Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Sarah Hanks!

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Sarah Hanks!

What was your inspiration for the story?

Fall Back and Find Me is a split-time novel that deals with chronic illness, namely POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome). I personally suffered from POTS for about seven years before the Lord healed me. In this dark night of my soul, when I was so sick I couldn’t even get out of bed, it felt like everything was being stripped away from me. I couldn’t envision a future for myself, nor did I conceive how my broken life was worth living. But there in the shadows, the Lord showed Himself faithful. Before He healed my body, He did a great work in my heart. He’d been asking me to write about it for a while, and I finally did.

The historical storyline follows another secret female Civil War solider (like my last book A Battle Worth Fighting) only this time the setting is Missouri, and the soldier suffers from what they used to call “irritable heart” or “DaCosta’s Syndrome”, which has many similarities to POTS today. I remembered hearing about irritable heart when I was first diagnosed with POTS, and I was eager to dive into learning more. The fact that many soldiers came down with it during the Civil War intrigued me and fit perfectly into my story.

What sort of research did you do for your story, and was there an exceptionally interesting tidbit you knew you had to include?

I read a lot about female Civil War soldiers for both A Battle Worth Fighting and Fall Back and Find Me. Their tales fascinate me. For Fall Back and Find Me I also did much research on guerillas and guerilla hunters in the Civil War as well as the war in Missouri specifically. I’m a Missouri girl, yet I’d never researched what happened in my own state. I actually lived right down the street from the Missouri Civil War Museum and yet had never been until I went when researching for the book. There is so much rich history that many don’t know about in my state. I was excited to share it with the world.

Have you ever considered writing under a pseudonym? Why or why not?

I never have. I’m rather transparent. Hello, this is me. Take me or leave me, but I’m not hiding.

How are your characters like you? Different?

Fall Back and Find Me is different than my other novels in that it is basically my story in fictionalized form. As such, I drew heavily from my own experience when writing Amber’s POV. However, Amber has a different wound than I and she was shaped by different life experiences. Her personality isn’t an exact replica of mine. I had to take all of this into account as I wrote, which meant quite a lot of sifting through thoughts and feelings. The part that flowed easily from me was Amber’s reaction to her diagnosis and illness and the feelings of loneliness and powerlessness that accompanied it. That came straight from my history, a tender yet mostly healed place.

Lily is another modern-day POV character in the novel. Although I didn’t base this character off of myself, I do relate to her in a few ways. Her life experience with a large family, as well as with children with special needs, more closely mirrors my own day-to-day.

If you were to write a spin-off book about one of your secondary characters, which one would you choose and why?

I’ve had requests to write a spin-off about Lily. Readers have found her to be relatable and interesting. They want to know what happens next! I’m not sure if I ever will do so, but I’ll keep it in mind.

Why do you write in your particular genre?

I love writing split-time. It’s my favorite genre to read and write. History fascinates me, but it’s the implications the past has on the present that intrigue me the most. How has what happened back then impacted what’s happening right now? What’s the cause and effect? How do the choices we make matter and ripple throughout time? There’s something about the concept of legacy and heritage that pulls at me. We are interconnected in a way we can’t comprehend. The Lord, in His wisdom, sets our times and boundaries and intersects our lives with each other in such a magnificent tapestry. Writing split-time allows me to explore that aspect of His nature, which I find delightful.

How does/did your job prepare you for being a novelist?

Before I was a writer, I was a teacher. I taught children of all ages in children’s ministry. Before that I

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taught preschool. I love learning information and then passing it on to others. That’s exactly what I do with writing. I research fascinating information, figure out how to weave it into story, and then pass it on. It’s basically the same skill set, only less overt.

What is one thing you wish you could do?

Eat unlimited chips and salsa and ice cream (not together) and not gain weight.

How do you celebrate when you finish a manuscript?

When I finish a manuscript, I take the family out to ice cream. I may have been the one who wrote the words, but my husband and children were the ones to give me the time and space to do so. They put up with me talking through story ideas, complaining when my characters went rogue, sneaking away to write, and going to writing meetings and conferences. They all deserve a treat.

