Guernsey’s Buried Artillery – Guns in Victoria Gardens
Standing opposite each other in Victoria Gardens opposite the Town Fire Station, like sentinels from another age, you’ll find two heavy calibre artillery pieces – trophies of a previous war. They’re not British or even French but German and date back not to the dark days of Occupation but to the First World War. How they came to be here and their survival through another world war, and subsequent re-discovery, is even more fascinating.
The RGLI’s War In Photograph and Film
WWI saw the development of a form of mass media – copious recordings of events both in print, photographs and film on a scale not seen before. We have real time recordings of events that illuminate, educate and terrify us in equal measure. In this article we look at some of the media coverage that was created around The Royal Guernsey Light Infantry.
The Royal Guernsey Light Infantry – A Timeline
WWI has become a byword for slaughter on an unimaginable scale. It was war on an industrial scale. No country in Europe was immune from its effects even Guernsey. In this article we look at the main timeline of the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry, or R.G.L.I, which was Guernsey’s patriotic response to Britain’s call to arms.
Why didn’t Napoleon Ever Invade the Channel Islands?
Given that Britain and France were at war almost permanently between 1792 and 1814, it does seem strange that Napoleon Bonaparte made no effort to occupy what were almost exclusively French-speaking islands just a few miles off the French coast.
Alderney Invasion – The night 4 Alderney Militiamen Repelled 200+ Frenchmen
4 Alderney Militiamen Vs 200+ Frenchmen : Conclusion = obvious – the French lost
The Guernsey Scottish – The Men from Guernsey who served with the Scots in WWI
In October 1914 the States of Guernsey decided to offer volunteers from the Militia to serve overseas. As part of the agreement to offer these men, these ‘sub-unit’s were to be kept together with a Guernsey identity. This is the story of one of those units the 9th Scottish Divisional Ammunition Column and teh Guernseymen that made it up.
The Guernsey Irishmen – The Men from Guernsey who fought with the Irish in WWI
At the outbreak of war in August 1914 the Guernsey the Militia was mobilised in order to free the Regular Army units of the garrison for overseas service. The States of Guernsey decided to offer volunteers from the Militia to serve overseas. The majority in 1915 went to the 16th Irish Division. This is their story.
When ‘The Prince of Wales’ brought Slaughter and Mayhem to Guernsey
From the loss of Normandy by King John in 1204 until the Papal Bull of Pope Sixtus IV in 1480 granting the Channel Islands neutrality, Guernsey suffered frequent attacks, sieges and invasions at the hands of the French. One of the bloodiest and best recorded was an invasion which was immortalised in the Guernsey folk ballad La Déscente des Aragousais or The Ballad of Yvon de Galles.
The Battle of Jersey
Guernsey and Jersey, along with the other Channel Islands lived, for hundreds of years right on the front line of conflict between Britain and France. Islanders had to train and be ready to fight to defend their homes at a moments notice. On 6th January 1781 this threat went from ‘potential’ to ‘actual’ when a French force landed undetected in Jersey. The ensuing conflict became known as “The Battle of Jersey”.
Guernsey and the English Civil War
A brief look at what happend in Guernsey during this pivotal moment in British History
The Enemy Within – The Day the Guernsey Militia faced down a Mutiny
The Guernsey Militia has a long and proud history of defending the Island. But what was to be done when the English Regiment sent to help the Militia in its defense duties turns out to be the enemy itself. In 1783 the Militia had to face this very problem.
The Guernsey Militia : A Short History – Part II
Guernsey and the other Channel Islands lived for hundreds of years right on the front line of conflict between Britain and France. Islanders had to train and be ready to fight to defend their homes at a moments notice. To do this a Guernsey Militia was formed. In this article we track it’s illustrious history.
The Guernsey Militia : A Short History – Part I
Guernsey and the other Channel Islands lived for hundreds of years right on the front line of conflict between Britain and France. Islanders had to train and be ready to fight to defend their homes at a moments notice. To do this a Guernsey Militia was formed. In this article we track it’s illustrious history.
The RGLI – Royal Guernsey Light Infantry
“the war to end all wars” … that’s what it was called. No country in Europe was immune from its effects and Guernsey was no exception. In this article we look at the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry, Guernsey’s response to Britain’s call to arms.
