Photo 1

An interesting photo taken on 2 July 1940 the first day most locals would have seen German troops patrolling the Island.

The three soldiers on the left of the photo are a machine gun team heading for Castle Cornet built before 1204 which guards the entrance to St. Peter Port harbour. Deputy Inspector Arthur Langmede on his B.S.A. Motorcycle had been tasked with escorting the two Luftwaffe Pilot Officers around the island.

Note the list of locations held by the officer with the walking stick and the Orders of the Commandants of the German Forces in Occupation of the Bailiwick of Guernsey signed by Major Lanz can be seen in the other officers hand which is the reason for the tour to distribute these orders and fix them in prominent position

Credit:- CIOS

Photo 2

This photo comes from a small set taken in those first few days in Sark, the building behind was their first billet and was the Hotel Bel Air, now the site of the HSBC bank.

The hotel burnt down on 26 January 1942 after the makeshift addition to the heating was made to the hotel and a pot-belled stove chimney was pushed through the thatched roof with the heat drying and then setting fire to the thatch, helped by a strong breeze the whole building was destroyed.

Credit:- CIOS

Photo 3

At first you notice the lone German soldier on the lower roof and the machine-gun position with it's flap dropped in the blocked up doorway below the Hotel sign.

However the hotel also housed the control panel wired to the explosives laid around the harbour which was to be detonated if the main port was attempted to be captured.

The hotel's main defence came from the Czech 4.7 cm anti-tank gun with it's coaxial mounted Besa machine-gun house in the bunker gun room which was constructed on the ground floor of the main bar to cover the crossroad.

The shadow around the recessed armour plate hiding the gun can be seen.

Credit:- CIOS

Photo 4

Hafenkommondant der Kanalinseln meaning Harbour Commander of the Channel Islands can be seen written on the doors to the left of the main door.

That role commenced in Jersey in July 1940 by KorvettenKapitan Freiher Von Nostitz he held the equivalent rank of Flag Officer in the Royal Navy and remained in post at the Pomme D'Or until 16 September 1941 when the command structure was split by appointing a separate Hafenkommondant (Hako) for both Guernsey and Jersey and Alderney followed suit in February 1942.

Hotels were a popular choice for the Germans the communal dining rooms and catering facilities as well as large numbers of rooms made ideal billets. Obviously with the close proximity to the harbour and by two main road junctions this was an obvious choice for the HQ for the Navy in Jersey.

Credit:- CIOS

Photo 5

As the war was to progress less and less was available and after the Normandy invasions of June 1944 the later part of the year found the Island completely cut off from supplies and only what could be grown or made locally was to feed both the locals and the occupying force and as the winter of 1944 set in so did starvation.

Credit:- CIOS

Photo 6

This building became the administration HQ building for the Feldkommondantur 515, the German Civilian administration.

This photo taken on 1 May 1941 belonged to the man by the door with the glasses third from the left who is Hans Herzog the Sonderfuhrer for Alderney he is seen with members from the Feldkommondantur 515 Guernsey and Jersey, which were based at the Grange Lodge, Guernsey and Victoria College, Jersey.

Also there was second from the left, Oberst Schumacher and fourth from the left peeping through the gap is Dr. Kratzer.

Credit:- Heinz Herzog via Alderney Museum