"and was considered one of the Big Three during Allied conferences in the second half of the war. The United Kingdom maintained close ties with the nations of the British Empire, and the forces of those countries were often incorporated into British military operations. In Northern Ireland despite urgings from the Stormont government, conscription was never implemented due to Irish nationalist opposition, which echoed nationalist agitation against conscription during World War I. The Channel Islands are self-governing Crown dependencies off the coast of France, and were the only British territory to be occupied by Germany during the War. The islands"
"German occupation of the Channel Islands The German occupation of the Channel Islands lasted for most of the Second World War, from 30 June 1940 until their liberation on 9 May 1945. The Bailiwick of Jersey and Bailiwick of Guernsey are two British Crown dependencies in the English Channel, near the coast of Normandy. The Channel Islands were the only part of the British Isles to be occupied by the ""Wehrmacht"" (German Armed Forces) during the war. Anticipating a swift victory over Britain, the occupiers experimented by using a very gentle approach that set the theme for the next five"
"Islands were the only part of the British Isles to be occupied by the enemy during the Second World War. Not until after Germany's surrender were the islands liberated. ""Royal Ulsterman"" landed British troops on Jersey on 11 May 1945 and provided additional reinforcements on 18 May. ""Royal Ulsterman"" returned to Belfast in November 1945 and was paid off on 20 December. After reconditioning, she resumed work on the Glasgow-Belfast run for Burns and Laird. She served in this capacity until 1967. Serving with Mediterranean Link Lines of Famagusta (renamed ""Sounion""), she sank at the pier in Beirut on 3"
"is believed to have lived near Hamburg until his death in the 1980s. The following novels have been set in the German-occupied islands: German occupation of the Channel Islands The German occupation of the Channel Islands lasted for most of the Second World War, from 30 June 1940 until their liberation on 9 May 1945. The Bailiwick of Jersey and Bailiwick of Guernsey are two British Crown dependencies in the English Channel, near the coast of Normandy. The Channel Islands were the only part of the British Isles to be occupied by the ""Wehrmacht"" (German Armed Forces) during the war."
"Some, however, decided to make their own way, mostly via Guernsey, but due to the impending occupation many found themselves unable to leave and were forced to stay on Guernsey for the duration of the war. A few Alderney people elected not to leave Alderney with the general evacuation. However, boats from Guernsey came and collected them before the German Army arrived, on the basis that it was best for their personal safety. During the Second World War, the Channel Islands were the only part of the British Isles that was occupied by Germany, although other parts of the Empire"
"and 1945. The Channel Islands were the only British soil occupied by German troops in World War II. This period of occupation had about 8,000 islanders evacuated, 1,200 islanders deported to camps in Germany, and over 300 islanders sentenced to the prison and concentration camps of mainland Europe. Twenty died as a result. The islanders endured near-starvation in the winter of 1944-45, after the Channel Islands had been cut off from German-occupied Europe by Allied forces advancing from the Normandy beachheads, avoided only by the arrival of the Red Cross supply ship ""Vega"" in December 1944. Liberation Day - 9"
"between Chambois and Montormel, then liberation of Le Havre. The Channel Islands were the only part of the British Commonwealth occupied by Germany (excepting the part of Egypt occupied by the Afrika Korps at the time of the Second Battle of El Alamein, which was a protectorate and not part of the Commonwealth). The German occupation of 1940–1945 was harsh, with some island residents being taken for slave labour on the Continent; native Jews sent to concentration camps; partisan resistance and retribution; accusations of collaboration; and slave labour (primarily Russians and eastern Europeans) being brought to the islands to build"
"II in which the United States did not join the Allies, leaving the United Kingdom to fend off the German forces alone. The Battle of Britain was eventually lost to Germany, allowing the Nazis to occupy the entire country. Most of the volunteer forces of the Home Guard became complicit in helping the Germans, with only a few attempting to resist. At some point during the occupation, the population of the island town of Wellington Wells did what they considered to be a ""Very Bad Thing"" that caused the German occupation to voluntarily leave their island, allowing the British citizens"
