Skip to main content
BBC NEWS / JERSEY
Graphics VersionBBC Sport Home
News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
Thursday, 17 January 2008, 16:06 GMT

Occupation tank heads for island

World War II tank A 25-tonne tank which was stationed in Jersey during the Nazi occupation is to return to the island this month.

The French Char B was captured by the Germans when they invaded France and 17 were sent, on Hitler's orders, to defend Jersey after it was occupied.

The tanks left Jersey on a landing craft from La Haule slip a year after the liberation and have been at the Tank Museum in Bovington, Dorset since.

The tank will be taken to the Jersey War Tunnels where it be displayed.

'Great significance'

The museum's curator, David Willey, said: "The Channel Islands were the only British soil to be occupied during World War II.

"The Char B has great significance to the island as it was one of 17 tanks actually stationed in Jersey and used by the Germans during the occupation."

The Tank Museum is undergoing a £16m renovation and bosses were looking for alternative accommodation for some of the collection.

The French-designed tank, which entered production in 1936, will leave the Tank Museum on 21 January.

It is being shipped to Jersey free of charge and will board a Condor ferry from Portsmouth to Jersey the following day and arrive at the Jersey War Tunnels on Wednesday.




E-mail this to a friend
Related to this story:
Camp's liberation is remembered (27 Apr 06 |  Jersey )
War internees revisit German camp (29 Apr 05 |  Jersey )
Students offered visit to Germany (10 Nov 04 |  Jersey )
Islanders sought for French link (21 Aug 04 |  Jersey )
Island considers closer links with France (17 Feb 03 |  Europe )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
States of Jersey
Jersey War Tunnels
Tank Museum
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



SEARCH BBC NEWS: 

News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |

NewsWatch | Notes | Contact us | About BBC News | Profiles | History

^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©