WW2 'Bobbies' who Stole from the Germans (Occupied Guernsey, UK)

You might think anyone would have stolen from the Nazis if given the opportunity. Anyone would have pilfered from the Nazis what was absurdly overpriced and was only elsewhere available on the black market. Those mountain stores of fresh butter, that chance to not eat stale bread for once, and those barrels of alcohol that could be warmed during the coming bitter winter. You would have been the one who shared the plunder with your starving friends and family.

And yet, would you have stolen from the Nazis if your life was on the line? If being caught meant being beaten and humiliated, made to admit that you had also stolen from your friends? That you could be thrown into labour camps abroad, forced to help the Nazis by building them train tracks? Forever disgraced by your neighbours?

The Robin Hood Guernsey policemen certainly knew the risks but took them anyway.

Copyright: DO NOT translate and re-upload our content on Youtube or other social media.

SIMPLE HISTORY MERCHANDISE

Get the Simple History books on Amazon:

T-Shirts

Simple history gives you the facts, simple!

See the book collection here:

Amazon USA

Amazon UK

Credit:
Created by Daniel Turner (B.A. (Hons) in History, University College London)
Script Writer: Natasha Martell
Narrator:

Bryan 'Lazlo' Beauregard

Clahane, Patrick. "The 'Robin Hood' policemen who stole from the Nazis." BBC News, November 29, 2020.

Carr, Gilly. "Search People." Frank Falla Archive. Accessed August 16, 2022.

Carr, Gilly. Nazi Prisons in the British Isles Political Prisoners during the German Occupation of Jersey and Guernsey, 1940–1945. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Books Ltd, 2020.

Carr, Gilly. "Resistance Trail Guernsey." Frank Falla Archive. Accessed August 16, 2022.

Evans, Alice. Guernsey Under Occupation: The Second World War Diaries of Violet Carey. Stroud: The History Press, 2016.

Guernsey Police. '"History of Guernsey Police." Accessed August 16, 2022.

Jorgensen-Earp, Cheryl R. Discourse and Defiance under Nazi Occupation: Guernsey, Channel Islands, 1940–1945. East Lansing: Michigan State University Press, 2013.

Lamy, Albert Peter. "Policing During the Occupation
1940 - 1945." Accessed August 16, 2022.

[willienelsongonzalez]

Fascinating story but it’s absolutely abhorrent and utterly disgusting that the Guernsey courts did not pardon these brave and selfless police officers nor did they expunge their so called “criminal” records.

[theprofessional]

The occupation of Guernsey is shown in Sniper Elite 5. Even though most of the game takes place in France Rebellion added extra detail by making all the German propaganda posters and loudspeaker propaganda in English. The mission is very creepy with the constant propaganda speaker and thunderstorm . Guernsey also had huge bunkers and fortifications. The Germans were convinced the island would be invaded but it never was. Guernsey was liberated in May of 1945 when Germany collapsed.

[justforrow]

All of their criminal charges should be overturned immediately. Not doing so is almost equal to punishing those who suffered through the horrific events of the Holocaust.

[paragonrobbie]

Whoever was responsible for the thumbnail knew exactly what they were doing and I'm proud of them.

[Lajos_Kelemen]

First off, unbelivable that Nazis managed to occupy British soil.
What’s more disgusting however is how these men had to die branded as criminals, which is unforgivable.
The real criminality here is not clearing their names, for which I hope this decision will haunt the judges’ even in the afterlife.

[dinobuddy]

In the US, most police forces adopt the motto, "to protect and serve." That is exactly what these police did. What an absolute disgrace it is that their convictions were upheld.

[NorseNorman]

I am from Guernsey's sister island of Jersey. We still have hundreds of German concrete bunkers all over the island, even the playground near my house is actually incorporated as a part of a German bunker. It's almost inescapable part of our history and a constant reminder of our past. Starvation was the worst part however both for the locals, POWs and eventually the occupiers. After D-day the Channel Islands were cut off from the world and the agriculture of the islands could not sustain the native population and the occupiers. My grandfather's family had to hide pigs in the bed when the Germans came around and claimed it was their ill grandmother sleeping. My grandfather also said that when we was 5 years old working in the fields, the German on sentry would say "I go to toilet, I not looking" so that my granddad could stuff crops down his trousers. But those where only the nice stories he wished to share, seeing slaves being beaten or the darker details of starvation he seldom talked about.

