Figure 1.--This is a scene at the port showing evacuees on Jersey. Adequate shipping was not available to evacuate everyone. Most of the Jersey islanders had to remain on the island and endure the German occupation.

The French government was forced to relocate to Bordeaux and declared Paris to be an open city (June 10). The Channel Islands after the fall of France were indefensable for the hard-pressed British and of very limited strategic importance. The British having rescued the BEF were bracing for a German invasion of England with an atmy that had been forced to abandon its heavy weapons at Dunkirk. Most believed that the Germans were preparing to invade. With this background, the fate of the Channel Islands semed of little importance. And defending the Channel Islands was out of the question even if they had been of some impotance. The British Government announced that Jersey, the largest island, was to be demilitarised and declared an undefended zone (June 19), days before the French surrender. They did not inform the Germans. There were two factors affecting the evacuation. One was the decesion of the island governments. The other was the availability of shipping. The British Government consulted the elected representatives on each island (there was no central government) to develop an evacuation program. This proved difficult in the time available because the different islands had varying opinions. The British Government tried to send enough ships to allow islanders who desired to do so to leave, but this proved imposible both bcause of shipping shortages and the reluctance of many islanders to leave. On Alderney authorities recommended evacuation and almost all complied. About 1500 islanders were evacuated. Most departed on the British evacuation boats. Some decided to make their own way, but most found themselves trappd on Guernsey when the Germans arrived. On Sark the Dame of Sark encouraged islanders to stay. On Guernsey the school-age children were evacuated, although parents could keep their children with them if they desired to do so. The adults were to follow, but the GErmans bombed the port before that was possible. On Jersey most of the islanders remained. Available shipping proved limited. The British were not able to evacuate the entire civilian population that wanted to leave. They evacuted all military personnel along with women and children desiring to be evacuated. Only men choosing to join the military were evacuated. The remaining population would have to endure German occupation which many decided to do so willingly. We do not yet have much detiled information on the experience of the islandrs after reaching safety. MIlitary age men went into the services. The Guernsey children reached Weymouth abd were sent north like the children evacuated fron British cities. We do not yet have information on the Alderney evacuees,

Fall of France

After Dunkirk, the Panzers turned south. Hope of making a stnd on the Seine proved futile. The French government was forced to relocate to Bordeaux and declared Paris to be an open city (June 10). The Channel Islands after the fall of France were indefensable for the hard-pressed British and of very limited strategic importance.

British Defense

The British having rescued the BEF were bracing for a German invasion of England with an atmy that had been forced to abandon its heavy weapons at Dunkirk. Most believed that the Germans were preparing to invade. And the islands would have no impact on th defense of Britain.

Evacuation

With this background, the fate of the Channel Islands semed of little importance. And defending the Channel Islands was out of the question even if they had been of some impotance. The British Government announced that Jersey, the largest island, was to be demilitarised and declared an undefended zone (June 19), days before the French surrender. They did not inform the Germans. There were two factors affecting the evacuation. One was the decesion of the island governments. The other was the availability of shipping. The British Government consulted the elected representatives on each island (there was no central government) to develop an evacuation program. This proved difficult in the time available because the different islands had varying opinions. The British Government tried to send enough ships to allow islanders who desired to do so to leave, but this proved impossible both bcause of shipping shortages and the reluctance of many islanders to leave.

Alderney

On Alderney authorities recommended evacuation and almost all complied. About 1500 islanders were evacuated. Most departed on the British evacuation boats. Some decided to make their own way, but most found themselves trappd eon Guernsey when the Germans arrived.

Guersey

On Guernsey the school-age children were sucessfully evacuated, although parents could keep their children with them if they desired to do so. The adults were to follow, but the GErmans bombed the port before that was possible. Available shipping proved limited. The British were not able to evacuate the entire civilian population that wanted to leave. They evacuted all military personnel along with women and children desiring to be evacuated. Only men choosing to join the military were evacuated. The remaining population would have to endure German occupation which many decided to do so willingly.

Jersey

On Jersey most of the islanders remained.

Sark

On Sark the Dame of Sark encouraged islanders to stay.

Evacuees

We do not yet have much detiled information on the experience of the islanders after reaching safety. MIlitary age men went into the services. The Guernsey children reached Weymouth and were sent north like the children evacuated fron British cities. We do not yet have information on the Alderney evacuees. Jersey and Sark evacueees were more limited. Families separated were cut off for the duration of the War, apart from a few Red Cross letters which were limited to a small number of letters.

Created: 4:30 AM 9/24/2009
Last updated: 10:41 PM 12/26/2018