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German soldiers in Jersey German soldiers marching before a Boots pharmacy in the British Channel Islands, 1940s The Germans did not realise that the islands had been demilitarised (news of the demilitarisation had been suppressed until 30 June 1940), [ 1 ] and they approached them with caution.
Channel Islands Liberated- the End of German Occupation, Channel Islands, 1945 D24595. Receiving a message from the Germans agreeing to a meeting at midnight on 8–9 May, the ships returned to the same south west coast location off Guernsey and a German minesweeper M4613 came out to meet HMS Bulldog. The German second in command, Generalmajor ...
German soldiers in Jersey. During the five-year German occupation of the Channel Islands (30 June 1940 to 9 May 1945) civilian life became much more difficult. During that time, the Channel Islanders had to live under and obey the laws of Nazi Germany and work with their occupiers in order to survive and reduce the impact of occupation.
The Channel Islands, comprising the Bailiwick of Jersey and Bailiwick of Guernsey, which also comprised Alderney and Sark, fell under German control on 30 June 1940.. Prior to this, the lightning Blitzkrieg resulting in the fall of France gave the British government and the island governments just enough time to evacuate those who were willing to leave the islands immediately.
The islands were away from the frontline of the First World War, but during the Second World War, the Channel Islands were the only part of the British Isles to be occupied by enemy forces. From 1940 to 1945, Jersey was occupied by German forces. The islands were liberated on 9 May 1945, which is still celebrated as the island's national day.
The newspapers recovered from Sark gave details of the deportation of civilians to Germany, this was the first evidence the British had seen of potential German war crimes in the occupied Channel Islands. [2] The Germans justified the action as being identical to the Allied removal of German civilians from Persia, current day Iran, to Australia ...
One German ran away towards the nearby Stock's Hotel where other garrison troops were sleeping. The struggle broke into fighting and the others were shot. Only one German was taken back to the MTB and the British escaped. Three German soldiers died. Mrs Pittard was sent to prison in Guernsey for three months.
In August 1943, Portugal signed the Luso-British agreement, which leased bases in the Azores to the British. This was a key turning point in the Battle of the Atlantic , allowing the Allies to provide aerial coverage in the Mid-Atlantic gap ; helping them to hunt U-boats and protect convoys. [ 7 ]