# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Film of the London Blitz in colour unseen for 70 years

Sign in to confirm your age

0:00

6:23

0:00 / 6:23•Watch full video

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Film of the London Blitz in colour unseen for 70 years

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
WWII The Blitz - Scenes From London During The Blitz 1940/41

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Mike Harris at BBC People's War recalls sleeping at Balham Underground station before his evacuation from London.

When I was a young boy I remember going down the Underground at Balham station on the Northern Line during the worst of the German air raids. I well remember the sound of the first train in the morning which woke us up from the bunk beds we were sharing. I remember the stuffy atmosphere but the sense of togetherness among the people.

He was fortunate not to be there on the 14th October 1940 when at 8.02pm a 1400 kilo semi armour piercing bomb penetrated 32 feet underground and exploded just above the cross passage between the two platforms.

Above ground a No.88 London double decker bus, travelling in blackout conditions, plunged into the crater created by the bomb. The dramatic spectacle of the trapped bus was to become emblematic of the dangers of the Blitz, a series of pictures of it appeared in publications around the world.

The water and gas mains, along with the sewage pipes, had been broken: water poured down, flooding the tunnels below, and gas hampered rescue efforts. Almost all of the casualties would have resulted from the blast and debris. Yet stories soon developed of trapped people drowning in the flood waters and of miraculous escapes by people swimming along the tunnels to the next station. Colin Perry wrote in his diary:

This bomb I think penetrated the steel-encased Tube below the ground, and I hear too that something, by a million to one chance, went down the ventilator shaft of the underground station. The water main was burst and the flood rolled down the tunnels, right up and down the line, and the thousands of refugees were plunged into darkness, water. They stood, trapped, struggling, panicking in the rising black invisible waters.

They had gone to the Tubes for safety, instead they found worse than bombs, they found the unknown, terror. Women and children, small babes in arms, locked beneath the ground. I can only visualize their feelings, I can only write how it has been told to me, but it must have been Hell. On top of this there came a cloud of gas. People not killed outright were suffocated, the rest drowned, drowned like rats in a cage.

See Boy in the Blitz: The 1940 Diary of Colin Perry .

It was easy for such stories to take a hold but there is no mention of these scenarios in the official accounts of the rescue. In total sixty six people died, although over the years there has been confusion over the exact number and only recently Transport for London has agreed to revise the memorial plaque at the station.

The recovery of bodies was to take almost until Christmas yet remarkably the damage was repaired and trains were running through the station on 8th January 1941, and the station itself reopened on the 19th January.

Nick Cooper's London Underground at War has a very comprehensive account of the Balham aftermath drawn from official sources, and a huge amount of detail on everything about the Tube during the war.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Mike Harris at BBC People's War recalls sleeping at Balham Underground station before his evacuation from London. When I was a young boy I remember going down the Underground at Balham station on the Northern Line during the worst of the German air raids.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Spa Icon Restaurant Icon Pool Icon Pets Icon Outdoors (Night) Icon Hearing Loop Icon Family Friendly Daytime Icon Couples Icon Children Icon Catering Icon Bars & Pubs Icon

From Occupation to Liberation (1940 - 1945).

The Channel Islands were the only part of the Britain Isles to be occupied by German forces in WW2. The five-year occupation came to an end on 09 May 1945 - Liberation Day, an event still celebrated in Jersey with an annual Bank Holiday.

You might also like...

Looking for some inspiration?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Jersey's Occupation Story | Inspiration | Visit Jersey

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Spa Icon Restaurant Icon Pool Icon Pets Icon Outdoors (Night) Icon Hearing Loop Icon Family Friendly Daytime Icon Couples Icon Children Icon Catering Icon Bars & Pubs Icon From Occupation to Liberation (1940 - 1945). The Channel Islands were the only part of the Britain Isles to be occupied by German forces in WW2.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Through hurried and confused messaging, residents of the islands were given the choice to evacuate - which meant leave their homes, jobs, families, and lives as they knew them - or decide to remain and face an unknown enemy.

Ships were sent to evacuate anyone who wished to leave, and queues formed in St Helier that lasted for days. Ralph Mollet was secretary to the Bailiff of Jersey, and he kept a diary of the occupation (a practice later banned by the German occupiers). On 19 June 1940, he wrote of the "long queue of people five and six deep extended as far as the Opera House, Gloucester Street, some standing for at least ten hours." Most of the Channel Islands' Jewish population, aware of the imminent arrival of the Nazis who had already passed anti-Semitic laws and enacted brutal violence upon Jews across Europe, had already left for England. Twelve registered Jews remained on Jersey.