[chemgota]

Truly an emotional story, they deserved so much more. I hope that one day that they would get some sort of posthumous pardon to finally put them to rest.

[enveenva]

I mentioned it as a reply to another comment but I’ll mention it independently here, im from guernsey and what has to be understood is that resistance activity is very rarely spoken about or acknowledged, especially by the older generation. In fact up till the 90s resistors we’re seen as criminals and troublemakers. Prior to the occupation the British government basically gave orders to the islands governments stating that they should collaborate with the Germans to protect the people, even though to what extent they protected anyone but themselves and there positions is heavily debatable. The governments were effectively collaborationist, handing over the islands Jews without any hesitation. But after the war the very same people were in charge, they were actually in some cases awarded by the British government for “loyal service”. And this allowed them to forge this narrative, either that there was no resistance or that what little resistance there was was performed by criminal elements. In fact these lies persist because to my knowledge some of the families of that collaborationist government are still very powerful. In 2014 a massive resistance file was found buried in a wardrobe for 70 years, and after that and its publisization the government did the absolute bare minimum in terms of remembrance, putting up a few plaques etc. but nothing meaningful like criminal record expunges. The British government were very happy to allow these falsified and collaborationist narratives because it drew less attention, it seems the islands were a significant embarrassment to the British. In fact, it’s the same reason why the fact that on the neighboring island on Alderney there were 2 concentration camps and 2 death camps where thousands upon thousands suffered goes totally unacknowledged by Britain or the Alderney government, whom have been extremely hostile into any holocaust research on the island. The gist of what I’m saying is the occupation was a lot darker here than many people want to admit. The powers that be are happy to have a “model occupation” narrative and most non history buff people won’t question it so I appreciate this video being made and bringing attention to the resistors. If people would like to learn more about resistance in these islands I’d recommend looking up the “Frank Falla archive” online, a collection of experiences, diaries etc. of resistors in the Channel Islands.

[sixtyminutes]

I come from and live in Guernsey and its great that you have brought the islands history into the eyes of millions of people. Its not often people talk or even know about us when the topic of WW2 comes round so thank you for shedding just a little bit of light on our history. Cheers guys👍 🇬🇬

[WNTRS]

Brave men that should be remembered for their courage

[TheCobracan]

Blessings to the families, Eternal Glory tho those police men.

[Darryl_Francis]

Guernsey is a self-governing British Crown dependency, and not technically in the UK.

[projectember]

Those judges must’ve had hearts colder than Neptune for them to do this

[MIB]

As someone who is from the channel islands,

we do still have the history of occupation to this day from the war tunnels built by slaves

From the german sea wall to the bunkers we still find the odd seamine and bomb on the beach when the weather washs it in after a storm.

if anyone is a history buff they do have bunkers that have been done up as they were before and stories from people like my grandfather and others passed on

[danieljohnson]

It actually makes my blood boil how they were treated. They were members of the resistance as far as anyone should be concerned. I am in complet shock and ashamed of my country that any British court would not immediately discharge these men and honour them as war heroes.

[florians]

People commiting act of terrorism: they are true heroes that must be honored and remenbered.
Policemen stealing food to feed starving population: they are dangerous criminals that must be procecuted.
I love logic.

Ps: when I say terrorist, I’m reffering to the various resistence group because in many causes they still performed act of terrorism.

[panzer]

I’m so glad you guys made a video on guernsey, I live on guernsey and I was born there, I play airsoft in the German bunkers with 30-40 other people. Not many people know about Guernsey but I’m glad Simple History made a video on it so more people know about Guernsey 🇬🇬

[armandoventura]

Those men did comply with the police slogan: Serve and protect
All respects

[benjaminchristman]

Wow a police force I can respect. An absolute shame that they were done dirty like that