Alderney is the third-largest island of the Channel Islands, which are located in the English Channel near the coast of Normandy, France. It is a British Crown dependency, though it is not part of the United Kingdom. In World War II, and with the impending collapse of France in June 1940, almost the entire population of Alderney of 1,400 was evacuated to Britain after the British realised that the Channel Islands were indefensible. The Germans occupied the Channel Islands and were convinced that the British wanted to retake the islands.

The Germans started to fortify the islands. The fortifications were constructed between 1940 and 1945 and included bunkers, gun emplacements, anti-tank walls, and tunnel systems. Alderney's fortifications were disproportionately large compared to its size, reflecting the strategic importance the Germans placed on this outpost. The construction on Alderney involved a massive workforce, including slave labor from Eastern Europe, Russia, and France.

Bibette Head is the site of some of the most interesting and best-preserved German defenses in the Channel Islands. The fortifications are located in the north-east of the island, not far from Fort Albert.

Alderney was liberated on 16 May 1945, a few days after the liberation of Guernsey and Jersey. The liberation came without conflict as the German troops surrendered to the British forces.