75: Channel Islands

Liberation of the German-occupied Channel Islands

(May 9th - St. Peter Port, Guernsey welcomes the British Soldiers)

The Channel Islands were occupied during World War II by German forces from 30 June 1940, until May 1945. They were liberated by British forces following the general German surrender.  Considered not defendable by the British government in 1940, the islands were demilitarised and some civilians were given the opportunity to evacuate to England before the German forces arrived. The island leaders and some civil servants were asked to stay in their posts to look after the civilians in their care. 41,101 remained on Jersey, 24,429 on Guernsey and 470 on Sark. Alderney had just 18.  Apart from undertaking a few commando raids, the islands were ignored by the British government until June 1944 when additional attacks on German shipping and radar units took place. To avoid starvation of civilians, permission was given for Red Cross parcels to be sent to the islands during the winter of 1944–45. Liberation would have to wait until the end of the war in Europe. 

Early planning:  Planning for the liberation of the Channel Islands began with "Operation Rankin", prepared in late 1943. It looked at three possibilities:

Case A – Liberation before the liberation of France; this concluded that a small attack might work if German morale was low and most German forces had left the islands.

Case B – To occupy the islands if they were evacuated by the Germans

Case C – The complete unconditional surrender of all German forces

Only Case C was considered likely at the time, and a directive dated 10 November 1943 was issued by the Chief of Staff, Supreme Allied Commander (COSSAC) which resulted in a Joint Plan for Operation Rankin C  Naval forces would be based on whatever was available at the time; merchant shipping would be needed to transport three months supply of food and medicines, as would small craft for landing supplies, bicycles for transport and signalling equipment. 725 officers and men were considered adequate.

Military intelligence:  In 1943 intelligence was severely lacking. Additional aerial photographs needed to be taken and interpreted. There were no allied controlled radio transmitters in the islands, so communications to discover what was actually happening in the islands were almost non-existent.  German troops were estimated as 23,800, with one artillery and three infantry regiments within 319th Infantry Division. Surrender would be unlikely without a fall in morale and/or starvation once isolated.  Allowing for the 2,000-3,000 British civilians who had been deported to camps in Germany in 1942-3, civilian numbers were estimated at 65,000 with 42,000 in Jersey, 23,000 in Guernsey and 355 in Sark. Aerial photographs were taken and the few escaped civilians from the islands were interviewed. 

Detailed planning:  Not knowing when the force would be needed, a code word W-Day or warning day when the operation was given the go ahead by SHAEF was established and a timetable from then, W+1, W+2 etc. was established until C-Day, the first landing day, with C+1, C+2 etc. for follow up days.  It was decided to involve a number of Channel Island people in the planning, as their local knowledge would be invaluable. The interrogation of islanders who managed to escape the islands by boat, especially those in 1944, provided much needed intelligence. Needing to land in both Jersey and Guernsey on the same day involved additional shipping and men; three battalions each of 700 men, plus engineers, were now needed. Suitable beaches for landings, such as St Aubin's Bay in Jersey and L'Ancresse in Guernsey, were selected. Unloading in an area with a 10-metre (33-foot) rise and fall of the tide had to be planned. Surrender terms were drafted. Prisoner of war facilities would be needed. The airports would be opened for transport planes to land.  Administrative tasks would be given to No 20 Civil Affairs Unit, including bringing 200 tons of food, clothing and medicines in on C-Day. Everything the islands needed, from pots and pans to 1.1 million sheets of toilet paper, were sourced. The British Government gave the force commander authority under the Emergency Powers (Defence) Act 1939 to make regulations; any new laws passed by the Civil Governments in the islands would need Brigadier Snow's approval.  Civilians would not be allowed to leave the islands without a permit. English currency would be provided, with £1,000,000 in notes and coins brought to the islands to enable people to exchange Reichsmarks back into sterling. A distribution of free "treats" including tobacco, chocolate and tea was planned.  Longer term plans were made to remove PoWs, mines and weapons and to bring in enough food to provide 2,750 calories a day for three months for the civilians as well as fuel and goods, including 15 months worth of clothing rations which would be made available to purchase through the island shops.  There was no rush to liberate the islands. The Germans were prisoners of war who did not even have to be guarded. Because of the shortage of infantry, troops allocated to Task Force 135 were being sent to join the main army fighting in Europe.

