Six Heinkel bombers of the German Luftwaffe attacked the harbour of St.Peter Port Guernsey with bombs and machine guns. An estimated 30 people lost their  lives.

The evacuation of the Islands which had been taking place, now took on even more urgency. Not everyone wanted to leave the Islands, which was, after all there home.
From Guernsey a total of 19,000 people left the island to go to England.
From Jersey it was estimated 10,500 finally got off the island before the German forces arrived.

Queues of civilians at St. Helier  harbour, all hoping to get off the island before the German forces arrive.
Many Islanders went to war with the British Armed Forces, over 230 were killed in action..

copyright: Richard Mayne collection

                      June 30th. 1940: 12.00 Mid-day
Four reconnaissance planes flying over Guernsey, in one of them Hauptman Liebe-Pieteritz observed that the airport was deserted, he decided to investigate and so landed on the runway, to his suprise no one was in sight.. On returning to Luftwaffe H.Q. in Cherbourg he gave his report. That evening a platoon of air force ground soldiers arrived in Guernsey and obtained the islands surrender.

Dornier aircraft flew over Jersey dropping an ultimatum to the islanders, it demanded that white sheets should be hung out of windows, and white crosses to be painted in the Royal Square and also at Fort Regent.
A reconnaissance aircraft later flew over and observing the demands had been heeded landed at Jersey airport and accepted the surrender.
Assault troops flew into the island that afternoon, the long, lonely occupation had now begun. It would be nearly five years until the Islands would be free again......

Continued..