Jersey Liberation Wednesday 9th May 1945. Once moored alongside the New North Quay crew members of one of the HM Motor minesweepers relax after clearing the approaches to St Helier Harbour. This minesweeper is most probably the FY PT 542 commanded by Lieutenant Idris Edwards, RNVR.
Jersey Liberation Wednesday 9th May 1945. Local girls were eager to speak to the crew of the recently arrived Royal Navy vessels, as Sub-Lt Jimmy Cooper from the LCI(L) 130 soon found out.
The launch from HMS Beagle was swamped with autograph hunters at the end of the Albert Pier, Jersey.
The launch from HMS Beagle was swamped with autograph hunters at the end of the Albert Pier, Jersey.
The launch from HMS Beagle was swamped with autograph hunters at the end of the Albert Pier, Jersey. The sailor's supply of cigarettes rapidly diminished.
A launch from HMS Beagle with two Royal Navy officers and four ratings on board prepares to tie up at the end of the Albert Pier, Jersey.
Everyone on the Albert Pier in Jersey wanted their photograph taken with the first Liberators ashore. L to R: Miss Betty Richomme, Miss Haines, St John Ambulance Nurses back row unknown, Mary Martret, Margaret Sewell, Surgeon-Lieutenant Ronald McDonald, Miss Frazer, Sub-Lieutenant David Milln, unknown, Maurice Gautier and Major V. Cooke.
Funeral service for Royal Navy victims of HMS Charybdis and HMS Limbourne who were buried with full military honours at Le Foulon Cemetery.
Funeral service for Royal Navy victims of HMS Charybdis and HMS Limbourne who were buried with full military honours at Le Foulon Cemetery.
Food from the SS Vega being unloaded by Germans from railway wagons whilst supervised by the St John's Ambulance in St Peter Port.
Cordite being burnt on the beach in Guernsey 1945, the photographer could feel the heat from over 400 feet away.
Armour from German fortifications being cut up at Les Monmains for transportation to the United Kingdom as scrap metal. Note the Vale Mill and the railway embankment in the background.
Target practice using an MG34 on Platte Saline in Alderney during the summer of 1942. Fort Albert can be seen in the background.
Percy Brown, Sark`s postman delivering mail on August Bank Holiday, one month after the German Occupation of Sark.
German Officers in Alderney. Oberst Knackfuss (with monocle) with other officers and what appears to be a forced labourer.
Hans Herzog, second from right and German officials seen here with C.F. Hutchesson on the far right.
Several bombs were dropped on Sark by British aircraft, these German soldiers are excavating the remains of a bomb that fell in the garden next to the Vicarage.
Mr F.M Dickson who was caretaker in Herm during the Occupation, the Germans referred to him as Robinson Crusoe.
The sunken ship Staffa in Braye harbour, Alderney. The ship was loaded with parsnips and due to leave for Guernsey before breaking away from here mooring.
Mrs Bessie Duplain disembarking from SS Autocarrier on her return to Alderney in December 1945.
20mm anti-aircraft gun salvaged in April 1969 by Mr Len Mecham and his crew of divers from the wreck of the VP209 'Dr. Rudolph Wahrenorff'. On cleaning the barnacles from the remains of the magazine five 20mm rounds were revealed.
Vizeadmiral Hüffmeier’s representative Kapitänleutnant Zimmermann returning to his vessel the German minesweeper M4613 after discussing Armistice terms on board HMS Bulldog. He was told to return to his commander and tell him to prepare for Unconditional Surrender. On leaving he arrogantly warned Brigadier Snow to move away from the coast otherwise this would be construed as an invitation to open fire. Astounded by Zimmermann’s effrontery Brigadier Snow is reported to have replied “Tell Hüffmeier that if he opens fire on us we will hang him tomorrow!”
May 9th 1946. Naval ratings from the visiting battleship HMS King George V commanded by Lieutenant-Commander Hutchins followed behind the Royal Marine Band.
A cargo vessel from Group III of the Liberation Fleet which arrived at St Peter Port Harbour, Guernsey, on 13th May carrying essential supplies. Once unloaded the much awaited food stuffs were transported to the Detail Issue Depot (DID), ready for distribution to islanders.
