Jersey Liberation from the Nazi

[Guest]

In 1945 Jersey, with the other Channel Isles, was occupied by the Germans.

69 years ago today Jersey was liberated. Liberation day an Island holiday. Every year this Liberation is celebrated by an enactment and a Public Service in the very square where it happened. Liberation Square.

The Normandy landing bypassed Jersey until 2 days after Victory in Europe Day. Being an Englishman, and a young one aged 6, I celebrate as well although I was living through out the war in outer London. Pretty sad that the British Isles does not celebrate VE day in the same way as they do for the Island's liberation.

Laurie

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[Ian M]

Hmph. Denmark was liberated the 4th May. We celebrate by lighting a candle in the window.... Yeah!

It looks to me that you have much more fun. And a day off!

Ian M

[Guest]

Being retired, Ian, every day is a Sunday.

Laurie

[Ian M]

Hmph!

[monica]

thank you Laurie, for shearing that with us, , always interesting to hear about things , that my slip your mind,

hope you had an enjoyable day off it ,

[Guest]

Thanks for this explanation and these nice pics Laurie!

Where I live, we don't celebrate nothing, of course, but yesterday was a very important day on France, as well. As I live very near the frontier, many French people comes to "past" the day here

[Guest]

my mum side of the family originate from jersey , my nan was a de'cartwight .I remember my granddad always telling me things remember the one when he told me how he managed to get emergency leave from the ref to go get my nan from jersey, luckily he did they were on the last boat out just as the stukas attacked the harbour, they returned briefly after the war, theres still some of my grandparents letters etc in the underground hospital museum and family history in the castle .

my they rest in piece with forever thanks and never forgotten for all they gave

[Guest]

Probably De Carteret batcode.

I was not here when Jersey was bombed I was being bombed in London.

But there are still a few who were then in their teens who saw the bombing and give very graphic accounts. One character, Bob Le Sueur, gave an account of this and I was privileged to be there. They bombed the harbour and out at Le Rocque. Not sure why ! Killed 9 people with lots injured.

By that time all military personnel had left the island and there were no naval boats in the harbour. The story goes a German aircraft tested the waters thinking there would be aircraft at the airport. Landed then took off back to report I suppose.

The stories I have heard showed it as very hard with starvation come the 9 th May 69 years ago. But many fine stories. The Germans were after any animal they could get their hands on and searched every nook and cranny. So a Doctor, who had stayed behind to look after the birth and nurture of babies etc., hoisted his cow through a hole in the floor onto the first floor as he knew the Germans would never search there. And there the cow stayed.

Laurie

[flyjoe180]

Interesting photos and stories. Laurie, it is great to see that some places in the world still commemorate such important national events. Considering the number of people affected by the world wide conflict, there appears to be a lot of apathy towards it now days particularly in younger generations.See this as an example: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-two/6034749/Teens-ignorant-of-WWII-poll-finds.html

In Australian and New Zealand we have ANZAC Day on 25 April, which commemorates the landing of ANZAC troops at Gallipoli in 1915. Every year there are more and more Aussies and Kiwis attending memorials and commemorations, both at home and overseas, which is a bucking of the international trend. In NZ we also celebrate Battle of Britain Day in September, and Armistice Day on 11 November, but it is ANZAC Day that is the holiday and most precious to us.