![John (Jack) Hocart Falla](pix/falla-jh-portrait.jpg)
Captain John (Jack) Hocart Falla
1st Battalion, Royal Guernsey Light Infantry
![](../../../medals/pix/1914-15.gif)
1914-15 Star
Born in 1890 at Vale, Guernsey, the second son of Guernsey
parents, Peter Frederick James Falla & Emily Mary
Hocart.
John (Jack) Hocart Falla bore his duties
with quiet acceptance and fortitude. With his elder
brother beside him (Jurat Arthur
Falla), they managed the family Vale quarry business
on the death of their father and grandfather. Amongst
his other involvements were the Vale Douzaine, a lifelong
involvement in St Michel du Valle Church, and rising
to Major in the RGLI (Militia).
One of the first 500 men to enlist for
6th Battalion Royal Irish Regiment he trained in Fermoy
before being sent to the trenches. However he received
hand and arm injuries and damage to his hearing in action
in June 1916 and was repatriated to London to recuperate
before returning to the front in 1917. He was wounded
again, this time in the thigh during the Battle of Cambrai
in November 1917. Eventually he returned to the island
of his birth to lead (what he thought) a more peaceful
life.
However, these memories stayed with him throughout his
life and at one time whilst sedated after a minor operation
and Kathleen was visiting him, Jack's mind wandered
back to his time at the Front, "Get your heads
down", "Look out", "Now we are advancing"
he called out.
In 1919 he married Lilian Larbalestier,
a Jersey lady, and they had two children a son Peter
in 1921 and daughter Kathleen in 1924. Sadly his wife
died from T.B. a few years after their birth. In years
to follow John and his brother managed the family quarrying
works amongst other duties including holding the position
of Constable of the Vale Douzaine, Treasurer of the
soup kitchen at Blanche Charriere, the RGLI and overseeing
their various properties around the Vale area.
Just before Guernsey was invaded by the
Germans in 1940, his son and daughter were evacuated
with their respective schools, (Elizabeth College and
The Ladies College), Peter later joined the Army and
saw action in Burma and Kathleen joined the Wrens and
became involved with a decoding unit affiliated with
Bletchley Park.
During WWII the family home was used by
nearly fifty German officers as a lookout. Jack and
Arthur were allocated just two rooms and their little
dog was shot for being too noisy. Like other Guernsey
people, supplies of food and fuel were hard to come
by for Jack and Arthur. At the beginning of the Occupation
Jack was summoned to the German's HQ at the top of the
Grange as they needed his and Arthur's help in running
the machinery at the Falla's quarry in the Vale. As
he walked into the HQ - all present stood and saluted
Heil Hitler, Jack simply ignored this. He pretended
he could not understand or hear what they were saying
so they gave up and he was allowed to leave. They never
had his or Arthur's co-operation.
At the command of the occupying forces
in 1943 John and Arthur found themselves deported to
Laufen internment camp in Germany. Amongst others to
be imprisoned with them were the future Bailiff Ambrose
Sherwill, Robert Woodward Hathaway (Sark) and Rev. James
of the Vale Church. On returning to Guernsey in 1945
the quarrying business was all but wrecked by the German
occupying forces. However with the promise of Peter
returning to Guernsey with his ATS wife June and their
son David, a huge effort was made to re-establish the
works and for Peter to become a manager. This saw them
through until 1960 when, due to economic pressures the
works closed and the three men took over the running
of their vinery which was now planted with tomatoes
where once it would have been grape vines. John was
a hard working man who took his duties of family, parish,
island and the crown seriously, he was well respected.
John Hocart Falla died in 1969 at the age of 79.
Eliuzabeth College no.2964
More photographs
Compiled by Rosie Bradshaw (Granddaughter),
with Kit Masters (Daughter), and Andrew Masters (Greatgrandson)