Jersey
under the Swastika!

Page 18 - Philip Frederick Le Sauteur

CHAPTER SIX (SECTION 2)

Radio

Colonel Britain's first broadcast resulted, as might be expected, in the appearance of "V's" — some even appearing on the walls and notices of German occupied premises. As the result of one such incident, which bore evidence of having been done by the Germans themselves, the radio sets of  all people living within the affected area, which included most of the northern part of the town, were called in, and civilians from the district were made to patrol throughout the night to prevent a recurrence. After about four weeks the patrols were stopped and the wireless sets returned to their owners.

1941 thus closed with very little effective stoppage of the benefits of radio-listening.

This condition, alas, was not to continue, for an order dated June 6th, 1942, stated that:

It has been decreed by a Higher Command that all wireless sets belonging to the civil population are to be confiscated.

Exception was made in the case of the nationals of Germany and its allies, and the penalty for non-compliance fixed at six weeks' imprisonment and a fine up to 30,000 Reichmarks (£3,000).

The date fixed for collection was June 13th, but was later postponed for a week, to allow of the necessary arrangements for the sets being received to be made. Although this was construed as an admission that the news was not favouring Germany, it was a very sad blow to lose this, the only contact with England, and there were many long faces as the sets were taken into "safe custody" in the various parish halls.

Although no mention was made in the official notices, the EVENING POST was authorized to state — and did so on more than one occasion — that the sets were only being held until the "military necessity no longer exists", and were being carefully kept until that time — subsequent events proved the case to be otherwise.

During the week that the collection was being made, a leaflet couched in the following terms was circulated:

Bulletin No. 1 of the British Patriots. 15.6.1942.
To the people of Jersey

CONFISCATION OF WIRELESS SETS

Article 53 of the Hague Convention definitely does NOT give the German Authorities the right to confiscate cycles, wireless sets or any other form of personal property. Since the occupation of the Island, we have done all in our power to maintain peaceful relations with the enemy, so much so that the occupying authorities cannot point to a single hostile act of the population towards the forces of occupation. We have, in fact, carried pacification to a point of seriously compromising our honour. It follows, therefore, that the German Authorities have neither the legal nor the moral right to confiscate our wireless sets, yet this they intend doing.
For our part, we refuse to comply with the confiscation order. It is for you to decide, in the light of this brief impartial «exposé», what your attitude is to be. But whatever your decision, be careful to give the German Authorities no cause for offence in your dealings with them. Under all circumstances, be coldly polite, be careful and discreet.
Thus you will give them no justification for taking reprisals against you or the remainder of the population. An appeal has been made to the Bailiff of the Island, without success, firstly to have nothing to do with the confiscation order, and, secondly, to refute publicly the statement that the German Authorities are acting within the framework of International Law in confiscation our wireless sets.

Accidentally, or otherwise, a copy of this leaflet came into the hands of the German Authorities, whose first reaction was to arrest ten Islanders as hostages, pending the arrest of the originator, explaining their action in a notice:

Following a further act of sabotage concerning telephonic communications, and the distribution of leaflets with inciting contents, I have ordered the arrest of 10 persons residing in Jersey.

In the event of the perpetrators of the act of sabotage and the distribution of leaflets not being discovered, these 10 persons will be taken to a continental internment camp.

If a repetition of such or similar incidents occurs, 20 persons will be taken to an internment camp on the continent.

Der Feldkommandant,
Heider. Haupmann.

Nothing more was heard of the "act of sabotage", which it may be assumed was merely invented in order to give extra justification to the arrest of the 10 hostages. The selection seems to have been made from a "black list" of those who had in some way offended the German Authorities — at least two of them had served short terms of imprisonment for minor offences. Those arrested were — Messrs. Vallois, Ferguson, F. Tregear, E. C. Huelin, E. C. Le Cornu, Kennet, G. H. Le Cocq, Advocate Giffard, Dr. Mattas and Major Wellborne. After a day on ordinary prison diet, permission to make different arrangements for feeding was granted.

It is noteworthy that this harsh order was signed, not by Colonel Knackfuss, reported to be out of the Island, but by an underling with the rank of Captain only.

The day of these arrests coincided with the last day for the handing over of radio sets, and in anticipation that the dual event might prove too much for people's calm, extra armed patrols were posted during the evening. But fortunately there was no disturbance, even though everyone quite naturally felt very bitter towards the Germans and sympathetic towards those unfortunate enough to be selected as hostages.

A few days of exhaustive inquiry followed these events, in an attempt to trace the typewriter and duplicator used, and reports were constantly being heard of different folks being held for questioning.

At the end of the week, a confession was made, supposedly under threat of exposure by one of his relations, his brother also being arrested for having been concerned in the distribution. Thereupon the ten hostages were released. But coincidentally with the news of their release, the local press contained a notice referring to the arrest of five more people as hostages against the finding of the originators of another leaflet. Despite exhaustive enquiries, no trace could be found of any civilian ever having seen one of this second batch of leaflets, or even heard of it except in the official notice, and as the hostages were released on July 10th, it was assumed that this second leaflet was a figment of Nazi imagination.

The second batch of hostages were — Messrs. Wardon, Groves and Gascon (all masters at Victoria College), Nicolle and Collins. The latter had been arrested during the inquiries regarding the first batch of leaflets, and was released with the others.