Panic and confusion reigned as residents decided what to do. "The telephones were working without cessation," wrote Mollet. "Everyone was asking his neighbour what he was going to do. Many buried their valuables. The sound of gun fire ceased in the evening, and a considerable proportion of the population of St. Helier slept in the country." The confusing nature of the evacuation, compounded by the limited number of vessels, meant that while 23,000 islanders registered to leave Jersey, only 6,500 actually did.

"We were having supper when we heard the noise, the disturbance, which was the planes coming over La Rocque and we went into the back garden at home." Graham Bree was a child in Jersey on 28 June 1940, when German aerial forces targeted St Peter Port in Guernsey, and Jersey's largest town, St Helier. "There were the German planes," Bree told the BBC in 2020, "which appeared very, very low and very menacing, approaching the house and heading towards the harbour in St Helier".

The subsequent, devastating aerial attack - part of the German plan for subjugation of the islands that was codenamed 'Operation Green Arrow' (Grüne Pfeile) - killed 9 people on Jersey, with a further death toll on neighbouring Guernsey. In any community such losses would be deeply felt, but particularly on such small and close-knit islands, almost every resident was connected to one the casualties. It marked the beginning of an occupation that would last almost five years.

A 'soft' occupation?

The first German occupiers arrived in Jersey on 1 July 1940, astonished to find the islands undefended (they had mounted their previous aerial attack under the impression that civilian farming lorries moving around the island were troop carriers). German Major Albrecht Lanz was met at the airport at 6pm by the island's Bailiff, Alexander Coutanche, and the Attorney General, CW Duret Aubin. Two hours later Coutanche, who reportedly did not wish the Union flag to be lowered by the Germans, went to Fort Regent and lowered it himself. A swastika flag was soon flown from St Helier's Parish Hall, and on 2 July a series of orders was issued that included the ominous line: "We will respect the population of Jersey; but, should anyone attempt to cause the least trouble, serious measures will be taken."

But, contrary to the fears of many in Jersey who expected that the worst was still to come, the beginning of the occupation was relatively peaceful. Compared to the occupations of France and the Netherlands, the Channel Islands experienced a much 'softer' occupation. The islands were a symbolic prize for Adolf Hitler - his advisors spoke of his inselwahn or 'island madness' - and as well as a valuable propaganda coup, it was marked by ideological difference, as he regarded the British as more 'equal', a people to rule rather than oppress or eradicate.

Some restrictions were immediately placed on civilian life, with radios confiscated and curfews imposed. Use of German currency - Reichsmarks and pfennigs - became obligatory, most vehicles were commandeered by the Germans, and islanders were required to cycle on the right side of the road. Diaries from the time report a growing sense of isolation as news was cut off from the mainland - and in worst cases, feelings of abandonment and despair that the island communities had been left behind - but the communities were broadly unmarked by violence. For the few Jews who had remained in Jersey though, life would change drastically as measures were introduced against them. Early law changes meant that all Jewish businesses had to display a sign stating the shop was "Jewish owned" or a "Jewish Undertaking", while another law banned Jews from holding the position of 'higher official' on the island.

The fact that these laws were implemented by senior Jersey officials remains as evidence, for some, of collaboration with the regime. Others have defended the approach by Bailiff Coutanche and the island's officials, asserting that they believed they were acting as a buffer between occupiers and residents, and had little choice but to accept the demands of the Germans. How far their actions went in assisting the German occupiers is a topic that remains under debate today.

In the early stages of the occupation, the environment was seen as one in which German troops could relax. Indeed, just one week before the invasion, Jersey was still advertised as a holiday destination. Many contemporary reports from Jersey folk mention that troops were polite and well-mannered. One Channel Island resident, Pearl White-Regan describes how the profile of the occupiers changed: "They were perfect at first because they picked the cream of Germany. The men that came over first were very polite, some had been educated at Oxford... we had all the terrible men at the end."