What books are on your nightstand right now?

An Appalachian Song by Michelle Shocklee is on my nightstand. I mostly listen to audiobooks, though, so a fairer question would be what’s in my audiobook queue. That would include Charles Martin’s The Letter Keeper, Bethany Turner’s Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other, and Rachel Scott McDaniel’s Undercurrent of Secrets.

 
What is your next project?

 
My next project is a novel honoring my grandfather called New Creations. My grandpa had a barber shop most of his life by that name. Almost everyone who knows him will attest that he’s the most entertaining person they know. This novel centers around the shop and the man behind the chair.

About Fall Back and Find Me

Two resilient women separated by over 150 years are linked forever by their challenges, values, and determination.

Amber Prichard is thriving in her role as pastor’s wife, mom, and indispensable church volunteer—until chronic illness threatens to upend everything. Now unable to prove her value, she is forced to reevaluate how she defines herself. Inspired by an ancestor’s faded journal and heirlooms, she must work with her arch-nemesis if she wants to accomplish what is now impossible on her own.

Faced with the turmoil of the Civil War, Willow Forrester didn’t intend to illegally enlist in the Union Army as a secret female soldier. She only wanted to escape her father’s tyranny and follow her brother into the throes of adventure. When she comes face to face with the leader of a guerilla army, her health and insecurities threaten to shatter her heroism and render her powerless.

As their opposition threatens to overtake them, these two women must find their strength and identity to defeat impossible odds.

Website: www.sarah-hanks.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/authorsarahhanks
Instagram: http://instagram.com/authorsarahhanks
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Sarah-Hanks/author/B08SC2GPF7
Bookbub:https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sarah-hanks

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/836309.Sarah_Hanks

Wartime Wednesday: WWII Gingerbread People Cookies

Wartime Wednesday: Gingerbread People Cookies

Pixabay/
artistlike

Even though it's still October, Christmas wrap, decorations, and other associated items are in the shops and Christmas-themed books are being released by many authors. Because we go away each year for Christmas, I do very little decorating in our home, BUT I do love to bake. I love sweets and would have found it challenging to go without desserts during World War II when sugar and other ingredients used for making goodies were rationed and/or difficult to obtain. 

One of the desserts I think of when Christmas comes to mind is cookies. Snickerdoodles, chocolate chip, pumpkin cookies, and GINGERBREAD MEN, although I guess nowadays, it's more correct to say Gingerbread People. So without further ado, here is a fun and easy WWII recipe for this yummy treat:

• 350g plain flour. (approx. 12 oz.)
• 140g of butter or margarine (approx. 5 oz.)
• 100g dark brown sugar (approx. 3 oz.)
• 3tbsp golden syrup (or molasses)
• 1tbsp ground flaxseed (mix with 2.5 tablespoons of hot water, it helps hold the mixture together when baking)
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 2tsp ground cinnamon
• 1tsp bicarbonate of soda
• pinch of salt

Method

• Mix the flaxseed with 2.5 tablespoons of hot water. Mix well and set aside to thicken.
• Melt butter, sugar and golden syrup in a pan on a low heat stirring slowly until all runny and melted. Set this aside in a mixing bowl to cool down a bit.
• Stir in the flaxseed mixture thoroughly.
• Add in the sieved flour, bicarbonate of soda, pinch of salt and all the spices and mix until a smooth dough is formed.
• Wrap or place in container and chill in fridge for 30 minutes.
• Heat oven to  350 degrees  (180C for non-U.S. bakers)
• Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface to about 0.5cm and start stamping out the gingerbread.
• Place on parchment paper on a baking tray.
• Cook for about 15 minutes (slightly more or less according to your oven)
• Remove from oven when cooked. Leave on sheet to cool down for 15 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. Once fully cold then you can keep in an airtight container for about a week or so.
• Decorate with icing sugar when fully cold. If no icing sugar is available dent the dough before cooking to form eyes, mouth and buttons! Or just decorate with anything you’ve got!

Makes about 12 large gingerbread people.

