The Occupation of the Channel Islands 1940 - 45
The biggest impact on the Islands during the 20th century was when they became part of Hitler’s Atlantic Wall during World War II.
German forces had been sweeping through Europe towards the northern coast of France during the early part of 1940, and by mid June had reached Cherbourg.
Islander’s fears were realised when the local newspaper headline on Wednesday 19th June, 1940 read ‘Evacuation of children’. This followed a meeting in London on Saturday 15th June, when military chiefs decided that the Channel Islands were of no strategic importance and would not be defended.
Parents were given four hours to decide if they wanted their children evacuated and were faced with a decision which would have a huge impact on families and the Island then, and in the future.
School children, teachers and mothers with children of under school age were the first to be evacuated. At around 10am on Thursday 20th June, the first boat, the Antwerp, left St Peter Port for England with 1154 Guernsey children aboard.
On Friday 28th June Guernsey experienced its first air raid which killed 33 islanders with a further 67 injured. The harbour and fruit export sheds were targeted, with the Germans believing that these were military installations and that tomato export trucks at the harbour were indeed military vehicles.
The Occupation of Guernsey began at around 8.30pm on Sunday 30th June, when five Junker troop carriers landed at Guernsey airport.
On Monday 21st, German troops arrived and that afternoon the German flag was raised. More troops arrived later until the numbers roughly equaled that of remaining islanders. Attention then turned to the smaller islands of Sark and Alderney.
Alderney had been evacuated with only 12 civilians remaining. A company of troops arrived to occupy the Island. German officers arrived on Sark on 2 July with a further ten soldiers arriving on Sunday 4 July.
Nazi law was introduced to the Islands, and conditions under which they would rule were published in the local newspaper. This included the race laws, particularly those against Jews. Most Jewish people had left the islands before the occupation, but some remained and some had come to the islands to escape persecution in mainland Europe. In 1943 three Jews on the Island were deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau, never to return.
Although Nazi law was followed by islanders most of the time, there was a resistance movement which included underground newsletters with news from England and how the war was progressing, sabotage, painting of the 'V for Victory' sign, feeding Russian slave workers and helping Jewish islanders, as well as hidden radios or crystal sets. Islanders were sometimes caught and punished for these actions.
The day to day running of the island was down to the Controlling Committee, chaired by Ambrose Sherwill, who was later deported for his involvement in Operation Ambassador in July 1940. In this unsuccessful mission, British Commandos came to the occupied Island for reconnaissance, prisoner capture and aircraft destruction. Sherwill later became Bailiff of Guernsey (1946 – 1959) and was knighted in 1949.
The Controlling Committee introduced occupation money to the islands, with German occupying forces using Third Reich scrip. The Germans also introduced European time to the occupied islands.
Nazi troops went about heavily fortifying Guernsey, building new reinforced bunkers as well as adapting existing fortifications and adding an array of light and heavy guns. Most of these bunkers and batteries remain today with some open to the public.
During the first years of occupation there was sufficient food for the reduced population. A link from France was established getting some supplies to the island including meat, flour and medical supplies. However, as time went by food supplies became limited and Islanders had to improvise.
Access to beaches was limited because they were heavily defended with barbed wire and mines. However, islanders were permitted in specific areas for ormering (collecting the local abalone) as well as the harvesting of other molluscs, for example, limpets and winkles.
Fishermen were allowed out to sea in their boats, albeit with a limit on distance from the shore and an accompanying German soldier.
Islanders grew what they could, including tobacco, and also produced salt. Bramble and nettle tea were commonly drunk and seaweed used in cooking.
Bean jar is a traditional Guernsey dish eaten on the island prior, and during the Occupation, and is still a favourite today
In October and November 1942, ten licences for barter shops were issued which proved popular. An exchange service was also run through the local newspaper.
A Red Cross vessel, the Vega, made six trips to the islands with Red Cross parcels, including flour and medical supplies, amongst other things. Some Red Cross messages also got through to the island from loved ones in Britain.
Both the islanders and the occupying forces suffered during the final stages of the war because of food shortages. Particularly after 6 June 1944 when ‘Operation Overlord' or D Day cut off links from mainland Europe to the islands.
On Wednesday 9th May, 1945 St Peter Port seafront and harbour were packed with excited islanders. The German Commander had surrendered and the first British Troops landed in St Peter Port to find jubilant crowds.
Although Victory in Europe (VE Day) was on Tuesday 8th May the German government had not officially sanctioned the surrender of the Channel Islands. The German commander, Admiral Hoffmeier, refused to surrender the Channel Islands until the early hours of 9 May.
Surrender was completed by Major General Hiner and Captain Lieutenant Zimmerman aboard the HMS Bulldog.
Food supplies were brought to the island on 12 May. The landing craft used to deliver the large amounts of supplies were then used to transport German prisoners of war to the UK. 1,000 German troops remained behind to help the clear up operation, removing landmines and dismantling the large guns, which were then dumped out to sea.
So began the long road back to prosperity. The evacuees returned over the summer months, businesses were restarted or founded and the growing industry flourished.
Liberation Day is celebrated annually on the 9th May. Every five years the celebrations are bigger with a cavalcade along the St Peter Port seafront and a further programme of events. It gives islanders a chance to remember the days of occupation and celebrate their freedom.
A ROYAL JOURNEY 17 May 2012 - 17 Jun 2012
Guernsey Museum, Candie Gardens: +44 (0) 1481 726518
Display of historic photographs of the Queens’ visits to the Bailiwick, in collaboration with the 2012 Guernsey Photograph...
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BURNT AT THE STAKE 28 Jul 2012 - 28 Jul 2012
In conjunction with Guernsey History in Action Company
Starts at the Picket House, South Esplanade, St Peter Port (Perry’s ref Town L7), finishes at Tower Hill, St Peter Port...
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