Bob Le Sueur 19 when the Germans arrived and 24 when the Germans left
Incident German Arrived 1940:
Morning July 1st – air on the 28th June – lot of damage people killed, lived west of St helier, woken up by German planes- German bomber planes, Two parachutes with cylinders (contained messages for the commander of chief- saying that the island would be demilitarised as they are not of military value).
The messages were sent to the bailiff – they had a day to surrender or overwise they would carpet bomb the island- people in England said they cant defend the island however they said to stay by their post and try to defend as possible for the population.
Germans didn’t invade French borders, but Hitler did decide to invade without warning into Dutch borders and into Luxemburg, people were woken up at 6am.
100, 000 population totalled the 2 islands at the time of German occupation.
The atmosphere in jersey at the beginning of the German occupation was that it was very tense, but it was broken by captain bennay was in command, pigeon went over head and was sick over him and his pork pie hat – people started to laugh and giggle. The captain was angry and stormed off.
When this was all over there was going to make an official announced by the bailiffs.
Story two:
Number 7 – two floors up apartments – family homes
2 young men shared a flat – they sheltered an escaped Russian prisoner, Hitler intended to not occupy the whole of British Isles if Germans did win as could do so.
Jersey was more fortified than anywhere else that the Nazis were occupied.
Spanish abled men were sent to jersey by the Nazis to build the fortifications, but they were many forced workers sent here, theses weren’t paid except the Spanish men.
2 15-year-old boys were sent to jersey after being stopped by the Germans when walking home (Ukrainian).
A Russian was housed by two people who shared their rations with the Russian got an illegal registration card.
September 1944 – gas supply was stopped meaning that people had to cook on an open fire, meaning that the young people put on party. Russian got hold of the calvados before the party and was bellowing out a song and dancing, German soldiers walking below singing, however they didn’t do anything.
Liberation Day:
April 20th Berlin fell
January 1945 – electricity supply cut off – at this point people were starving.
Jersey Evening post was still going only on sheet of paper one side was local news, and the other side was the German news
The armistice was being negotiated and was announced on May 9th