Nevertheless, the Nazi occupation of Jersey was comprehensive - there could be as many as one to two Germans per islander - there's no doubt that the German presence led to immense privation, particularly in the final years of the war. Trade with other territories halted almost immediately, and fewer destinations for important Jersey exports such as potatoes and milk contributed to widespread unemployment across the island. The demands of feeding the German troops also led to chronic shortages, and following D-Day in June 1944, the situation worsened as the Allies attempted to deprive the German occupiers. One resident Diane Conway recounted to the BBC in 2016 how "people went down [to the beach] to get limpets" to make limpet stew, until eventually "the rocks had no limpets at all".

The occupation, explained author Duncan Barrett in this episode of the HistoryExtra podcast, was characterised by a 'make-do-and-mend' attitude driven by personal ingenuity. Blackberry leaves became a substitute for tea, acorns for coffee and boiled sugar beet was a common source of ersatz sugar. Stinging nettles replaced vegetables, and with nothing wasted, 'potato peel pie' became a common treat. With cars having been confiscated, precious bikes became the mode of transport and when tires wore through, they were replaced with hosepipes. Others found they could make the soap ration stretch further by "boiling ivy leaves till quite soft and adding one half packet of soap powder and one tablet of soap".
Listen: Duncan Barrett tells the stories of Channel Islanders under German occupation in World War Two, on this episode of the HistoryExtra podcast:
The occupation also put unprecedented strain on bonds within the communities, as some regarded German soldiers differently. There are reports of children who were given sweets or ice creams by soldiers missing their own children back at home, who were unable to understand why their parents disliked these German visitors so much. In other cases, some residents took to trading goods in an illegal 'black market' which exploited a desperate captive market, and were regarded as traitors by others in dealing with the Germans.

There were much harsher recriminations for any women who fraternised with the enemy. Perhaps inevitably, given the influx of young and fit German soldiers to the island while many Jersey men were away, some island women socialised and took up relationships with occupiers. Census reports for the island show that the birth rates, which had dropped dramatically at the beginning of the war, began to creep up again during the occupation. One Jersey woman Alexandrine Baudains - known sometimes as 'Ginger Lou' - became the mistress of a high-ranking German official, and aided the occupiers by denouncing residents who defied the regime. After the war she was the target of an angry mob, but she and her son George escaped violence by taking shelter in prison and was exiled to England. Though motivations and relationships differed, as a group these women were branded 'jerry-bags', and they suffered abuse and ostracization both during the occupation and afterwards.

Brutal reality

In stark contrast to this 'softer' occupation for residents of Jersey, the inclusion of the islands in Adolf Hitler's military strategy meant a much more brutal reality for many others. Jersey became a cog in Hitler's Atlantic Wall defences - the fortifications that stretched from Norway to the Spanish/French border. Showing just how vital Jersey was to Hitler's plan, the island used one twelfth of the reinforced concrete of the entire Atlantic Wall.

It was a year into the occupation that the transformation into a fortress began. It's estimated that around 5,300 enslaved workers were shipped to Jersey to labour on the new constructions. They were brought against their will, from countries including France, Spain and Poland. As many as 1,000 prisoners were brought from the Soviet Union - these enslaved people from Eastern Europe were regarded as untermensch or 'sub-human', and treated with wanton brutality. The workers toiled in dangerous conditions to build anti-tank walls, bunkers and tunnel complexes. Labourers were housed in labour camps on the island, including Lager Wick in Grouville.

For the Channel Islands' Jewish population too, the impact of occupation cannot be understated. The deportation of foreign-born Jews had started in April 1942, with the remaining Jews on the Channel Islands following in February 1943. In later years, writers such as Guernseyman Frank Falla - who was informed upon and deported for covertly sharing BBC news reports - brought greater attention to untold stories of those who suffered, and an archive of every deported islander exists in his name. Dr Gilly Carr of the University of Cambridge wrote in 2019 of the difficulty of the island's official reckoning with this history of persecution, a process that "could not begin to take place until after the 50th anniversary of liberation, when people were ready to look back and reassess the events of 1940-45".

Though there was no organised resistance movement in Jersey, given the size of the island and regular searching which meant that it was extremely difficult to conceal any such organisation, many islanders put themselves at risk by helping and hiding workers. Jersey shopkeeper Louisa Gould hid a Soviet man named Feodor Burriy, known as 'Bill', at her house in St Ouen for almost 18 months. Tipped off by a neighbour in 1944, the Germans found evidence at Gould's home. During her subsequent trial she reportedly said: "I have to do something for another woman's son." She was found guilty of harbouring Burriy and eventually transported to Ravensbrück, where she was killed by gassing in February 1945, just two months before its liberation. Today, a plaque on her former home commemorates her actions.

