The Guernsey Deportees

Channel Islands Podcasts
  • 5.0 (1)
  • HISTORY

A little-known story of wartime resilience. Hear the stories of the last remaining Guernsey deportees. 80 years ago a group of Channel islanders were forced to abandon their homes during WW2, and were sent on Hitler’s orders to Biberach interment camp. Ollie Guillou speaks to his Grandma about the 3 long years she spent in the camp. He’s also joined by three other deportees and two historians, who help chart the life-altering journey these Guernsey people went on, all those years ago. Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/collection/1395666

Episodes

  1. 04/23/2025

    Ep 6: Return to Biberach - A Lasting Legacy of Internment

    ⚡ Having escaped Biberach 67 years before, in 2012, the Guernsey Deportees decided to go back. Despite decades passing, the events that unfolded in Germany have caused a ripple effect throughout their lives - impacting them both emotionally and physically. So what drew them back to Germany, to visit the camp where they’d once been interned? 💡 In 1942, during World War 2, Hitler ordered the deportation of more than 1000 islanders from Guernsey. Jill Chubb was just 3 years old when she set sail, but her memories are vivid and clear. And in this special podcast series, her grandson, former BBC Guernsey presenter Ollie Guillou, charts her story - joined by three other deportees and two prominent historians. 🔎 This sixth episode explores Jill’s emotional return to Biberach - now a police training academy - and the transformational reception the Deportees received from the locals during their stay. Hear about the lasting impact of the camp on the deportees - some who suffered throughout their lives, and others who sought compensation for what happened. And discover why it’s so vital that these stories are remembered and passed down through the generations.  ⚙️ With special thanks to: Jill Chubb, Chair of the Guernsey Deportees Association Ralph Godwin, Deportee Janet de Santos, Deportee Jill Oliver, Deportee Alan Chubb, Secretary of the Guernsey Deportees Association Dr Gilly Carr, University of Cambridge Matthew Lucas, War historian 📍 Written and produced by ⁠Ollie Guillou⁠ and ⁠Phillippa Guillou⁠. This is a ⁠Channel Islands Podcasts⁠ production. ✉️ Share your messages and memories; email hello@ogpodcasts.co.uk

    26 min

  2. 04/23/2025

    Ep 5: Liberation Day - A Winding Path Back to Guernsey

    ⚡ In 1945, the voice of Winston Churchill boomed through the camp - the Allies had won. The war was finally over. But the Guernsey Deportees didn’t get to leave immediately - the path back to Guernsey was long and winding. 💡 In 1942, during World War 2, Hitler ordered the deportation of more than 1000 islanders from Guernsey. Jill Chubb was just 3 years old when she set sail, but her memories are vivid and clear. And in this special podcast series, her grandson, former BBC Guernsey presenter Ollie Guillou, charts her story - joined by three other deportees and two prominent historians. 🔎 This fifth episode explores those first moments when the Deportees learnt they were finally free - and what it was like the be rescued by the Allied troops. Hear how they each, in turn, eagerly awaited their turn to fly home, before being scattered across the UK. And discover how many found their possessions stolen and homes looted, when they finally got back to Guernsey. ⚙️ With special thanks to: Jill Chubb, Chair of the Guernsey Deportees Association Ralph Godwin, Deportee Janet de Santos, Deportee Jill Oliver, Deportee Alan Chubb, Secretary of the Guernsey Deportees Association Dr Gilly Carr, University of Cambridge Matthew Lucas, War historian 📍 Written and produced by ⁠Ollie Guillou⁠ and ⁠Phillippa Guillou⁠. This is a ⁠Channel Islands Podcasts⁠ production. ✉️ Share your messages and memories; email hello@ogpodcasts.co.uk

