9th December 1933
Jersey Airways is founded
Jersey Airways flew its first commercial flight between Jersey and Portsmouth on 18 December 1933, just nine days after it was founded by Walter Thurgood. However, air transport was still in its infancy and the de Havilland Dragon aircraft that it operated had to land on and take off from the beach at St Aubin. Jersey Airport wouldn’t open for another four years, but was requisitioned for military use during the occupation, bringing commercial air travel to a pause.
The airline’s name disappeared in 1947 when the British government nationalised all airlines within its domain, and Jersey Airways was subsumed into British European Airways.
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Other events that occured in December
Maurice Gould is deported to Europe
- Maurice Gould and two friends tried to escape from Jersey during the Occupation. However, they were caught and deported to Europe.
- Read more…
Occupation author Michael Ginns is born
- Michael Ginns was a prolific author and founder member of the Channel Islands Occupation Society. He died in February 2017.
- Read more…
Occupation government head, Alexander Coutanche, dies
- Alexander Coutanche was head of the civil government in Jersey through the Occupation of the Second World War.
- Read more…
Operation Hardtack targets the Channel Islands
- Needing to find out what was happening in the .Channel Islands during the Occupation, the British government launched Operation Hardtack.
- Read more…
