Stamps with stories - 1. Please click on an image to see a larger version. The WW2 occupation of Channel Islands As part of his ambitious campaign to take over Europe, Hitler almost very easily captured the Channel Islands, namely, Alderney,Guernsey and Jersey during the 1940 invasion of France and other countries in Western Europe. The people here were mainly farmers and relatively easy going so the Germans did not see them as a big threat as compared to the folks in France and other places where they met stiff resistance occasionally. Very shortly Germany saw the necessity to issue wartime occupation stamps for the local populace. Accordingly, Edward Vaudin was ordered to issue the first set of stamps for Guernsey and he selected the Arms of Jersey as the background design for the stamps.The Arms of Jersey as seen in the images bear three lions set on a shield which interestingly was also the arms of the British Monarch in power. All Guernsey stamp issues were rouletted rather than perforated. Almost simultaneously, Col.Rybot was asked to design stamps for Jersey.Rybot was a patriot who wanted to protest against the German occupation and given a chance even fight against them. He decided to design a stamp with a very unique inscription which would in a way satisfy his burning urge to do something against the occupation, although in a silent manner. The Jersey stamp design is very similar to the Guernsey design except for the corners which are inscribed with the letter A.They are so tiny that its very difficult to be seen by the naked eye. Each stamp bears a total of 4 A's which stands for Ad avernum Adolphé atrox, meaning, "To hell with you,barbaric Adolf". The minuteness of the letters is the only reason why this anti-Nazi activity went undetected.This came to light long after the war had ended and had not Rybot come out with the secret of the four A's, no one would have even wildly guessed what the letters stood for!!