"Liberation of the German-occupied Channel Islands The Channel Islands were occupied during World War II by German forces from 30 June 1940, until May 1945. They were liberated by British forces following the general German surrender. Considered not defendable by the British government in 1940, the islands were demilitarised and some civilians were given the opportunity to evacuate to England before the German forces arrived. The island leaders and some civil servants were asked to stay in their posts to look after the civilians in their care. 41,101 remained on Jersey, 24,429 on Guernsey and 470 on Sark. Alderney had"
"Operation Constellation Operation Constellation was the name of one of a number of missions proposed by Vice Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten in 1943 to take back the Channel Islands from German occupation during World War II. It was never mounted. The other missions were ""Operation Condor"", ""Operation Concertina"" and ""Operation Coverlet"". Between 1940 and 1945, the Channel Islands were the only British territory to come under Nazi occupation. On these islands were entrenched almost 40,000 German soldiers, sailors and airmen, behind fortifications that had consumed more than 10% of the concrete used in the Atlantic Wall which stretched from Norway"
"May 1945. Tabb, Peter ""A Peculiar Occupation, New Perspectives on Hitler's Channel Islands"" (May 2005) Operation Constellation Operation Constellation was the name of one of a number of missions proposed by Vice Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten in 1943 to take back the Channel Islands from German occupation during World War II. It was never mounted. The other missions were ""Operation Condor"", ""Operation Concertina"" and ""Operation Coverlet"". Between 1940 and 1945, the Channel Islands were the only British territory to come under Nazi occupation. On these islands were entrenched almost 40,000 German soldiers, sailors and airmen, behind fortifications that had consumed"
"had the only Nazi concentration camps on British soil. The Royal Navy blockaded the islands from time to time, particularly following the Invasion of Normandy in June 1944. There was considerable hunger and privation during the five years of German occupation, particularly in the final months when the population was close to starvation. Intense negotiations resulted in some humanitarian aid being sent via the Red Cross, leading to the arrival of Red Cross parcels in the supply ship SS Vega in December 1944. The German occupation of 1940–45 was harsh: over 2,000 Islanders were deported by the Germans, some Jews"
"the only part of ""British"" territory that was captured by the German forces, resulted in a strong desire, especially by Hitler himself, to defend and spend excessive amounts of time and energy on the Islands. The ""Festung"" books, hand created with coloured drawings for Hitler, showing in great detail the Islands defences are testament to his interest in the Islands. An important military consequence of the occupation and fortification of the Channel Islands was the deployment of very large numbers of German troops and high usage of slave labour relative to the minor amount of military resources and strategic value"
"Islands were repeatedly attacked by German aircraft, but with minimal damage. In return, Faroese ships suffered huge losses. 25 ships were lost and 132 sailors died, corresponding to approx. 0.4% of the then Faroese population. From 1918 until 1944 Iceland was self-governing, but the Danish king (King Christian X) was Head of State of both Denmark and Iceland. The United Kingdom occupied Iceland (to pre-empt a German occupation) on 10 May 1940, turning it over to the then neutral United States in July 1941, before that country entered the war in December 1941. Officially remaining neutral throughout World War II,"
"Revolution sought residency in the islands. Many of the town domiciles existing today were built in that time. In Saint Peter Port, a large part of the harbour had been built by 1865. The islands were the only British territory to be occupied by the German Army during World War II. The British Government demilitarised the islands in June 1940, and the lieutenant-governors were withdrawn on 21 June, leaving the insular administrations to continue government as best they could under impending military occupation. Before German troops landed, between 30 June and 4 July 1940, evacuation took place. Many young men"
"Resistance in the German-occupied Channel Islands During the German occupation of the Channel Islands, there was limited resistance. The islands had a very high number of German soldiers compared to the civilian population, one soldier for every 2-3 civilians, which reduced options; this linked to the severe penalties imposed by the occupiers meant that only forms of non-lethal resistance were used by the population. Even so, over twenty civilians died for resistance against the occupiers. From the British declaration of war on Germany in September 1939 until May 1940, a number of Channel Islanders had left to volunteer for the"
"British occupation of the Faroe Islands The British occupation of the Faroe Islands in World War II, also known as Operation Valentine, was implemented immediately following the German invasion of Denmark and Norway. It was a small component of the roles of Nordic countries in World War II. In April 1940, the United Kingdom occupied the strategically important Faroe Islands to preempt a German invasion. British troops left shortly after the end of the war. At the time of the occupation, the Faroe Islands had the status of an amt (county) of Denmark. Following the invasion and occupation of Denmark"
