John R Smith

By chamberlainjohn

... a little corner of a foreign field

Fort George was the principal British Garrison on Guernsey in the 19th and early 20th century. (Nowadays, it is a highly prestigious - and expensive - place to own a house, with indoor swimming pools coming as standard.)

This military cemetery is on the edge of the old garrison area. On the left hand side most of the graves belong to members of the garrison in Victorian and Edwardian days - soldiers, their wives, and their children - many survived only a few days.

One interesting thing is the number of young soldiers who were drowned at various points round the island. Obviously, coming to Guernsey and thiinking that swimming in the sea here was like swimming in the River Mersey. The currents and surf claimed a fair number.

Also on the left hand side are the graves of Guernsey soldiers killed in World War One.

On the right hand side are the graves of German soldiers - from the Occupation of 1940-45. Most of those who are buried here are older men (i.e. in their thirties or forties). They had been on the Russian Front and sent to Guernsey for light duties to recover from their injuries and the gruelling time they had suffered there.

A lot of them did not recover at all, and here they lie.

What makes this place interesting is that former enemies can find a common resting place - war forgotten!

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