Today is the 70th Anniversary of the liberation of the Channel Islands from Nazi occupation. Allow me to walk you through an interesting spit of history you may have never heard.
Jersey, Channel Islands: (The largest and most southerly pictured)
JerseyJersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey, is a possession of the Crown in right of Jersey, off the coast of Normandy, France.
Capital: Saint Helier
Area: 119.5 km²
Currencies: Pound sterling, Jersey pound
Official languages: English, French
War in EuropeBecause of their close proximity to Nazi occupied France the Channels Islands were the only British territory occupied by Nazi Germany. Jersey, the largest of the islands was routinely bombed and machine gunned by Nazi air forces before inevitable surrender. Knowing the Island would be occupied, thousands of Jersey men voluntarily left the island to join the British forces in the days before the invasion.
The Island was first taken by German air forces in 1940 and later over seen by a branch of the GESTAPO who quickly enforced a curfew, rules against gathering in numbers (even the Salvation Army) as well as indiscriminately searching houses and questioning civilians, many of whom found themselves taken to Germany, some never to return.
The Nazi's fearing retaliation from the British quickly set about turning the entire island into a walled fortress, bristling with guns on every coast, walls, bunkers, AA flack cannons on hills and everything in between. You wont walk a mile in Jersey without seeing at least three Nazi bunkers, and probably some rusting old guns if your on the coast.
Pictures:
Many Nazi bunkers are still sealed off, known to be full of mines, tanks, guns and other weaponry... Some booby trapped by Nazi soldiers before they left.
Occupation:The occupation lasted 5 years in which time a food shortage was one of the main hardships... When France was retaken by Allie forces Nazi's in Jersey were cut off from supplies. As Jersey people were reluctant to share their food with Nazi soldiers they too suffered eventually resorting to eating dogs and cats.
Photos from the occupation:
Old biddies by a bit of Nazi art.
Nazi soldiers bury a British soldier
Nazi rebranded Stamps:
Nazi's in King Street, St Helier:
Local defiance: The V for Victory, Winston Churchill's signature hand gesture. The sign below is the name of a beach close to where I live: In French is translates to 'Goodnight Bay'
Liberation:On May 9th 1945 the Channel Islands were liberated by British Forces. The Nazi's surrendered without putting up a fight.
British Soldiers march in:
Nazi guns dumped over the cliffs still lay rusting today:
Jersey today:
'Goodnight Bay'