There were many smaller instances of resistance, too. Islanders as young as 14 were taken into custody for offences such as daubing "V" for victory signs around the island, spreading anti-German propaganda, listening to the radio, and breaking the curfew. Twenty one Jersey men and women died in Nazi prisons and camps in Europe, having been tried and deported for breaking German occupation laws.

Liberation

Across Britain on 8 May 1945, celebration reigned as the population on the home front marked the end of the war in Europe. Winston Churchill's speech crackled onto the airwaves to announce victory, and also the freedom of "our dear Channel Islands". Not forgotten by many residents though were the actions of Churchill in 1940 who, in their eyes, had abandoned the islands to occupation. He is regarded as a controversial figure in Jersey to this day.

For the residents of Jersey the final reprieve came the following day, 9 May, when the surrender was signed on board HMS Beagle and British troops arrived at St Helier Harbour. "Bells started ringing all over the island, there were people everywhere, my father put his flag up, it was absolutely wonderful," says White-Regan. "We never saw another German around our house again, they were gone."

By the end of 1945, most of those evacuated or deported had returned, but to a changed island. Much evidence of the German presence was scattered around the coasts and valleys, and some remains today as testimony to the island experience. The Jersey War Tunnels, a partially completed ammunition barracks and underground hospital complex in St Lawrence, is a chilling reminder of the experience of the forced workers, but also tells the extraordinary story of life in Jersey during the character-defining occupation years.

However, to many islanders, it seemed that such hardship on a broader stage was quickly forgotten. When discussing the occupation of France, Anthony Eden, foreign secretary during the war, later remarked: "It would be impertinent for a country that did not suffer occupation to carry a judgment on another one that suffered one", crucially dismissing that a small part of the British Isles were occupied.

What's certain is that the occupation is unforgotten in Jersey. The 9 May anniversary continues to be marked with Liberation Day celebrations across the island, and commemorative projects, and the legacy of the war looms large in the island's history. Created to mark the 50th anniversary of Jersey's liberation in 1995, many of the island's residents contributed to the Occupation Tapestry, which contains over 7,500,000 stitches over 12 panels and took nearly 30,000 hours to make. A thirteenth panel, commissioned in 2015 to mark the 70th anniversary of the Liberation, reflects upon the many ways in which the community have and continue to passionately mark the regaining of freedom all those years ago.

The tapestry is just one of many exhibits across the island that commemorate the islanders' experiences of WW2.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Jersey at war: island life during the German occupation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It's often forgotten that the British territories of the Channel Islands were occupied by German forces for nearly five years of WW2. Although it's sometimes characterised as a 'soft' occupation compared to those elsewhere in Europe, the reality brought immense hardship to the people of Jersey, which bears evidence of the island's struggle today...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
0:00 / 2:02•Watch full video

# data[].attributes.body
Extract of the film

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The National Archives Learning Curve | Home Front

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
0:00 / 5:37•Watch full video

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
ARP (air raid precaution) wardens supervised the Blackout.

What was ARP?

Air Raid Precautions (ARP) were organised by the national government and delivered by the local authorities. The aim was to protect civilians from the danger of air-raids.

In September 1935, four years before WW2 began, British prime minister, Stanley Baldwin, published a circular entitled Air Raid Precautions (ARP) inviting local authorities to make plans to protect their people in event of a war. Such plans included building public air raid shelters.

In April 1937 the government decided to create an Air Raid Wardens' Service and during the next year recruited around 200,000 volunteers. These volunteers were know as Air Raid Precaution Wardens.

What was the job of the ARP Wardens?

Their main purpose of ARP Wardens was to patrol the streets during blackout and to ensure that no light was visible. If a light was spotted, the warden would alert the person/people responsible by shouting something like " Put that light out!" or " Cover that window!".

The ARP Wardens also reported the extent of bomb damage and assess the local need for help from the emergency and rescue services.

They were responsible for the handing out of gas masks and pre-fabricated air-raid shelters (such as Anderson shelters, as well as Morrison shelters), and organised and staffed public air raid shelters. They used their knowledge of their local areas to help find and reunite family members who had been separated in the rush to find shelter from the bombs.

How many Wardens were there?

There were 1.4 million ARP wardens in Britain, most of who were part time volunteers who had full time day jobs.

How could you recognise a Warden?

