Samuel Frederick Walker

Samuel Frederick Walker was born in Kanturk, in County Cork in the south of Ireland, on 23 June 1917. Our knowledge about his life before and during the war is only that shown on this website, namely his occupation registration card and form in Jersey. There is no record in Jersey to arouse any suspicion that he came to the attention of the Germans or was charged with any crime. There are no court records and no prison or police records. And yet, in The National Archives (TNA) in Kew, there is a record that states that he was in Alderney from 13 April 1943 until the end of the war. In fact, this record also says that he was born in 1919. We cannot say which is correct.

The file in TNA tells us that Samuel went to school in Dublin until 1931 (when he was either 14 or 12, depending on what date of birth we believe), after which he worked on his brother-in-law’s farm in Kanturk for around 6 years. In June 1937 he came to Jersey where he worked until the summer season of 1939 on the farm of Mr Harold Vibert. He then worked on farms in St Ouen until February 1943. Then then

tried to do some business on his own account on the black market but was caught the first week by a German officer, selling German cigarettes. He was not brought before a court but warned and sent to Alderney to work. He came here [Alderney] about 13 April 1943 and worked at repairing houses. He worked here at this for the Germans until 25 June 1944 when civilians were evacuated by the Germans. He had the opportunity to go to Jersey but decided to remain here. He was employed in the kitchen at the OT farm which he is now looking after.

It is very unlikely that Samuel Walker was the only Channel Islander sent to Alderney to work, or who was sent without first being charged or convicted of any offence. It seems likely that he was told that going to Alderney was preferable to going before a German court and being convicted for black market offences. It is likely that he would have been deported had his case gone to court.

Sources

Jersey Archives occupation registration form and card.

The National Archives ref. KV 4/78.