5th November 1924
Jersey concentration camp prisoner Gordon Prigent is born
When the occupying forces took over the Channel Islands, they finished the incomplete job of evacuating Alderney, and built four prison camps in the island. These housed primarily the slave labour force they imported from mainland Europe to build the concrete defences they constructed across the islands.
Two of the camps – Lager Borkum and Lager Helgoland – were work camps, but Lager Norderney and Lager Sylt were concentration camps, run by the SS. St Helier-born Gordon Prigent found himself in Norderney after refusing to paint German tanks, on account of the fact that he was, in fact, a plasterer. This was enough to mark him out as a troublemaker. He was arrested and deported to Alderney and, there, caught listening to the English news on the radio. He spent much of his time there cracking stones in the quarry, which were used to build gun emplacements.
The conditions were harsh, with meagre rations and long working hours that were sufficient to kill many of the older inmates.
Times get even harder
Towards the end of the war, when France had been liberated and supplies were running short, the occupying forces evacuated the remaining camp inmates to Guernsey and Jersey and, for a while, Prigent was incarcerated in the cells at Fort Regent. However, upon his release – and on the condition that he reported to the authorities every day – he found work as a volunteer policeman.
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Other events that occured in November
Jersey is struck by unusually low tides
- The tide was so low on the morning of 25 November 1909 that the mailboat couldn’t dock, leaving passengers stranded onboard.
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Jersey and Guernsey decide to merge lotteries
- Jersey and Guernsey had been running separate lotteries before the decision to merge them was taken in 1972.
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Tarka the Otter released in cinemas
- Based on Henry Williamson’s novel of the same name, the screenplay for Tarka the Otter was co-written by Gerald Durrell, founder of Jersey Zoo.
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Emeraude Ferries rescue attempt falters
- A rescue plan for Emeraude Ferries was closely scrutinised when the Jersey to St Malo service rang into difficulties.
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