Guernsey WW2 deportee podcast shortlisted for award
The podcast is produced through Mr Guillou's company OG Podcasts, which said it offered "rare insight into this little-known part of Channel Islands history"."With expert contributions from two leading historians and previously unheard testimonies, the series transports listeners to wartime Europe, capturing the trauma of internment and the enduring legacy of deportation on Guernsey families," it said.
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Scottish Sun
8 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Heartbreaking tale of how pint of Wrexham Lager bonded veteran Herbert with PoW friend as UK marks 80 years since VJ Day
To toast VJ Day and his friend, Herbert joined The Sun in raising a pint of Wrexham Lager in the brewery his pal loved so much TOAST TO A HERO Heartbreaking tale of how pint of Wrexham Lager bonded veteran Herbert with PoW friend as UK marks 80 years since VJ Day Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SIPPING a pint of Wrexham Lager, ahead of tomorrow's 80th anniversary of Victory in Japan Day, 100-year-old local man Herbert Pritchard has a poignant World War Two tale about the Welsh beer. And so, when The Sun told its brewery's new co-owners — Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney — of the story VJ Day veteran Herbert had to tell, they opened its doors to let us catch up with him there. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 100-year-old WW2 veteran Herbert Pritchard has a special connection to Wrexham Lager Credit: Paul Tonge 4 Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought Wrexham Brewery last year Credit: Getty 4 Herbert as World War Two naval gunner Credit: Paul Tonge The A-listers bought the brewery, founded in 1882, last year after also acquiring Wrexham AFC in 2021, so were delighted to oblige. Herbert was just 20 when serving as a marine in the Far East, tasked with bringing home prisoners of war — and it was hearing one of their number, also from Wrexham, longingly mention the lager from the pair's home town that began their friendship. The ex-marine Herbert had come across had been so badly treated by the Japanese he had shrunk from 12st to 6st. But when Herbert overheard him say, 'Get me back to Blighty, I can't wait for a pint of Wrexham Lager,' he knew they were they practically neighbours — and kindred spirits. read more on VJ Day 'FORGOTTEN' How elite the Chindits smashed Japanese supply lines in Burma ahead of VJ Day In 1945, lager was rare in the UK and Wrexham in North Wales was one of the few places that made it — so when Herbert and his new pal got home, they soon made up for lost drinking time as they met up regularly for a pint. But sadly, Herbert's mate had suffered so much punishment at the hands of the Japanese that he only lived for two years after the war. 'Men like scarecrows' To toast VJ Day — August 15, 1945 — and his friend, Herbert joined The Sun in raising a pint of Wrexham Lager in the brewery his pal loved so much. Herbert will tomorrow meet King Charles and Queen Camilla during a service at the National Memorial Arboretum, Staffs, to honour the 1.5million British and Commonwealth forces who fought against the Japanese. But first, over his cold pint, he recounted for us his extraordinary tale of a wartime bond forged over a love of beer. As his tipple was poured, Herbert apologised: 'I can't for the life of me remember my friend's name. I am so sorry.' How Wrexham was transformed from crime-ridden hellhole to Welsh Hollywood as locals say 'next stop's the Premier League' But in his exclusive chat with The Sun, he recalled the first time their paths crossed. Herbert was a gunner on light cruiser HMS Newcastle, which had been sent to Burma to draw out the Japanese fighters then later pick up PoWs. The ship's Royal Marines would be sent out from the vessel in small boats to distract the Japanese, who would fire on them with rifles and shells. Get me back to Blighty, I can't wait for a pint of Wrexham Lager Dad-of-three Herbert said: 'We were bait — our job was to blow up a hell of a lot then draw the Japanese out so the 14th Army could move in behind and capture them. 'There were big shells flying overhead and we were just in these little wooden boats. "All we had on were shorts and the sun was so strong. "I developed a skin condition 30 years later.' On occasion, the marines would go ashore and one day Herbert remembers seeing what he thought were scarecrows in a field — but he said: 'We walked towards them and they weren't scarecrows, they were our men.' 'Prisoners of war' HMS Newcastle was stationed off Japan when the US dropped atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, on August 6 and 9 respectively. Herbert said: 'We didn't even know it had happened until it was all over. "One day the skipper said, 'We're heading home.' That was it.' We were the forgotten army but I am glad that on Friday the country will remember those who served and did not come home Herbert On the way back to Britain, the ship moored in Sydney Harbour, and one morning dozens of men were standing on the dockside, their few belongings wrapped in newspaper. Sipping his pint, Herbert recalls: 'It was a sight I'd never hope to see again. "We went over the side and down to them, and they were all prisoners of war — our lads and they were in a hell of a state. 'I'd never seen any sights like them. "They were like skeletons and this bloke who was a former marine, when he was captured he was 12st, now he was 6st. "He was the man who wanted a pint of Wrexham Lager. 'It turned out he lived ten minutes down the road from me. I was determined to look after him. "By the time we landed in Portsmouth he had put on most of his weight he had lost — although on the way home he almost got us all locked up. 'It was his birthday and on board a ship they pour the rum out for everybody to celebrate. 4 Herbert shares a pint with Mike at Wrexham Brewery Credit: Paul Tonge 'This lad from Wrexham, he was singing away and we had to hide him when the officer of the watch came round on inspection. "As the officer was leaving, he said, 'Tell your mate to sing in tune'. He could have put us all on the charge but he didn't.' After the war, Herbert worked in a rope factory and the PoW was a conductor on the Crosville buses. But Herbert said: 'One day, a couple of years after the war, he wasn't there. He had died. He wasn't very old. 'We were the forgotten army but I am glad that on Friday the country will remember those who served and did not come home.' Do you know the Wrexham Prisoner of War?
