30 September 2025
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Designed by Martin Mörck, the sheet depicts the moment that the first islanders returned on 15 December 1945. It is available to preorder from 16 October.
MINIATURE SHEET COMMEMORATES 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF ALDERNEY’S HOMECOMING
Guernsey Post’s philatelic bureau announces the release of a commemorative miniature sheet to mark the 80th anniversary of Alderney’s Homecoming - the return of islanders after World War Two.
The miniature sheet design depicts the poignant moment when, on 15 December 1945, the first Alderney families, with modest belongings, stepped ashore the wartime ‘German Jetty’ at Braye Harbour after five years in exile.
Greeted by a British Guard of Honour and the newly appointed Lieutenant Governor, their arrival signalled the beginning of a challenging chapter as islanders returned to homes and landscapes profoundly changed by war.
Alderney’s experience was unlike any other in the Channel Islands. In June 1940, almost the entire population of around 1,500 people was evacuated within hours as German forces advanced. During the occupation, the island became one of the most fortified parts of the Atlantic Wall, built largely through forced labour by prisoners from across Europe and North Africa under brutal conditions.
Although the Channel Islands were liberated in May 1945, Alderney’s repatriation was delayed for several months while the island was cleared of mines, ordnance, and military infrastructure. When civilians finally returned in December, they found derelict homes, buildings stripped of furnishings, and landscapes dominated by concrete defences.
Bridget Yabsley, head of philatelic at Guernsey Post, said: - “We are honoured to issue this miniature sheet to commemorate such a significant and emotional milestone in Alderney’s history. The Homecoming was not simply about returning home, but about resilience, endurance, and the determination of a community to begin again in the face of immense challenges.”
The miniature sheet and related stamp products will be available to order from 16th October at www.guernseystamps.com, or by calling Philatelic Customer Services on +44 (0)1481 716486.