Dear Bill and Louise, Thank you so very much for this. My father was stationed in St. Hellier during the occupation. He was a radio operator with the German Navy. After the war he was taken to be a prisoner of war in Devizes, Wiltshire. He decided that he didn't want to return to Germany, became a "dairyman" on a farm just outside of Wroughton and met my mother. He would never talk much about the war except to say that the people of Jersey were kind to him. He died in 2000. Finally back in Germany but a British Citizen. On his behalf, I would like to thank you.
Amazing interview, your grandfather seems like a great guy and you're a VERY lucky woman to have the chance to ask him his memories before they're lost to time! He is so sharp and recalls the details remarkably well. My mother was born in 1933 in Glasgow and as a kid she told me she remembered the shipyards being bombed, rationing etc. Unfortunately now that I want to know more about that time, she has dementia and can't remember anything. My dad served in the U.S.Navy during WWII too but unfortunately he has passed. More people need to do this.
I loved this interview ! Your grandfather is such a great storyteller. Thank you for putting this video up for the rest of us to enjoy . I was a teacher for over 30 years and truly believe the best lessons are those shared from personal experience. As this generation fast disappears , it’s all the more important to record these kinds of first hand experiences.
I was very interested in the Channel Islands during WW2 and I found this video and your grandpa experience made my day. The interview is very informative and entertaining 🙂
Thank you so much for this interview! For those of us who were born after the war, it is beyond fascinating to hear stories of what our parents lived through! I hope this, and other survivor interviews are being archived for the benefit of future generations, because person experience is so precious.
Fantastic vid! What a lovely chap. Brilliant stories, what a brave man. I was born on Jersey and now live on the mainland. I returned two years ago as an adult for the first time to celebrate liberation day! Brilliant place, brave people! We must never forget what the islands went through! Thank you for uploading this valuable history xx
It's fair made me smile watching your granddad light up with happiness while talking about his boyhood. It was like he was a boy again, especially when he wanted to get up, and get the telephone receiver he'd taken from the tank. Lovely documentary.
My grandmother whose name was Sophia Bodman was born in Quebec. My father told me that her people came from the Channel Islands. This is an interesting interview.
What a wonderful idea 'I wish I had done this with my Grandfather , well done you have preserved a very interesting piece of History. He comes across as a really interesting man.
I'm reading The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society novel and wanted a little more info on what actually happened on the Channel Islands during the war. Thanks for this!
Wow this is such an interesting interview. It’s interesting to hear about the occupation of jersey, there is not too much about it online! I’m glad his story will remain online for everyone to see and live on forever.
I think your Grandfather's story is so interesting! Thank you for this! And please let him know that his history of his experiences is interesting and that many people find it so, and thank him, and we appreciate him so very much!!
Thank you Louise and Bill. I live in Australia, but grew up here with my grandfather from Guernsey. He managed to come here and join the Anzacs to fight, but other family members stayed in Guernsey during the occupation. However, getting much information from my grandfather regarding the war was very difficult. Our family over there are the Paints and have or had the jewelry shop in the main street of Peter's Port. I will be making my way over there in the coming years to find what family I still may have there and unearth as much history as I can. Your making this film has filled some gaps I have wanted to know for a long time. By the way, I do want to see the phone sets :)
Hi Minette, so glad you liked the video. You can see the headsets in part two, just search in RUclips for bill Morvan part 2 jersey occupation and it’ll be there. Enjoy!
I think that it’s just in kids’ natures to view events like the occupation as somewhat of an adventure. I bet his parents were fit to be tied when he was caught nicking the wood! 10, 11, 12-year-old boys are fearless by nature, aren’t they? It made me sad to hear that the occupation disrupted so many people’s educational path. Man, this really was the greatest generation, wasn’t it? Sacrifice just came second nature to them. So glad you you recorded your grandpa’s story - such a unique narrative, and one that deserved to be preserved.
Brilliant interview. I have just been watching the dramatization of the occupation - Enemy At The Door (1978). The drama raises some questions concerning the geo-political motivation. Namely that the island as English territory was to be used as a way of getting to know the people and culture, before the invasion of Britain, as William did in 1066.
William the bastard was the illegitimate son of King Harold's brother...its complicated, Breton, Normandy was a duchy's owned by England...The normans would have known British culture and vice versa before invading, thered been mingling, marrying with each other centuries before...
