Suite de l'article du 27 juillet 2010 présentant l'histoire de la liaison entre Guernesey et l'Angleterre.
Le 10 février 1972, puis le 9 mars 1973, la poste du baillage de Guernesey (possession directe de la Couronne britannique) émettait deux séries de timbres ayant pour thème les bateaux postaux qui desservaient les îles anglo-normandes (îles de la manche en anglais). Ces séries de timbres racontent l'histoire des liaisons postales depuis la fin du XVIIIe siècle. Nous allons vous la conter en quatre épisodes.
La seconde série de timbres de Guernesey émise le 9 mars 1973 présente quatre bateaux postaux du XXe siècle. Les deux premiers mettent en exergue la rivalité (amicale) de deux compagnies de chemins de fer anglaises, Great Western Railway (avec le paquebot
St Julien) et Southern Railway (
Isle of Guernsey) sur la ligne des îles anglo-normandes.
Guernsey Mail Boats (2nd Series) - 9th March, 1973 The second series of mail boats stamps to be issued by the Guernsey Post Office features four 20th century ships which have served on the England — Channel Islands route. The two low values, which depict the Great Western Railway's St. Julien
and the Southern Railway's Isle of Guernsey
, pinpoint the friendly rivalry which for several years existed between the two railway companies operating to the islands. The remaining two values are those of the St. Patrick
and one of the present-day British Rail vessels, the Sarnia
.
Au début des années vingt, la Great Western Railway constate une baisse de trafic sur ses lignes vers les anglo-normandes et l’attribue principalement à la vétusté de ses navires (le plus récent a été construit en 1897). En mars 1924, la compagnie passe commande d’une paire de vaisseaux de fort tonnage aux chantiers de la John Brown & Co de Clydebank. Le 4 mai 1925, le
St Julien, premier des deux vapeurs, arrive à Weymouth. Jaugeant 1885 tonneaux, il est capable de transporter 1000 passagers. Il marche au fuel à une moyenne de 18 nœuds. Nommé en référence à un saint rappelant les origines françaises des anglo-normandes, il possédait à l’origine deux cheminées. La seconde, factice, sera vite enlevée pour faciliter la manœuvre par grands vents. Après de longues années de service sans histoire en alternance avec son sister-ship
St Helier, à la déclaration de la guerre en septembre 1939, commence sa vie héroïque. La seule liaison encore active étant celle de Southampton, il est d’abord transformé en transport de troupes entre l’Angleterre et la France. Converti en navire-hôpital, il participe à l’évacuation de Dunkerque. Il continue sa mission dans les mers du Nord jusqu’en 1943 quand il effectue un séjour de dix mois en Méditerranée. Il figurera ensuite dans la flotte de débarquement en Normandie. Revenu à la vie civile, il retrouve la ligne des anglo-normandes. Il y servira sans plus d’aventure jusqu’au 27 septembre 1960. Il sera démoli en Belgique l’année suivante.
St. Julien.
In the early 1920's the Great Western Railway began to experience falling traffic on its Weymouth-Channel Islands route; expansion, it was realised, was being prevented, in part, by out-dated steamers (the latest had been built in 1897). In March, 1924, the company placed an order with John Brown and Company Limited of Clydebank for a pair of vessels of greater tonnage. On 4 May, 1925, the first of these, St. Julien
, arrived at Weymouth. Of 1885 tons gross, she was capable of carrying 1000 passengers; her steam turbines operated on oil fuel and gave the ship a speed of 18 knots. Named after a saint with supposedly Guernsey connections, she originally had two funnels; the after funnel (a dummy) was removed shortly after her entry into service to assist manoeuvring in a high wind. After many years regular service with her sister ship, St. Helier
, the vessel was withdrawn when the Weymouth-Channel Islands service was suspended on the outbreak of war in September, 1939, leaving only the Southampton route serving the Islands. The St. Julien
was first used as a troopship between England and France. She then figured in the Dunkirk withdrawal, having been converted to a hospital ship and performed a similar role in northern waters until 1943 and subsequently for some 10 months in the Mediterranean. Finally she figured among the ships used in the invasion of France. The war over, the St. Julien
returned to Weymouth and resumed the Channel Islands service. With the advent of nationalisation of the railways in 1948, she came within the jurisdiction of the Southern Region. This made for better organisation and co-ordination of the services. Her last sailing was on September 27, 1960; in the following year she was broken up in Belgium.
La Southern Railway possédait des liens étroits avec la compagnie William Oenny and Bros de Dumbarton, rien d’étonnant alors de la voir confier à ces chantiers navals la construction de deux gros bateaux pour sa route Southampton-Iles anglo-normandes.
Isle of Guernsey, vapeur de 2144 tonneaux, est construit en 1930. Il pouvait transporter 800 passagers de première et 600 en seconde à 19,5 nœuds. Il était l’un des premiers bateaux à être équipé d’un radar de profondeur. Comme son concurrent, il parcourut la ligne sans problème jusqu’à la guerre. Il fut lui-aussi converti en navire-hôpital et participa à l’évacuation de Dunkerque mais moins chanceux que le
St Julien, il fut percé de toutes parts par le mitraillage d’un avion allemand dont il évita néanmoins les bombes. Réparé, il continua à servir, principalement dans les eaux écossaises. En 1944,
Isle of Guernsey, fut préparé en bateau de débarquement pour le Jour J pendant lequel il transporta de l’infanterie canadienne. Il continua ensuite des rotations apportant des troupes fraîches sur les côtes de Normandie. En janvier 1945, il fut versé sur la première route régulière trans-Manche réouverte, entre Dieppe et Newhaven. Dès le 25 juin 1945, il rejoint sa ligne d’origine et il est le premier à réemprunter la route Southampton-Iles anglo-normandes qu’il ne quittera plus jusqu’au 12 mai 1962 quand il sera le dernier vapeur postal à quitter Guernesey. Il continuera néanmoins à fréquenter les îles pour une courte période dans des missions ponctuelles jusqu’à sa vente à un chantier de démolition belge.
Isle of Guernsey. The Southern Railway, given its established association with the shipbuilding firm of William Oenny and Bros. of Dumbarton, not surprisingly commissioned this company to build two new vessels for its Southampton-Channel Islands route. The Isle of Guernsey
was completed in 1930 and enjoyed great popularity in the islands. Of 2144 tons gross, she could carry 800 1st class and 600 2nd class passengers. Her speed was 19,5 knots and she was driven by oil-fired steam turbines. She was one of the first ships to be fitted with echo depth-finding apparatus. The Isle of Guernsey
travelled regularly across Channel until the outbreak of war in September, 1939, when she was converted into a hospital ship. She served at the evacuation of Dunkirk where she was attacked by German aircraft and damaged by shrapnel, shells and bullets but successfully avoided the bombs which were aimed at her. Later in the war she was engaged in Scottish waters and elsewhere. In 1944, the Isle of Guernsey
was fitted up as a Landing Ship Infantry and used in the D Day operations. She carried Canadians to France on D Day and immediately afterwards returned to England to transport troops for service in France. In January, 1945, the first civilian cross-channel service was restored from Newhaven to Dieppe, this being the only French port available. The Isle of Guernsey
was employed on this route for a short time. On June 25, 1945, she became the first mail steamer to resume the service between Southampton and the Channel Islands. She continued so to operate until May 12, 1961 when she was the last Southampton mail steamer to leave Guernsey. The Isle of Guernsey
was retained as a Channel Islands relief vessel for a short period until being sold to a firm of Belgian shipbreakers.
A suivre demain…