The Sun
8 hours ago
- The Sun
Heartbreaking tale of how pint of Wrexham Lager bonded veteran Herbert with PoW friend as UK marks 80 years since VJ Day
SIPPING a pint of Wrexham Lager, ahead of tomorrow's 80th anniversary of Victory in Japan Day, 100-year-old local man Herbert Pritchard has a poignant World War Two tale about the Welsh beer. And so, when The Sun told its brewery's new co-owners — Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney — of the story VJ Day veteran Herbert had to tell, they opened its doors to let us catch up with him there. 4 The A-listers bought the brewery, founded in 1882, last year after also acquiring Wrexham AFC in 2021, so were delighted to oblige. Herbert was just 20 when serving as a marine in the Far East, tasked with bringing home prisoners of war — and it was hearing one of their number, also from Wrexham, longingly mention the lager from the pair's home town that began their friendship. The ex-marine Herbert had come across had been so badly treated by the Japanese he had shrunk from 12st to 6st. But when Herbert overheard him say, 'Get me back to Blighty, I can't wait for a pint of Wrexham Lager,' he knew they were they practically neighbours — and kindred spirits. In 1945, lager was rare in the UK and Wrexham in North Wales was one of the few places that made it — so when Herbert and his new pal got home, they soon made up for lost drinking time as they met up regularly for a pint. But sadly, Herbert's mate had suffered so much punishment at the hands of the Japanese that he only lived for two years after the war. 'Men like scarecrows' To toast VJ Day — August 15, 1945 — and his friend, Herbert joined The Sun in raising a pint of Wrexham Lager in the brewery his pal loved so much. Herbert will tomorrow meet King Charles and Queen Camilla during a service at the National Memorial Arboretum, Staffs, to honour the 1.5million British and Commonwealth forces who fought against the Japanese. But first, over his cold pint, he recounted for us his extraordinary tale of a wartime bond forged over a love of beer. As his tipple was poured, Herbert apologised: 'I can't for the life of me remember my friend's name. I am so sorry.' How Wrexham was transformed from crime-ridden hellhole to Welsh Hollywood as locals say 'next stop's the Premier League' But in his exclusive chat with The Sun, he recalled the first time their paths crossed. Herbert was a gunner on light cruiser HMS Newcastle, which had been sent to Burma to draw out the Japanese fighters then later pick up PoWs. The ship's Royal Marines would be sent out from the vessel in small boats to distract the Japanese, who would fire on them with rifles and shells. Get me back to Blighty, I can't wait for a pint of Wrexham Lager Dad-of-three Herbert said: 'We were bait — our job was to blow up a hell of a lot then draw the Japanese out so the 14th Army could move in behind and capture them. 'There were big shells flying overhead and we were just in these little wooden boats. "All we had on were shorts and the sun was so strong. "I developed a skin condition 30 years later.' On occasion, the marines would go ashore and one day Herbert remembers seeing what he thought were scarecrows in a field — but he said: 'We walked towards them and they weren't scarecrows, they were our men.' 'Prisoners of war' HMS Newcastle was stationed off Japan when the US dropped atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, on August 6 and 9 respectively. Herbert said: 'We didn't even know it had happened until it was all over. "One day the skipper said, 'We're heading home.' That was it.' We were the forgotten army but I am glad that on Friday the country will remember those who served and did not come home Herbert On the way back to Britain, the ship moored in Sydney Harbour, and one morning dozens of men were standing on the dockside, their few belongings wrapped in newspaper. Sipping his pint, Herbert recalls: 'It was a sight I'd never hope to see again. "We went over the side and down to them, and they were all prisoners of war — our lads and they were in a hell of a state. 'I'd never seen any sights like them. "They were like skeletons and this bloke who was a former marine, when he was captured he was 12st, now he was 6st. "He was the man who wanted a pint of Wrexham Lager. 'It turned out he lived ten minutes down the road from me. I was determined to look after him. "By the time we landed in Portsmouth he had put on most of his weight he had lost — although on the way home he almost got us all locked up. 