W-Days:

On 30 April 1945, when Hitler died, German flags in the Channel Islands were flown at half mast and Union Jack flags were being sold openly in the islands. The Bailiff in Jersey appealed for calm.  Plan Prophet, the landing in Guernsey and plan Moslem in Jersey, were given the “stand to” warning on 3 May 1945, making 4 May W-Day. Formation badges were issued, the shield was based on the three leopards of Jersey and Guernsey coat of arms as used by Edward I of England and stencil formation signs were painted on the vehicles. Equipment and stores started to move from depots as far away as Liverpool. W+1, W+2 and W+3 came and went. On W+4, 8 May 1945, the day Europe celebrated the end of war in Europe, vehicles were being loaded. Press men came aboard on W+5 just before the leading ships sailed.  In the islands of Guernsey, Jersey and Sark the anticipation of the end of the war in Europe was at fever pitch; the authorities were trying hard to suppress the civilians' urge to hang out patriotic flags, as they did not want to provoke German retaliation. The Germans were very nervous about their future.  On 7 May the Bailiff of Jersey went to the prison, and at his request 30 "political prisoners" were released. Also on W+3 a message was transmitted by Southern Command in clear to the German commander in the Channel Islands telling them that ships would arrive shortly to accept their surrender. The German reply was that they only took orders from German command.  Everything changed on 8 May when the Germans released all British, French and American prisoners of war and all German prisoners held in the islands. Bunting and flags were put up in the streets,  radios, which had been banned for years upon pain of imprisonment, were produced in public, connected to loudspeakers. and tuned in to the speech given by Winston Churchill at 3pm where they heard him say:  Hostilities will end officially at one minute after midnight tonight, but in the interests of saving lives the cease fire began yesterday to be sounded all along the front, and our dear Channel Islands are also to be freed today. The crowds were cheering and jubilant, the island newspapers had published that peace had been declared,  Allied flags and bunting flew everywhere, but where were the British? 

Very late on 7 May, Southern Command had tried again by radio. The German commander replied to the British radio message confirming the British ships would not be fired upon. Two destroyers, HMS Beagle escorting HMS Bulldog sailed at 09.45 on 8 May with an advance party, codename Omelette.  Arriving off the south west coast of Guernsey, four miles (6.4 kilometres) south of Les Hanois Lighthouse at 14.00 hrs, the ships were met by a German minesweeper.[4]:201 A junior German officer came aboard HMS Bulldog telling the assembled British that he was only empowered to negotiate surrender terms, not to sign them. Details of the surrender terms were handed to the German and he departed, as did the British ships as they would not be given safe conduct to remain as the general ceasefire would operate only from midnight. 

W-Day +5 (9 May):  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 Siegfried Heine, came aboard and went to the wardroom. Asked if he would accept unconditional surrender he replied Ja.  The ships sailed slowly around the coast to St Peter Port.  Eight copies of the formal terms of surrender were signed on the quarterdeck using a rum barrel as a table, with civility and polite bows. At 07.15 hrs HMS Bulldog with the help of a German pilot, anchored off St Peter Port.  All German flags would be lowered and German ships would be sent out to pick up British troops and land them on shore. The initial Omelette force of four officers and 21 men, including four Guernseymen, landed at 07.50 hrs to be greeted by a town decorated in red, white and blue and thousands of cheering malnourished islanders singing, amongst other patriotic songs, Sarnia-Cherie.  Lt-Col Stoneman set up his HQ in the Royal Hotel. At 11.00 hrs Stoneman and his small party went to the Royal Court house where they met the Bailiff of Guernsey, Victor Carey and Jurats. A Union Flag was ceremoniously hoisted. 

