Lager Wick Labour Camp

The Organisation Todt established 14 labour camps in Jersey, some of which occupied existing buildings such as Fort Regent, West Park Pavilion (now demolished) or Grouville Holiday Camp in Fauvic. The latter was taken over by the OT in December 1941 when it became a camp for 200 French, Spanish and North African forced workers employed on Grouville Common and at Les Maltières Quarry. As it didn’t have an official name, it was wittily christened ‘Lager Franco’ by the Spanish Republican inmates. 

‘Lager Franco’ was replaced in February 1942 with Lager Wick, named after a revered WWII Luftwaffe pilot, located on Grouville Marsh. Today, it is the only camp of which there is evidence – this in the form of its two large concrete entrance posts around which barbed wire is wrapped. 

By April 1943, the 200 square-metre camp comprised seven barrack huts, possibly on stilts to raise them above the marshy ground, which had been infilled with hundreds of tons of sand. There was also a latrine block and a guard house, all arranged on four sides around what was probably a parade ground. A further four barrack huts extended the camp along the road in an L-shape, although they burnt down in April 1944. 

It is understood that Lager Wick was abandoned by D-Day, and was then dismantled by the local inhabitants for firewood during the harsh winter of 1944/45. 

Archaeological digs which took place in 2014, 2015 and 2016 revealed barbed wire and camp demolition debris. The discoveries from the former mess hut of the overseers included a schnapps glass, cuff links, and a mug with an eagle and swastika on the base. In the food preparation hut, large quantities of limpet and winkle shells were found, which testify to the meagre rations provided for the workers and the extreme shortage of food in the Island in general. 

A detailed account of the archaeological digs can be found here: https://gillycarr.wordpress.com/