For my A2 theme in photography, I will be looking at the German Occupation and the war. To start off my project, we went to the Société Jersiaise to look deeper into the war and to look at interesting pictures taken during the time.
The story of Jersey’s occupation:
The German Occupation of Jersey began one week after the British Government had removed all military forces from the island, fearing the safety of the people who lived there. On the 28th of June, the German air force bombed and machine-gunned multiple sites on the island, not knowing of the demilitarization. The attacks killed 10 people and wounded many more. A few days later, on the 1st of July, Germany dropped an ultimatum from the air demanding the immediate surrender of the island. White flags and crosses were placed in prominent places, and later that day Jersey was taken over by air-borne troops.
With the Germans in power, supplies ran out and left the soldiers and the civilians with very little to make use of. Food shortages on Jersey were finally relieved by the arrival of the Red Cross ship SS Vega, bringing food parcels to Jersey. Before then, substitutes had been used to replace everyday foods, with seawater replacing salt, for instance, and a mixture of parsnip and sugar beet replacing tea. A Red Cross relief ship arrived in Jersey on 30 December with food parcels, and cases of salt, soap and medical supplies. The visits of the Red Cross ship proved a lifeline to the starving islanders.
Hitler ordered the conversion of Jersey into an impregnable fortress. Thousands of slave workers from countries like Russia, Spain, France, Poland, and Algeria built hundreds of bunkers, anti-tank walls, railway systems, as well as many tunnel complexes. All of the fortifications built around the island were part of Hitler’s “Atlantic Wall”. Today, traces of Jersey’s defenses and wartime occupations can be discovered across the island, especially in St. Ouen’s Bay.
The occupation of Jersey lasted for 5 years, starting from 1st of July 1940, and eventually ended on the 9th of May 1945.
To gain some start photos for this theme and to give me an idea of what I could do, I went around town and took images of things which were either part of the war, or places which pictures were taken of during the war which are still there now.
Noirmont Point and a substantial part of the headland behind it was acquired by the States in 1950 as the Island’s war memorial, but sadly very few Jersey residents today are aware of this. It is a strange irony given its status as a memorial of a war in which Jersey was occupied by the Germans for five years, that probably the main reason for visiting the headland is to view the restored bunkers and gun emplacements of Batterie Lothringen, the only naval coastal artillery battery in the island and part of Hitler’s infamous Atlantic Wall. If nothing else, however, the purchase has ensured that this headland, which forms the western end of St Aubin’s Bay, remains one of the few relatively unspoilt areas of the south coast of the island, with the exception of the concrete structures, which for many years were left undisturbed as a lasting memory of the dark days of the German Occupation.
More recently they have been restored by members of the Channel Islands Occupation Society with interior displays which show what they would have been like when they were built to defend the island against any attempt by the British to recapture it.
In Jèrriais (the ‘local’ language of Jersey) the name is Nièrmont. The French form of the name follows the Jèrriais rule of the colour adjective preceding the noun: Noirmont. Both forms translate into English as the ‘Black Mount’.
The Jersey Archive was established as part of Jersey Heritage in 1993. The Archive is the Island’s national repository and their purpose is to preserve the unique written cultural heritage of the Island therefore ensuring that future generations in Jersey can access archival material to learn more about Jersey’s past, as well as material on their predecessors. Since 1993 Jersey Archive has collected over 500,000 archival records from places or people related to the Island. Such as:
States of Jersey, States Committees and Departments
The Royal Court
H.E. Lieutenant-Governor
Parishes
Churches
Businesses
Societies
Individuals
These records are now stored in our environmentally monitored strongrooms at the Jersey Archive and can be searched online. The Jersey Archive is the official repository for the Island documentary heritage, and can offer guidance, information and documents that relate to all aspects of the Island’s History. The archives hold records and documents of all kinds, some being:
These records are now stored in our environmentally monitored strongrooms at the Jersey Archive and can be searched online. The Jersey Archive is the official repository for the Island documentary heritage, and can offer guidance, information and documents that relate to all aspects of the Island’s History. The archives hold records and documents of all kinds, some being:
House History
Contracts
Island Maps
Criminal Records for Family Historians
Military Records for Family Historians
Conservation
Preservation and Storage of Documents
Useful Websites
German Occupation
Bankruptcy Records
Historic Buildings Research Leaflet
The long term preservation and security of the records kept in the archives is highest priority. Since the Public Records (Jersey) Law was passed in 2002 the Jersey Archive has been the official repository for all archival records produced by public institutions. The Jersey Archive does also accept records from businesses, clubs, societies and individuals. These can be donated or deposited on long term long loan whereby ownership remains with the depositing person. Once catalogued, documents are carefully packed in acid free materials and stored in the correct environmental conditions.
