Shaped by British sentiment, but not strictly part of the UK, Guernsey and her islands – Herm, Sark, Alderney and Lihou – have always been a bit of an anomaly.

Many don’t know Guernsey, along with Jersey, was occupied by German forces during the Second World War, liberated almost a year after D-Day was celebrated across Europe.

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2020 marks the 75th anniversary of that freedom, with Liberation Day on May 9, and Guernsey islanders have planned a series of events from April to October.

Broadcaster and official island history ambassador Dan Snow recently filmed a documentary, The lslands of Guernsey – Secrets of Hitler’s Island Fortress, about one of the British Isles’ most important hauls of WWII artefacts in the 21st century. Here, he shares his thoughts on the islands close to his heart.

Guernsey
Dan on one of Guernsey’s fortifications (Visit Guernsey/PA)

What are your earliest memories of Guernsey?

“I went to Guernsey a couple of times when I was a kid. I’ve been going to Normandy and the Channel Islands for years on my dad’s boat. I remember sailing across the English Channel on a rainy dark night, before GPS, hoping to hit the right place.

“It’s a wonderful place. Guernsey and her islands are a microcosm of British and French history. There’s a lot compressed in there. There are also wild places too. I’ve had great fun hiking and kayaking there.”

When did you become interested in the islands’ history?

“If you visit Guernsey when you’re a kid, of course you’re rather struck by the history; this was a place incorporated into Hitler’s Nazi German empire and yet it’s part of Britain [a dependency of the British crown]. It’s fascinating – British passport holders were under occupation during the Second World War. It’s surprising when you go there and visit the bunkers, the tunnels and the museums. Then I discovered there were some extraordinary Roman sites as well and a wonderful castle. I was taken by the architecture and the German fortifications.”

Tell us about your recent documentary

“We were looking for new ways to tell stories about the Channel Islands. On Guernsey there are unopened tunnels where we found military equipment, and in Alderney we found a quarry with military equipment in it. It’s a place where there are still secrets to be uncovered. A lot of equipment was also dumped in the sea at the end of the war. It’s a place very close to Britain and yet it’s a place that we’ve forgotten about.

“This is a tiny residue of England’s empire in France, and a great turning point in history, where the kings of England also claimed to be kings of France. This is all that remains, these little islands of Frenchness with French names and French food.  It’s a place where England and France meet, and I’ve always loved that.”

Guernsey
(Visit Guernsey/PA)

What about the forthcoming Heritage75 festival?

“People forget Guernsey was taken over by the Germans. They were never liberated until the end of the war when the Germans finally surrendered. It’s extraordinary.

“The festival is great fun. People of Guernsey party hard to celebrate their liberation, so it’s quite wild. I’m nervous about going over! This will be a big one. It’s a big deal – freedom being restored after the Nazi tyranny.  I like seeing everyone with the old classic cars, the tanks – a long procession of antique vehicles along the harbour front. There’s a real carnival atmosphere.”

What activities are there for families?

Coastline Guernsey

“For a family like mine, there’s endless outdoorsy activities – swimming, kayaking, paddleboarding – and incredible beaches like Herm, which is a beautiful, untouched island almost a few metres away from Guernsey. It’s a magical spot for camping and family beaches. My family loves getting on a boat and going off to a beach to explore. You feel like you’re a long way from anywhere.

Snow’s top five historical attractions

1. “Castle Cornet is one of the great castles of Britain (and the Channel Islands). It occupies an astonishingly powerful position off St Peter Port in Guernsey. It has different periods from the Second World War right back to its medieval foundations.”

Castle Cornet has guarded St Peter Port harbour for 800 years. It is open to visitors. It has five museums and four period gardens.
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2. “I love the nunnery, a Roman fort on Alderney; one of the best-preserved Roman sites I’ve seen anywhere.”

3. “I’m very struck by the Victorian forts on the shores of Alderney, built to protect the Royal Navy when they were thinking of using Alderney as a base.”

4. “There’s the Little Chapel on Guernsey which is unique – I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s a wonderful pilgrimage site.”

Little Chapel is possibly the smallest chapel in the world

5. “The extraordinary fortifications and tunnels built during the Second World War. You can’t believe the scale and the effort – the wasted effort, because they hardly fired a shot in anger against the Allies.”

For more information on the Heritage75 festivities, go to visitguernsey.com/see-and-do/events-festivals/heritage75

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