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A Merry Heart: An Anthology - coming November 7, 2023

Experience the magic of Christmas in this heartwarming anthology featuring ten talented authors, as they weave enchanting tales of clean and Christian romance. Delight in the spirit of the season, where love, faith, and miracles come together to create unforgettable holiday moments. All proceeds from this anthology will be donated to a life pregnancy center to be announced soon!

My novella, War's Unexpected Gift features Nurse Gwen Milford from A Doctor in the House. I thought she deserved her own story.

Pre-order link (only $0.99!): https://amzn.to/3Q166iG

Traveling Tuesday: Alderney During WWII

Traveling Tuesday: Alderney and WWII

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Continuing in my series about the German occupation of the Channel Islands, today we’re going to visit Alderney, the northernmost of the inhabited islands. With an area of three square miles, it is the third largest of the Channel Islands. The origin of the island’s name is obscure with several theories associated with it.

Led by the bailiff, Judge French, almost the entire population of Alderney evacuated when the notification came about the invasion. One report indicates that eighteen people refused to leave the island, but boats from Guernsey came and retrieved the majority of them. The Germans arrived on a nearly deserted island.

The island was used to grow food to supply the troops and islanders, but the main use of the troops and

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subsequent labor force was to fortify the island as part of Hitler’s “Atlantic Wall.” By 1942, four camps (two labor, and two concentration) had been built to house POWs and Jewish slave laborers. According to multiple sources, several hundred of the approximately 6,000 prisoners died before the rest were moved to France in 1944, however, others claim there were significantly more inmates and a higher death count. Most of the records were destroyed therefore, exact numbers are unavailable. The camps are not preserved or commemorated.

During the war, primarily after Normandy, the island was occasionally blockaded by the Royal Navy resulting in hunger and privation. Negotiations enabled some Red Cross humanitarian aid, but indications are that the German troops were near starvation.

Courtesy: visitalderney.com

Alderney was surrendered by the Germans on May 16, 1945, eight days after the Allies received the formal unconditional surrender of the German High Command, however, the remaining two thousand prisoners were not removed until four days later. Under British military supervision, the remaining five hundred German soldiers cleaned up the island, including the removal of more than 30,000 mines.

When the Alderney citizens returned in December 1945, they were dismayed to find many houses in disrepair, the Germans having burned anything wooden for fuel. Having evacuated, the islanders were saved, but it was months before their homes and businesses would recover from the devastation.

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Francine’s Foibles

She's given up hope. He never had any. Will they find it together?

World War II is finally over, and America is extra grateful as the country approaches this year’s Thanksgiving. But for Francine life hasn’t changed. Despite working at Fort Meade processing the paperwork for the thousands of men who have returned home, she’s still lonely and very single. Is she destined for spinsterhood?

Grateful that his parents anglicized the family surname after emigrating to the United States after the Great War, first-generation German-American Ray Fisher has done all he can to hide his heritage. He managed to make it through this second “war to end all wars,” but what American woman would want to marry into a German family. Must he leave the country to find wedded bliss?

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3LrRasj

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Leslie L. McKee

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Leslie L. McKee!

1. What was your inspiration for your book?

My book is a devotional journal for those with chronic pain and illness. Sadly, this is something I know all too well, as I have lived with chronic pain and illness for over twenty-five years. I wanted my book to serve as a reminder to others that they’re not alone. It’s called Hope Amid the Pain. There is always hope, no matter the circumstance, when we have Jesus by our side.

2. How did you start writing in your particular genre?

Years ago, when I was in elementary school, I wrote a few short stories, but then I moved on to poetry. I then went on to reviews and devotions, which really aren’t that different from the poetry I used to write.

3. Tell us about your road to publication.

I won a few contests with my poetry, and had some published. I continued writing poetry for many years before I started writing reviews for a magazine (RT Bookreviews Magazine). That led me into editing. An editing contact asked if I’d be interested in writing some devotions to possibly be included in a compilation by Ellie Claire/Worthy Publishing called Just Breathe. I immediately said, “Yes!” Then I realized I’d never written a devotion! God provided the words. I was given a contract to be part of that project, and I’ve been writing them ever since. Hope Amid the Pain is my debut solo book.

