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Mrs Irene Gosset interviewed by John Gaisford and Rosie Mere
Transcribed and edited by John David from audio and video recordings

I………. If you had to choose one thing that you remember about Occupation, what would it be? Would it be the image of that German soldier — officer looking for food, would it be the arrival of … were you there when the Vayga came? Do you remember that?
Mrs Gosset. When the?
I…… The Vayga — the Ship
Mrs Gosset. The ship? Oh yes, the Vega
I…… The Vega I mean.
Mrs Gosset. Ah yes, that’s all right. The Vega
Down along the Front I think all the Ducks —the DUKs — unloading in what is now a marina, the harbour by the Town Church. Oh yes, Americans dropping bombs there, blowing all the glass out of the shop windows, and the Town Church windows. That’s all they did. The night before there’d been a …… [ conversation in background ] There ‘d been a whats-its-name, a submarine in there the night before and a plane spotted it, but the Germans weren’t daft, they moved it overnight into Fermain bay. Over came the Americans — Bang Bang — and when I came out — I was taking shelter in a shop — when I came out there was a whacking big piece of shrapnel a great big piece of shrapnel just outside. It was a miracle nobody was killed or injured, it really was. I’m sorry, but the Americans were a bit slap-dash —
One night, it was a pitch black night, and thick drizzle, I was in bed, and there was this terrific thud, and the plaster started coming down over, but it was just this one big thud. I went back to sleep, next morning went out in the road, Germans all over the place. One of the planes coming back, jettisoned their bombs so they could land all right, in the field at the top of the Foulon, where, the Badminton Hall is now, all up there. As far as I know those bombs are still there, so I don’t think anybody ought to go excavating with a JCB .
I don’t regret living through the occupation
I…… Really - Tell me why — that’s interesting
Mrs Gosset. Well — I survived, didn’t I. I think it broadened my outlook. As you can imagine, these Islands could be very insular, and although my family had lived in Canada before I was born for nine years so they weren’t as insular as some people, but having all these different nationalities on the Island…

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