大象传媒

I was born just after the start of the war in October 1939, so some of my early 鈥渞ecollections鈥� are 鈥渉anded down鈥� rather than remembered experiences.
My Father was a soldier in the 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters and was stationed in Guernsey so after war was declared and it was decided that the island was to be left to its fate, all the troops left for the mainland, my dad included.
The Germans announced their arrival by bombing the tomato lorries waiting at the docks with their Guernsey produce ready for export to Britain.
Some people were evacuated prior to German occupation others were interned by the Germans on occupation in Biberach Camp, on mainland occupied Europe.

A lot of the German soldiers on the island were Austrian and some were well mannered and polite and some even gave children gifts.
However, there was a curfew in place and if you were asked to do something you did it .
My Mum was asked to do the Officers washing and she did.
At the age of three and a half years (1942-43) I was taken seriously ill.
No one knew what ailed me though it took a German Army Doctor to correctly diagnose meningitis before I was successfully treated.
As the war went on with supplies short, food became scarce with the Germans starving as well as the islanders. 鈥淏lack marketeers鈥� operated and on one occasion a Red Cross ship- the 鈥淰ega鈥� was allowed into port with much welcome Red Cross parcels.
Occasionally we received Red Cross messages from our family on the British mainland and from my dad in Church Gresley, South Derbyshire.
Wartime actions were never far away. During the war two ships were bombed at sea , causing about a dozen bodies of dead sailors to be washed up on Guernsey鈥檚 coast. I believe the ships to have been HMS Limbourne and HMS Charybidis.They are buried at Foulon cemetery and a remembrance service is held annually.
British agents did land on Guernsey to perform an operation but were captured because they couldn鈥檛 swim back out to sea to rendevue with their ship.
Fraternisation with the occupying forces did occur and the accused local girls were nicknamed 鈥淛errybags鈥�.

The first time I can recall setting eyes on my dad was when I was five (5) , at the end of the war. He came marching up the street! My Grandmother had to point him out to me.
Lots of young island children were in the same position as myself in this respect.
The German occupation officially ended with the German garrison signing the surrender aboard HMS Bulldog
All Guernsey Island children were given a 鈥淟iberation from German Occupation Medal鈥� at the end of the War in May 1945.
I proudly still have mine!

Maureen Coulson (64)

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