4. How did your life prepare you for being an author?

As I mentioned, I’m a chronic pain/illness warrior. I have always been hesitant to share my journey and struggles with others. I had many friends tell me I should, but I always pushed the thought aside. A few years ago, I felt a nudge from God telling me that He wanted me to share my story. I wrote the devotions and book to encourage and comfort others while reminding them that they’re not alone in their pain. God is with them through it all, and He still has a purpose for their lives.

5. What is your process for writing? (do you outline, have a special place or time of day you write, etc.)

I guess, thus far, I’d be a pantser. For my devotional book, I didn’t do any sort of outline, just a list of

Pixabay/Giani Prilea

verses that have been important and encouraging to me in my journey. In addition to writing devotions, I have written some flash fiction stories. For those, as they have always been a bit out of my comfort zone, I’ve prayed, and God has given me the ideas and guidance to write the stories. While I’m an editor in my “day job,” and I love it, when it comes to my own writing, I prefer the writing to the editing, which does seem a bit strange!

As for when I write, I largely wrote my book in the evenings. Now, it varies, based on when inspiration hits.

6. How do you celebrate when you finish a manuscript?

When I finished my manuscript, I believe we celebrated with a meal from Olive Garden. To celebrate my book release, we actually had a cake with my book cover on it, which was pretty cool.

7. What books are on your nightstand right now?

My husband wishes I only had books on my nightstand! 😊 I have books all over the place, including multiple TBR piles. I review books for various publishers and authors, so most of my current reads are advance copies (ARCs). I enjoy a number of genres.

8. What is your next project?

I have a number of projects in mind, and I’ve started a few of them. They include a children’s book, another devotional book, and some flash fiction stories. However, life has thrown me a few curveballs this year, so my writing has been put on hold. I do hope to get back to my ideas soon.

9. What is your advice to fledgling writers?

Write what you feel God is telling you to write! With my book, I had some people in the publishing industry tell me that I should make it more general and not share so much of my personal story. I admit I was hesitant to be open and transparent about the struggles and realities of living with chronic pain and illness, yet it was what I felt God telling me to do. And I’m glad I listened. Some of the things readers mention when they contact me is how much they appreciate me being open and honest because they know that I truly understand what they’re going through. That’s exactly what I hoped for when writing Hope Amid the Pain. I know how much it means to me when I find someone who “gets it,” and I thought others would feel the same way. Thus far, it’s been apparent that they do.

Thanks so much for having me on your blog, Linda. I enjoyed speaking with you, and I appreciate you letting your readers know about Hope Amid the Pain, which will be celebrating it’s second birthday on October 26, 2023! 

Leslie's book Hope Amid the Pain is available from all your favorite online retailers: https://books2read.com/u/4Xe8p9

Traveling Tuesday: Sark During WWII

Traveling Tuesday: Sark During WWII

The Channel Island of Sark was led by the indomitable Dame Sibyl Hathaway who after visiting St. Peter Port after the demilitarization by Britain and seeing chaos and confusion, returned home to make a speech to her people. She indicated that she would be staying during the German occupation, and indicated that those who wished could be evacuated but “those with a stake in the land should stick by it.” She went on to say, “I’m not promising you it will be easy. We may be hungry. But at least there will always be fish and rabbits.” (Afterward, she would ruefully look back on those words because fishing off the mined coast had been restricted, and the guns needed to hunt rabbits were confiscated by the Germans.)

However, many on the island thought she was a match for the Germans, and they weren’t far off.

The fifty-six-year-old woman was a descendent of one of the forty original families who arrived in

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1565 with Helier de Carteret after he earned Queen Elizabeth I’s permission to establish a fief there. Dame Sibyl had worked in Germany and was fluent in German, and the feudal etiquette she’d been using all her life became a formidable weapon against the occupiers, most of whom were uniformed German aristocrats. They treated the islanders with respect, and the dame with reverence, reportedly kissing her hand when they approached her. The troops established themselves in the Hotel Bel Air until they managed to burn it to the ground in 1942.