Brigadier Snow had transferred to HMS Beagle and sailed on to Jersey, leaving HMS Bulldog anchored off St Peter Port, where a local fishing boat paid them a visit, swapping with the naval crew German souvenirs for chocolate and cigarettes.  HMS Beagle arrived at St Helier on Jersey at 10.00 hrs with another set of surrender documents to be signed. It had been done this way in case a German officer did not have authority over both islands and because of the rivalry between the two islands. Two naval officers, Surgeon Lieutenant Ronald McDonald and Sub Lieutenant R. Milne, were met by the harbourmaster who escorted them to his office where they hoisted the Union Flag out a window, before also raising it on the flagstaff of the Pomme D'Or Hotel.  The Bailiff of Jersey Alexander Coutanche had already received a phone call from the British HQ in Guernsey when at 10.00 hrs HMS Beagle arrived and radioed for a German ship to meet them. A Kriegsmarine tug, FK01 sailed out, but without the Jersey commander on board. It was noon before Generalmajor Rudolf Wulf with the Bailiff of Jersey sailed out to HMS Beagle. After the Germans had signed the surrender documents at 14.00 hrs and had lunch, the civilians returned with pockets full of bars of soap and tobacco to Jersey, overtaken en route by a launch carrying the first Jersey Omelette troops, five signallers.  The RAF made an appearance, with flypasts by Mosquitos at 13.00 hrs. The Jersey population had been told to be in Royal Square at 2pm, however the whole event was delayed. It was 14.30 hrs before the first group of fewer than 30 Omelette men, including Jersey born men, landed and marched to the Pomme d’Or Hotel where a massive crowd awaited them, Jersey girls being free with kisses and everybody exuberant, which slowed the troops to 100 yards an hour. The swastika flag was removed and a Union Flag was draped from a balcony of the hotel which became the Task Force 135 HQ under Lt-Col Robinson, who made a speech to the crowd.  The Germans were told to remove all troops from a circle of one mile (1.6 kilometres) around the centre of St Helier, except for the hospital and guards on ammunition and weapon dumps. The flag flying over Fort Regent changed to the Union Flag at 17.00 hrs. British soldiers handed sweets to children and commented on how thin the islanders looked. A large landing craft LCI(L)-130, carrying 200 additional Jersey Omelette personnel, including six Jersey men, arrived at 17.00 hrs just as another fly past, this time by RCAF Mustangs crossed St Helier. They scattered into small groups to take command of the town.  The Red Cross ship, SS Vega was in the harbour having recently arrived with the latest supply of Red Cross parcels for the starving civilians.  The main part of the Guernsey Omelette, comprising 160 men, landed from a landing craft, LCI-103 at 14.15 hrs. Many more people had come to the town to see them, church bells were ringing and the British soldiers were given flowers. The Germans had started clearing obstructions from the airport and disconnected sea minefields. Twenty-two German officers were allocated to work at the British HQ to assist. Germans were appointed as drivers and took British soldiers in their cars to various locations, such as the airport.  Both islands were told the main force would arrive on C+3, Saturday 12 May when there would be fitting ceremonial events in the presence of Brigadier Snow.  HMS Beagle sailed back to Guernsey, leaving HMS Cosby anchored off St Helier. HMS Beagle anchored off St Peter Port and HMS Bulldog sailed with Brigadier Snow back to Plymouth.  During the afternoon and evening of 9 May, on both islands, several young women were roughly handled by local men and women who had previously seen them in the company of German soldiers, as were other people who were considered quislings. A few people, including Germans, were arrested. There were a few injuries, mainly caused by children playing with German guns. 