'It was his birthday and on board a ship they pour the rum out for everybody to celebrate. 4 'This lad from Wrexham, he was singing away and we had to hide him when the officer of the watch came round on inspection. "As the officer was leaving, he said, 'Tell your mate to sing in tune'. He could have put us all on the charge but he didn't.' After the war, Herbert worked in a rope factory and the PoW was a conductor on the Crosville buses. But Herbert said: 'One day, a couple of years after the war, he wasn't there. He had died. He wasn't very old. 'We were the forgotten army but I am glad that on Friday the country will remember those who served and did not come home.' Do you know the Wrexham Prisoner of War? PROUD NATION UNITES SERVICE of Remembrance, hosted by the Royal British Legion, at the National Memorial Arboretum, Staffs, is live on BBC One from 11.30am tomorrow. There are many more events around the UK where you can mark VJ Day . . . TODAY 11am: Wales' official VJ Day 80 service begins UK's commemorations with service, wreath-laying and music at Wales National Memorial, Alexandra Gardens, Cardiff. 9pm: Sunset ceremony and wreath-laying at Memorial Gates near Buckingham Palace, London Emotive light show, and two-minute silence. TOMORROW 7am: Military pipers play lament The Battle's O'er – at London's Cenotaph, Far East section of National Memorial Arboretum, and Edinburgh Castle. 10.30am: At Norwich Cathedral, 50,000 PoWs commemorated by Far East Prisoners of War Association's parade then VJ Day service. Duke and Duchess of Gloucester will attend. Dakota fly-past. 11am: Salute To VJ Day concert at Scottish National War Memorial, Edinburgh Castle attended by Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh. 11am: Outdoor service and parade in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, held by National Malaya and Borneo Veterans Association and Royal British Legion. Exhibition celebrates local hero Major Frank Pantridge, Far East PoW who later invented the portable heart-defibrillator. 6.30pm: Church bells ring throughout the country. 9pm: Landmarks lit in red, white and blue, including government and council offices in London, Library of Birmingham, Durham Cathedral, Southampton Guildhall, plus town halls including Bury and Grtr Manchester. 9.30pm: Hundreds of beacons will be lit across the UK from Cornwall to northern Scotland, in many town squares, outside village halls, on seafronts and in parks. SATURDAY NOON: Thousands expected at Britain's biggest VJ Day bash – a free community celebration at East Lancs Cricket Club, Blackburn. Rides, inflatables, live music and bars.
BBC News
13 hours ago
- BBC News
Vintage tractors, livestock and lawnmowers feature at West Show
A two-day agricultural and horticultural show in Guernsey has got under way. The West Show, at L'Eree Aerodrome, St Peter's, features livestock displays, lawnmower racing and live music. It is open on Wednesday and Thursday, between 11:00 BST and 23:00 each day, with a late-night bus service available on both evenings, organisers said. The annual show was seeing judges awarding prizes to Guernsey's top cattle and goats, and other categories including produce, baked goods and crafts, they added. Guernsey Police are making an appearance with a motorbike in front of their James Fordyce said: "The kids love sitting on it, they love putting the hats on, they love having the placard things in front of them with the various slogans, fingerprints. "We want the kids to speak to us early so that they know that they can come to us if they need help... It's a community safety event." Daniel Herrmann, a tourist from Germany, said: "A few years back, I didn't know that this island exists... so I wanted to visit Guernsey.""We thought the West Show would be a great way to get to know the local culture and traditions and that's why we are here." 'Have a chat' Jo Ingrouille, a maternity support worker from the Bosom Buddies breastfeeding support group, said: "We're here really to offer to offer... a little bit of shelter. "[You] can come along, sit down, take the weight off your feet, feed your baby, have a chat." The Pollinator Project is at the show with a tent full of moths. Project chair Gordon Steele said the moths were caught on Tuesday night and being used to show their natural cycle. He added: "We've got an Asian hornet under the microscope, so you can see all its details."