They wore helmets with a big W on the front.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
ARP (air raid precaution) wardens supervised the Blackout. What was ARP? Air Raid Precautions (ARP) were organised by the national government and delivered by the local authorities. The aim was to protect civilians from the danger of air-raids.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Home Guard were volunteers who defended the five thousand miles of Britain coastline in the event of an invasion by Germany. They were originally called the Local Defence Volunteers.

Why was the Home Guard formed?

On Friday 10 May 1940, the Germans had started their attack on Belgium and the Netherlands using soldiers dropped by parachutes. British troops in mainland Europe were pushed back to the Channel ports. Many people feared that the Germans would soon invade Britain.

To protect Britain, a new part time force was to be set up, the Local Defence Volunteers (LDV).

Radio appeal

On the evening of Tuesday 14 May 1940, the Government made an urgent appeal on the radio to all men aged between 17 and 65. The wanted all men not already serving in the armed forces to become part-time soldiers. Within 24 hours of the radio broadcast a quarter of a million men had volunteered. By the end of July this number had risen to over a million.

Who joined the Home Guard (Local Defence Volunteers)?

Many of the men who joined the Home Guard were those who could not join the regular army because their day time jobs were necessary to keep the country running. They included farm workers, bakers, teachers, grocers, bank staff and railway workers.

Other men who joined were either to young or too old to join the regular army.

Training and equipment

The men were given military style training and, at first, they had no uniforms and little equipment. The public were invited to give their shotguns and pistols to the Home Guard and within a few months over 20,000 weapons were handed in. Many of the men made their own weapons too.

Photograph showing the back of a homeguard

At the end of July 1940 the name was changed from Local Defence Volunteers to Home Guard.
Home Guard

What was the job of the Home Guard?

The Home Guard defended key targets like factories, explosive stores, beaches and sea fronts. At night they patrolled fields in which the enemy gliders or paratroops might land. No one expected them to beat well-trained German soldiers. Their job was to slow them down until the army arrived.

The expected invasion by Germany never came. Instead the main role of the Home Guard was capturing German airmen whose planes had been shot down over Britain. They also guarded munitions factories and aerodromes and checked people's identity cards.

The photograph below was sent to us by Martin Philbrick
Further Information
Dad's Army is a British sitcom about the Home Guard in the Second World War, written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and broadcast on BBC television between 1968 and 1977. Below is a screenshot of a scene from the sitcom.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Home Guard were volunteers who defended the five thousand miles of Britain coastline in the event of an invasion by Germany. They were originally called the Local Defence Volunteers. Why was the Home Guard formed? On Friday 10 May 1940, the Germans had started their attack on Belgium and the Netherlands using soldiers dropped by parachutes.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
0:00 / 5:11•Watch full video

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Keep Calm and Carry On was a motivational poster produced by the British government in 1939 in preparation for World War II. The poster was intended to raise the morale of the British public, threatened with widely predicted mass air attacks on major cities.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A Day in the Life Of A 10-Year-Old Evacuee  - Hands on History - BBC

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Evacuation of children during the World War II

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
WWII - West Indian contribution to the war effort

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
They fought against Hitler and helped rebuild Britain - yet the contributions of thousands of men and women from Caribbean colonies during World War Two have been largely forgotten.

Some 10,000 left their families and homes to join the British armed forces, working behind the scenes and on the frontline to defeat the Nazis.

"We were British subjects and that was something to be proud of," said Victor Brown, a Jamaican who fought with the Merchant Navy.

Although Britain was initially reluctant to let black people join the war effort, the rules were relaxed as the war progressed and casualties mounted.

Enthusiasm to defend "King and Empire" was widespread across the Caribbean and Mr Brown, like thousands of others, was quick to sign up.

In 1942, he was one of only two black men serving on an oil tanker in the North Atlantic when it was torpedoed by the Nazis. He is credited with saving several lives on board and still remembers the incident vividly.

"We rushed out to the deck and we could see the periscope out of the water," he said.

As the ship listed, he used an axe to cut down a lifeboat, and cleared the vessel.

"If we had have left it, the ship would have eventually dragged the lifeboat down with it," he said.

Winston Murphy, the only other black member of the 42-strong crew, was among the survivors. Seventy years on he said he has never forgotten his friend's quick thinking.

"Had he not chopped that rope we would never have got clear of that boat," he added.