As on the other islands, the German rules and regulations applied to Sark, including blackouts, curfews, opening hours of public house, fishing, etc. However, as the islanders had no motor cars, those laws were moot. Initially, there was much fraternization, and Dame Sibyl was able to get some of the mandates softened to include the ability to fish within three miles of the coast and for two boats to travel to Guernsey to sell their catches and return with fuel for the botas. Christmas Eve was celebrated together.

Soldiers regularly rotated and additional soldiers arrived bringing the total to two hundred. At one point, the new group was reportedly “full of high-handed bureaucrats” who created more restrictive rules that often made no sense, such as when they limited fishing without paying attention to tide tables, resulting in a fall in the fish catch. Eventually, the new “regime” learned to learn to advice from Dame Sibyl before issuing orders.

By 1942, visitors were no longer allowed on the island, and the only excuse for a local visit to Guernsey was toothache. With a dentist on Sark, fake toothaches became common so residents could spend a few days off the island. Radios were confiscated, and in September an order was issued to send all men of English parents to camps in Germany. Dame Sibyl took that to mean non-Sark-born people, reducing the list to only nine individuals.

Photo: Phillip Capper

A British commando raid occurred in October of that year with the objective of capturing a prisoner. They finally ended up at the Dixcart Hotel where they killed a sentry and found five sleeping German military engineers. During the attempt to take the soldiers prisoner, a struggle broke out with shouting. One of the Germans broke free and headed toward the Stock’s Hotel where other soldiers were asleep. When all was said and done the British managed to escape with one German, three of the German soldiers died, and the Sark woman who’d directed the commandos to the hotel was imprisoned for three months before being deported to Germany. The Sark commander, Oberleutnant Stefan Herdt lost his command for fraternization and failure in the raid.

February 1943 brought a section batch of deportees, a list of sixty people originally but again Dame Sibyl managed to get the group whittled down. Only twenty-five were sent away, including her American husband Robert Hathaway. Food and fuel became even more scarce. Another commando riad was made just after Christmas, but was unsuccessful.

The Guernsey Underground New Sheet (GUNS) illegally published British news. The group was caught and imprisoned where two would die before the end of the war. When Cherbourg and St. Malo fell to the Americans, the islands were cut off and both civilian and German rations were reduced. In retaliation, Dame Sibyl and a few of the islanders raided the German supply of grain and managed to cart off nearly a ton that was distributed to the Sarkees.

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Early in 1945, Red Cross parcels arrived and were distributed among the civilians. According to one report, the Germans had less food than the islanders and were known to faint in the street. When news of the German surrender came, Dame Sibyl had the American and British flags hoisted while the Germans locked themselves in their barracks. On May 10, a group of British soldiers arrived to formally accept the German surrender, they indicated they didn’t have enough troops available to guard the prisoners, so Dame Sibyl was put in charge. One of the British officers later commented that she acted “more forceful than any army officer and more than equal to any German Kommandant.” Over the next few months, she demanded that the Germans reestablish the telephone lines, return the confiscated radios, and remove all 13,500 land mines. The prisoners also completed a variety of construction projects. They were required to repeat her commands and then reply “At your command, madam.”

As mentioned earlier in the post, the Germans had indeed met their match in Dame Sibyl Hathaway. Her husband eventually returned to the island with the other deportees, and she would hold her position until her death on July 14, 1974.

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Francine’s Foibles

She's given up hope. He never had any. Will they find it together?

World War II is finally over, and America is extra grateful as the country approaches this year’s Thanksgiving. But for Francine life hasn’t changed. Despite working at Fort Meade processing the paperwork for the thousands of men who have returned home, she’s still lonely and very single. Is she destined for spinsterhood?

Grateful that his parents anglicized the family surname after emigrating to the United States after the Great War, first-generation German-American Ray Fisher has done all he can to hide his heritage. He managed to make it through this second “war to end all wars,” but what American woman would want to marry into a German family. Must he leave the country to find wedded bliss?

