The family of the first British soldier to land on Guernsey soil after the liberation of the island, tell his story ahead of the VE day anniversary celebrations.
Sergeant-Major Robert Shaw who was born in September 1915 in Springburn, Glasgow, was the first British soldier to land on Guernsey soil after the liberation of the island from the German occupation at the end of the second world war on 9th May 1945. Shaw was part of the Task Force 135, the British Military Contingent that liberated the island as part of the operation Nestegg exercise.
To honour his memory, Shaw’s three children and 4 grandchildren will be travelling from Scotland to Jersey and Guernsey this weekend to attend the postponed VE Day celebrations on Monday 9th May. The family were set to visit and attend the 75th anniversary celebrations in 2020 however this was cancelled due to Covid.
Sargent-Major Shaw of the REME unit was on the first ship that came into L’Ancresse Bay to liberate the island in 1945 and Mr Shaw was the first to disembark, riding off on the landing craft on a motorcycle followed by a number of armoured vehicles.
Mr Shaw “met no opposition whatsoever except for the mobbing of the soldiers by the hilariously enthusiastic population”.
The first person he met was a local boy called John Rault who was cycling on the right hand side of the road. Mr Shaw stopped the little boy and told him to “cycle on the British side of the road which was the left hand side” as he was worried the little boy would be knocked over by the other vehicles behind him.
Forty seven years later in 1992, Mr Shaw visited Guernsey from Scotland again to receive commemorative Liberation medallions with a number of other war veterans. After the local newspaper printed his story, the very same little boy, now an adult, Mr Rault read about the event in the local paper and remembered it and contacted Mr Shaw at the hotel he was staying in. The two met up, reconnected and re-told the story and stayed in touch until Mr Shaw passed away in 2005 aged 89.
While Mr Shaw’s REME were in Guernsey they used a local garage called ‘Ash’s Garage’ for the repair of vehicles. He himself was a trained motor mechanic and told a local newspaper in 1992 “The British officers were anxious to get use of German cars while stationed on the island”. Mr Shaw was interested to see how vehicles had been converted to charcoal burning units to overcome the shortage of petrol.
During his post-war stay, Mr Shaw worked with German troops who were needed to help in the garage. He also visited the islands of Jersey and Sark and he also met the Dame of Sark at the time.
Robert Shaw went on to marry an English wartime nurse called Esme Collinson and started a family in Glasgow, Scotland where he lived until he died.
His son, retired motor retail group Director Martin Shaw said: “My father was so proud of being part of such a historic moment in liberating the island of Guernsey after the war. He talked about this moment throughout his whole life and he was thrilled to be invited back in 1992 to receive an official commemorative medallion with 170 surviving veterans of Task Force 135.
“The fact he managed to reconnect with the very little boy he stopped all those years ago was just magical for him. Visiting Guernsey as a family in his memory this year will be such a special moment for us to be together and remember all those that fought with him in the war.”
The Shaw family would love to reconnect with Mr Rault’s family if they are still based on the island this weekend to continue the family relationship.
If you are a member of Mr Rault’s family, please get in touch with us at [email protected].
