German Garrison & Nationalsozialistisches Kraftfahrkorps (NSKK)

From 1940, another camp was in operation at the foot of Essex Hill. Members of the German garrison were housed here in pre-existing buildings.¹ Belgian labourer Norbert Beernaert worked for one of the German officers who lived here, collecting wood for his fire and taking him food.²

From 1941 or early 1942, the site was later used by the National Socialist Motor Corps (Nationalsozialistisches Kraftfahrkorps; NSKK) and a considerable number of vehicles are visible in aerial imagery taken throughout 1943.³

In the absence of detailed records, it is not clear how many labourers were housed here in addition to the German personnel but certainly drivers and mechanics worked here from 1942 to 1944.⁴ José Murillo, a Spanish forced labourer, worked here as a mechanic and one of his tasks involved the transportation of prisoners to/from Sylt concentration camp to the NSKK camp after their arrival in March 1943, suggesting that some of these workers were employed here as well.⁵

This camp appears to have been frequented by women visiting the German drivers who lived here: MI19 recorded that ‘informants have heard girls say they were going to spend the evening with the NSKK, down Longy way’.⁶

By March 1944, it appears that use of the site had been scaled back and three months later it seemed deserted, consistent with the withdrawal of part of the German garrison and some labourers from the island.⁷ Several structures pertaining to the German garrison and NSKK camp survive. Some are now used by the Alderney Wildlife Trust as accommodation and storage facilities, while others form part of The Old Barn Restaurant and garden centre.

References:

¹ Norbert Beernaert, in Steckoll, The Alderney Death Camp, p. 174.

² Ibid., p. 174.

³ For an example, see NCAP, ACIU MF C1563, 3 October 1943.

⁴ TNA, WO311/12, ‘Statement of Murillo Jose’, 10 August 1945.

⁵ Ibid.

⁶ TNA, HO 144/22834, ‘M.I.19 RPS 2141, Report, Channel Islands, Alderney: Further Interrogation of Informants of M.I.19 (RPS) 2122 and 2136’, 19 April 1944.

⁷ TNA, WO311/12, ‘Statement of Murillo Jose’, 10 August 1945; TNA WO311/12, ‘Statement of Comin, Julio’, 10 August 1945; TNA, WO311/12, ‘Statement of Cobos Luis Lorenzo’, 10 August 1945; TNA, WO311/12, ‘Statement of Santamaria Ramon’, 10 August 1945.