Thank you so much for these videos. Your grandfather is an exceptional man and your questions were great monologue starters for him. I recently watched the television series about the channel islands and have a great interest in life during the war. A candid chat primary source of this length was something i never expected. I wish you well. I was wondering if you are a student of history or if you were more interested in doing a family project. What made you want to create and publish this interview?
Hi Erik, I'm so glad you enjoyed the Interview. I'm actually a professional musician but thought it would be a good idea to document his experience of the war because I grew up hearing his stories and never want them to get lost. I really believe in documentation of historical events so just a small scale family project really. Thanks for watching :-)
Well, you did a great job. I,m a theatrrical scenic and lighting designer, and always enjoy projects created by artsts from the Fine and performing arts. I think you and they have an insight into what people want to know and how they want to learn about things. Thanks again.
The thing that upset Hitler was the first Commando raid on the Island's. The Communist was the very much respected, Norman Le Brocq. The German's swore blind there had been no Gestapo in the Islands. Technically they were the Feild Gehime Politzie, the Secret Field Police, as Mr Morvan says, not a lot of choose bettwen them.
Surprised the British didn't have a garrison there, no more than 12,000 Germans were on the Channel Islands...could've sent a part of V British Corps, in 1940 they were in England twiddling their thumbs at the time as part of Southern Command. Not to be though.
Thank you for posting this. I cried thru parts....
Dear Bill and Louise, Thank you so very much for this. My father was stationed in St. Hellier during the occupation. He was a radio operator with the German Navy. After the war he was taken to be a prisoner of war in Devizes, Wiltshire. He decided that he didn't want to return to Germany, became a "dairyman" on a farm just outside of Wroughton and met my mother. He would never talk much about the war except to say that the people of Jersey were kind to him. He died in 2000. Finally back in Germany but a British Citizen. On his behalf, I would like to thank you.
you could share your mother's story !
Amazing interview, your grandfather seems like a great guy and you're a VERY lucky woman to have the chance to ask him his memories before they're lost to time! He is so sharp and recalls the details remarkably well. My mother was born in 1933 in Glasgow and as a kid she told me she remembered the shipyards being bombed, rationing etc. Unfortunately now that I want to know more about that time, she has dementia and can't remember anything. My dad served in the U.S.Navy during WWII too but unfortunately he has passed. More people need to do this.
kwalmer thanks! I'm really glad you enjoyed watching his story and I'll pass on your comments to him :-)
:-)
Fascinating. Thank you, Bill.
I loved this interview ! Your grandfather is such a great storyteller. Thank you for putting this video up for the rest of us to enjoy . I was a teacher for over 30 years and truly believe the best lessons are those shared from personal experience. As this generation fast disappears , it’s all the more important to record these kinds of first hand experiences.
I was very interested in the Channel Islands during WW2 and I found this video and your grandpa experience made my day. The interview is very informative and entertaining 🙂
Thank you so much for this interview! For those of us who were born after the war, it is beyond fascinating to hear stories of what our parents lived through! I hope this, and other survivor interviews are being archived for the benefit of future generations, because person experience is so precious.
Judy Carlander Thanks Judy, I agree and believe that it's so important for us all to remember and document these important events. x
Fantastic vid! What a lovely chap. Brilliant stories, what a brave man. I was born on Jersey and now live on the mainland. I returned two years ago as an adult for the first time to celebrate liberation day! Brilliant place, brave people! We must never forget what the islands went through! Thank you for uploading this valuable history xx
+kirsty walters Thanks Kirsty, I will pass on your kind words to my grandfather
This is superb, upmost respect to your family.
thank you been watching Enermy at the Door on TPTV about the occupation
It's fair made me smile watching your granddad light up with happiness while talking about his boyhood. It was like he was a boy again, especially when he wanted to get up, and get the telephone receiver he'd taken from the tank. Lovely documentary.
Thanks Mary! So glad you enjoyed the interview!
Fascinating interview. Glad I found this video - thanks for posting it.
My grandmother whose name was Sophia Bodman was born in Quebec. My father told me that her people came from the Channel Islands. This is an interesting interview.
What a wonderful idea 'I wish I had done this with my Grandfather , well done you have preserved a very interesting piece of History. He comes across as a really interesting man.
Thank you so much for this. Looking for part 2 now.