Online Archive:
As well as collecting and preserving records the Archive is committed to making archives available to all members of the local and worldwide community. Records that are stored at Jersey Archive are catalogued staff and made available via the Archives and Collections Online to allow easier access to these documents for people who may not be able to physically get there. Their website allows you to search through the archives by entering a name, place or subject that is relevant to your research.
Photography in Archives:
Photography has a double role within archives, as most photographs in the archives today were likely taken by random members of the public, they can be viewed today to give a sense of what life was like, what Jersey looked like and of the people who have lived here in the past. This is important as it shows how the island truly was and gives us a pure insight into the Island’s history without any bias or other motive. Many images in the archive have also been taken by photographers and artists over the years. However, while these images are truthful and show the island in years previous, the artist or photographer likely had certain ideas or concepts which their photographs had to adhere to, thus creating a sense of falsehood if images were staged or taken with certain intentions.
The Channel island were the only part of Britain to be occupied by the Germans during WW2. The island were occupied for about 5 years, from the 30th of June 1940 until their liberation on the 9th May 1945.
Life Under Occupation:
The German Occupation of Jersey began one week after the British government had demilitarized the island fearing for the safety of civilians should there be any conflict. The code name for this was “Operation Green Arrow” and the initial German Air Force reconnaissance flights mistake civilian farming lorries for troop carriers. On the 28th of June , the German Air Force, not knowing of the demilitarization, bomb and machine gun multiple sites on the island. The attacks killed ten people and wound many more. A few days later on the 1 of July 1940 General Richthofen, The Commander of the German Air Forces in Normandy, dropped an ultimatum from the air demanding the immediate surrender of the island. White flags and crosses were placed in prominent positions, as stipulated by the Germans, and later that day Jersey was occupied by air-borne troops under the command of Hauptmann Gussek.
Under the occupying forces, one of the greatest hardships was the lack of news from the mainland after the Germans had outlawed the use of crystal radio sets. A number of individuals risked imprisonment by making their own sets and spreading front line news. Horse drawn traffic became an increasingly regular sight as petrol shortages became severe, and many vehicles were converted to use gas. The price of bicycles rose, and their use was restricted to those connected to essential services. The German’s ordered all traffic to drive on the wrong side of the road. The island was also moved to Central European time. In the months following D-Day, as the Allies regained control of France, the source of supplies fueling the islands was now no longer available.
Shopping hours were reduced as goods became scarce. Food shortages on Jersey were finally relieved by the arrival of the Red Cross ship SS Vega, bringing food parcels to Jersey. Before then, substitutes had been used to replace everyday foods, with seawater replacing salt, for instance, and a mixture of parsnip and sugar beet replacing tea. During the autumn of 1944, fuel supplies were almost gone, leaving no gas, occasional electricity, and very little road fuel. Medical supplies were almost non-existent; and most people were without fuel. A Red Cross relief ship, the S S Vega, arrived in Jersey on 30 December with food parcels, and cases of salt, soap and medical supplies. The visits of the Red Cross ship S S Vega proved a lifeline to the starving islanders.
Victory on the Horizon
By 7 May 1945, the German army had surrendered and the end of the war in Europe was announced. During the week leading up to 6 May islanders had been hearing reports of Hitler’s fall in Berlin by way of their hidden radios. In spite of the fact that the island was still officially under occupation, rumors began circulating of an imminent end to the war in Europe. In June 1944, the Normandy landings marked the initiation of ‘Operation Overlord’, the invasion of northwest Europe by the Allied forces. By 7 May 1945, the Germany army had surrendered and the end of the war in Europe was announced. During the week leading up to 6 May islanders had been hearing reports of Hitler’s fall in Berlin by way of their hidden radios. In spite of the fact that the island was still officially under occupation, rumors began circulating of an imminent end to the war in Europe. Culminating on the 8 May, the Allied military powers had been busy coordinating the necessary steps, behind the scenes, to recover the Channel Islands from their occupation. On 3 May a British Military operation ‘Nestegg’, with the objective of liberating the Channel Islands, was set in motion when a coordinated group of British Army units, collectively known as ‘Force 135’, were called to ‘Stand To’.
