November 2023 Speaker
We had a good attendance for November's talk on the 'German Occupation of the Channel Islands' by Paul Rogers. For an hour he brought history to life giving us an insight to what happened there during the war and what the brave people had to endure.
On 19 June 1940, the islands were demilitarised. German forces landed on Guernsey on 30 June and on Jersey the next day. There was no organised resistance movement – only passive resistance acts by individuals or small groups. There were stories of fraternisation and collaboration. Only a few people tried to escape to Britain.
The occupying forces imposed a number of restrictions such as a nightly curfew and censorship of the press. All traffic was ordered to drive on the right side of the road. The islands were moved to Central European time, and local currency was replaced by occupation money. Islanders were forced to accept strict food rationing (see photos) and the institution of German language in schools. Radios were confiscated.
Numerous tunnel complexes, fortifications and concrete bunkers were built on the islands by occupation authorities; many of which are preserved and can still be visited.
In 1945 food shortages were critical. After appeals for help, a Red Cross ship started delivering food parcels.
German flags were finally lowered on 9th May 1945, and the islands were liberated.
Paul told the often sombre story with just the right amount of humour, some family anecdotes and enough detail to make sense of the hostilities.