Read Online The Channel Islands At War by Peter King - Free Book Online
Authors: Peter King
Tags: Non-Fiction
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about air war over the Islands is notoriously incomplete, but there were 23 confirmed Allied air losses, and there were others like Squadron Leader Gonay, a Belgian, killed when his plane crashed on a farm at St Ouen in June 1944. Mrs Cortvriend said that, 'the mere sight of a British or Allied plane was a thrill and a signal for rejoicing to most of us'. On Sark a Lancaster bomber managed to land in what is now known as 'Aeroplane Field'.
Whenever possible, Islanders did their best to treat Allied air-crew with kindness, although that was as far as they dared to go in view of German warnings. In Guernsey when the first plane, an Anson, crashed and four crew cam e ashore in a dinghy at Portinfe r, they were looked after by Reginald Blatchford of the St John Ambulance Brigade before they were handed over to the police. Pilot Officer Robert Stirling whose Hurricane came down near Lihou Island, managed to walk in darkness along the causeway to Guernsey in April 1941. The 23-year-old Scotsman also managed to avoid a German cycle patrol, and sheltered at Mr and Mrs T. Brouard's house at L'Eree overnight.
At the time of the Nicolle-Symes affair, Schumacher's order had made it clear that anyone who sheltered British subjects "particularly members of the British armed forces, shall be shot', and this order was reissued on a number of occasions. In August 1941, for example, the Guernsey Evening Press contained this order over Carey's name: 'Attention is called to the fact that under the Order relative to protection against acts of sabotage, dated October 10th 1940, any person who hides or shelters escaped prisoners of war shall be punished with death. The same applies for the hiding or sheltering of members of enemy forces, for instance, crews of landing aircraft, parachutists etc. Anyone lending assistance to such persons in their escape is also liable to the death sentence.' Mrs Tre mayne saw this notice. 'Just fancy', she wrote, 'it might easily be one of our own and someone we know'. No accurate figures are available for Allied air losses in the Channel Islands, but the list includes ten deaths, sadly not all as a result of enemy action. The pilot of a Spitfire that crashed to the south of Guernsey in May 1944 was killed when his parachute failed to open. Usually crews that came down over land or ditched in the sea were rescued and the list also includes at least 20 rescued crew members. The Germans co-operated in such rescues, although there is one unexplained incident that took place off Alderney . In January 1944 four crew members were saved from a Lancaster that ditched to the west of the Island, but at some time late in June that year another Lancaster crashed west of Essex Castle. Captain Massmann, harbour commandant at Braye since 1943, did not order out any boats, and two of his staff later stated 'all of us were surprised that nothing was done for their rescue'. After the war Massmann was brought to London with a view to prosecution, but none took place.
Although most air-crew and naval personnel were sent to stalags in Germany, there was a POW camp at Mount Bingham in Jersey, and it was from this camp that the only successful escape and evasion took place by two Americans, Captain Edward Clark, and Lieutenant George Haas. They escaped on 8 January 1945, and a German order soon appeared stating, 'They will attempt to obtain shelter and help from the English civilian population. It is expressly announced that anyone who takes in or extends help in any way to Captain Clark or Lieutenant Haas will be punished by death'. After four days Clark and Haas reached East Lynne Farm on Grouville Bay owned by Wilfred Bertram, one of the Isla nders who actively helped escape rs. The Americans got away from the bay on 19 January, and Bertram was later awarded the United States Medal of Freedom.
The victims, both people and planes, of air war are a reminder that the Islands were in a war zone. Air war over the Islands had the
Whenever possible, Islanders did their best to treat Allied air-crew with kindness, although that was as far as they dared to go in view of German warnings. In Guernsey when the first plane, an Anson, crashed and four crew cam e ashore in a dinghy at Portinfe r, they were looked after by Reginald Blatchford of the St John Ambulance Brigade before they were handed over to the police. Pilot Officer Robert Stirling whose Hurricane came down near Lihou Island, managed to walk in darkness along the causeway to Guernsey in April 1941. The 23-year-old Scotsman also managed to avoid a German cycle patrol, and sheltered at Mr and Mrs T. Brouard's house at L'Eree overnight.
At the time of the Nicolle-Symes affair, Schumacher's order had made it clear that anyone who sheltered British subjects "particularly members of the British armed forces, shall be shot', and this order was reissued on a number of occasions. In August 1941, for example, the Guernsey Evening Press contained this order over Carey's name: 'Attention is called to the fact that under the Order relative to protection against acts of sabotage, dated October 10th 1940, any person who hides or shelters escaped prisoners of war shall be punished with death. The same applies for the hiding or sheltering of members of enemy forces, for instance, crews of landing aircraft, parachutists etc. Anyone lending assistance to such persons in their escape is also liable to the death sentence.' Mrs Tre mayne saw this notice. 'Just fancy', she wrote, 'it might easily be one of our own and someone we know'. No accurate figures are available for Allied air losses in the Channel Islands, but the list includes ten deaths, sadly not all as a result of enemy action. The pilot of a Spitfire that crashed to the south of Guernsey in May 1944 was killed when his parachute failed to open. Usually crews that came down over land or ditched in the sea were rescued and the list also includes at least 20 rescued crew members. The Germans co-operated in such rescues, although there is one unexplained incident that took place off Alderney . In January 1944 four crew members were saved from a Lancaster that ditched to the west of the Island, but at some time late in June that year another Lancaster crashed west of Essex Castle. Captain Massmann, harbour commandant at Braye since 1943, did not order out any boats, and two of his staff later stated 'all of us were surprised that nothing was done for their rescue'. After the war Massmann was brought to London with a view to prosecution, but none took place.
Although most air-crew and naval personnel were sent to stalags in Germany, there was a POW camp at Mount Bingham in Jersey, and it was from this camp that the only successful escape and evasion took place by two Americans, Captain Edward Clark, and Lieutenant George Haas. They escaped on 8 January 1945, and a German order soon appeared stating, 'They will attempt to obtain shelter and help from the English civilian population. It is expressly announced that anyone who takes in or extends help in any way to Captain Clark or Lieutenant Haas will be punished by death'. After four days Clark and Haas reached East Lynne Farm on Grouville Bay owned by Wilfred Bertram, one of the Isla nders who actively helped escape rs. The Americans got away from the bay on 19 January, and Bertram was later awarded the United States Medal of Freedom.
The victims, both people and planes, of air war are a reminder that the Islands were in a war zone. Air war over the Islands had the
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