Ambrose Sherwill
| Sir Ambrose Sherwill | |
|---|---|
| Born | 12 February 1890 Guernsey, Channel Islands |
| Died | 1968 Alderney, Channel Islands |
| Bailiff of Guernsey | |
|
In office 1946 — 1959 |
|
| Preceded by | Victor Carey |
| Succeeded by | William Arnold |
Sir Ambrose James Sherwill KBE MC (1890–1968) was Bailiff of Guernsey from 1946 to 1959.
Educated in Guernsey and in Cherbourg he worked for a lawyer in Guernsey before passing the qualification of Licencié en Droit at Caen University (necessary to practice law in Guernsey) in 1914, just before the war broke out.
Although a member of the Royal Guernsey Militia Sherwill volunteering as a dispatch rider but was called up as an air mechanic in the Royal Navy Air Service Armoured Car Division and served as a petty officer until he was commissioned into The Buffs in 1916. Sherwill was awarded the Military Cross (MC) for services at the battle of Messines in 1917, where he was wounded, being promoted to Lieutenant shortly afterwards. Picking up a second bad wound in 1918 and using the recovery time to continue with his law studies. On demobilisation in 1919 he moved to England to pass the English Bar exams before returning to Guernsey in May 1920 to apply for admittance to the Bar as an Advocate of the Royal Court.
His military service continuing with the Royal Guernsey Militia being appointed Lieutenant in 1921, Captain in 1922 and Major in 1925 before retiring in 1928 when the militia was scaled back.
Standing for election to the States of Guernsey, he served as a Deputy from 1921 to 1926 whilst continuing to practice law. In 1935 Sherwill became His Majesty's Attorney General (with the duties of public prosecutor), having to give up private practice and accept the reduced income associated with public office.
During World War II, he was President of the Controlling Committee during the German occupation of the Channel Islands, responsible for the running of the Island government and the main contact for the German authorities, reporting only to the elderly Bailiff, Victor Carey, until Sherwill was deported to Cherche-Midi Prison, (Jurat John Leale took over his responsibilities as president) for his part in the Nicolle and Symes affair.
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