Resistance on railways

Published: 1st April, 2011

• IN his review of Engines of War: How Wars Were Won or Lost on the Railways, Peter Gruner writes glibly: “The deportations would not have been possible without the cooperation of the various countries’ rail companies, notably the French State Railways at the time” (Railways: a platform for destruction, March 18).  

Mr Gruner should remember that the (British) Channel Islands handed over the Jews as requested; the population and their authorities were so compliant that the German soldiers could go around without their weapons or helmet, the only Nazi-occupied territory where this was possible. 

I do not blame the islanders: they had no choice, this is what occupation means.

The French railways were similarly not free agents. They were requisitioned and in 1940 at least 6,000 German railway workers were brought in to run the network. Two thousand French railway workers were killed by the Nazis for acts of resistance.

My (French) grandfather worked on the railways until 1943.  Please have some respect for his memory, and for historical accuracy, and no more glib remarks.
Cathy Winch
Finsbury Park Avenue, N4