I'm reading The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society novel and wanted a little more info on what actually happened on the Channel Islands during the war. Thanks for this!
Wasn't that a great book
Wow this is such an interesting interview. It’s interesting to hear about the occupation of jersey, there is not too much about it online! I’m glad his story will remain online for everyone to see and live on forever.
I think your Grandfather's story is so interesting! Thank you for this!
And please let him know that his history of his experiences is interesting
and that many people find it so, and thank him, and we appreciate him so very
much!!
Thank You, for this interview, it was so interesting to listen to Your Grandfather, who lived through the occupation! Both of You did a great job.
How has this great interview got a thumb down? Very interesting video. I love Jersey and it's history. Good work!
Propably was a German
@@gm6719 naw most likely a neo-nazi in the US or UK
Thanks for sharing your grand fathers recollections.
Thank you Louise and Bill. I live in Australia, but grew up here with my grandfather from Guernsey. He managed to come here and join the Anzacs to fight, but other family members stayed in Guernsey during the occupation. However, getting much information from my grandfather regarding the war was very difficult. Our family over there are the Paints and have or had the jewelry shop in the main street of Peter's Port. I will be making my way over there in the coming years to find what family I still may have there and unearth as much history as I can. Your making this film has filled some gaps I have wanted to know for a long time. By the way, I do want to see the phone sets :)
Hi Minette, so glad you liked the video. You can see the headsets in part two, just search in RUclips for bill Morvan part 2 jersey occupation and it’ll be there. Enjoy!
I think that it’s just in kids’ natures to view events like the occupation as somewhat of an adventure. I bet his parents were fit to be tied when he was caught nicking the wood! 10, 11, 12-year-old boys are fearless by nature, aren’t they? It made me sad to hear that the occupation disrupted so many people’s educational path.
Man, this really was the greatest generation, wasn’t it? Sacrifice just came second nature to them. So glad you you recorded your grandpa’s story - such a unique narrative, and one that deserved to be preserved.
Thanks for this video, really helping me write my dissertation. Great video one of the few on Occupied Jersey.
Brilliant interview. I have just been watching the dramatization of the occupation - Enemy At The Door (1978). The drama raises some questions concerning the geo-political motivation. Namely that the island as English territory was to be used as a way of getting to know the people and culture, before the invasion of Britain, as William did in 1066.
William the bastard was the illegitimate son of King Harold's brother...its complicated, Breton, Normandy was a duchy's owned by England...The normans would have known British culture and vice versa before invading, thered been mingling, marrying with each other centuries before...
Very interesting interview.
thanks for posting a fascinating interview. he meant of course 6th june for d-day not 6th february.
Thank you so much for these videos. Your grandfather is an exceptional man and your questions were great monologue starters for him. I recently watched the television series about the channel islands and have a great interest in life during the war. A candid chat primary source of this length was something i never expected. I wish you well. I was wondering if you are a student of history or if you were more interested in doing a family project. What made you want to create and publish this interview?
Hi Erik, I'm so glad you enjoyed the Interview. I'm actually a professional musician but thought it would be a good idea to document his experience of the war because I grew up hearing his stories and never want them to get lost. I really believe in documentation of historical events so just a small scale family project really. Thanks for watching :-)
Well, you did a great job. I,m a theatrrical scenic and lighting designer, and always enjoy projects created by artsts from the Fine and performing arts. I think you and they have an insight into what people want to know and how they want to learn about things. Thanks again.
We've had many decades of discrepency with the Brits, but a Great people
The thing that upset Hitler was the first Commando raid on the Island's. The Communist was the very much respected, Norman Le Brocq. The German's swore blind there had been no Gestapo in the Islands. Technically they were the Feild Gehime Politzie, the Secret Field Police, as Mr Morvan says, not a lot of choose bettwen them.
Surprised the British didn't have a garrison there, no more than 12,000 Germans were on the Channel Islands...could've sent a part of V British Corps, in 1940 they were in England twiddling their thumbs at the time as part of Southern Command. Not to be though.
Jersey people need to democratise Thier Island to make sure it never happens again.
Yeah great idea, import some immigrants and turn it into islamo-anarchy with sharia under the vail of nialist marxism?? Fool..
Mum and dad were from jersey and went through the occupation, heard many stories of just trying to survive from dad...