A Jersey family has been posthumously honoured for their courageous actions during the Second World War, providing shelter to an escaped Soviet prisoner of war. Jean Le Maistre accepted the award on behalf of her parents, Ivy and Arthur Le Maistre, and her uncle, Harry Le Druillenec, during a ceremony at the Russian Embassy in London.
The family risked their lives by sheltering Fyodor Buriy, a Soviet soldier who had escaped from a German forced labour camp on Jersey in 1944. Buriy, a Ukrainian national, was one of thousands of Soviet prisoners captured by German forces during the invasion of the Soviet Union. Many were subsequently transported to the Channel Islands and forced into slave labour, constructing fortifications for the Atlantic Wall.
Ivy and Arthur Le Maistre, along with Harry Le Druillenec, provided refuge for Buriy for several months, hiding him in their home. This act of defiance was incredibly dangerous under the strict German occupation, as assisting an escaped prisoner carried severe penalties, including imprisonment, deportation to concentration camps, or even execution. The family's actions highlight the immense personal risk taken by islanders who chose to resist the occupying forces.
The award, a medal and a certificate of honour, was presented by Russia's Deputy Head of Mission, Alexander Romanov. It acknowledges the extraordinary bravery and humanity displayed by the Le Maistre and Le Druillenec families in providing aid to a vulnerable individual at a time of extreme peril. This recognition comes decades after the war, shedding light on a lesser-known aspect of the Channel Islands' wartime experience.
The Channel Islands were the only British territory to be occupied by German forces during WWII, from July 1940 until liberation in May 1945. The occupation brought immense hardship, including food shortages, curfews, and the presence of forced labourers. Stories of islanders' resistance and resilience, like that of the Le Maistre family, continue to emerge, offering valuable insights into this unique period of British history.