Batterie Dollman Gun Pit

Restored battery gun pit that houses the last of its type in Europe.

This French, 10 tonne, 22cm gun was restored by Guernsey Armouries in 1997 and sits in Gun Pit No. 3 of a German Coastal Artillery Battery, Batterie Dollmann.

When the project of restoring this German Coastal Artillery Battery was started, initial inspection showed the bunkers to be remarkably intact with armoured doors and a bunker telephone still in situ.

An estimated 1,000 tons of spoil was removed using an excavator although many tons had to be shovelled out by hand. Work could now begin on restoring the bunkers and pit. All steelwork was shot-blasted and repainted, the original wiring in the bunkers replaced and walls repainted. Externally, the camouflage has been replaced as original. All work has been carried out as authentically as possible to return the site to its wartime appearance.

Following the successful recovery of a 22cm K532 (f) barrel from the base of cliffs at Les Landes, Jersey, an enquiry to the French Ministry of Defence revealed that the original blue prints of the cannon de 220L MLE 1917 were held at the Centre d'Archives de l'Armement in Chatellerault and copies of the relevant plans were obtained so that work could commence.

Today, work still continues to put those final touches in place with new features still being restored. On some Sundays during the summer the site is fully open to the public and the gun is fired using blank charges.