2025 is an important year for Alderney as we commemorate the islands’ freedom from the German Occupation during World War II.
We are still busy working on plans for the 80th Anniversary commemorations and celebrations and are looking forward to sharing information with you soon about all the events and activities that will be taking place.
When did the German's Surrender Alderney?
On 16 May 1945.
Why do we celebrate it?
To mark the liberation of the island after 5 years of the island being occupied by the German Forces.
What happened in the run up to Alderney's Surrender?
On 1st May the news was announced that Hitler had died.
8th May was Victory in Europe (or VE) Day, where the German Forces unconditionally surrendered in Europe. On this day Winston Churchill gave a speech on the radio when he said, '... and our dear Channel Islands are also to be freed today'. You can listen to that speech here.
On the same day, Brigadier Snow and his staff (known as The British Task Force 135) set sail from Plymouth to Guernsey on the HMS Bulldog. At 7.14am, 9th May 1945 the German Forces signed the Guernsey surrender agreement onboard HMS Bulldog, anchored off St Peter Port.
There are reports of big crowds, cheering, singing, crying and much happiness.
Brigadier Snow sailed from St Peter Port to Jersey, where the surrender was signed there at 10am. Guernsey and Jersey share the same Liberation Day but there were not enough troops to liberate Sark until 10th May. The Dame of Sark was put in temporary charge of the German garrison in the meantime. During her week in charge of the garrison, she ordered the 275 Germans to start tidying up the island.
16th May 1945
A week after the Liberation of Guernsey, Brigadier Snow and Task Force 135 arrived in Alderney to accept the surrender of the German Island Commandant, Oberst Schwalm.
The surrender was signed in an Officers’ Mess near the harbour, at the bottom of Braye Hill.
Unlike the other Channel Islands there were no cheers in Alderney, as virtually the entire population had left.
A garrison of 2,332 Germans remained when British troops landed there on 16th May.
What happened next?
The majority of German troops, now prisoners of war, were transferred to camps in England, with some 500 being retained to help clear up the devastated island. The main German POW camp was at Fort Albert.
Over the next seven months the British army, with the German prisoners of war, worked to prepare the island for the return of the civilian population. Some 300 houses are made habitable.
Guns, equipment and machinery used by the Germans were removed and tons of military equipment dumped at sea. Over 30,000 mines were cleared and destroyed. Tragically, one member of the British force is killed whilst supervising the lifting of mines by German troops. Sapper George Onions is buried in St. Anne’s churchyard.
Many homes had to be repaired or rebuilt and the economy put on the road to recovery. Most of the concrete fortifications were too large to destroy and so were left and stand to this day as stark reminders of this dark chapter in the islands' history.
15th December 1945 Homecoming Day
Homecoming Day - the first group of about 100 islanders, including children, finally return to Alderney seven months after VE Day.
As the ship drew alongside the new ‘German Jetty’ in Braye Harbour, they were welcomed by the newly appointed Lieutenant Governor and a British Guard of Honour.
The island was very different to the one that they left behind five years before and their fortitude and strength were remarkable as they rebuilt the island into the place we cherish today.
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