W-Day +6 (10 May):  Crowds of people gathered outside the General Assurance Corporation building in St Peter Port, Guernsey to welcome the British Task Force sent to liberate the island from German occupation, 10 May 1945. Embarkation of vehicles, equipment and men were being completed, and small coasters carrying coal and fuel joined the assembling fleet. Ten Landing Ship, Tank (LSTs) were in the first lift, one British and three American for Jersey, with one British and five American for Guernsey. Troops boarded Landing ship, infantry (LSIs); each LSI carried six Landing Craft Infantry (LCI) to take the troops ashore.   On Jersey, Robinson with an honour guard of British troops went for a march around the town, gathering a crowd as they progressed until arriving in Royal Square. They met the Bailiff and the Union Flag was symbolically raised, with a Boys Brigade band playing the national anthem.  That afternoon a ceremony was held on the SS Vega where the Red Cross officials, captain and crew were thanked and presented with gifts. In the evening a variety show was put on at the Opera House.  Minesweepers were busy sweeping clear channels across the English Channel and into Bailiwick waters; no mines were found.  The size of the German garrisons was clarified: they totalled 26,909, with Jersey having 11,671, Guernsey 11,755, Alderney 3,202 and Sark 281.   Allied prisoners of war held in the islands had already been released by the Germans and joined in the partying; they were gathered together for processing for return to England. Anglican and Roman Catholic services were held to mark the liberation.  There were several assaults against girls accused of being too friendly with Germans, with some men as well as police and British soldiers standing up to the mobs to protect the girls. Others wisely stayed out of sight. One Jersey woman and her son were locked up for their own protection, and were still in jail in March 1946.  The liberation of Sark, Operation Marble, took place on this date. It occurred earlier than planned due to reports of unrest amongst the Germans when a large fire was sighted and nobody was answering the telephone.[6]:299 At 16.00 hrs the German ship FK04 was taken and sailed across to the island with a small number of British troops. Landing safely, they were met by Sibyl Hathaway, the Dame of Sark, who explained the bonfire was a celebration. Meeting the German commander at his headquarters, surrender documents were signed at Rosebud Cottage, after which the Germans were told to surrender weapons and start removing mines. The ship returned to Guernsey at 21.00 hrs leaving the Dame of Sark in charge of the 275 German soldiers until 17 May when most were removed.  

Aftermath:  The liberation of the Channel Islands was now complete and the tidy up and reconstruction of the islands was beginning. The period of military government lasted until 25 August 1945 when new Lieutenant Governors in each bailiwick were appointed. The Germans had not tried to demolish any facilities; even so, innumerable problems would need to be resolved: paying compensation for requisitioned assets, and damage to houses, furniture, greenhouses and businesses during the occupation; taxation of war profiteers, including those involved in the black market; considering whether people should be prosecuted for crimes committed during the occupation and others should be publicly praised for their actions; regenerating and growing the tourist industries; and paying off the massive public debts: Jersey owed £5,960,000 and Guernsey £4,232,000.  There were other problems: tens of thousands of evacuated and deported civilians, especially children, many now grown up and realising their parents did not know them, returned to the islands, followed by the men in demob suits.  There were sick, both physically and mentally, who never recovered from the experience. Anger and fear affected some people for decades before time would allow an element of forgiveness. As in the UK, rationing continued until the mid 1950s. Guy Fawkes parties into the 1960s dressed Guys in German uniforms.

The King and Queen flew to Jersey, then Guernsey for brief visits on 7 June. For lunch the Royal couple and guests ate tinned steak and kidney pie and tinned fruit, the same as the German PoWs and British soldiers were eating. The first evacuees started to arrive from 25 June. Alderney residents had to wait until December before their island was safe to return to: 35,000 mines had to be removed, which caused casualties; 22 year old Sapper George Onions was killed. The houses had been very badly damaged. In December a number of honours were awarded: the two Bailiffs and Jurat Leale were knighted, and four CBEs and a number of OBEs and BEMs were also awarded to civil servants and civilians.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberation_of_the_German-occupied_Channel_Islands