- Contributed by听
- Market Harborough Royal British Legion
- People in story:听
- Bill Cotton
- Location of story:听
- Channell Islands
- Background to story:听
- Royal Navy
- Article ID:听
- A8678604
- Contributed on:听
- 20 January 2006
HMS Faulknor accepted surrender of German garrison in Jersey in May 1945
Bill Cotton joined the Navy as a 16 years old boy sailor in 1939 (see his story 鈥淗MS Ganges鈥) and after six adventurous years in many parts of the world was back in home waters as the war in Europe came to an end. The following story was transcribed from a tape recording he made in January 2006 and is submitted on Bill鈥檚 behalf by a member of Market Harborough Branch, Royal British Legion. Mr Cotton fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.
Why no Welcome?
HMS Faulknor was sent to the Channel Islands to see if they were prepared to surrender. Prior to that, we had been around the Channel Islands at night, protecting the convoys coming up the Channel. First of all we went to Jersey where the Officer Commanding the German garrison was brought aboard and he signed a willingness to surrender. We then sailed for Guernsey where we arrived a little later and we were allowed to go ashore for two hours. Oh, this is nice, so we put on our best bibs and tuckers and off we went ashore.
It was like a ghost town. We walked through the main street, past Woolworths, past the shops that were closed. We never saw a soul. We wandered around the place, never saw a German 鈥 I suppose they were confined to their barracks - never saw a local or anybody. We went back to the ship rather disappointed after seeing all the jubilation in Europe, you know, with people being liberated and that.
The next day 鈥 I think it was the next day - some more ships came and they brought some troops and we saw all the people in the streets then. But we went ashore, not a soul, not a soul. WHY NO WELCOME?
漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.
Recommended story
Story with photo