Eight DUKWs pre-loaded with supplies swam ashore from HM Landing Ship Tank (LST) 234 (Army Serial No. 130) anchored off St Peter Port, Guernsey and drove up the slipway of the Old Harbour much to the amazement of the crowd on Saturday morning 12th May 1945.
Crowds of Guernsey folk that had waited for the arrival of the main body of the 'Omelette’ advance party climbed on buildings, carts and lorries to get a better view. At 2.15 p.m. on Wednesday 9th May 1945 the British troops landed under the command of Major J. Clement, RA, consisting of 'D’ Battery 618 Regiment, Royal artillery, with additional personnel from 'A’ Battery; Detachment of Royal Engineers; Detachment of royal Corps of Signals; totalling eleven officers, three Warrant Officers and one hundred and fifty four other ranks.
Sergeant 'Nobby’ Hamon, Hampshires, attached to 618 Regiment, Royal Artillery. A well-known island footballer before the war who landed with the initial troops from the 'Omelette’ advance party at the New Jetty St Peter Port Harbour on Wednesday 9th May 1945 at approximately 07.50 hours. He is being greeted by Mr. Walter Le Fevre and Mr. Philip Hamon from Sark as he stepped ashore.
The Union Flag once again flying over Les Minquiers on 28th May 1945. L to R: Brigadier Snow, Mr Alexander Coutanche and Mr Charles Duret Aubin.
Crowds gather in anticipation at the harbour offices, St Helier, Jersey on the morning of 9th May 1945 where the advance party Omelette are preparing to address the crowd.
Crowds gather outside the harbour office in St Helier, Jersey on 9th May 1945 to witness a large Union Flag being draped from the first floor by Surgeon-Lieutenant McDonald with the assistance of Sub-Lieutenant David Milne.
Surgeon-Lieutenant Ronald McDonald, RNVR, and Sub-Lieutenant David Milln, RN, shortly after landing at the end of the Albert Pier, St Helier, Harbour, Jersey, on Wednesday morning 9th May, 1945. The German sign behind them advises Achtung Nicht Ankern Hafenspere (Attention No Anchoring Harbour Boom).
The crew of HMS Beagle’s launch make ready to land, and the first Liberators stepped ashore at the end of the Albert Pier, St Helier Harbour, Jersey, on Wednesday morning, 9th May, 1945. The two officers on board were Surgeon-Lieutenant Ronald McDonald, RNVR, and Sub-Lieutenant David Milln, RN.
St Saviour`s tunnel which is featured in many publications as 'The tunnel under the church’ is one of the largest German tunnel complexes in Guernsey. This tunnel was originally constructed as a ration store and in 1944 it was converted into a munitions store. On 9th May 1969 Richard Heaume and John Hayes explored the remains of the tunnel and its contents which had captured the interest of many collectors ever since the scrap men had left in the 1950’s.
Post war photograph of the tunnel entrance to HO.7/40 better known as the German Underground Hospital in St Andrews.
Section of concrete inscribed by the British Army with '224 Works Section RE 1945' located at St Peter Port harbour. Note RE is an abbreviation for Royal Engineers.
The remains of the original camouflage were still visible here on a post war photograph of the 10.5cm K331(f) bunker at Fort Hommet.
Filming of 'Appointment with Venus’ on the Channel Island of Sark. The plot is set during the outbreak of WWII when the Ministry of Agriculture and the War Office join forces to launch a daring mission to rescue a highly lucrative pedigree cow, Venus, from the German-occupied Channel Island of Armorel. English Army Major Valentine Moreland (David Niven), his A.T.S. assistant Nicola Fallaize (Glynis Johns), radio operator Forbes (Patric Doonan) and ship’s pilot Trawler Langley (Noel Purcell) are dispatched to the small island to rescue Venus. Problems arise when the German commander on Armorel, Weiss (George Coulouris), also discovers the cow’s value and intends to evacuate Venus back to Germany. The film went on general release in 1951.
Channel Islands Hotel Glategny Esplanade St Peter Port. Headquarters of the German Commandant 1940. The hotel was renamed the Savoy and later demolished.
The burnt out weighbridge in St Peter Port following the bombing of the harbour on the evening of 28th June 1940.