Man 'almost evacuated during WW2' shares memories

A man from Guernsey said he was almost evacuated during the Second World War as a child before his mother had "second thoughts".

Hirzel Dorey, now 91, was six years old when World War Two began and has shared his experiences as part of the Island Memories Project.

The project records islanders' memories for future generations.

Mr Dorey said he had been due to be evacuated, but after the boat he was set to leave on never arrived, his mother decided she wanted him to stay with her.

Mr Dorey was the youngest of four brothers living at Brooklands Farm, in Kings Mills, during the Nazi Occupation of Guernsey in 1940.

He said farmers had to take milk to a depot at Myrtle Place, which is now the Fleur du Jardin Hotel.

He said: "Of course all the news and all the gossip was had from taking the milk twice a day.

"I think the Germans were all a bit frustrated as [our talking] was all in Guernsey-French and they just couldn't make anything out."

Mr Dorey said he had also remembered an explosion at Le Grantez Mill, as well as an "out of control" tank which hit a wall and killed several occupying soldiers.

The Island Memories Project is being run by BBC Radio Guernsey in conjunction with Guernsey Museums to record islanders' memories.

With the 80th anniversary of the bailiwick's liberation in May this year, the project is focusing on memories of World War Two.

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