Fort Hommet casemate facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fort Hommet |
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| Albecq, Castel, Bailiwick of Guernsey | |
10.5 cm Coastal Defence Gun Casemate
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Plan of the Casemate
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| Type | Artillery Casemate |
| Site information | |
| Condition | Restored and open to the public 6 May 1995 |
| Site history | |
| Built | April 1943 |
| Materials | Reinforced concrete |
The Fort Hommet bunker is a special gun room, called a casemate. It was built by German forces between 1940 and 1945 during World War II. This bunker is now fully restored and shows what life was like back then. It was part of a huge defence plan called Fortress Guernsey.
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Where is Fort Hommet Located?
This bunker is found in Castel. It sits on the northern side of Vazon Bay in Guernsey. It's part of a bigger group of strong concrete buildings. These were all built by the German army at a place called Fort Hommet. Fort Hommet is on a piece of land that sticks out into the sea. It's about 3.3 miles northwest of St Peter Port.
A Look Back at Fort Hommet's History
Fort Hommet has been a defence spot for a very long time. People first recorded forts here way back in 1680. More buildings were added during the Napoleonic Wars to protect against French attacks. In 1804, a round tower called a Martello tower was built. Later, more gun areas and soldier barracks were added.
During World War II, German forces took over the Channel Islands. In October 1941, the German leader, Adolf Hitler, gave an order. He wanted the islands to become super strong concrete fortresses. This was part of a huge defence line called the Atlantic Wall. A German construction group, the Organisation Todt, built many forts along the coast.
This restored casemate was one of 21 similar bunkers. They were all designed to hold powerful 10.5cm guns. Four of these bunkers were built at Fort Hommet. They were part of a strongpoint called Rotenstein. This specific bunker design was known as a Jäger casemate. It was part of a series of standard designs.
Building the Bunker in 1943
Work on this bunker started in April 1943. First, a railway line was built between Vazon and St Peter Port. This was very important for moving all the heavy materials needed. Building the forts required huge amounts of concrete and steel.
The building process was quite fast. Workers first dug out the site. Then, a strong concrete base was poured. Next, wooden frames were put up. Steel bars, called reinforcing, were placed inside these frames. Finally, concrete was poured continuously. This made each structure incredibly strong. Once the concrete dried, the wooden frames were removed. Then, the bunker was fitted with everything it needed. This whole process took only a few weeks.
How the Bunker was Designed
Imagine looking at a clock face to understand the bunker's layout.
- At 12 o'clock, you'd find the main gun room.
- At 1 o'clock, there was a room for spent shell casings.
- At 3 o'clock, a room for the crew with an escape tunnel.
- At 5 o'clock, a special airlock to protect against gas attacks, with the main entrance defence.
- At 6 o'clock, the main entrance.
- At 7 and 9 o'clock, two rooms for storing ammunition.
- At 10 o'clock, the ventilation system to keep the air fresh.
After the War: Liberation
Guernsey was freed from German occupation in 1945. After this, many of the forts were stripped bare. Both the British Army and the islanders took out all the metal parts. By the late 1940s, most metal, like guns and heavy blast doors, was removed. It was sold for scrap metal. Many bunkers, including this one at Fort Hommet, were even buried. This was an effort to make the coast look like it did before the war.
Bringing the Bunker Back to Life
In 1995, Guernsey celebrated 50 years since its liberation. As part of this, a project called Fortress Guernsey began. The government of Guernsey checked all the 10.5cm gun bunkers on the island. They wanted to find the best one to restore. This particular bunker was found to be dry and strong, though it was just an empty shell.
Workers started digging out the entrance in April 1993. The restoration work then began. The goal was to make it look like it did during the war.
The restoration was finished in 1995. Today, you can visit this bunker. It is open to the public on two afternoons from April to October each year.
See also