"are dependent on the United Kingdom for their defence and foreign relations. In 1940, the British government demilitarised the islands, and they were subsequently occupied by German forces. Strong German defences were set up, but the Islands were not assaulted, except by occasional hit-and-run commando raids. German forces surrendered at the end of the war. Almost all the Jewish people fled the islands before the German occupation; those who remained were deported to extermination camps. The Isle of Man is a self-governing Crown dependency external to the United Kingdom. Its foreign relations and defence, however, are the responsibility of the"
"were used as well, especially later in the war. Similar, but much smaller units were also formed in Littoral (""Primorska"") and Upper Carniola (""Gorenjska""). The Channel Islands were the only British territory in Europe occupied by Nazi Germany during World War II. The policy of the Island governments, acting under instructions from the British government communicated before the occupation, was one of ""passive co-operation,"" although this has been criticised, particularly in the treatment of the few Jews in the islands. These measures were administered by the Bailiff and the Aliens Office. One Jew from Jersey died in a Jersey mental"
"Alderney camps The Alderney camps were prison camps built and operated by Nazi Germany during its World War II occupation of the Channel Islands. The Channel Islands were the only part of the British Isles to be occupied. The Nazis built four camps on Alderney. The Nazi Organisation Todt (OT) operated each subcamp and used forced labour to build fortifications in Alderney including bunkers, gun emplacements, air-raid shelters, tunnels and concrete fortifications. The camps commenced operating in January 1942. They were named after the Frisian Islands. The four camps on the Island had a total inmate population that fluctuated but"
"Living with the enemy in the German-occupied Channel Islands The German occupation of the Channel Islands lasted from 30 June 1940 to 9 May 1945. During that time, the Channel Islanders had to live under and obey the laws of Nazi Germany and work with their occupiers in order to survive and reduce the impact of occupation. Given no guidance on how to behave by the British government, there were individuals who got close to the enemy and a few who undertook resistance activities. Most had no choice but to accept the changes and depredations to their lives and hope"
"opened as museums. German fortification of Guernsey After the Wehrmacht occupied the Channel Islands on 30June 1940, they assessed the existing defences to determine if they would be of use. The Germans found the Islands' fortifications antiquated and woefully inadequate for modern warfare. Because the Germans expected to invade the United Kingdom in the autumn of 1940, they decided that expenditure on defences for the islands would be a waste. Initially the Germans built only ""feldmässige Anlage"" (field-type construction) positions. By 1941 the prospect of conquering Britain had decreased and the probability of an eastern war increased, requiring defences to"
"Occupation of Iceland The Occupation of Iceland during World War II began with a British invasion intent on occupying and denying Iceland to Germany. The military operation codenamed Operation Fork was conducted by the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. The invasion of Iceland was a British military operation conducted by the Royal Navy and Royal Marines during World War II to occupy and deny Iceland to Germany. At the start of the war, Britain imposed strict export controls on Icelandic goods, preventing profitable shipments to Germany, as part of its naval blockade. Britain offered assistance to Iceland, seeking cooperation “as"
"stationed on the island in 1941 to prevent Nazi Germany from occupying the islands. Norway came under German occupation in 1940. The majority of inhabitants on the island were Russian, and the Soviet Union had a non-aggression pact with Germany until 22 June 1941. The United Kingdom and Canada sent military forces to the island to destroy installations, mainly Soviet coal mines, and to prevent German occupation. In 1943, the German battleship ""Tirpitz"" and an escort flotilla shelled and destroyed the Allied weather station in Operation Zitronella. On 6 September, a squadron consisting of ""Tirpitz"", the battleship ""Scharnhorst"" and nine"
"a brief revival as islanders sought to converse without the Germans understanding. There was no armed resistance movement in the Channel Islands. This has been ascribed to a range of factors including the demilitarisation of the Islands by the British government in 1940, the physical separation of the islands, the density of troops (up to one German for every two islanders), the small size of the islands precluding any hiding places for resistance groups, and the absence of the Gestapo from the occupying forces. Moreover, much of the population of military age had already joined the British or French armed"