'Like a miracle'

The friends, now aged 94, swapped stories during a recent reunion.

"It's almost like a miracle," said Mr Brown. "I never thought we'd live long enough to meet again after all the years we've been separated."

The pair were lucky to survive. The death toll for black merchant seamen during World War Two was high. Thousands perished, while others died serving with the Royal Air Force and the Army.

Allan Wilmot, from Jamaica, volunteered to join the Royal Navy in 1941 when he was just 15.

"Being young you didn't realise the danger until you were actually there. You hear the guns fire and realise this ain't no joke," he said.

Away from the frontline, life also presented challenges. Many servicemen struggled to adapt to Britain's cold climate and had to fend off racial prejudice.

"Being British you feel like you are coming home but when we came here it was like we dropped out of the sky. Nobody knew anything about us," said Mr Wilmot.

Those who survived the war were given the chance to return to their home countries, but many opted to remain in Britain and created an enduring multicultural legacy.

Jake Jacobs served as an equipment assistant with the RAF at Burtonwood. He briefly returned to Trinidad after his period of service came to an end, but returned to Britain in search of work.

He fell in love and married a local woman, prompting a backlash from members of the public who disagreed with mixed-race relationships.

'Days crying'

"They just went dumb. They just stared," explained his wife Mary from their home in Solihull.

The pair struggled to find accommodation after their wedding and Mrs Jacobs lost touch with members of her family.

"I spent days and days crying," she added.

Nevertheless the couple persevered. Ex-servicemen were offered jobs by the state and Mr Jacobs began working in telecommunications.

Like thousands of his former colleagues he stayed to help rebuild post-war Britain, changing its cultural landscape forever.

Despite their countless sacrifices, some veterans feel their war time experiences have been forgotten and have spent their lifetimes fighting for equality.

Sam King MBE was born in Jamaica in 1926 and served as a ground crew engineer with the RAF.

"I don't think we are being recognised for our contribution," he said. "Many young people don't realise that so many volunteered during the war and fought and died."

Who fought for Britain during World War II?

The British Empire and Dominions raised a total of 8,586,000 men for military service

More than 5,000,000 came from the British Isles

1,440,500 hailed from India, while 136,000 came from South Africa

Of those who fought 629,000 were Canadians

413,000 came from Australia and 128,500 from New Zealand

More than 134,000 travelled from other colonies, including some 10,000 from the Caribbean

The West Indian Association of Service Personnel was established to offer support to ex-servicemen and commemorate those who lost their lives in battle.

"If we didn't form that association the public wouldn't know the participation of black West Indians who served the British Empire in their hour of need," said Mr Wilmot.

In November 2014 a memorial dedicated to African and Caribbean soldiers was unveiled in Brixton, south London, where many ex-servicemen settled after the war.

However, the monument has now been placed in storage, until a permanent home for it can be found.

Next year Mr King, who now lives in Camberwell, south-east London, will celebrate his 90th birthday.

But his determination to remember his comrades shows no sign of fading.

"We just carry on," he said.
The veterans' stories feature in the BBC Four documentary, Fighting for King and Empire: Britain's Caribbean Heroes, which airs at 21:00 BST on 13 May. It is based on the film, Divided by Race, United in War and Peace, by Britain's Caribbean Heroes will broadcast on BBC World News on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 August 2016. World War Two: History's most savage and devastating war Adolf Hitler: Man and monster Joseph Stalin: National hero or cold-blooded murderer? Sir Winston Churchill: The greatest Briton? the-latest.com.
More on the Second World War

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
They fought against Hitler and helped rebuild Britain - yet the contributions of thousands of men and women from Caribbean colonies during World War Two have been largely forgotten. Some 10,000 left their families and homes to join the British armed forces, working behind the scenes and on the frontline to defeat the Nazis.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Jamaican war veteran speaks of racism during WWII

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Information : utilisation du microphone impossible.
Pour une expérience optimale de Quizinière merci d'utiliser un navigateur Chrome, Firefox ou Edge !

Quizinière est en cours de chargement ...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Créez simplement des activités numériques pour vos élèves. Accédez directement à l'activité sans créer de compte et sans installation. Correction personnalisée.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Read Part 1 of Philippa Boston's book and answer the questions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Trouve l'équivalent de ces mots en anglais

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Associe les affiches de propagande et les définitions correspondantes.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Learn about life in occupied Jersey

Here we have gathered stories from people who experienced life under German occupation, told first hand or passed down the generations in local families. They tell tales of everyday life, surprising events and often unexpectedly funny situations - but always the human story, of people surviving and living their life under extraordinary circumstances.

