17th June 1940
General de Gaulle has lunch in Jersey while fleeing France
French statesman Charles de Gaulle spent the Second World War in Britain, from where he directed resistance fighters in his homeland. Understanding his importance, the RAF evacuated him from France on 17 June 1940, flying via Jersey where they stopped to refuel the de Havilland Dragon Rapide DH.89 that was carrying him. This allowed the General to get out, stretch his legs and eat lunch before continuing to the mainland and putting down at Heston, just outside London.
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Other events that occured in June
Odeon cinema opens for the first time
- Jersey’s first Odeon cinema opened in Bath Street on 2 June 1952. It had a capacity of almost 1,400 if every seat was sold.
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Holiday pioneer Billy Butlin dies in Jersey
- Billy Butlin’s name will forever be tied to a certain type of British holiday. He moved to Jersey later in life, where he died.
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A priest is accused of infanticide
- Richard Averty was a loyal Catholic priest with a terrible secret: he also had a child, which he killed to keep his secret safe.
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A Belgian airman is killed over Jersey
- St Ouen’s Rue Henri Gonay was given its name in June 2014 in honour of a Belgian airman who died when his plane crashed in Jersey.
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