Former Bailiff Sir de Vic Carey said the wartime Bailiff's actions were guided by a belief that he was personally responsible for the welfare of those remaining in the island and the need to protect them from harm. His comments came in a special talk tonight at the OGH Hotel, which was used by the Germans as a kind of officers' mess during the Occupation.
'Generally, Victor has been badly treated by posterity, but he was terrified of reprisals and having hostages taken; he had heard what the Germans had done in other parts of Europe,' said Sir de Vic.
That concern motivated his conduct and the bombing raid on the White Rock – truck loads of tomatoes for export to the UK were mistaken by the Nazis for a military convoy – was a rude awakening for anyone who thought the German forces might show some special benevolence to the islands.
For full coverage see Friday's Guernsey Press.
