Liberation - As It Happened

The Liberation of the Channel Islands in 1945 - As It Happened. A minute-by-minute guide of how the Islands were liberated from Nazi control...

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ACROSS THE BRITISH ISLES: The film crews are now back in England & have edited their newsreels. They’ll be shown nationwide later this week. If you want to see them now go to - https://t.co/afSahHveBC – at the bottom of the page. For copyright reasons we cannot show them.

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HOMESTEAD, ST PETER, JERSEY: Nan Le Ruez, in her diary: 'All my life I will remember one of the first things Naval Officer Cooper said - "I've been at the Liberation of other countries in West Europe but I've not been so touched as today, in liberating my own people'.

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PLYMOUTH, ENGLAND: HMS Bulldog has arrived back in England.

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BAILIFF'S HOUSE, JERSEY: Lieut-Col Taylor is staying at the Bailiff's house. Coutanche, says the most touching incident was of a woman, with a small child in her arms, holding him out to a soldier and saying, 'Kiss him. Make him clean'.

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ST HELIER, JERSEY: In summing up today, Deputy Ned Le Quesne, a member of the Superior Council - those States members who've been 'running' the Island during the Occupation - has signed off the diary he's been keeping throughout the war: 'An historic & happy day'.

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LES CANUS FARM, GUERNSEY: Having invited 2 Tommies to an impromptu Liberation dance organised by Edgar Stacey, at his parents' farm, Bill Green, claims he couldn't get rid of them. 'it was with some considerable difficulty we persuaded them to let us take them back to Town.'

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HOMESTEAD, ST PETER, JERSEY: The sheer excitement of the day means Nan Le Ruez has only just got home. 'It is really surprising, but one has trouble to take in the fact of release and freedom'.

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GENERAL HOSPITAL, JERSEY: Surgeon Arthur Halliwell says the 'nurses nearly went mad with excitement' when a major and several Liberators turned up to the celebratory dance they're having. The nurses were in their 'evening frocks' and the 'stores had been raided for champagne'.

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ST HELIER, JERSEY: Joe Mière & friends have helped save an alleged 'Jerrybag' who'd been attacked. ' Joe says 'she'd been badly knocked about', & was 'crying like a trapped animal'. He gave her his mac and told her to go home, 'she bolted off in the direction of La Motte Street'.

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HMS BULLDOG, OFF GUERNSEY: Brigadier Snow and the rest of the crew are now heading back to England.

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LES CANICHERS, GUERNSEY: Molly Finigan is once again back home with the rest of the family. Despite only living five minutes' away from the action, it never occured to any of them to go home during the day. 'I never dreamt I could feel such happiness and exhilaration'.

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MORVILLE HOUSE, JERSEY: German Georg Brefka, says they've all been given half a bottle of Hennessy 3 Stars cognac, but hardly anybody's drunk it because they're in such poor shape. Instead they've swept the floor of their hut and sprinkled the brandy on it to keep down the dust.

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OFF ST PETER PORT, GUERNSEY: Having sailed from Jersey aboard HMS Beagle, Admiral Stuart has transferred to HMS Bulldog, and should soon be on his way back to England.

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BEAU PRE, ST JOHN, JERSEY: Dr John Lewis is home with friends drinking champagne. It's the remaining bottles he's got left having bought 'all the wine he could' just before the Occupation including fifty gallons of Greek wine for five pounds, & four cases of pink champagne.

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NEW NORTH QUAY, JERSEY: Everyone wants to chat to a Liberator, get their autograph and have a photo taken. It's one big party.

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SOLDATENHEIM ST HELIER, ST SAVIOUR'S ROAD, JERSEY: Under the surrender terms the Germans have to leave town. They've tidied up and abandoned their 'recreation' centre here, formerly the Continental Hotel, but already there are reports that Islanders are looting the building.

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HMS BEAGLE: After having put off sailing to England three times today in the hope that recently released allied PoWs could be rounded up and sail back with him, Admiral Stuart has decided he cannot hang on any longer. He's now off to rendezvous with HMS Bulldog off Guernsey.

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EVENING POST OFFICES, CHARLES STREET, JERSEY: Today's paper says it all - what Islanders have waiting five long years for - 'The Channel Islands Free Again'.

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ST HELIER, JERSEY: Lieut Leslie Jackson, who's in charge of one of the minesweepers, says he will always remember the shops being 'devoid of any merchandise', and 'looking into a chemist shop window and seeing only a few sponges and a heap of seaweed'.

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LA ROHAIS, ST PETER PORT, GUERNSEY: A celebratory supper for the Reverend Ord and his guests, the Blampieds of La Fosse, including a tin of nectarines he's kept hidden for five years in anticipation.