discussion D-DAY and D-DAY min

[Peter Gillson]

Hi guys

I hope you find this a little bit interesting - Guernsey's involvement in D-Day and D-Day minus 1.

The Germans built a few radar sites on Guernsey, some were to help direct the large naval batteries, but some were used ofr air defence and it was these that the USAAF bombed on May 8th using bomb-carrying Typhoons. On that raid Flight Lieutenant John Saville was killed when his Typhoon was shot down in Havelet Bay.

Here is a photo of him:



This year, to celebrate the anniversary of D-Day we had an air display, including the Red Arrows who changed their normal flight path so that their initial approach was over the location of his aircraft (a registered War Grave) as a salute to him. A nice touch.

It may comes as a surprise but it is thought that the first German shots fired on D-Day were from British soil - Alderney! As you can see from the map below, the US
Airborne troops flew south from England towards the Islands before turning east to go to Normandy, it was when they flew near Alderney that they came under fire from Alderney. I don't think any were shot down.



Peter

 

[Guest]

Interesting , and a nice gesture by the Red Arrows Peter, a very moving moment.

 

[Steve Jones]

Very interesting Peter. Thanks for sharing

 

[Peter Gillson]

John, Steve - thanks for lokiing in. Not many people appreciate that the Channel islands were bombed by the Allies. Not only around D-Day, but also when there were reports of U Boats refuling in the harbour. Fortunately, they did not do much damage to the Town other than loads of broken windows.

Peter

 

[colin m]

the first German shots fired on D-Day were from British soil - Alderney!

Very interesting. And like many, I had no idea.

 

[Guest]

Think we all tend to forget what happened on the Channel Islands during the war in general .
So nice to read and see what you know .

 

[minitnkr]

Where is Alderney? Not on my maps of Guernsey & Jersey. PaulE

 

[rtfoe]

Hi Paul, I got this from Wikipedia...
Alderney is the northernmost of the inhabited Channel Islands. It is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown dependency. It is 3 miles long and 1 ¹⁄₂ miles wide. The area is 3 square miles, making it the third-largest island of the Channel Islands, and the second largest in the Bailiwick.

Peter, very interesting history. The people of Guernsey must have had a fantastic view from their windows that night. what a fitting tribute to Flight Lieutenant John Saville. We Malaysians had one of its sons killed during the Normandy campaign also flying a Typhoon. One of two brothers who fought in the ETO.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Steve Jones]

Hi Paul, I got this from Wikipedia...
Alderney is the northernmost of the inhabited Channel Islands. It is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown dependency. It is 3 miles long and 1 ¹⁄₂ miles wide. The area is 3 square miles, making it the third-largest island of the Channel Islands, and the second largest in the Bailiwick.

Peter, very interesting history. The people of Guernsey must have had a fantastic view from their windows that night. what a fitting tribute to Flight Lieutenant John Saville. We Malaysians had one of its sons killed during the Normandy campaign also flying a Typhoon. One of two brothers who fought in the ETO.

Cheers,
Richard

It truly was a World War. Keep their memories alive for evermore

 

[Peter Gillson]

Colin - it is not surprising that most people have no idea, there was no actual fighting on the Islands so we are a post script in most histories.

John - it is difficult to forget with thumping great bunkers around! It will be interesting as the generation who suffered the Occupation pass away. I think that remembrance of the Occupation is so engrained that it will not be forgotten. Fortunately it is taught in local schools.

Paul - here is a map:

View attachment 346678
The US Airborne flew into Normandy between Guernsey and Alderney.

Richard - i think that after the US flew past the Islanders may have heard D-Day and the advance to Cherbourg but not seen a lot. On a clear day we can see the French coast to the east but not particularly clearly. I had no idea any Malasians were involved in D-Day, interesting indeed.

Steve - they are very much alive here, co-incidentaly, not much modelling for me this evening, I have a committee meeting of the CI Occupation Society this evening.

Peter

 

[rtfoe]

Hi Peter, my apologies as I meant to say they must have heard the massive fly over of the planes that night and at lower level than the usual bombers.

Only two participated in the ETO from Malaysia and they were brothers. There is a short read here.

The inscription on Flight Lieutenant John Saville's photo reads 1966 instead of 1944.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Peter Gillson]

Hi Richard. No apologies needed,

The
Allies flew quite a few missions over and around the Islands, often on shipping. One in particular which sank a German supply ship a little outside our main harbour which was carrying cement to the Island. It is a remarkable wreck becasue is sank in one piece and settled on the sandy sea bed uprigth so she looks to be saiing through the sand. About 20 years ago I dived the wreck and it was still in pretty good condition - a great dive.

In all 153 allied airmen lost their lives around Guernsey in aircraft ranging from Spitfires to B17s. A friend of mine spent 40+ years researching all records he coud find to build a definitive list of these 153 men, and a couple of years ago a memorial was erected - a B17 surrounded by Spitifies.





In the terminal building is a computer display with details of each man.

Here is a link to a news story about the unveiling: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-guernsey-34186832

Peter

 

[Jim R]

Hi Peter
The story of the Channel Islands in WW2 is both interesting and yet little known. I watched an episode of the TV series Combat Dealers where they visited the islands. They met a man who was a child there during the war. He had incredible stories of the occupation.
Jim

 

[Peter Gillson]

Hi Peter
The story of the Channel Islands in WW2 is both interesting and yet little known. I watched an episode of the TV series Combat Dealers where they visited the islands. They met a man who was a child there during the war. He had incredible stories of the occupation.
Jim

For many years nobody spoke about it and, sadly, I n ever really got many stories from my dad who was a lad during the war. Although during the mid-1990's my gran (his mum) died and we were sorting out the family home, going into the loft he found the peice of wire they used as a ariel for their 'cat's whisker' crystal radio which they used to crowd around to listen to the BBC. Something which was forbidden by the Germans.

Peter

 

[Guest]

Would have thought that carried quite a severe penalty if caught Peter .