Defending the Isle of Man during WWII: The Second World War in the Isle of Man, Pt. 2

[@davidbirmingham4170]

In 1940, at the age of three, I was a war refugee, along with my five year old brother, to the Isle of Man, where we stayed for two and a half years. I remember the island and the long walks we had but I also remember the dreadful absence of my parents and of our Nanny. We lived in a home for refugee children and I was a handful to the staff; my brother usually looked out for me. I remember, also, the aeroplanes, and the airmen who sometimes gave us sweets. The Manx plane looks quite like the one that my brother and I flew to the island in. We were somewhat privileged to fly, back then as the other kids had to go by boat. I later learned that it was because our father was with the Air Ministry. Your remarkably good videos have brought back memories, places and events I had long since forgotten. I am 84 now and live in the sunshine in Florida where I can boast about my stay in the beautiful Isle of Man. Thank you very much Mr Vannin.

[@paulbrooker6005]

What a wonderfully interesting video…excellent!!..I was born in 1940 and, living in Linden Grove, Douglas remember vividly the sailors ,who were barracked in the chalets behind our 20 houses, marching off to work every day, past the sentry post at the bottom of the Grove. We had a senior Naval Officer ,“ Commander Hall “(I think) billeted with us for some time, my father was in Africa with the Eighth Army for quite a while….met him for the first time when I was five or six? It was very interesting to find out that so much was done on the Island towards the “ war effort “ amazing!

[@23merlino]

…"you learn something new every day"... how very true... i had no idea about the relevance of the isle of man in ww2... thankyou for this upload, very informative with superb presentation...

[@elbee6378]

Well done... my late father, an RCAF fighter pilot, was stationed at #11 Air Gunnery School, Andreas, in late '44 and early '45

[@daveevans2261]

Great video thanks for showing us.

[@JaneHollandAuthor]

I remember regularly visiting a secondhand bookshop back in the late 70's and early 80's at Jurby Airfield. We lived in Port St Mary, so that was quite a trek! (Only IOMers will understand how that's possible on an island of that size. Now I drive much longer distances without thinking anything of it, living on the mainland.)

[@lyntonprescott3412]

Excellent informative video. I enjoyed this very much. I have a friend who lives in Andreas. Next time I m over I think a visit to the airfield is in order.

[@grahamsengineering.2532]

Very interesting. Reminds me of the pill boxes and gun emplacements at Port Kembla south of Sydney Australia that I use to explore with my grandfather as a child. Even the Control Centre is similar in design.

[@daystatesniper01]

What a excellent upload,many thanks

[@simonrichardson5077]

Superb video,thank you

[@lisaburnett3368]

A very fascinating video. And may say those days are sadly missed in one way. Thankyou.

[@chryseass.5143]

Excellent-I will be looking at Jurby with renewed interest!

[@Patrick_Cooper]

I have been a WW2 buff since I was just a small kid. I have never even considered why a Pillbox, was called a Pillbox before. That blows me away. So simple who would think to question it...

[@oveidasinclair982]

Excellent video, I really enjoyed watching it

[@granskare]

in Oahu, the planes were lined up because it was feared an attack might come from the city but the Japanese attacked from the air. even knowing of that MacArthur made no effort to change things. in the pacific, our torpedoes did not work and the navy insisted they knew best..Finally that was changed....these videos are super ! We in USA refused to listen to the British, we thought we knew best. It is unfortunate that we were so idiotic.

[@lynneforsyth8231]

Wow! I never knew anything about this...very interesting indeed

[@markhughes7927]

Superb documentary - very interesting material.

[@hammyh1165]

Great video , very informative 👍

[@lynneforsyth8231]

My mother was evacuated to a great aunt in Douglas from Liverpool x

[@ARCTCFOXMAN]

Another really interesting production. And as usual wonderfully presented by CG.

