Jersey
under the Swastika!

Page 46 - Philip Frederick Le Sauteur

CHAPTER THIRTEEN (SECTION 1)

Toward the End

The first issue of parcels was made immediately the VEGA was discharged; the 10 lb. Canadian P.O.W parcels containing many items which recalled pre-war days. They formed a very valuable addition and change to the limited diet at this time — indeed it is not too much to say that without them many more people would have died through under-nourishment. Gratitude for this practical help in the great emergency was shown by the opening of a Red Cross Fund, this meeting with a great response.

An elderly woman was killed at St. Brelade's by an armed marauder, presumably German, whom she tried to frighten off by shouting from her window.

A cold spell, though not so bitter as reported from England, had its effect, especially on the older people, the death rate for the month showing an average of thirty-five per 1,000. In order to eke out the almost non-existent stocks of fuel for electricity supply, the current was only switched on from 6.15 p.m. till 10.30 p.m., less the usual three half-hours cut-offs to reduce the over-load.

An American fighter was shot down by local flak on January 7th, the pilot bailing out, whilst the machine crashed, a burn-out wreck, on the headland south of St. Brelade's Church.

The following day two of the U.S. prisoners-of-war made a successful getaway, and succeeded in remaining hidden for a week or two until they managed to secure a boat and escape to France. One of them, Lieut. Haas, had previously made an unsuccessful attempt. German patrols had a busy day trying to find the men, and searched many houses all around the Fort, but without result. In their searches, however, they came across several illicit radio sets, much to the chagrin of the owners, who thus got placed on the waiting list for gaol.

New German orders insisted that anyone who had more than a small specified stock of tinned goods and flour should hand them over to their less fortunate neighbours, but a later order contradicted this by stating that none had a right to any such goods, and that they must have been obtained by way of the black market. Another order called for the immediate destruction of any dogs in excess of one per household, in order to conserve the food stocks of the fortress.

An American flying boat skirted the south and east coasts so low on the aftemoon of the 11th that its markings were clearly visible. Local flak got very excited, and sent up everything on which they could lay their hands, with the usual inconclusive results. During an artillery practice at about this time, a direct hit was secured on a house near Grouville Church, fortunately without injuring the occupants.

The advent of Red Cross supplies brought a cut in the meat ration, now to be 4 ozs. fortnightly instead of weekly, the cessation of the 2 oz. butter ration and three milkless days a week, so that the adult ration was two pints weekly. Red Cross cigarettes (ten per adult), salt (2 ozs.) and soap (two tablets per household) were issued gratis during the third week of January.

Fortress economy was already making the public utility services rather a farce. Water was cut off at 7.0 p.m., gas just wasn't, and electicity was (very temporarily) available for two and a half hours daily. Transport facilities were limited to one bus service per route on Saturdays only, and all except the most essential telephones were disconnected.

The need for fuel was rendered even more urgent by the cold weather, and by the fact that no ration at all had been issued for some time, and people continued to take the law into their own hands. Many empty houses were broken into and stripped of all wood, whilst tenants in some cases were removing all non-essential fittings for firewood. Thousands of tomato boxes, barrels, etc., were sold for firewood at prices far exceeding their pre-war value, whilst the little timber suitable for kindling wood offered at auction sales fetched fantastic figures. A climax was reached on January 14th, when a hundred or more people descended on the trees bordering the Lower Park and laid about them with saws and axes. Some of the highest officials from College House, plus some local officials, came along and put a stop to it, and the taking of many Identity Cards was followed by a severe reprimand to the offenders in an interview at College House. New orders followed this official interest in the wood raids, and promised severe penalties for the illicit felling of trees. It was inferred in the new orders, and in the interview at College House, that the blame was attached to the States for not ensuring a regular ration. The States Department concerned, however, were handicapped in their efforts by lack of transport and power for sawing, and were only just able to supply the wood needed for the communal cooking arrangements. Stricker German supervision, however, failed to improve the situation.

The electric mains supply ceased on January 25th, the fuel for the St. Peter's plant having run out. The Queen's Road plant, run on diesel oil, was kept going for German needs, and separate power lines were run to their various establishements. One of the results was that the EVENING POST ceased publication for a few days, and resumed later with three editions a week.

The second issue of Red Cross parcels was made on February 6th, and the shortage of flour stock was so acute that the bread ration was reduced to a basic 2 lbs. per week, and even this could only be kept going for a forthnight.

All other unsuccessful escape attempt was made by several American prisoners about the beginning of February, as a result of which the whole camp (now nineteen strong) was deprived of the food supplies which the better-off of the civil population had been sending in each week.

For some time previously the Germans had been busily working on certain of their ships in the harbour, amongst the most obvious alterations being the shortening of the masts, in preparation for Commando raids on the French coast.

The first of these was staged on February 7th, but it can hardly have been a success, for officially no notice was taken of it. Some wounded were reported to have been taken to Merton Hotel, and one of the ships ended its return voyage on a rock off La Rocque, the men wading ashore and finishing the escapade with a bus ride to town.

The VEGA arrived on her second trip on February l3th, after a delay whilst repairs were effected. She again brought a double issue of parcels, a few medical supplies, a little tobacco and a small quantity of leather for repairs as well as food parcels for the American and Algerian prisoners on the Island. There was some little trouble about the discharge of the cargo, local crane drivers having refused to load a ship with swedes for Guernsey's garrison, so that the Germans reacted by not allowing them to work the VEGA. The first day German crane drivers were on the job, but proved so inept that the local men were brought back to finish the work.

Official comment on this second VEGA shipment was that "for some unexplained reason" the British Red Cross would not allow the flour which was in Lisbon to be brought on this trip, but that she would be going straight back to fetch it. This question of flour was an extremely urgent one, as the bread ration actually ceased this same week. In lieu thereof, the 4 oz. meat ration was issued weekly instead of forthnightly, and a double ration of potatoes, now 10 lbs. weekly, was available.