    20 min

  3. 04/23/2025

    Ep 4: Life and Hope in Biberach

    ⚡ The Guernsey Deportees never lost their resilient spirits through all of the years of internment. Though they were isolated and imprisoned, they still found joy, excitement and happiness in Biberach. Life may have been hard, but they made do. 💡 In 1942, during World War 2, Hitler ordered the deportation of more than 1000 islanders from Guernsey. Jill Chubb was just 3 years old when she set sail, but her memories are vivid and clear. And in this special podcast series, her grandson, former BBC Guernsey presenter Ollie Guillou, charts her story - joined by three other deportees and two prominent historians. 🔎 This fourth episode explores the ways the Deportees entertained themselves, whether by testing the patience of German soldiers, or watching aircraft zoom through the sky. We hear how they still celebrated Christmases - in the only way they could. We discover what it was like to fall seriously ill in the camp. And we hear the story of Bill Balcombe of Everest, who made wonderful mugs for his fellow internees. ⚙️ With special thanks to: Jill Chubb, Chair of the Guernsey Deportees Association Ralph Godwin, Deportee Janet de Santos, Deportee Jill Oliver, Deportee Alan Chubb, Secretary of the Guernsey Deportees Association Dr Gilly Carr, University of Cambridge Matthew Lucas, War historian 📍 Written and produced by ⁠Ollie Guillou⁠ and ⁠Phillippa Guillou⁠. This is a ⁠Channel Islands Podcasts⁠ production. ✉️ Share your messages and memories; email hello@ogpodcasts.co.uk

    20 min

  4. 04/23/2025

    Ep 3: Arriving in Biberach: First Impressions

    ⚡ Once the Guernsey Deportees finally left Dorsten, they arrived in Biberach in the freezing cold, greeted by Hitler Youth who spat at them as they trudged up the long hill to their barracks. It was here they would spend the next three years of their lives - longing to go home. 💡 In 1942, during World War 2, Hitler ordered the deportation of more than 1000 islanders from Guernsey. Jill Chubb was just 3 years old when she set sail, but her memories are vivid and clear. And in this special podcast series, her grandson, former BBC Guernsey presenter Ollie Guillou, charts her story - joined by three other deportees and two prominent historians. 🔎 This third episode explores the first impressions of camp life - the terror and the longing to be free. We find out about day-to-day life - how the camp had a library, a school and even a theatrical group. And we discover a little red book that has survived all these years - serving as a reminder of what happened.  ⚙️ With special thanks to: Jill Chubb, Chair of the Guernsey Deportees Association Ralph Godwin, Deportee Janet de Santos, Deportee Jill Oliver, Deportee Alan Chubb, Secretary of the Guernsey Deportees Association Dr Gilly Carr, University of Cambridge Matthew Lucas, War historian 📍 Written and produced by ⁠Ollie Guillou⁠ and ⁠Phillippa Guillou⁠. This is a ⁠Channel Islands Podcasts⁠ production.✉️ Share your messages and memories; email hello@ogpodcasts.co.uk

    20 min

  5. 04/23/2025

    Ep 2: The Dark and Dirty Journey To Biberach

    ⚡ The journey to Biberach interment camp wasn’t straightforward. After being whisked away from their homes on a cargo boat, the Guernsey Deportees made a stop-off at a transit camp in Dorsten - a vile, filthy place, where men were left to cook hedgehogs to survive. 💡 In 1942, during World War 2, Hitler ordered the deportation of more than 1000 islanders from Guernsey. Jill Chubb was just 3 years old when she set sail, but her memories are vivid and clear. And in this special podcast series, her grandson, former BBC Guernsey presenter Ollie Guillou, charts her story - joined by three other deportees and two prominent historians. 🔎 This second episode explores the Deportees’ memories of Dorsten - a camp they were never meant to visit. Hear how this horrendous camp has left a lasting impression in their minds, even after spending just a short amount of time there. And discover the stories behind some of the art created in the camp, under the most oppressive conditions. ⚙️ With special thanks to: Jill Chubb, Chair of the Guernsey Deportees Association Ralph Godwin, Deportee Janet de Santos, Deportee Jill Oliver, Deportee Alan Chubb, Secretary of the Guernsey Deportees Association Dr Gilly Carr, University of Cambridge Matthew Lucas, War historian📍 Written and produced by ⁠Ollie Guillou⁠ and ⁠Phillippa Guillou⁠. This is a ⁠Channel Islands Podcasts⁠ production. ✉️ Share your messages and memories; email hello@ogpodcasts.co.uk

