Four top secret WWII documents are to go on public display at a Jersey museum after being sold by Hansons Auctioneers.
Jersey War Tunnels secured the archive, made up of plans for Operation Nestegg, the pivotal Allied liberation of the Channel Islands, alongside three original D-Day landing maps for Juno, Gold and Sword beaches.
The plans for Operation Nestegg, dated November 1944, expected to sell for £800-£1,200, hammered at £3,800.
The document outlines the British force’s plans to free the German occupied islands – in meticulous detail, from the number of ships taking part, to mine sweeping instructions for the surrounding seas.
Hansons Auctioneers’ militaria expert, Matt Crowson, said: “I am delighted these historically important documents, will be displayed for all to see. Each is an important piece of military and social history from a tumultuous time.
“The liberation of the Channel Islands ended five years of Nazi German occupation, and signified freedom for its inhabitants, and the end of the hardships endured, including shortages of food, restrictions of movement, and fear of what awaited ahead.
“The plans for Operation Nestegg proved to be one of the star lots on the day, and shows the growing popularity of good and unusual WWII items at auction.”
The museum also bought the map for the Allied landing at Juno beach, which sold for £4,100, against a pre-sale estimate of £2,000-£2,500, the map of Sword beach which, with the same estimate, hammered at £3,100.
It also acquired the map of Gold beach, which had the same guide price, for £2,800 (all prices exclude the buyer’s premium of 26 percent).
Jersey War Tunnels, housed in the former barracks and ammunition store of the German forces, tells the story of the Occupation.
Its owner, Lance Trevellyan, said: “Bringing the Operation Nestegg document and the D-Day maps home to the Channel Islands ensures they are preserved for future generations, rather than disappearing into private collections. Our mission has always been to protect and share the stories of the Occupation and Liberation, and acquisitions like these enhance our mission to place Jersey firmly on the map as a destination for worldclass WWII history.”
A museum spokesperson continued: “These purchases represent the beginning of a significant acquisitions programme to enrich and broaden the scope of the museum’s wartime collection.
“While copies of the Operation Nestegg document are already held in Jersey, this newly acquired example is an original wartime copy, carrying the immediacy and authenticity of a document that was part of the actual Allied planning process, and is dated November 1944. Their acquisition ensures these historically important items will remain in the Channel Islands for future generations to study and experience.”
The six D-Day landing maps sold for a total of £23,400 at Hansons Auctioneers’ Etwall saleroom on August 13.
The top seller was a composite map of all five landing beaches (Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword), which sold to a UK buyer for £6,000, more than doubling its low guide price of £2,500.
The remaining single maps of Utah and Omaha, both of which carried a guide price of £2,000-£2,500, sold to a French buyer for £3,400 and £4,000 respectively.
Like the Nestegg document, they had been in the possession of Royal Naval sub-lieutenant Walter Page (1916-1996) who served on Landing Craft Tank (LCT) 2138 at D-Day. The maps only came to light when their current owner was rifling through an assorted lot of ephemera bought at an auction for just £10
Auction Details
Auction: Derby August Medals, Militaria & Firearms Auction
Auction date: 13th August 2025 | 9:30am
Location: Hansons Derbyshire Saleroom
Auction contact: [email protected]
Catalogue/bidding: www.hansonslive.co.uk | www.the-saleroom.com
