displayed the soldier's dog tag (Erkennungsmarke) number and, from 1944 onward, a mandatory portrait photograph stapled or glued inside the front cover.
Detailed entries tracking issued weapons, clothing, equipment, military awards, promotions, and authorized leave. Hospitalizations, illnesses, vaccinations, and blood type markers.
Legal Status: It acted as proof of combatant status under international law and the Geneva Convention.

Thursdays items of interest are a couple of standard German military map cases. Both complete with their inserts which a...
06/08/2026

Thursdays items of interest are a couple of standard German military map cases. Both complete with their inserts which are hard to find these days.

Below is some added information taken from the internet/

The WWII German Army Leather Map Case (known in German as the Meldekartentasche M35) was a standard piece of field equipment issued to officers, non-commissioned officers (NCOs), and unit commanders across the Wehrmacht.
Originally manufactured using high-quality smooth or pebbled leather. They typically came in black or varying shades of dark chocolate and tan brown. Late-war variants sometimes utilized Presstoff (a synthetic artificial leather replacement) to conserve resources. The exterior front panel beneath the main flap featured specific slots built to hold seven combat pencils/grease pens, a small plastic or wooden field ruler, and occasionally a pocket for a combat compass or protractor. Separated into two or three internal pockets, lined with either raw leather or canvas dividers, keeping operational maps clean, dry, and flat.The reverse side features two distinct vertical leather belt loops outfitted with metal buckles or pull-down tabs. This allowed the case to ride directly on the standard combat utility belt.

Wednesdays item of interest is this proclamation signed off on by Oberst Heine on the 6th June 1944. It gave warnings an...
05/08/2026

Wednesdays item of interest is this proclamation signed off on by Oberst Heine on the 6th June 1944. It gave warnings and consequences to the Islanders if there was any trouble from them as a result of the D Day landings. The Museum holds original examples of all proclamations put up around the Island in its document archive. We are continuing to save and preserve Occupation items as a record of the past for those who visit in the future.

The information below if taken from the internet and may be of interest.

The Heine Proclamation was an official, threatening decree issued to the civilian population of Jersey on 6 June 1944 (D-Day) by the German military commandant of the island, Colonel (Oberst) Siegfried Heine.Printed in both German and English on single sheets of paper, the posters were affixed to prominent public locations like the Town Church and Town Hall in St. Helier. It was issued immediately as the German garrison realized the Allied D-Day landings were underway just 20 miles away on the Normandy coast. The primary goal of the proclamation was to suppress any local uprisings, sabotage, or civilian cooperation with the Allied forces. The exact text of the English portion of the proclamation read: "Germany's enemy is on the point of attacking French soil. I expect the population of Jersey to keep its head, to remain calm, and to refrain from any acts of sabotage and from hostile acts against the German forces even should the fighting spread to Jersey. At the first signs of unrest or trouble I will close the streets to every traffic and will secure hostages. Attacks against German Forces will be punished by death."
The proclamation highlights the intense panic and defensive posture of the German forces, who feared that the island's 40,000+ civilian population would rise up as a "fifth column" to aid an Allied invasion. Contrary to German fears, the Allies chose to bypass the Channel Islands entirely due to their heavy Atlantic Wall fortifications. Instead of being liberated on D-Day, Jersey was cut off from supplies in mainland France, triggering an 11 month siege marked by severe starvation for both civilians and occupiers.

Generalmajor Siegfried Heine was the Deputy Commander of the German garrison in the Channel Islands during World War II.
On May 9, 1945, he formally signed the instrument of unconditional surrender on behalf of the German command aboard HMS Bulldog, marking the liberation of the islands. Heine was second-in-command/deputy to Vice-Admiral Friedrich Hüffmeier in the occupying garrison.The Surrender: Signed on the quarterdeck of the British destroyer HMS Bulldog at 07:15 on May 9, 1945 This capitulation ended nearly five years of harsh German occupation, an event commemorated annually as Liberation Day across the islands.

Todays item of interset is this very nice example of a 9mm Luger P.08 made by Ma**er (Byf) in 1941.in its original holst...
04/08/2026

Todays item of interset is this very nice example of a 9mm Luger P.08 made by Ma**er (Byf) in 1941.in its original holster.
This is one of the so called Black Widow examples and the only one I have come across here in Jersey so far. This pistol and holster was in the same ownership for many years and it came into the collection about 20 years ago.

Below is some information from the internet regarding Black Widow Lugers which may be of interest.

The "Black Widow" Luger P08 is a highly sought after, late-World War II variant of the famous German military sidearm.
Unlike standard Lugers that feature walnut grips and matching wood bottomed magazines, the Black Widow is completely blacked out .
The Name: "Black Widow" is not an official military name. It was a marketing term invented by a US arms dealer after WWII to sell surplus pistols.
It is defined by its dark, chemically blued finish, black bakelite plastic grips, and a matching black bakelite bottom magazine They were manufactured exclusively by Ma**er between 1941 and 1942. The toggle links are stamped with the wartime manufacturer code byf, alongside the years 41 or 42.
Authentic military-issue models carry German military acceptance stamps, such as the Eagle over 655 or 135 proof marks.
By 1941, Germany was facing massive material shortages. Walnut wood was increasingly redirected toward rifle stocks, forcing Ma**er to use synthetic materials like bakelite for the pistol's grips and magazine bases. The Walther P38 was already replacing the P08 as the standard sidearm, making these among the final batches of Lugers ever produced for the German military.

