Captain John (Jack) Hocart Falla
1st Battalion, Royal Guernsey Light Infantry

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)