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Guernsey Under Occupation: The Second World War Diaries of Violet Carey Paperback – May 1, 2009

by Alice Evans (Editor), Alice Stevens (Editor)

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The diaries kept by Violet Carey during the occupation of Guernsey show precisely how the German invasion affected the lifestyle of an upper middle class woman. While never indulging in self-pity, she captures the misery caused by imprisonment and the lethargy and depression that many, including herself, suffered, a feeling intensified by fear of the unknown and the sense of isolation from England and from relatives and the rest of the war. In her remarkably down-to-earth style, the diarist provides an honest account of events and does not attempt to disguise incidents of scandal or misconduct on the part of her countrymen, or of humanity on the part of the Germans. More lighthearted entries illustrate the delight that she and many of her friends took in defying the invader simply by sticking to firmly held principles. The diaries depict both the hardships imposed upon the native population by the occupying forces and the ways in which Guernsey people reacted towards the enemy. What comes through most vividly is a valiant acceptance on the part of the islanders of their circumstances, together with optimism that all would turn out well. Hope is never entirely lost, even after life becomes simply a matter of survival. The diaries also indicate the pressures experienced by the island's leaders as the writer is related to Bailiff Victor Carey and husband is Jurat of the Royal Court. Following the island's liberation it was claimed that tales of their heroic endurance and indefatigable humor were covering up a deeper scandal. An introductory section examines the language and content of the diaries and shows how, as the occupation lengthened and shortages became more acute, the veneer of civilization could be stripped away and the privileges afforded by wealth, education, and class rendered irrelevant.

Guernsey Under Occupation: The Second World War Diaries of Violet Carey

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Product details

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: The History Press (May 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1860775810
ISBN-13: 978-1860775819
Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 0.7 x 10 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 2 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,293,589 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #16011 in Books > History > Europe > Great Britain

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Channel Islands under Nazi occupation

ByDavid Langloison January 10, 2011

Format: Paperback

The only part of the British Empire to suffer occupation by the German Army and Nazi personnel during World War 2 were the Channel Islands: Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Brecou. Occupied in June 1940, they were not liberated until May of 1945, more than 11 months after the Allied invasion on D Day, 6 June 1944.

This book is a fascinating account of those five years. Violet Carey was an educated and privileged woman. Her family had lived on Guernsey for many years, and were entitled to call themselves "Guernsey Donkeys" (the local name for a native). She had an eye for detail, and was very good at remembering and writing down gossip. But as she records the five years of the occupation, she shows how people had to adapt to ever and ever decreasing materiality, and eventually to a point where even the necessities of life became unavailable. At the start, when the material things of life were still generally available, life goes on pretty much as it had before the Germans arrived. But fairly soon the Gestapo takes over the administration of the island from the Army and things go from not so bad to pretty much awful in a fairly short period of time. The Germans also import a large number of prisoners to use as slave labour to construct immense military defensive works, including a complete underground hospital. At the height of their work, there were more Germans than Guernseyites on the island.

She speaks of her fears, both for herself, her husband, and her friends. The family car is confiscated by the Germans, and she is forced to walk everywhere. She notes her ever decreasing waistline and rejoices in the fact that she may now wear clothes which had not fit her for twenty years.

Her recording of these times, and the effect on the local populace of the Gestapo's draconian rules, is well done.

It is this recording of the human side of people that makes this book so compelling.

If you have no knowledge of Guernsey, or of that period in time, this is a worthwhile read.

Highly recommended.

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A window into occupied Guernsey

ByAlaskan Girlon August 30, 2012

Format: Paperback

I really enjoyed this wartime diary, which gives valuable insight into the lives of the oppressed Islanders. Mrs. Carey, while capable of very sensible and serious introspection, also had a decent sense of humor, was able to laugh at herself, and often recorded gossip. News stories (approved by the Germans) are copied in, as well as public announcements and an intense war poem written by a local man. She notes stories of friends' everyday interactions with the Germans; occasionally laugh-worthy, sometimes quite disturbing. Also clear in several entries are the class/racial prejudices present at the time, even in the writer.

What struck me about the account, though, was the constant fight the islanders had to wage against deadening monotony. Everyday life was an endless drudge, gradually becoming less livable as food and fuel supplies dwindled. I lost count of the times Violet noted "Walked in for bread with the dog" just like that. For lack of something more interesting happening?

Definitely worth the read, though as I mentioned, it can drag at times. That's part of the authenticity!

0Comment 2 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

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