German Headquarters at Jersey
This Kernwerk housed the German Battle Headquarters of the Island of Jersey, UK. A Kernwerk is the German name for a headquarter location. A Kernwerk is made up out of two words, Kern which means “Core” or “Central” and Werk is literally translated to “work” but in this context it means it is a location with important structures or buildings and is a reference to headquarters.
Three large bunkers have been built within the Kernwerk next to a few smaller ones like a water supply bunker or communication bunker. These combat bunkers are Regelbau 609SK Command bunkers. The large bunkers have two floors and were in the past camouflaged as houses with chimneys, windows and a pointed roof.
The three main bunkers housed the various army units, the Kriegsmarine artillery command had its own bunker and its own communications bunker. Bunker- or Fortress command had a combat bunker and the Wehrmacht Infantry Regiment had its own bunker as well and its own communications bunker.
Regelbau 609SK
Bataillons-, Abteilung- oder Regimentsgefechtsstand was its original name. It was a combat bunker to house the command of a battalion, an army detachment or a regiment.
The 609 is a large bunker. 15 x 14 meters, and has two levels. To build this bunker 1480 cubic meters of concrete was needed. It was suited for one commanding officer and 18 men of lower ranks. The SK stands for sonderkonstruktion, a special construction, there were differences from a standard built at this bunker.
Our photos were taken during a trip with the Jersey War Tours and are from the Infantry Regiments Headquarters.
Visit
You can visit the bunker and walk around but if you like to see the inside you have to book a tour with the Jersey War Tours organisation. The bunker is on private property so it would be kind to ask permission before you walk around.
