Islands at War
A Podcast about the occupation of the Channel Islands by German forces 1940 to 1945. Focusing on personal experiences of those that lived through it using diaries and our own research. Social, practical and military aspects of the occupation of the Channel Islands.
Join Keith Pengelley and Nick Le Huray as they talk you through the occupation month by month. Oh and we drop our own family stories in as well.
We will talk you through the occupation as it happened.
Questions welcome at occupied@gnetradio.com
Episodes
39 episodes
June 1942: A Month of Turmoil
In this episode, the hosts delve into the events of June 1942 in Jersey and Guernsey during the German occupation. They discuss various topics including the challenges of movement between the islands, a mysterious cobbler's attempt to return to...
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56:36
SPECIAL - WILLIAM PENGELLEY
For this episode Keith provides a detailed account of William Henry Pengelly's life and naval career, highlighting his experiences from joining the Royal Navy in 1915 through both World Wars, his survival of significant naval battles, and the i...
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Season 1
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Episode 34
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35:43
MAY 1942! CONSEQUENCES OF ESCAPE FROM JERSEY, INVASION PREPARATIONS, LAUGHING AT THE GERMANS AND MORE
This episode explores the challenges faced during the occupation of the Channel Islands in World War II, focusing on food supply issues, escape attempts, personal stories of individuals affected by the war, and the role of theatre as a form of ...
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Season 1
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Episode 33
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56:03
WERNER RANG - PODCAST SPECIAL WITH HIS GRANDSON ANDY CREBER
I had the great pleasure of talking to Andy Creber about his Grandfather Werner Rang. A well-known Sark resident post war.This conversation delves into the remarkable life of Werner Rang, a German medical orderly conscripted during World...
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Season 1
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Episode 32
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17:33
APRIL 1942 - THE POLICEMEN ARE SENTENCED, MURDER IN SARK, IMPACT OF MALNUTRITION AND MORE
This episode delves into the daily life and struggles of individuals living under German occupation in Guernsey during World War II. It highlights the challenges of food shortages, the impact of malnutrition on health, and the compl...
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Season 1
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Episode 31
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1:00:24
SPECIAL WITH SIMON DE LA RUE - 80 DAYS TO LIBERATION
Nick spoke to Simon De La Rue of the Guernsey Press about his project 80 days to Liberation which started on 18 February and runs all the way to the 80th anniversary of Liberation on 9 May 2025. Find out what the project involves, h...
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Season 1
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Episode 30
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19:54
MARCH 1942 - THE ENTIRE GUERNSEY POLICE FORCE ARE ARRESTED, GERMAN SECRET POLICE, ALDERNEY EVENTS AND A FUNNY STORY FROM JERSEY!
March is a busy month with a lot going on!Not least the whole of the Guernsey Police Force being arrested. We talk about how this happened.A bit about the German Police and their methods.A funny story from Jersey!...
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Season 1
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Episode 29
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1:00:22
FEBRUARY 1942 EPSIODE IS OUT! WE TALK SOME DIFFICULT TOPICS PLUS THIEVES, RATS, SPANIARDS AND MORE.
February 1942 had some fairly depressing and difficult topics for us to discuss not least the eighth Jewish Order. They are important to discuss and particularly as this episode was recorded during the week of the 80th Anniversary of the libera...
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Season 1
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Episode 28
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1:01:03
JANUARY 1942 - RAF AIR RAID ON ST PETER PORT AND A NEW YEAR TRAGEDY!
This episode we talk about the attack on German shipping in the harbour. It was a spectacular low-level attack by three Beauforts of 82 Squadron Coastal Command. Listen to me talk about the raid and the death of a local man wh...
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Season 1
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Episode 27
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56:39
USE OF THE LOCAL LANGUAGE GUERNÉSIAIS, A FORM OF NORMAN FRENCH, DURING THE OCCUPATION
Nick had a brainwave that it might be fun to explore the use of the local language, Guernésiais, Pronounced 'JEHR-nehz-yay', it is also known as 'Guernsey French' or 'patois'. It is a form of Norman French, which evolved from the Vulgar L...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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1:05:39
DECEMBER 1941 - CHRISTMAS COMPARISONS, MILITARY ACTIVITY HOTS UP, A HUGE GUN, UNWELCOME GUESTS, FOOD AND MORE
It is the December 1941 episode and we look at what Christmas was like for different families and across the Channel Islands. We talk about food and some of the crazy prices being paid for livestock, difficulties in obtaining some s...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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55:37
BOXING DAY SPECIAL - A VISIT TO GUERNSEY WITH SPECIAL GUEST CERI THOMAS
This episode Nick talks to Ceri Thomas who visited Guernsey recently. Ceri gives a visitors perspective on the Occupation.Thanks to Ceri for taking the time to record this.