    19 min

  6. 04/23/2025

    Ep 1: The Deportation Order: Hitler’s Retaliation

    ⚡ In 1942, during the height of World War 2, Hitler ordered the deportation of more than a thousand islanders from Guernsey. In retaliation against the Allied Forces, innocent men, women and children were forced to leave their island homes - set on a path to Biberach internment camp. 💡 Jill Chubb was just 3 years old when she set sail, but her memories are vivid and clear. And in this special podcast series, her grandson, former BBC Guernsey presenter Ollie Guillou, charts her story - joined by three other deportees and two prominent historians. 🔎 This first episode explores the moments leading up to the deportation, and how the Guernsey Deportees found out the news. We get a sense of pre-war life in Guernsey and how it began to change during the course of the war. And from cargo ships to train rides, we learn how the journey to Biberach began. ⚙️ With special thanks to: Jill Chubb, Chair of the Guernsey Deportees Association Ralph Godwin, Deportee Janet de Santos, Deportee Jill Oliver, Deportee Alan Chubb, Secretary of the Guernsey Deportees Association Dr Gilly Carr, University of Cambridge Matthew Lucas, War historian 📍 Written and produced by Ollie Guillou and Phillippa Guillou. This is a Channel Islands Podcasts production. ✉️ Share your messages and memories; email hello@ogpodcasts.co.uk

    25 min

  7. 04/22/2025

    Bonus: How a Journalist from Dorsten Discovered the Deportees

    **This is a bonus episode. If you've not tuned in before, I recommend you start at ⁠Episode 1⁠** ⚡ Shortly after this podcast first aired, a German journalist reached out to me - and said she was “moved to tears” by Grandma’s story. In particular, her experiences in Dorsten transit camp. That’s because Jana Magdanz was born in Dorsten - and only this year began learning about what happened there in 1942. 💡 In this special bonus episode of the podcast we meet Jana, who’s made it her mission to tell the people of Dorsten what happened during the deportations - a story she says is not well known in Germany. She works for German Public Radio, WDR Cologne - their equivalent of the BBC. 🔎 Her report went live on 9th May, Guernsey’s Liberation Day. You can find it by following this link. 📍 Your host is Ollie Guillou. This is a Channel Islands Podcasts production. ✉️ Share your messages and memories; email hello@ogpodcasts.co.uk

    22 min

  8. 04/21/2025

    Bonus: The Camp Librarian Who Worked ‘Remotely’ From Biberach

    **This is a bonus episode. If you've not tuned in before, I recommend you start at ⁠Episode 1⁠**⚡ Arthur Henry Davey was a librarian at the Guille-Allès Library in Guernsey when the deportation order came through. Despite spending just a short amount of his early life in the UK, he was added to the list of those who were later sent to Biberach internment camp. 💡 In this special bonus episode of the podcast, we learn about Arthur’s fascinating story - how he ended up setting up a ‘camp library’, and how the Library’s Board of Management decided to bank his salary while he was gone so it would be there when he returned. 🔎 Arthur’s story is part of an exhibition about the deportation, on display at the Guille-Allès Library. Open until 23rd June 2025. ⚙️ With special thanks to Adam Bayfield, Head of Marketing and Customer Services at the Guille Allez Library. 📍 Your host is Ollie Guillou. This is a Channel Islands Podcasts production. ✉️ Share your messages and memories; email hello@ogpodcasts.co.uk

    15 min

  9. 04/20/2025

    Bonus: Life In Occupied Sark - “They put the bayonet through my toy panda”

