|
To
defend or not to defend?
When the
Germans occupied France in 1940, the Lieutenant-Governor of Jersey asked
the War Office what would be done to protect Jersey from the Germans.
On 17 June
1940, the decision was made that Jersey would not be defended. All troops
and military equipment were to be removed from the island.
Evacuation
Ships were
sent to evacuate anyone who wished to leave the island. Those who did
wish to leave were told to register at the Town Hall - by the end of the
next day, more than 23,000 islanders had registered.
A lot of
the islanders who had registered changed their minds, whilst others tried
to get onto the ships but were turned away. Of the 23,000 that had registered,
only 6,500 actually left.
Homes were
ransacked - evacuees could only take what they could carry, and cars and
pets were abandoned. The banks ran out of money as people tried to withdraw
their savings.
Arrival
of the Germans
On the 28
June 1940, the Germans bombed St. Helier harbour and La Rocque. They did
not know that Jersey was undefended - England had kept it quiet.
Once the
Germans knew the islands were undefended, they immediately occupied them.
On 1 July 1940, a paper ultimatum was dropped over Jersey - the islanders
had to show their willingness to comply with the Germans by flying white
flags from all buildings.
About a hundred
German troops arrived that day. Anti-aircraft and machine gun posts were
set up, and a list of orders was issued for islanders to follow - these
included a curfew from 11pm to 5am, and a ban on the sale of spirits.
By December
1940 there were 1,750 Germans on Jersey. Within a year this had increased
to 11,500.
|