"to have lived near Hamburg until his death in the 1980s. The four German camps in Alderney have not been preserved or commemorated, aside from a small plaque at the former SS camp Lager Sylt. One camp is now a tourist camping site, while the gates to another form the entrance to the island's rubbish tip. The other two have been left to fall into ruin and become overgrown by brambles. Alderney camps The Alderney camps were prison camps built and operated by Nazi Germany during its World War II occupation of the Channel Islands. The Channel Islands were the"
"fortifications. The Royal Navy blockaded the islands from time to time, particularly following the liberation of mainland Normandy in 1944. Intense negotiations resulted in some Red Cross humanitarian aid, but there was considerable hunger and privation during the occupation, particularly in the final months, when the population was close to starvation. The German troops on the islands surrendered on 9 May 1945, a day after the final surrender in mainland Europe. The English Channel coast is far more densely populated on the English shore. The most significant towns and cities along both the English and French sides of the Channel"
"this, passing ships stopped irregularly at the island for a period of mere hours. During World War II, the islands were used as a top secret Royal Navy weather and radio station codenamed HMS ""Atlantic Isle"", to monitor U Boats (which needed to surface to maintain radio contact) and German shipping movements in the South Atlantic Ocean. The only currency in use on the island at this time was the potato, and islanders labouring to construct the station were paid in kind with naval supplies for their own use, such as wood, paint and tea. Money was introduced the following"
"did not make any issue of it. The Danes tried unsuccessfully to obtain recognition of the border from their neighbor, but otherwise went out of their way to avoid antagonizing Germany. In 1939, Hitler offered nonaggression pacts to the Scandinavian nations. While Sweden and Norway refused, Denmark readily accepted. With the beginning of WWII that fall, Copenhagen declared its neutrality. Nevertheless, Germany (so as to secure communications for its invasion of Norway) occupied Denmark on April 9, 1940, meeting limited resistance. British forces, however, occupied the Faroe Islands (12 April 1940) and invaded Iceland (10 May 1940) in pre-emptive moves"
"Main article: Alderney camps The Channel Islands were the only part of the British Commonwealth occupied by Nazi Germany. The Germans built four camps, two of which later became Neuengamme subcamps on Alderney Island. <ins>Th</ins>e Alderney camps were named after the Frisian Islands: Lager Norderney, Lager Borkum, Lager Sylt and Lager Helgoland. The Nazi Organisation Todt (OT) operated each subcamp and used forced labourers to build bunkers, gun emplacements, air-raid shelters, and concrete fortifications. The Alderney camps had a total inmate population of about 6,000. Norderney camp housed slave labourers mostly from eastern Europe and a smattering from Russia and"
"Invasion of Iceland The invasion of Iceland took place on 10 May 1940 during World War II. Iceland was occupied by troops of the United Kingdom. The British military operation, codenamed Operation Fork, was conducted by the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. The invasion was carried out because the British Government feared that the island would be used by Germany. The Government of Iceland issued a protest, charging that its neutrality had been ""flagrantly violated"" and ""its independence infringed"". At the start of the war, the UK imposed strict export controls on Icelandic goods, preventing profitable shipments to Germany, as"
"Island caused its separateness from the rest of London, and its unique nature. During World War II, the docks were a key target for the German Luftwaffe and were heavily bombed. A number of local civilians were killed in the bombing and extensive destruction was caused on the ground, with many warehouses being totally destroyed and much of the dock system being put out of action for an extended period. Unexploded bombs from this period continue to be discovered today. Anti-aircraft batteries were based on Mudchute Farm; their concrete bases remain today. After the war, the docks underwent a brief"
"were anchored in Portolago. The island of Leros was finally captured by German troops during operation ""Taifun"" in airborne and amphibious assaults between 12–16 November 1943. The forces involved were paratroop units and a battalion from the elite Brandenburg division. The ground troops were supported by bombers of the ""Luftwaffe"". Among them I. and II. group of Stuka-Wing 3. I. Group operated from Megara Air Base. The island remained under German occupation until the end of the war. After the Germans evacuated the island, it came under British administration, until, on 7 March 1948, together with the other Dodecanese Islands,"