Evacuation of civilians from the Channel Islands in 1940 one suitcase. The Lieutenant Governor of Jersey and Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey left their islands on board ships on 21 June 1940, the day France surrendered. Ships urgently needed to evacuate soldiers from France in Operation Ariel, were diverted to help civilians in the Channel Islands. Marshal Philippe Pétain requested an armistice on 17 June and on 19 June nearby Cherbourg was captured by German forces. 25 ships took people from Guernsey on 21 June alone, ships like the SS "Viking", built 1905, served as HMS "Vindex" until 1918. Requisitioned in 1939 as a troopship, she transported 1,800 schoolchildren from
Law of Guernsey the sale and purchase of real estate in Guernsey were written in French until 1971. Alderney enjoys full autonomy in law (except in matters of foreign affairs and defence, as the other Channel Islands); however, in 1948 Alderney adopted a new constitution which created a fully elected government and changed the courts. Under the terms of an agreement (known as "the 1948 Agreement") entered into between the Government of Alderney and the Government of Guernsey, certain matters were delegated to Guernsey. These are known as "the transferred services" which include policing, customs and excise, airport operations, health, education and social