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Sark: The War Years – An exhibition to tell Sark’s War-Time Story

Sark was occupied, along with the other Channel Islands during WWII. The German soldiers arrived on 3rd July 1940 & remained for nearly 5 years. Whilst Europe was liberated on 8th May 1945 & Guernsey the following day, Sark was not liberated until 10th May. For nearly 5 years, the locals & the German soldiers had to live side by side on this tiny island in the Channel.

Little physical evidence remains of the Occupation; no fortifications were required on Sark due to the island being a natural fortress with her steep, high-sided cliffs. So, we have found another way to remember the island’s history: an exhibition which collates photographs, letters & other contemporaneous memorabilia from this 5 year period to tell the story of the island’s Occupation & some of the individuals living on the island, including what life was like for the ‘enemy’ & whether the soldiers were always seen as the ‘enemy’.

The exhibition is held in the old Island Hall, near St Peter’s Church. The Hall was used during the Occupation for most, if not all, community gatherings; including the Dame’s speech discouraging islanders from evacuating at the outset & the end of war speech given by Winston Churchill over the radio, as well as being used during the intervening period by locals and Germans alike for social events such as drama group plays and indoor sports.

After reading the Island’s war-time account, you may like to visit the small privately owned Sark Museum on Rue Lucas who hold some rare artefacts from this period.