We were lucky enough to be visited by an occupation veteran called Joan. She was 6 at the start of the occupation and we had the pleasure of spending an afternoon with her hearing her tales and stories of the occupation.

Joan lived up on the north coast and she recalls that prior to the occupation. Her and her mother and father would watch the lights from the gunfire over the coast of France and she would frequently hear and see planes flying over the coast of France.

She then spoke of the islanders reactions to the united kingdoms decision to demilitarize the Islands. Many islanders felt they had been sold off to the Germans and disregarded by the United Kingdom. Joan also told us of the time she watched German bombers fly over the island and heard distant explosions. These explosions actually turned out to be the Germans Bombing St Helier

She lived down the road from Les Platons, which was the highest point on the island and this immediately became a German stronghold and Joan can recall fortifications being built by slave workers as well as guns being brought in and deployed

Joan also spoke of life in general. The cliff faces and beaches were all wired off and mined and became restricted zones, as well as the introduction and issue of ration books to each and every islander. Joan’s mother registered as a farm worker in order to receive more weekly rations. A curfew was also put in place, Banning islanders from being out after 10pm in summer and pm in winter.

Not Only did Joan tell us her stories of the occupation, She also told us of her memories of liberation. On the 8th of may her father, who was an office worker in town got sent home early as news had broke of the fall of the Nazis in Europe and that Jersey would be liberated the following day. On his way home he passed a distant cousin who had been storing a lorry in their barn for the duration of the occupation. The whole family, Joan included all got in the lorry and drove to town to celebrate

Photographing Joan

Joan then gave us the opportunity to photograph her in the studio. Below are my originals and final edits