States Minutes 9th May 2002

THE STATES assembled on Thursday, 9th May 2002 at 9.30 a.m. under

the Presidency of the Bailiff ,

Sir Philip Bailhache .

His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor,

Air Chief Marshal Sir John Cheshire, K.B.E., C.B., was present

All members were present with the exception of -

S e nator Leonard Norman - out of the Island.

S e nator Frank Harris on Walker - out of the Island.

K e nneth Alan Le Brun, Connétable of St. Mary - out of the Island.

I m ogen Stephanie Nicholls, Deputy of Grouville - Excused.

P h ilip John Rondel, Deputy of St. John - out of the Island.

R o bin Charles Hacquoil, Deputy of St.  Peter - out of the Island.

K e nneth William Syvret, Deputy of St. Ouen - out of the Island.

G e rard Clifford Lemmens Baudains, Deputy of St. Clement - absent. J e remy Laurence Dorey, Deputy of St. Helier - out of the Island.

C e lia Joyce Scott Warr en, Deputy of St. Saviour - ill

R o y George Le Hérissier, Deputy of St. Saviour - out of the Island. J u dith Ann Martin, Deputy of St. Helier- out of the Island.

Prayers

Welcome - distinguished visitors

The Bailiff , on behalf of all members, welcomed to the States distinguished visitors including Herr Helmut Morczinietz, Bürgermeister of Bad Wurzach and Frau Morczinietz, and Sir Cecil Clothier KCB, QC, and Lady Clothier who were in the Island to attend the Liberation celebrations.

Personal Statement - Liberation of the Island

Deputy Harry Hall ewell Baudains of St.  Clement made a personal statement in the following terms -

" I would like to recount my memories of the Liberation and explain how I now feel about those momentous days.

I w ould like to take us back to 1945.

I w as an 11 year old pupil in my first year at Victoria College. People might think that an 11 year old would

not have been allowed to know about the activities that were going on, activities that were against the Germans' rules and regulations.

I k new that my father was part of a group who were doing everything that they could to thwart the occupying

powers and deny them as much food as possible.

I a lso knew that we had a crystal set, that there were pigs that should not have been on our farm and later that

we had a wireless set. That was in a way a gift from the Germans, not that they intended us to have it.

A  ll the wireless sets were ordered to be handed in and stored at the Parish Hall . One night someone broke in

and stole one. As a punishment the Germans ordered that seven parishioners guard them overnight. That night they forced open a rear window and spirited another seven sets away. One of those wireless sets made its way to our farm.

O n another occasion we also had a boat hidden on the farm for someone to escape.

I s ay this so that it is understood that my contemporaries and myself were well aware of what was going on.

We knew that Hitler was dead, we knew that the war was ending, but we also knew that there was a lot of fear concerning how we would be liberated. Would the Germans in the Island seek to fight on - we did not know?

O  n May 8th I went to school as usual, but during the morning we were called to the main hall and told that

the war was ending, that we must go home and do nothing to annoy the Germans.

I r emember cycling home along Greve d'Azette and seeing that Mr.  Le  Masurier had hoisted the Union Jack

at Le Squez - that I thought will not please the Germans.

W  e stayed at home for the rest of that day erecting a pole for our flag and listening to broadcasts by Churchill

and then by King George VI.

T h e next day my father had gone with the horse and van to help transport the Red Cross parcels that were

being unloaded from the Vega to a store on the Esplanade.

 M  y mother wanting to know what was happening took my sister and I to St. Helier. We went to the

Weighbridge with many other people all waiting for news.

W  e went about where the pedestrian crossing is now on the La Route de la Libération, when we saw the

heads of two naval officers appear above the crowd. They were being driven towards us. When the people saw them they were overjoyed and you have all heard how they hung out the flag and everyone cheered and I believe sang.

I h ave memories of other things that went on, not only on that day, but in the next few days. Other people that

were here have memories of other events. I missed the Ceremony of the flag being hoisted at the Pomme d'Or. These were glorious days, chaotic but wonderful. I think that the chaotic situation was illustrated by the fact that after the flag had been hoisted and we had been liberated the German soldier who was guarding the Red Cross parcels continued with his duties.

 I feel that we dwell too much on the thought of being free but there was also the thanks that it came

peacefully with no fighting. Not only no fighting between the Germans and the British Army, but also no scores being settled amongst the locals or between the locals and Germans. Apart that is from the few women who had been too friendly' with the enemy and were roughed up a little.

W  hen one reads about how other people in other parts of the world respond to their freedom then one realises

how lucky we were.or was it a result of our prayers.

T o sum up I feel that we have three things to give thanks for:-

T h ey are freedom.

F r eedom that came peacefully,

 ..and for those wonderful Red Cross parcels."

THE STATES rose at 9.46 a.m.

C.M. NEWCOMBE Greffier of the States.