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3LrRasj

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Alyssa Schwartz

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Alyssa Schwartz!

Fields of Glass: An Excerpt

Items number twelve and thirteen on the list of things Grace was thankful for: rain boots and leather gloves.

She scribbled them down before folding the page and slipping it and the pencil back into her front pocket. Her therapist’s idea of keeping a gratitude journal seemed as silly now as it had when she’d suggested it a few months ago. At this rate, she’d celebrate her fortieth birthday before reaching one thousand entries.

But for as much as Grace initially disliked the overalls, they had their useful moments. Her hands, however … She flexed her sore muscles from yesterday’s yard work and winced at the fresh blisters. And that had been with the gloves on. She didn’t even want to imagine what sort of condition she’d have been in had she gone after those weeds bare-handed.

She’d hardly mentioned a word about it to Callie, but somehow, the woman had already known. Which explained today’s slightly less demanding activity…

Callie had disappeared inside a few minutes ago—something about duct tape and a bee-keeper suit, neither of which sounded the least bit appealing to Grace. Just the thought of being swarmed by thousands of bees, suit or not, made her skin crawl.

Something tickled the back of her arm, and she swatted at it. Heart racing, she spun around, only to find one of the climbing vines had slipped from its lattice.

How in the world was she going to endure honey harvesting like this? She should be at the ranch,

Pixabay/M. Roth

earning Micah’s respect enough to convince him of her proposal. Not playing Little House on the Prairie, no matter how much she enjoyed Callie’s quirky personality. And if last night’s argument was any indication, she still had a long way to go.

“Hello? Anybody home?” A familiar deep voice echoed from the front driveway.

“Out back,” she hollered, hoping Caden could hear her. Sure enough, he slipped through the gate, clad in a navy T-shirt and jeans, and greeted her with a wave.

“Thought I’d find you here.” His teeth were white against his tanned skin, no doubt a fact Callie hadn’t failed to notice, either.

“Where else would I be?”

He shrugged. “Dunno, but I’m glad I caught you. Is Callie here, too?” He leaned forward and peered through the open back door.

Grace didn’t miss the way he swiped his palms against his legs and kept stealing glances at the house. He might as well have been wearing a sign around his neck that said: I like Callie. She wondered if her friend had picked up on his interest as well. Their behavior last night and the way they had talked the other morning by the pasture gate—she had no doubt something was there. And from where she stood, all they needed was a little push.

Grace smiled, knowing she’d found her solution. “What would you say to a trade? You stay here and help Callie, and I’ll cover for you back at the ranch.”

About Fields of Glass:

Micah Prescott will do anything to save his family's sheep ranch, even if it kills him. With a city-based firm pressuring him to sell and the bank threatening to call in his loan, he has less than a month to figure out a solution to keep the property his father strove so hard to protect. But when a storm rolls in, washing out the only bridge to town and bringing with it an unwanted visitor, he finds his options quickly dwindling.

Sales associate Francis Grace Riley will do anything to prove that she belongs. Convinced she can secure a deal where others had only failed, she takes to the mountains in search of one stubborn rancher, only to realize there is much more riding on the outcome of this trip than her job.

From the moment Micah rescues Grace on the side of the road, sparks fly—that is until he learns who she really is. Stuck together until the bridge is repaired, the two of them must learn to work as a team if they have any hopes of achieving their goals. But when things start to go wrong on the ranch, and sheep begin to disappear, they're left questioning who they can trust... and what they're willing to sacrifice for those they care for.

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3tnblBr

About Alyssa:

Alyssa is a Colorado native who attended the Colorado School of Mines, got her masters in Geological Engineering, and promptly became a watercolor artist and author (as one does). She loves writing heartfelt romances with happy endings, a bit of mystery, faith, humor, and second chances. Receive a free short story when you sign up for her newsletter at: https://www.authoralyssaschwarz.com/

Connect Online:
o Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoralyssaschwarz
o Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alyssaschwarzauthor/
o BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/alyssa-schwarz?fbclid=IwAR0Vkoc46au6Qrb52SedU99TnC4J9nzXN2ubsgPaGNiEy1_8vcvxLf1fC88
o Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21846420.Alyssa_Schwarz

