During the spring of 1940 the army of the Third Reich rampaged westward through the Low Countries and France. As the danger to the Channel Islands became imminent, the British Government arranged evacuations for those who wished to leave. They also withdrew all British troops from the islands leaving them demilitarised and defenceless.
No one told the Germans.
High-level reconnaissance by the Germans proved inconclusive as regards the level of defences in the islands. On the late afternoon of 28th June three Heinkel bombers left Cherbourg to find out. Here at La Rocque they made a low level sweep, machine-gunning the vicinity. Three people were killed instantly outside their homes.
The bombers went on to attack St Helier and St Peter Port harbours with 41 further deaths and many injuries.
They got their answer. There were no defences. Two days later the Occupation began.
Back On The Rock 
Fascinating story on one of the lesser-known aspects of WWII. Thanks for sharing it with us.
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Thanks Pat. We can’t excuse this as some sort of collateral damage. These were just civilians going about their business. They even shot dead a chap in a lifeboat which was motoring between the islands.
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A “Like” isn’t really appropriate for this sad part of history, but it is important to tell. Thanks, Roy.
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Thanks Jane – a nasty and unforgiveable act.
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Roy, an interesting point highlighting yet more sad needless deaths during this war. The evacuation of the islands was incredible, so many escaping to the mainland and yet the Germans were not informed. Was this deliberate or an ‘oversight’?
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Thanks Annika. Stories vary, the British Government departments were on different pages. It appears they might have thought the Germans ought to have known (about the demilitarisation) from radio intercepts. Also, they didn’t want to issue an open invitation to the Germans to march in. (They did anyway.)
It was clear from the initial attack on Jersey that the islands were defenceless, yet they carried on to attack Guernsey regardless. I hope they were proud of themselves.
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Terribly sad events. There are always so many civilian deaths, thinking of recent tragedies in Syria and Yemen, in wars that are created by governments.
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Yes indeed ERK, and here there were 44 deaths purely because of muddled thinking (as well, of course, as Nazi murderous intent).
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Very sad events but I’m glad those three people are commemorated.
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Albeit 50 years later. Thanks Andrea.
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So sad. I wonder if the locals felt bitter towards Britain? Glasgow and the North East of Scotland were very badly bombed by the Germans who were aiming at shipyards and fisheries.
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There was a general feeling that the Channel Islands had been abandoned to their fate by Britain, though defending the islands would probably have resulted in carnage. In retrospect, most agree that demilitarisation was the least worst course of action. But as to the 28/6/40 air raid, that could have been avoided with less muddled thinking.
Yes the Luftwaffe were pretty indiscriminate when it came to bombing. Like the RAF later they didn’t much care about civilian casualties. Awful times which hopefully we won’t see repeated.
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That seems like a pragmatic way to deal with war. It’s happening right now in Syria – not that long ago in Ukraine. So sad.
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How sad!
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Indeed Juliann, so many violent deaths caused by war, most of which have been long forgotten. The landlord of a pub in St Helier (Jersey’s capital) was killed instantly when he stepped outside to see what was going on.
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