Thief of thieves

The occupation's desperate times led to desperate measures, including a thriving black market. Discover how one man took the law into his own hands.

Find out more »

Finding your feet

With shoes in short supply during the Occupation, discover how a kind German soldier helped a toddler to find his feet.

Find out more »

One man's act of defiance

After more than four years of occupation, and with German soldiers all around, discover how a brave local stonemason made his mark with an extraordinary act of defiance.

Find out more »

A prison within a prison

Built in 1811 during the Napoleonic War, Jersey’s prison became increasingly busy under German rule. Discover what life was like for islanders trapped in a prison within a prison.

Find out more »

Fishing for the Kommandant

From being shot at to tricking German soldiers, Jersey fisherman George had an eventful few years during the Occupation. Find out more about his exciting, and sometimes comical, adventures whilst out fishing.

FIND OUT MORE »

At the heart of things

During the Occupation, local linguists were needed to translate orders and edicts from the German authorities. Discover the story of a young woman who took on the task and found herself working right at the heart of power.

Find out more »

Lost In The Fog

Find out what happened to Baron von Aufsess and his crew on their way to Jersey, as a sudden change in the weather caught them by surprise.

Find out more »

Blue-Eyed Boy

Whilst cycling along Jersey’s narrow lanes, find out how one young mother and her blue-eyed baby boy had a frightening encounter.

Find out more »

Burglar Alarm

Worried about the threat of thieves at night, one farmer's cunning plan to deter unwanted guests goes embarrassingly wrong.

Find out more »

Jersey’s War Cemetery

Located within Howard Davis Park and marked by distinctive oak crosses, discover the importance this unique war memorial has to Islanders.

Find out more »

A Daring Raid!

The Battle of Britain wasn’t the only military action to take place close to British soil. Find out about a lesser known, but extremely daring raid made by Allied forces just off the coast of Jersey during the summer of 1944.

Find out more »

Secret Meetings

German forces imposed a huge number of restrictions on Islanders during the Occupation. They banned all uniformed organisations - including the Girl Guides! Find out how one brave islander took it upon herself to host regular Girl Guides meetings to keep the group going during the Occupation.

Find out more »

Farmer's sons

Find out how an unspoken bond formed between a young German soldier and the son of Jersey farmer thanks to Jersey’s “beautiful cows”.

Find out more »

Repatriation

In 1942, three friends - Peter Hassell, Maurice Gould and Dennis Audrain - attempted to escape from Jersey by boat, carrying plans of German fortifications.

Find out more »

Drinking on an empty stomach

Alongside food rationing, the sale of alcohol was also banned by the Germans during the Occupation. Find out what happened to a group of friends who managed to obtain a cask of farm cider and indulge in a rare treat.

Find out more »

Unsung Heroes

In May 1940, the evacuation of Dunkirk rescued over 300,000 troops in an operation that has become legendary. Less well known is Operation 'Ariel', which took place just a couple of weeks later.

Find out more »

The Gift

For Islanders, the Occupation was a time of both extreme fear and astonishing compassion. Read an extraordinarily moving tale about how one farmer's widow helped a man in need at the risk of being caught.

Find out more »

Beautiful Jersey

The Island’s adopted anthem is sung in public at the Liberation celebrations on 9 th May each year and has formed part of the tradition. Can you recall the words to one of the island's most beloved songs?

Find out more »

Telling Porkies!

Pigs were much in demand during the Occupation, but also difficult to conceal from the authorities. Islanders tried all sorts of tricks to hide pigs in order to eat or trade the meat.

Find out more »

Spreading the news

For those who listened to their hidden wireless sets in secret, repeating any thing they had heard was dangerous. Everyone was hungry for news - but you had to know who you could trust.

Find out more »

A treasured gift

Thanks to the International Red Cross, the Swedish ship SS Vega made six trips to the Channel Islands between December 1944 and the end of the War, bringing vital supplies.

Find out more »

Leaving Home

In 1940, news of the fall of France to German forces created a sudden crisis for Islanders. Should they stay? Or should they go, leaving behind their happy lives?

Find out more »

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Life in occupied Jersey: We have gathered stories from people who experienced life under German occupation, told first hand or passed down the generations.