Traveling Tuesday: Guernsey During WWII

Traveling Tuesday: Guernsey During WWII

Pixabay/Kaufdex

During WWII, England’s Channel Islands (located closer to France than to Britain) were occupied by German forces. Learn about the islands here: http://www.lindashentonmatchett.com/2023/10/traveling-tuesday-channel-islands.html. Each of the islands responded differently. Today’s post is about Guernsey, the second largest and westernmost of the islands, it is the furthest from the coast of Normandy and forms the major part of the Guernsey jurisdiction which includes the three other inhabited islands of Herm, Jethou, and Lihou.

When the islands were demilitarized, arrangements were made to evacuate the residents. Each bailiff reacted differently, and on Guernsey panic reigned. Unsure whether there would be enough ships, the decision was made that the children would go first. Arrangements were made with Whitehall that three ships would arrive at 6:00 AM on June 20. Hurried meetings were called at the schools where the sounds of war could be heard from France. Knowing about the bombing raids of England’s cities and towns, parents wondered if the greater danger lay in sending the children away or keeping them under German occupation. Ultimately, there were enough ships for adults to evacuate as well, and approximately half of the fifty thousand residents left.

At 69, Guernsey’s Bailiff Victor Gosselin Carey was considered too old to serve as the island executive

Photo: Public Domain

on his own. Described as pink-faced, chubby, highly strung, and absent-minded, he was an attorney when given the position upon the unexpected death of his predecessor in 1935. Gentle and kind, he was popular among the residents. Interestingly, when the Germans arrived, they went to the home of Major A.J. Sherwill rather than meeting with Carey.

By all reports, a polite exchange between the Germans and Sherwill culminated in them moving to the Royal Hotel to conduct the business of setting up the occupation. By the time Carey arrived, evidence of the occupation was apparent: scores of German soldiers driving motorcycles on the “wrong” side of the road. The hotel’s Swiss proprietor acted as interpreter while the Germans read out the list of orders and instructions that ended with the edict that the full cost of the Occupation would be borne by the island.

The front pages of special editions of the island’s newspapers, the Guernsey Evening Press and the Star, were headlined: Order of the Commandant of the German Forces in Occupation of the island of Guernsey, followed by Carey’s signed statement that “The public are notified that no resistance whatever is to be offered.” More troops arrived on Monday, and the Occupation was completed without any hostile incidents.

Photo: Public Domain

Carey’s powers were reduced and a Controlling Committee created comprised of members from the States of Guernsey and chaired by Major A.J. Sherwill who would later be imprisoned, then deported to a German labor camp for his part in the Nicolle and Symes affair, the second of a series of British Commando raids on the islands. During the Occupation, the Red Cross ship SS Vega delivered supplies and mail to the island. Residents were given work by the Germans, but many refused despite promised associated benefits. Fortifications of the island were constructed by forced labor of captured men. Tragically, the three Jews who were part of Guernsey’s population were deported to German-occupied France in April 1942 where they were given jobs and eventually rounded up and sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau where they died. After the war, a British Military Intelligence report said “when the Germans proposed to put their anti-Jewish measures into force, no protest whatever was raised by any of the Guernsey officials, and they hastened to give the Germans every assistance.”

Carey was knighted in 1945, and Sherwill given the British OBE in December of that year. He was knighted in 1949 and would serve as bailiff from 1946 to 1959.

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Francine’s Foibles

She's given up hope. He never had any. Will they find it together?

World War II is finally over, and America is extra grateful as the country approaches this year’s Thanksgiving. But for Francine life hasn’t changed. Despite working at Fort Meade processing the paperwork for the thousands of men who have returned home, she’s still lonely and very single. Is she destined for spinsterhood?

Grateful that his parents anglicized the family surname after emigrating to the United States after the Great War, first-generation German-American Ray Fisher has done all he can to hide his heritage. He managed to make it through this second “war to end all wars,” but what American woman would want to marry into a German family. Must he leave the country to find wedded bliss?

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