[@jonh9561]

Excellent, thankyou

[@brianeduardo1234]

Dublin did blackout and in fact was bombed by the Germans, some say in error,mistaking it for Liverpool.... British people often misrepresent Ireland and while no doubt there may have been a risk of invasion via Ireland, it would not have been with Ireland's complicity as this seems to suggest. Ireland's motto in its struggle for independence during WWI was 'We serve neither King nor Kaiser but Ireland'

[@ianstaples9118]

Well I never I lived at Ballatear as a child and used to cycle round the Airfield and in it and never knew all that. Even though my father was stationed there and worked in the armoury for a few years in the 60s he never revealed any of it's importance. I had a collection of bullets from the range at the coast may even still have one or two.. I also used to go into the hut that was at Ballatear and watch the bombs being dropped on the range.American pilots stayed at Ravensdale hotel and they would sometimes fly really low along the cliffs with their wheels and flaps down so close you could wave to the pilot. One day a pair of super sabres flew straight at the house then went straight up above me, I was about 17 at the time, it was just the most exiting thing I had ever seen.!

[@culturevannin8486]

Thank you very much for telling us your memories, Ian. - Such wonderful things to hear! We're glad you enjoyed the film too!

[@marecderonidanters4209]

My great grandfather was at jurby airfield in ww2

[@pilotgeoff]

I was interested to see the old photos of the huts at Janet's corner. I used to live in one with my sister Francis when they converted them to small homes after the war. Then she moved to Tinwall Grove when they built the new houses.

[@bigboyblue7181]

Good show.

[@SurvivingTheApocalypse]

My wifes grandfather was based at RAF Jurby during the war, he was training on Ansons when the atom bombs were dropped on Japan.

[@tonypate9174]

Well done , That pulled me in like a Dr Lucy doc ! If only had tours one could go on in say classic tt week sure many be happy to pay

[@cormacsheedy3522]

great video

[@rrtjoh]

why no mention of the armed cadets of king williams college as guards, at the time the only armed men we had ?

[@paulmorris3613]

excellent information thanks

[@happyhermit2022]

Really interesting thank you

[@Briselance]

01:07 : I don't think this was realistic at all. Despite some resentment towards the UK in general and England in particular, Ireland was not that keen on allying with or even just stay benevolently neutral towards Germany. The Irish government of that time knew that any presence of German forces, and even moreso any action by German troops based in Ireland would have attracted an armed response from the British that Ireland could never have withstood. They wanted to stay officially out of the war, so they would never have agreed with German proposals of garrisoning troops there to attack the UK.

[@g.h.t.6881]

To much made of small groups of Irish people who aligned themselves with the Nazis. Small groups of British (Fascist) also aligned with the Nazis. Both a threat to be watched. Nothing more, nothing less.

[@ARCTCFOXMAN]

As he said, it was a concern. As Charles states the problem was that unlike every city in Europe who had a black out policy the Finna Fail government of the time kept Dublin alight like a beacon and certainly for the Belfast Blitz the Luftwaffe came in from the SE using Dublin as a reference. As for folk lore and rumours about refuelling U-Boats and such there's no proof whatsoever. The only documented U-Boat landing was for humanitarian reasons, 03 October 1939 by the German U-boat U 35.

[@georgebarnes8163]

People also forget that Ireland was bombed several times by the Nazis, De Valera was certainly pro Nazi but the Irish people were not, in fact many thousands of Irish joined the allied forces to fight the Nazis.

[@clarepover4978]

The Guard House. Wonderful cafe and meeting place. Now is closed. Shame.

[@bki6218]

I actually didn't know it was British... I no the recognise the crown and that.. but I thought they were independent with their own government and outside the EU.. great video very interesting

[@georgebarnes8163]

The Isle of Man is independent, we pay the UK for our protection as does Jersey, Guernsey , the Falkand Islands etc.

[@Patrick_Cooper]

I have to say, of someone had asked me where the Isle of Man was located, I think I would have said North Scotland, or somewhere around Australia...

[@ProFettMoHaMett]

Well it look not very strong.

[@frankdahunt6377]

Great vid but awful audio.

[@jeffkwells2003]

What's wrong with the audio?