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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26:26
NOVEMBER 1941! ESPIONAGE, FRITZ TODT PAYS A VISIT, A TRAGIC ACCIDENT, SPITFIRES AND THE FRENCH RUN AMOK!
It is November 1941 and there is a lot going on! Dr Fritz Todt visits the Channel Islands to assess what fortifications.French workers arrive and then protest before running amok in Town.We talk about espionage and th...
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Season 1
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Episode 25
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1:00:45
AUTHOR THERESA LE FLEM TALKS ABOUT HER NOVEL ABOUT THE GERMAN OCCUPATION
In a special episode author Theresa Le Flem popped into the studio to talk about her novel "A Sea of Barbed Wire: Fear, romance and betrayal in Occupied Guernsey" which can be purchased from the Lexicon, the Candie Museum Gift shop, and the Gue...
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Season 1
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Episode 25
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25:57
OCTOBER 1941 - KOMMANDANTS, REVERSE INVASION THREATS, NEUTRAL CITIZENS, AND A BIT OF DEVIATION!
You can find photos and links to things we talked about here.Its October 1941 and th...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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59:29
BOOK SPECIAL WITH STEVE FOOTE - CHIEF EXECUTIVE PRIAULX LIBRARY AND OWNER BLUE ORMER PUBLISHING
In this episode Keith talks to Steve Foote of Blue Ormer Publishing and Chief Executive of the Priaulx Library.They talk about the following books which you can buy.
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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57:25
SEPTEMBER 1941 - ESCAPE FROM JERSEY, A TUNNEL TO FRANCE, GERMANY'S GOT TALENT AND MUCH MORE!
In the September 1941 edition we cover a number of aspects of events that month. As requested by many people we have expanded the podcast to include regular Jersey content so each month going forward there will a more about Jersey.<...
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Season 1
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Episode 22
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1:01:41
Recommended Books - with Tim Osborne. Tour Guide and Historian.
In this episode Keith talks to Tim Osborne of Tim's Guided Walks about his recommended books about the German occupation. Tim tells us why these books are so important to him and how they help his tour guiding. Some are out of p...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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56:37
AUGUST 1941 - IT’S THE ECONOMY STUPID! PLUS SOME STRANGE ORDERS, HORSES, A PATOIS SPEAKING GERMAN, AND MORE
August 1941 - In this episode Keith and Nick look at the German reliance on horses. Then move on to how the Germans ruined the economy and left the Channel Islands virtually bankrupt. British banks lent money to the Channel Island...
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Season 1
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Episode 20
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57:50
SPECIAL - TIM OSBORNE - THE SARK LANCASTER, RAF TYPHOON RAIDS, ALDERNEY AND RAILWAYS!
In this episode Nick chats to Tim Osborne about the Lancaster that landed in Sark, the RAF Typhoon raids on the radars at Fort George, what went at the camps in Alderney and the German railway in Guernsey.Tim is a tour guide, historian ...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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57:41
JULY 1941 V SIGN CAMPAIGN AND CONSEQUENCES! RAF RAIDS ON GUERNSEY AND LISTENERS QUESTIONS
It is July 1941, and the V sign campaign really takes hold in Guernsey. We talk in depth about what happened and the ramifications for the local population. The German occupiers make themselves look a bit silly much to the amusement of th...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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59:41
JUNE 1941! BATTERIE STRASSBURG, MORE TROOPS, HOUSING, FOOD AND THE THIRD JEWISH ORDER.
Keith and I can't believe we have covered a year of the the Occupation this episode! There was a lot going on some of which was a bit disturbing to say the least. We talk about one of the first concrete and extensive gun batteries...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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58:22
A Special - Nick talks to Dr Philip Blood about the occupation of the Channel Islands. Resistance, Collaboration and more!
Nick was delighted to be invited to talk to the well known historian and author Dr Philip Blood about the German occupation of the Channel Islands during the Second World War. Phil has written a number of books and contributes to the
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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1:09:40
MAY 1941! IDENTITY CARDS, FISH FURY, A SINGSONG IN SARK, A MAD IRISHMAN, SEIZED LAND AND MUCH MORE!
We start off with controversial suggestions as to rationing of Fish which caused a fuss in the Guernsey Evening Press. Jurat (and later Sir) John Leale headed up the controlling committee after Ambrose Sherwill was arrested, see our podcast epi...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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57:17
April 1941 - A Hurricane Pilot, Shots Fired, Tragedy in Saints Bay, Rationing, and much more.
It is April 1941. The Channel Islands are in their tenth month of being occupied by the German forces.In this episode we cover the Hurricane pilot Sgt Robert Stirling who bailed out of his Hurricane and landed on the small island oof Li...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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55:31