Split by War: A Guernsey family copes, 1940-45

In June 1940, Hitler’s armies are only 40 miles from the island of Guernsey, and an evacuation order is issued for women and children. In a cottage overlooking Fermain Bay, Frances and Arthur Enevoldsen face a heart-breaking choice. The next day, Frances and her two young daughters board a boat for England, not realising it will be five long years before they can return. Billeted in the north of England, Frances must create a new life for them, and navigate the challenges of freezing weather, night bombings, illness, and loneliness.

Arthur stays behind with his parents and sister. During the Occupation, and under Nazi rule, they face the loss of their homes, malnutrition, and the tragic death of a family member. After D-Day, lack of imported food threatens starvation for both the islanders and German troops. Churchill is unwilling to send in food parcels which may be grabbed by the Nazi Kommandant. Starvation threatens. Only their skill in adapting to difficult circumstances, along with Arthur’s determination to endure and see his wife and children again, offer them the rays of hope needed to survive.

Through the use of personal diaries and family accounts, Lynette Enevoldsen has pieced together an utterly compelling tale of the daily trials experienced by her family during World War Two. Split By War is an account of how one family lived through unimaginable circumstances and hardships. Their displays of resistance, resilience, and survival carry an important message of inspiration and hope to readers of all ages.