On 8 May the units that made up Force 135 received their orders to move to their marshaling camps in Portsmouth. The main body of the Force was due to arrive in the islands on 12 May, however, a small contingent of Force 135, including their Commander, Brigadier AE Snow, left for the Channel Islands aboard HMS’ Bulldog and Beagle the morning of 8 May. Together with the units of Force 135, this first party consisted of a team of officials responsible for negotiating the terms of the Germans’ surrender. The front page of the Jersey Evening Post carried Jersey’s first confirmation of the Allies’ victory in Europe, and islanders were informed that Winston Churchill would broadcast the Nation’s first official announcement that afternoon at 3.00pm. Crowds began to gather at various locations to hear the announcement that would declare their liberation. Islanders waited patiently amidst the heavy air of expectation.
Liberation Day:
At 7:15am on 9 May, on the quarter deck of HMS Bulldog, Second-in-Command for Guernsey General Siegfried Heine signed the Instrument of Surrender on behalf of the German Command of the Channel Islands, effecting their capitulation. On completion of this, General Heine was then ordered to “immediately cause all German flags and ensigns now flying in the Channel Islands to be lowered”. At Midday an overjoyed Bailiff Coutanche accompanied a German delegation led by the island Commander, General Major Rudolf Wulf, aboard HMS Beagle anchored in St. Aubin’s bay, where the separate surrender of Jersey was to take place. Arriving at the same time in St. Helier’s harbor was a small naval inspection party sent to report on the health of the islanders, who were promptly overwhelmed by an enthusiastic crowd delighted at seeing their first liberators landing on Jersey soil.
The advanced landing party was dispatched to secure control of St. Helier and signal the liberation. Crowds greeted the liberating forces. Having wrestled their way through the hordes of celebrating locals, Lieutenant-Colonel WPA Robinson and his team eventually arrived at the Pomme d’Or; the pre-selected liberation HQ. On their arrival the swastika flag was ordered down from the hotel balcony and, at 3:40pm the Union Jack was hoisted, officially signaling the end of the occupation. At this the crowd broke into a passionate performance of the national anthem before the streams of cheers erupted. This time, it was the Germans who were ordered to fly the white flag. The task force included many Channel Islanders who were forced to leave in 1940, and one of them, Captain Hugh le Brocq, was given the honour of raising the Union Jack over Fort Regent. As the day of liberation drew on, the celebrations continued and islanders celebrated their freedom to be together.
Surfer in a dark room preparing equipment and outside early in the morning before he break of dawn in the cold ready to go and surf.
This photoshoot took place at my home. The aim of it was to capture a surfer in a cold environment (hence the thick coast), who was preparing for a surf in an environment that people would not usually like to be in (e.g. a cold garage, outside in winter, a dark rom on their own). This was to highlight the commitment surfers have to their sport and equipment to keep it in check and combat the stereotype of them being typically lazy.
Therefore the areas I chose to shoot in were in my garage and outside my house. I captured my images in these places because they provided areas of low and dim lighting, whilst also being areas that are cold and require thick clothing to keep warm. They are also areas that people usually would not enjoy spending long periods of time in, therefore by photographing my brother there, they can relate it to similar environments around their home and it gives them an almost personalized knowledge of the dedication of the surfers spending their time there to continue with their sport.
In this photoshoot I was aiming to combat the stereotype of surfers being poor and scruffy. Due to the old nature of the sport, surfers are stereotypically beach bums who live out of their vans and don’t give much to personal appearance. Which is why, to link my project to identity and place I am combatting this stereotype by showing the surfer combating the stereotype as the identity with personal appearance and the luxury villa contradicting the stereotypical place.
The areas where I chose to shoot in the villa, were places where the light was strong, there was vast amount of scenery and great views (meaning mostly outside) and in minimalistic areas for example, where the colours were plain so the colours of the object or person I was photographing would stand out and in places where the architecture was very prominent in the photograph. This added some depth and tonal range to the images as well. However, I think the best images were created when I wasn’t focusing on where I was shooting but what I was shooting as it allowed me to properly think about the techniques I had learning and camera skills which would help me capture the most effective image instead of worrying about cramming all different things into the photos.