    **This is a bonus episode. If you've not tuned in before, I recommend you start at Episode 1** ⚡ Maisie Le Page was just a young girl when the Germans arrived on her small home island of Sark. Little did she know that her father, the island’s baker, would also come to be part of, and sent to prison for his involvement in a covert news operation.  💡 In this special bonus episode of the podcast Maisie explores her earliest memories of the occupation in Sark, the fear she felt when her toy panda bear was pierced by a bayonet, and some of the more lighthearted moments. She also shares some of the mementos she’s kept as a reminder of what happened. 🔎 I met Maisie while producing The Dementia Perspective for the Guernsey Alzheimer’s Association. It’s well worth a listen - click here to listen. 📍 Your host is Ollie Guillou. This is a Channel Islands Podcasts production. ✉️ Share your messages and memories; email hello@ogpodcasts.co.uk

    29 min

  10. 04/19/2025

    Bonus: Highlights from the Guernsey Literary Festival

    ⚡ At a sold-out talk at the Guernsey Literary Festival, Jill and Ollie were interviewed by the BBC’s Steph Watkins about the podcast. Among the stories you may have heard through the series, a few new tales emerged. 💡 In this bonus episode of the podcast hear a special cut of our Literary Festival talk, featuring gardening in Biberach, a powerful moment told from Jill’s perspective, a call to action for everyone listening - and surprising camp stories from the audience. ⚙️ With special thanks to: ➡︎ Jill Chubb, Chair of the Guernsey Deportees Association ➡︎ Steph Watkins, BBC Radio Guernsey 📍 Your host is Ollie Guillou. This is a Channel Islands Podcasts production. ✉️ Share your messages and memories; email hello@ogpodcasts.co.uk

    15 min

  11. 04/18/2025

    Bonus: Islands At War - An Occupation Podcast With a Twist

    **This is a bonus episode. If you've not tuned in before, I recommend you start at ⁠Episode 1⁠** ⚡ Island At War is a podcast dedicated to Guernsey’s occupation history. And the two men behind the show have chosen a fascinating way of telling the story - going month by month through the wartime years, making this an incredibly comprehensive listen.  💡 In this special bonus episode of the podcast we meet Keith Pengelley and Nick Le Huray, who’ve dedicated an incredible amount of time to uncovering what happened to islanders during World War 2. Hear some of the stories from that podcast that have stuck with them the most. 🔎 Nick writes a blog about the occupation and is finishing up a book about escapes from the Channel Islands. And Keith is a qualified tour guide - you can find his series of talks here: guernseywalkingtours.com 🎙️ Listen to Islands At War here: https://islandsatwar.buzzsprout.com/  📍 Your host is Ollie Guillou. This is a Channel Islands Podcasts production. ✉️ Share your messages and memories; email hello@ogpodcasts.co.uk

    13 min

  12. TRAILER

    Trailer: The Guernsey Deportees

    Hear the stories of the last remaining Guernsey deportees. 80 years ago a group of islanders were forced to abandon their homes during WW2, and were sent on Hitler’s orders to Biberach interment camp. Ollie Guillou speaks to his Grandma about the 3 long years she spent in the camp. He’s also joined by three other deportees and two historians, who help chart the life-altering journey these Guernsey people went on, all those years ago. Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/collection/1395666

    3 min

Trailer

About

A little-known story of wartime resilience. Hear the stories of the last remaining Guernsey deportees. 80 years ago a group of Channel islanders were forced to abandon their homes during WW2, and were sent on Hitler’s orders to Biberach interment camp. Ollie Guillou speaks to his Grandma about the 3 long years she spent in the camp. He’s also joined by three other deportees and two historians, who help chart the life-altering journey these Guernsey people went on, all those years ago. Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/collection/1395666

Information

  • Creator
    Channel Islands Podcasts
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    12
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Channel Islands Podcasts
  • Show Website
    The Guernsey Deportees