Gordon Prigent, a Channel Island resident, was sent to a Nazi concentration camp on the island of Alderney during the Second World War. Iris Prigent, his wife, recalls instances where Gordon exhibited strange behavior related to his traumatic past. Gordon’s experiences at the Nazi camp were so horrific that he kept them hidden for nearly 30 years. The Sylt camp, located on Alderney, was a site of hard labor, torture, starvation, and murder, affecting hundreds of inmates, including Jewish prisoners from France.
After the war, the horrors of Alderney were downplayed, with a 1981 report softening the details. A new review led by Lord Pickles aims to uncover the full extent of the atrocities at the camp, including mass graves. Iris recalls Gordon’s accounts of the inhumane treatment at Sylt, where inmates faced brutal conditions and violence from guards. The trauma haunted Gordon throughout his life, affecting his choices and behaviors.
Gordon’s refusal to work on the German tanks led to his arrest and imprisonment at the Sylt camp in Alderney. Along with a friend, they endured harsh conditions, including beatings, starvation, and forced labor. The inmates were subjected to inhumane treatment, with some losing their lives due to the brutalities at the camp. Gordon’s friendship with a French survivor named Papa provided some solace and connection to their shared past.
The Alderney camps, named after German North Sea islands, were a part of Hitler’s Atlantic Wall fortification project. They housed thousands of prisoners, and many did not survive the harsh conditions. While speculation exists about collaboration during the occupation, the review aims to shed light on the truth about what happened on Alderney during the war. Gordon’s wife, Iris, believes that his experiences at the camp deeply affected his life and choices, leading to challenges in their marriage and personal life.
The review into the Alderney concentration camps may rewrite Holocaust history and expose the full horrors of the Nazi occupation on British soil. Gordon’s silent suffering for years and eventual recounting of his experiences to Iris highlight the deeply traumatic impact of the war. The delayed uncovering of the atrocities at Alderney underscores the importance of acknowledging and confronting the dark chapters of history to honor the memory of the victims and survivors who endured unimaginable suffering.
