Category: Podcast

PODCAST SPECIAL – TIM OSBORNE TALKS A LANCASTER IN SARK, ALDERNEY & TYPHOON RAIDS

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 and commercial pilot. You can find some of his videos here.

He tells the incredible story of the Lancaster that landed in a field in Sark.  

Other topics we covered were the railway that the Germans built, Typhoon raids on Fort George, Alderney and two Germans that were prosecuted.

We also talked about Zac Osborne, who at 6 years old, is probably the youngest historian in the Channel Islands.  You can find Zac’s short videos here.

Tim’s Guided Walks can be found on Facebook here.

You can find more about the Typhoon raid here.

Pictures below of the May 2024 visit to the Lancaster Field.

Standing in the 1,000 foot field
Current Seigneur Christopher Beaumont telling the tour about the Dame of Sark and the Lancaster.

Tim’s video of some of the railway track is here:

I hope that you have enjoyed reading the blog post.

I also co-host a podcast with Keith Pengelley in which we talk about the occupation of the Channel Islands month by month using first hand accounts, diaries and our research in the archives. You can find us on all the major podcast services. Just search “Islands at War” or visit our podcast page here.

You can also follow the blog on Twitter at @Fortress_Island where I share other information and photographs. If you prefer Facebook I also have a page there. 

If you would like to receive email notifications of future blogs, you can sign up to the right of this blog post or here. Feel free to look around the website, where I have categorised posts to make them easier to find and other resources such as tours, places to visit and films that may be of interest.

If you have questions or information to share you can contact me by email on Contact@Island-Fortress.Com.

You can also find articles, podcasts, TV appearances and other social media etc here.


I will be adding more as time permits. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I hope you enjoyed it. Please share it on social media or add a comment if you did. Feedback is always appreciated.

Also happy to be contacted with questions about the war in the Channel Islands, media appearances, podcasts etc.

© Nick Le Huray

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 the locals.

We also talk about RAF bombing raids that happened on the island that month and the damage they caused.  

We also answer questions from listeners at the end of the show.

Send us a text

Follow us on Twitter here or Facebook here.

If you want to email in a question send it to occupied@gnetradio.com. Alternatively you can send us a text with the link at send us a text (only works with iPhones).

You can find out more about the occupation on Nick’s website Island Fortress here.

Thanks to Gnet Radio for recording the podcast and thanks to Jim Delbridge for the use of his song ‘5 to 7’ as our theme.

JUNE 1941 PODCAST IS OUT!

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.

Blackberry tea and how it was gathered and made.

Food or the lack thereof and the impact on people.

The third Jewish order is published. This is awful and we look at it in some detail. Essentially this third order was an attempt to make the local population hostile to the Jewish population. It had different impacts across the islands and Keith and I talk about that.

We talked about the build up of troops and how some were puzzled as to why they were here. Some talked of being demoralised already.

We talk about one of the first concrete and extensive gun batteries in Guernsey. Batterie Strassburg up at Jerbourg is a complex of 64 different positions around the Jerbourg headland. You can see some of them here.

We talked about the Doyle Monument being demolished. You can see it here and you can probably see what the problem was.

There are some excellent books on fortifications. If you take a look on your favourite book shop, Festung or here

APRIL 1941 PODCAST OUT -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.

A look at the impact of rationing, an influx of German forces, a proposed raid to take back the islands and much more.   You can listen on your favourite podcast app or listen on the player below. Se below for photos as well of things we refer to in the podcast.

In this episode we cover the Hurricane pilot Sgt Robert Stirling who bailed out of his Hurricane and landed on the small island oof Lihou.  As mentioned in the podcast there is an excellent documentary called “Stirling’s War” which you can find here and watch for free. Tim Osborne who produced it was also mentioned in the podcast.  You can find details of his guided walks here.  

There was a tragedy at Saints Bay when three men died whilst attempting to collect Ormers. Shots are fired and a boat overturns.

Saints Bay Guernsey
Saints Bay Guernsey

If you are wondering what an Ormer is look here.

Saints Bay Guernsey

The St Sampsons Restaurant at the Hollies that we mentioned I managed to pop along and get a photo of the building.

Article from the Guernsey Evening Press

We also talked about the new book coming out from Blue Ormer. The Hans Max von Aufsess diary – “Gentle Violence  1943 – 45” which you can read about and pre-order here.

I hope that you have enjoyed reading the blog post.

I also co-host a podcast with Keith Pengelley in which we talk about the occupation of the Channel Islands month by month using first hand accounts, diaries and our research in the archives. You can find us on all the major podcast services. Just search “Islands at War” or visit our podcast page here.

You can also follow the blog on Twitter at @Fortress_Island where I share other information and photographs. If you prefer Facebook I also have a page there. 

If you would like to receive email notifications of future blogs, you can sign up to the right of this blog post or here. Feel free to look around the website, where I have categorised posts to make them easier to find and other resources such as tours, places to visit and films that may be of interest.

If you have questions or information to share you can contact me by email on Contact@Island-Fortress.Com.

You can also find articles, podcasts, TV appearances and other social media etc here.


I will be adding more as time permits. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I hope you enjoyed it. Please share it on social media or add a comment if you did. Feedback is always appreciated.

Also happy to be contacted with questions about the war in the Channel Islands, media appearances, podcasts etc.

© Nick Le Huray

MARCH 1941 – SABOTAGE, PRACTICAL JOKES AND AN AEROPLANE!

You can find it on all good podcast services or here.

In this episode we talk March 1941 of the Occupation of Guernsey in the Channel Islands.   We cover off the end of joke that made the Germans look daft but got too teenage maids in trouble. 

We look at the impact of sabotage when some phone lines get cut at the airport.  Also the impact of sabotage that the RAF did before they left and subsequent bombing.attacks.

The aircraft that upset the Germans when it was discovered by the Germans.

The notice that appeared following the aircraft discovery is below.

We also talked about the Red Cross messages giving reassurance.

We also look at rationing of bread and much much more.

We mentioned the ‘Wee Mite’ aircraft that caused Kenny Bell a lot of trouble. You can find it here including photos.

Bread rationing details are included below.

If you want to email in a question send it to occupied@gnetradio.com. 

Thanks to Gnet Radio for recording the podcast and thanks to Jim Delbridge for the use of his song ‘5 to 7’ as our theme.

Latest Podcast Episode February1941 – A French Tragedy, Parachutists and a Wildgoose Chase!

In this episode we cover the tragic story of some French men who thought they had reached England but instead had landed on a beach in Guernsey. You can listen on the player below or search “Islands at War” in your usual podcast app.

The strange case of the spies and parachutists which has the Germans worried but also makes them look very silly.  

The tale of two fishermen and a submarine also makes an appearance. Plus much more.

A couple of images we talk about are below.

Send us a Text Message.

Follow us on Twitter here or Facebook here.

If you want to email in a question send it to occupied@gnetradio.com. Alternatively you can send us a text with the link at the bottom of these notes (only works with iPhones).

Thanks to Gnet Radio for recording the podcast and thanks to Jim Delbridge for the use of his song ‘5 to 7’ as our theme.

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