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| The
entrance to the hospital |
Jersey was
meant to be an essential part of Hitler's Atlantic Wall.
The War Tunnels are only one of many fortifications that the Germans built
on Jersey.
Slave
labour
In
order to build the tunnels, a huge workforce was needed, and this was
supplied by the Organisation Todt. More
than 5,000 slave labourers were brought over to Jersey - Russians, Poles,
Frenchmen and Spaniards.
The
men were treated harshly, but the Russians suffered the most. They were
seen to be sub-human, and were treated like animals. Men are known to
have died from disease, malnutrition, accidents and exhaustion.
How
the tunnels were made
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| One
of the corridors in the hospital |
The
tunnels were blasted out with gunpowder and handtools, and then covered
with concrete. The hospital was dug into a slope, so that it would drain
naturally.
Its
location within the hill also ensured that the temperature remained at
a constant temperature throughout the year.
D-Day
draws nearer
The
tunnels were originally constructed as an ammunition store and artillery
barracks, but the Germans converted them to a casualty clearing station
as D-Day drew nearer.
Unfinished
tunnels were sealed off, and air-conditioning and heating systems were
sealed behing gas-proof doors.
Wards
were added, along with an operating theatre, a medical supply room, a
casualty assessment centre and a dispensary.
Today
Today,
the Jersey War Tunnels house 'Captive Island' - an exhibition dedicated
to how the occupation affected the islanders and the island.
The
operating theatre and other areas have been restored to show how the hospital
looked during the occupation.
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