Lead up to Liberation Day

[Peter Gillson]

Hi Guys

Today is the anniversary of VE day, but for un in the Channel Islands tomoorow is the special day - our Liberation Day, the anniversary of 9 May 1945 when the Islands were liberated from German forces. As you would expect, in the days leading up to tomorrow our local paper runs a number of stories about the occupation, so I thought i would share the links to some of these:

St John Ambulace. The first is a story about Reg Blatchford who illegally took loads of photos, and risked deportation if he had been found by the Germans.

https://guernseypress.com/news/2021/05/07/secret-photos-show-st-johns-occupation-years/

Herbie Mchon and the RAF. Herbie Machon flew a spitfire in the war and there is a story about him, but also about the RAF naming their latest Poseidon aircraft "Guernsey's Reply" after his Spitfire.

https://guernseypress.com/news/2021/05/08/link-with-raf-is-restored-by-the-naming-of-new-poseidon/

https://guernseypress.com/news/2021/05/08/family-delighted-name-will-live-on/

Marj Dodsworth who worked at Bletchley Park

https://guernseypress.com/news/2021/05/06/marj-95-still-reluctant-to-talk-about-top-secret-job/

Peter

[Guest]

Very nice reminder Peter.

I now have lived in Jersey for 60 years. At the time of VE day & Jersey Liberation I lived on the ouskirts of London.

Those two locations during WW11 where completly different.

Jersey was under the boots of the German Army. England was totally different bombed early in the war then bombarded with V1 & then V2 pilotless missiles. I know I saw them.

Not a great deal to eat in Britain but in the Channel Isles not much at all. After the Normandy landing the Channel Iles were left under the German Boot. Out in Iles de Le Manche, the Channel. No food except that in the Islands. The occupying Germans suffered worse than the Jersey people who remained in the Islands duting the war.

An English doctor, Doctor John Lewis, sent his wife & children back to England before the Germans arrived. He stayed, being a Pediatrician all those years to look after babies & mothers. Some babies part German/Jersey.

He bought a house & renovated as best possible for the return of his family. Food being short & the Germans visiting properties to nick food he had a problem a Jersey cow. He & his friends hoisted this cow to the first floor. The Germans of course only searche the groaund floor. How they stopped it mooing is beyond belief.

Another used their tea leaves to the death numerous times then dried the leaves & replaced in the packet 7 sold as new to the Germans.. Then beleive it or not it was Adolf Mauger he told me the story himself.

Yes many Channel Islanders were sent to concentration camps. Some came back.

News during the occupation. Primitive wire less in church towers. a client showed me his hide hole in a granite wall. And there was the wireless just as during the war.. News collected written down & circulated.

So many stories. Yet some of love. A number of Germans returned married Jersey girls & lived happily in the Island. That to me is nice as the ordinary German was not to blame. They are no less human beings.

Laurie

[Jim R]

The story of the German occupation of the Channel islands is a story of bravery and survival. Lots of books about this little understood aspect of the war. I have read a few over the years - an incredible story.
Thanks Peter and Laurie for bringing this to our attention.
Jim

[Guest]

An interesting fact that bears no logic. But then did Hitler have any understandable logic.

The Todt who were for all intents & purposes Civil engineers & builders. They built the fortifications to virtually all the European seaboards facing the British Isles a feat of Engineering which was in fact proved useless in the face of the later Normandy landings.

For some daft reason Hitler wanted the same for the Islands of Jersey & Guernsey. So it came to pass that 10% of all the money that Todt spent in building the above forifications was spent on the Islands. Jersey is the largest Island 9*5 miles. Why, seems to be the opinion, as the Channel Islands were the only part of the British Isles Hitler occupied.

Equally we also have an undeground hospital, a load of tunnels really, built in rock. The bones of many Russians were found at the end of the war. The hospital wwas never used.

So Hitler did Jersey & other Islands a good turn. He provide sea defences & provided many points of interest fro visitors. Thanks Hilter.
Yet he did not set foot on any of the Islands his only foot hold in the British Isles.

Laurie

Hospital now a museum piece.

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Unfinished part
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Fortifications

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[Mini Me]

Tip 'O the hat to both of you, Peter and Laurie, for the links and photos.......not to mention all the History. I shall dip my Colors to half mast tomorrow in Honor of those who served and defended the Channel Islands. Cheers :thumb2: Rick H.

[Peter Gillson]

Hi Guys

here is a link to the gallery on the Liberation Day website with photos of previous celebrations; the last 'normal' one was 2019and gives an idea of the celebration and just how important the day is to Islanders.

the morning tends to be about commemoration, the afternoon and evening about celebration.

Link

Laurie - my favorite London/Channel Islands story from the Occupation relates to the father of a friend of mine. He was a Londoner, a cooper by trade who worked and lived in London. Around Easter 1940 he was seconded to Jersey to make barrels for a Jersey brewery, a secondment which was only supposed to be for 6 months. unfortunately, in June the Germans arrived so he ended up spending 5 years in Jersey! The story has a happy ending - after the War he moved to Guernsey!!!

Peter

[stillp]

For some daft reason Hitler wanted the same for the Islands of Jersey & Guernsey. So it came to pass that 10% of all the money that Todt spent in building the above forifications was spent on the Islands. Jersey is the largest Island 9*5 miles. Why, seems to be the opinion, as the Channel Islands were the only part of the British Isles Hitler occupied.

He probably thought that as the Channel Islands were the only part he'd occupied, they would be the first part we'd want to take back.
Pete

[Guest]

Hi Guys

here is a link to the gallery on the Liberation Day website with photos of previous celebrations; the last 'normal' one was 2019and gives an idea of the celebration and just how important the day is to Islanders.

the morning tends to be about commemoration, the afternoon and evening about celebration.

Link

Laurie - my favorite London/Channel Islands story from the Occupation relates to the father of a friend of mine. He was a Londoner, a cooper by trade who worked and lived in London. Around Easter 1940 he was seconded to Jersey to make barrels for a Jersey brewery, a secondment which was only supposed to be for 6 months. unfortunately, in June the Germans arrived so he ended up spending 5 years in Jersey! The story has a happy ending - after the War he moved to Guernsey!!!

Peter

Heck did not realise there was another Channel Island on the forum Peter. :thumb2:

Some great stories of the occupation. German forces did not have it all there own way. Sister in Law married into a Jersey Family & the stories they told us were funny & serious.

Although the usual morning affair has been cancelled there was soemthing going on. Very noisy.

Laurie