Occupation History.
The German forces occupied the Islands on 1 July 1940. From that moment there was no direct postal service between the Channel Islands and England.
From that date until Liberation in May 1945, effectively four different postal services operated within, into or from the Channel Islands.
Firstly, the Islanders were allowed to write to friends within the Channel Islands. This service could still use British stamps or when these ran out, locally printed stamps were used for this service. Islanders were allowed to send letters from Guernsey to Jersey and vice versa.
From that date until Liberation in May 1945, effectively four different postal services operated within, into or from the Channel Islands.
Firstly, the Islanders were allowed to write to friends within the Channel Islands. This service could still use British stamps or when these ran out, locally printed stamps were used for this service. Islanders were allowed to send letters from Guernsey to Jersey and vice versa.
Secondly, the only way Islanders could send messages to their relatives in England or other unoccupied countries, was via the International Red Cross on special forms provided by the German Red Cross through the local Island Red Cross organisations.. However, initially, Islanders believed that they could send messages to England via the British Vice Consul in neutral countries, such as Portugal and America. However, these letters were returned to the senders by the Guernsey and Jersey Post Offices. Messages were sent on special forms provided by the German or British Red Cross.
Thirdly, mail from and to the German troops on the Islands was sent through the German Feldpost system. There was one Feldpost office on Guernsey and one on Jersey. German soldiers were allowed to send mail back home free of charge. Mail from Germany addressed to the German troops is also very collectable. Islanders were allowed to write to friends in the Occupied territories such as France. Here they had to use the German Feldpost Office and NOT the ordinary Post Offices. Again for this service neither British or Islands stamps could be used. German stamps had to be used for this service, these were then postmarked with a standard German Feldpost datestamp, not a Guernsey or Jersey datestamp. Similarly, covers from these destinations addressed to the Channel Islands are also very collectable. Some philatelic examples are known where Island stamps were used with a local pencil address and local cancellation, then re-addressed and handed in to the Feldpost with the appropriate German stamps affixed additionally!
Finally, during late 1942 and early 1943, Islanders of British nationality were deported from Guernsey, Sark and Jersey to special Internment camps in Germany. These Internees could write back to the Channel Islands or to their relatives in England on special Internee cards or letter sheets. Letters could be sent from the Islands to the Internees post free via the German Feldpost system. Similarly, letters could be sent from England to the Internees.
The Liberation period (May to December 1945) provides another interesting period of Channel Islands Postal History.
Thirdly, mail from and to the German troops on the Islands was sent through the German Feldpost system. There was one Feldpost office on Guernsey and one on Jersey. German soldiers were allowed to send mail back home free of charge. Mail from Germany addressed to the German troops is also very collectable. Islanders were allowed to write to friends in the Occupied territories such as France. Here they had to use the German Feldpost Office and NOT the ordinary Post Offices. Again for this service neither British or Islands stamps could be used. German stamps had to be used for this service, these were then postmarked with a standard German Feldpost datestamp, not a Guernsey or Jersey datestamp. Similarly, covers from these destinations addressed to the Channel Islands are also very collectable. Some philatelic examples are known where Island stamps were used with a local pencil address and local cancellation, then re-addressed and handed in to the Feldpost with the appropriate German stamps affixed additionally!
Finally, during late 1942 and early 1943, Islanders of British nationality were deported from Guernsey, Sark and Jersey to special Internment camps in Germany. These Internees could write back to the Channel Islands or to their relatives in England on special Internee cards or letter sheets. Letters could be sent from the Islands to the Internees post free via the German Feldpost system. Similarly, letters could be sent from England to the Internees.
The Liberation period (May to December 1945) provides another interesting period of Channel Islands Postal History.