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Edited transcript of a video recording of Stanley Bichard interviewed by John Gaisford, 12/3/2005
Transcribed by J David 4/10/05
[Transcriber’s note — The two brothers are identical twins]

Return to Guernsey
I………. After the fortnight ‘s leave in Guernsey,, where did you go back to?
Mr Bichard. We went back to Gibraltar, and we stayed there till our time was up, everyone had a certain number, I think 45 was ours, I think it depended how old you were, anyway, we got demobbed at the same time, the officer who dealt with us, he remarked on us being a twin, he seemed rather surprised about that.
We went to Guernsey again, my parents and my sister they got through the Occupation reasonably well.
I………. You had been away the whole war, and you got back to Guernsey after four years of Occupation, did you see big changes or not much change?
Mr Bichard. The main recollection is of all these fortifications, we noticed at the harbour, the Spur, at the end of the White Rock, there, it looked a lot different to what it was when we left, and of course we went to St Saviour’s, where they had the big guns,
I………. Can you remember what your family and the people were like? Were they subdued, or were they quite happy and healthy?
Mr Bichard. They seemed reasonably healthy considering what they went through. My sister as well, now she’s ninety-eight, but she is very ill at the moment, she’s at St John’s residential home, and my brother, he’s just had a knee replacement and he’s at the King Edward at the moment. But Sue Adams, she’s at the Social security, I think it’s my sister spoke to her in the first place, and its her that’s arranged for us at St John’s. I have been there for a fortnight, but that’s respite care, they call it, just to see what it’s like, and I thought it’s just an excellent home. So I spoke to my brother, and we agreed that we will stay. We’re promised that when we are together again that we’ll get a room of our own, so we’ll be well looked after.
I………. I’m very glad to hear it. It looks like a nice place, and the grounds are so lovely,
Mr Bichard. That’s right, very good staff, very helpful, and the food is good, you can’t really expect anything better than that, I don’t think, it’s in Saumarez Park, in the mansion, not just an ordinary home, it’s got a history.
I………. Now you’ve got your twin brother, and your sister, who was here, have you any other brothers or sisters?
Mr Bichard. No. My sister is very ill, I am afraid, at St John’s, she’s ninety-eight, and I shall be eighty-nine next month, so we havn’t done too badly.

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