Mondays items of interest are a couple of photos I took about 30 years ago of some German belts and buckles I found in a...
03/08/2026

Mondays items of interest are a couple of photos I took about 30 years ago of some German belts and buckles I found in a packing case during a house clearance. The case was sitting on some rafters in an area that was unfloored in an outbuilding. Having retrieved the box because it looked military I was totally amazed to see its contents There were around 70 belts and buckles, all in need of a good clean, but what a find. There were all over time cleaned up and I have still got the majority of them in the collection today.
Finding something like this is a dream, and a very rare occurance. But these are the things that keep collectors going. Not the best pictures unfortunately but the only ones I took (no cameras on phones in those days).
So another week ahead, lets see what turns up.

Sundays item of interest is this very nice presentation edition of the Festung Guernsey book.This presentation edition g...
02/08/2026

Sundays item of interest is this very nice presentation edition of the Festung Guernsey book.
This presentation edition given to Generalmajor Dini of the Luftwaffe by Generalleutnant Graf von Schmettow in December 1944. The dedication reads

To the
General of the Air Force Channel Islands
Major General Dini
with best wishes in remembrance of Christmas 1944 on the British Channel Island of Guernsey
Lieutenant General and Commander of the Kanalinseln

There were a number of thes presentation books given out, I don't know how many exactly but a small handful of others are known of, but all are to an individual and so unique in their own right. It would appear that each book was slightly different as they were hand coloured and the pictures do vary I believe.

This book turned up in a Flea Market in Austria and was bought by a collector. I heard about its existence, and asked a few people who I knew over there if they could find the buyer. He was located and at the time he wanted to hang onto the book. Sometime later, maybe 2 or 4 years I heard that it had been offered for sale. Knowing of its rarity and significane I once again made contact with the owner, and as the saying goes the rest is history.

Below is some information from the internet on Dini and von Schmettow as well as main "Festung Guernsey" book.

Generalmajor Alexander Dini commanded the General der Luftwaffe Kanalinseln, directing all German air force units stationed in the occupied Channel Islands from October 1943 until the end of World War II in May 1945.Command Role and HistoryFormation: The command was set up on Guernsey on October 1, 1943, taking over from the 11th Flak Brigade.Duties: Managed all anti-aircraft defense and Luftwaffe personnel across Guernsey, Jersey, and Alderney from headquarters on Guernsey.End of War: Cut off after the 1944 Allied breakout in Normandy, Dini's command remained isolated on the islands until the final surrender on May 8, 1945.

General Rudolf Graf von Schmettow (8 January 1891 – 28 June 1970) was a Prussian aristocrat and career military officer who served as the overall commander of the German occupation forces in the British Channel Islands during World War II. As a senior commander of the 319th Infantry Division, he oversaw the heavy militarization and fortification of the islands as part of the Atlantic Wall from September 1940 until February 1945.
Born in Berlin into a traditional military and noble Silesian family, von Schmettow entered the Prussian Army as an officer cadet in 1900 and served through World War I.
He was the nephew of Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt, a connection that occasionally shielded him from intense political interference from Berlin.
He held various supervisory and commanding posts over the islands starting in 1940, eventually becoming the primary occupying commander (Befehlshaber Kanalinseln) from late 1943 to early 1945.
Widely viewed as an old-school career soldier rather than a committed N**i fanatic, von Schmettow was often described by subordinates as attempting to maintain relative moderation regarding civilian rations and local administration compared to fanatical elements.
In February 1945, as the islands faced isolation and deteriorating conditions, von Schmettow was relieved of his command under the pretext of ill health, though in reality he was sidelined for not satisfying the radical demands of Berlin and was replaced by the zealous Vice-Admiral Friedrich Hüffmeier.
He was taken prisoner by British forces at the end of the war and subsequently released in 1947.
In September 1963, von Schmettow returned to the Channel Islands for a holiday with his family, granting a notable interview to local media where he addressed the complexities and controversial decisions of the wartime occupation.

Festung Guernsey is a comprehensive, 500-page historical manuscript compiled by the German occupying forces in 1944. It serves as an detailed record and operating manual for the intense military fortifications constructed on the Channel Island of Guernsey during World War II.
Commissioned by Lieutenant-General Graf von Schmettow. It was compiled by Lieutenant Colonel Hübner and a 14-man cartographic team.
The team meticulously detailed the defences using drawing, photography, cartography, and calligraphy.
Only 135 leather-bound, two-volume sets were originally printed by the German forces.

Address

Grande Route Des Mielles
Saint Ouen
JE32FN

Opening Hours

Monday 10:00 - 17:00
Tuesday 10:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 10:00 - 17:00
Thursday 10:00 - 17:00
Friday 10:00 - 17:00
Saturday 10:00 - 17:00
Sunday 10:00 - 17:00

Telephone

+447797732072

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Channel Island Military Museum posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share