The Homecoming 80th Anniversary

Homecoming Day – 15 December 2025

Celebrating 80 Years Since the Return to Alderney

On 15 December 2025, Alderney commemorates Homecoming Day, marking 80 years since the island’s community returned after World War II.

This milestone honours the courage, resilience, and determination of those who came back to rebuild the island we know and love today.

To celebrate this anniversary, the Eye Film documentary “The Homecoming” will be available to watch for free for 24 hours, beginning at 12:01 AM on Monday, 15 December — right here on this page.

Experience the spirit of Alderney’s homecoming through the voices and memories of the Homecomers themselves.

The Homecoming is the last film of a series of three EyeFilm documentaries, a crowdfunded project about Alderney's WWII story 

1 - The Evacuation: Set in the days before 23 June 1940, this film follows Alderney evacuees as they recall their emotional and often frightening journey from their island home to life as Channel Island refugees on the British mainland.

2 - The War Years: Completed in 2018, this powerful documentary uncovers the little-known history of Alderney’s concentration camp — the only one on British soil — and explores how the war’s trauma has shaped both survivors and the island itself.

3 - The Homecoming: On 15 December 1945, after more than five years away, the people of Alderney finally returned home to find an island transformed. This film captures the shock of their return and the determination to rebuild their homes, community, and way of life.

You can buy all three documentaries from the Wildlife Trust Gift Shop — or, if you’re on the island, enjoy watching them at the Information Centre.