It was never our intention to remove the Les Landes Occupation guns ‘by stealth’
Thursday 4th March 2010, 2:59PM GMT.
From Ian Bréhaut, Guernsey Armouries.
WITH reference to the letter from the Jersey Rock Climbing Club (JEP, 4 February), we wish to respond to the issues contained therein regarding the recovery of a gun barrel at Les Landes in Jersey.
Mr Steer is managing the project on behalf of Guernsey Armouries, who have previously been involved with the recovery of two barrels from Les Landes in 1995, for display in Guernsey.
Our intention is to recover one 15cm K18 barrel and, should time and circumstances allow, one 21 cm MRS 18 barrel.
It is historical fact that the 15cm K18 was from a gun battery on Guernsey from 1941 until its transfer to Jersey in August 1944, although we do not claim this to be moral justification for its return to Guernsey.
Should the barrels return to Guernsey, it is our intention to mount the 15cm K18 at a restored site in St Peter’s and the 21 cm at the German Occupation Museum.
The implication from the letter is that the 1996 Guernsey Armouries recovery was responsible for the alleged damage to the cliff infrastructure. We would point out that ours was the last of a number of such salvage operations carried out in recent years.
As we are aware of the sensitive nature of the Les Landes landscape, we explored the possibility of using a helicopter for the proposed lift. To this end, Guernsey Armouries took the advice of several experts in this field, including senior staff from the RAF joint air delivery test and evaluation unit who, having made a site visit, are of the opinion that the barrels can be lifted safely and without lasting environmental damage or disturbance.
This shall be accomplished by the use of a Chinook helicopter and carried out as a training exercise.
We are fully aware of the historical significance of the barrels to Jersey and of the circumstances of how they came to be dumped over the cliffs at Les Landes. However, it is our sincere belief that the recovery and long-term conservation of select examples for public display, wherever that may be, is justified and in the public interest.
This is a policy endorsed by the Channel Islands Occupation Society (Jersey), who have five examples on display at Les Landes and Noirmont headland.
It is difficult to understand what purpose is served by allowing all these unique reminders of the islands’ occupation to deteriorate at the bottom of the cliffs, where they cannot be seen by residents and visitors alike and can be reached only by hazardous descent.
Since its recovery and return to Guernsey in 1995 by Guernsey Armouries, the 22cm K532 (f) has been restored and mounted on a replica carriage at Pleinmont headland and the 15cm K18 has been put on display at the German Occupation Museum, where they have been viewed by many thousands of residents, tourists and military historians.
Guernsey Armouries have always acknowledged in any interpretation and publications the guns’ Jersey origins and the assistance in their recovery willingly given by individuals and organisations such as the CIOS (Jersey).
It was never our intention to remove the barrels ‘by stealth’. We had either obtained or were in the process of obtaining the necessary permissions and authorisation as required. The rather tight schedule of achieving this is a result of RAF operational constraints and is beyond the control of Guernsey Armouries.
We do not wish to become involved in a public dispute over this via the media and we are very disappointed that the club chose to circulate a letter to that effect before firstly extending us the courtesy of allowing us to respond to their concerns.
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The principal objection to the recovery of the gun barrels by the Jersey Rock Climbing club – in fact the sole reason tendered by that organisation was that the cliffs might be damaged in the process, thus preventing the climbers from, err, climbing.
A weak and specious excuse, given that those cliffs have stood there for between seven to nine million years.
In any case, the preservation of history for future generations of Sarnians is far more important than making life easy for a few climbers. I would have thought they might enjoy any increased challenge.
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Has the rock climbing club been in touch with King Neptune to complain about damage to the cliffs caused by his unruly forces?
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There is quite a difference between human inflicted damage and degradation to rock than that of natural occurrence and erosion that the two above opinions have highlight, do not seem to grasp. Primarily the time scale over which it occurs and the forces used.
And may I ask in which public’s interest is this venture?
Jersey’s public or that of Guernsey’s?
It is also rather interesting that the letter sent by the Jersey Rock Climbing Club has not been posted here for readers to view, so that they may come to their own conclusions on the matter and be informed of the full content of the debate, rather than the usual round of rumours that seem to be so insidious and frequent in the Islands.
As far as I am aware, the letter was made available to Guernsey Armouries so that these points of contention could be raised and discussed openly in a public forum, with the opinion of the JRCC, being publicly voiced and heard thus noted; as no public opinion has been taken on the issue (that of Guernsey and/or Jersey’s Public). My personal view is that it is a valid point that this letter brought to light what is planned by Guernsey Armouries.
Is it not clear that the symbolic act that these toppled guns represent, now lying at rest, was an act of a disgruntled public of the time and thus also a part of history? or should we choose to forget the ‘untidy’ parts of history, dressing what’s left up so those that it draws the biggest crowds?
And may I ask what is the justification (moral or otherwise) for returning these Guns to Guernsey? or is this a want of a select few?
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*Is it not clear that the symbolic act that these toppled guns represent, now lying at rest, was an act of a disgruntled public of the time and thus also a part of history? or should we choose to forget those ‘untidy’ parts of history, dressing what’s left up so that it draws the biggest crowds?
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Response to Guernsey Armouries
Significant damage was caused during previous gun removal attempts whether by you or others is irrelevant.
Although I am concerned about damage to the cliffs etc, my main point is that I believe the guns should stay where they are as a lasting memorial to those who suffered so much during the occupation, including members of my own family.
My father and other members of my family have recountered many of their occupation memories to me over the years, and they were all so happy to see the guns, that had been such a visible sign of oppression for so long, being disposed of. The value of being able to show the guns, in what should be their final resting place, to future generations as a highly visible reminder of the best place for all such weapons of destruction, cannot be over stated. I regularly take people of all ages to see these guns, it will be a great loss to see any more removed.
Some guns, to the chagrin of many occupation survivors, have been re-instated to once again sprout from the German defences. Whilst there may be an argument that this is of some historic value, I strongly believe that enough guns have been re-instated to satisfy any such claim. Of far greater historic value is to be able to see the guns as they slowly return to nature as a living memorial to the fact that we triumphed over tyranny and a memorial to the end of the suffering endured for so long by the islanders.
If you take due cognisance of the feelings of those who suffered so much, you will leave the guns where they are.
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As a child, I was told that the liberating forces disposed of the guns over the cliffs because there was a perceived threat that Russia would march into the newly liberated countries and then use the German fortifications to defend their new front line against the West.
Does anyone else recall this?
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The end of the Second World War left huge amounts of munitions and military equipment across the world.
The war had ended but tens of thousands of tons of ammunition plus tanks, planes, guns, etc were left over.
Some of it was turned into scrap, used in post war armies or sold off but loads were dumped.
The UK was awash with scrap steel from redundant tanks so throwing the German guns in Jersey over the cliff made sense.
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The guns should be turned into railings and given back to those who so generously uprooted theirs for the war effort.
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