Jersey
under the Swastika!

Page 21 - Philip Frederick Le Sauteur

CHAPTER SEVEN (SECTION 2)

Feeding the Islanders

The ration of meat was yet again reduced during the first week in May, this time to 4 ozs., and a small tablet of soap was issued, the first for months.

The prime interest and constant object of discussion during this time was always food — where to get it, and how to make the most of what one got. Even robberies —  and these were numerous — were mainly concentrated on food, and it is interesting to record that bread and meat rations needed more protection than was ever given to money. Farms were regularly pillaged of vegetables, and in one instance a live pig was stolen in broad day light. Tobacco was another attraction to light-fingered gentlemen, and many of the tobacconists had their premises burgled on the night before the weekly ration was issued.

In addition to the regular rationed goods, some small imports from France had rendered it possible for an issue of an "extra" most weeks — sometimes ersatz coffee, or maybe semolina or other cereal. Fish was almost unobtainable, the very small quantity which occasionally reached the markets after the Germans had had their pickings usually causing free fights. Limpets were in such demand for infusing a little taste into the ever-recurring "spud" that the rocks closed to the shore had been completely stripped, and quite a long trek had to be made elsewhere to secure any. During the season, however, crabs were really plentiful — probably because the "visitors" had not acquired a taste for them.

The occupying forces did not implement all of their promises or obligations, and despite the guarantee publicly given that the S.S. NORMAND would carry only food and essential goods, the Germans insisted on loading war materials into her. For his refusal to carry anything of a military character, the ship's Master was awarded a sentence of two months' imprisonment —  in addition, the command of his vessel was given to a local pilot.

During this year (1941), and especially during the months of January to April, food had been far from plentiful — that is, judged by pre-war standards — and many of the population had lost weight. However, in June, 1940, when the occupation was imminent, the stocks of food in Jersey were very high indeed; and despite the quantity which had been requisitioned for the troops, a certain amount had become available for the public; and during the later months the imports from France had been growing — so that up to the end of this first year of the actual occupation there had been no general hardship. The shortage of special foods and medical requirements had, of course had some effect on the very young, the very old and the invalids. Men even had a smoke — just! Although there were numerous pettifogging regulations to be complied with, personal liberty had not been greatly interfered with — certainly far less than had been anticipated. All spare labour — male and female — was employed in combating the problems of food, clothing and fuel for a population much too large for the size of the Island.

On the whole, the past twelve months could be viewed with the feeling that, after all, things had not been so bad. But what of the future? It was impossible to forecast for how long the occupation would continue, and the prospect now was certainly far from reassuring. Stocks of food and other essentials had just about completely disappeared, and importations from France were not at all easy. For that country, also, had its own difficulties, and was not always able to supply the goods needed nor the transport across country to Granville, and the credit available in France naturally must be handled very carefully. During 1940, in addition to the credit for the potatoes and cars shipped away, there were ample supplies of Marks spent in the shops by the troops which could be used for purchases in France. Now, however, the shops were to all intents and purposes empty, so that very few Marks were forthcoming. and many of these had to be kept in circulation owing to the shortage of English currency; and there was no prospect of establishing  further credits by the sale of cars or anything else.

For some months a Mr. Jouault had been in France on behalf of the Jersey States, purchasing whatever food and whatever essentials could be found, whilst for specialized lines, the trade organizations concerned were expected to send a representative to France to make the necessary transactions. Despite the proximity of the Island to France, almost the whole of its requirements had, before the occupation, been imported from England, with the result that very little was known of trading facilities in France. Added to France's own predicament, this caused some difficulty in finding essentials necessary to the life of the Island.

During the early days of August the tobacco ration again ran out, and the ration of cigarettes was reduced to ten per week. Then news came through — and this was indeed pleasant to many of us — that the one-ounce tobacco ration was to be resumed.

Prompted by the call of necessity, people searched their memories for devices long since forgotten. Potato flour was an old recipe revived, and another product of much labour was the extraction of syrup from sugar beet. Substitutes for tea and coffee were made by roasting sugar beet, parsnips, carrots or blackberry leaves. The shortage of fuel prompted a revival of hay-box cookery, long since rendered unnecessary by the introduction of modern methods, and a device for burning sawdust, the result of someone's memory of similar devices being used in far-off Canada. It is remarkable to what lengths human ingenuity can be driven in the battle against deprivation!

Unfortunately, at this time, after a few months of the 4 ozs. butter ration, this again reverted to 2 ozs. With absolutely no other source of fats in the form of margarine, dripping or lard — or even fat on the meat — this constituted the most serious omission from the diet, and many people were beginning to suffer the consequences in ill-health.

In October, for the first time in many months, a two-ounce ration of dripping was issued. This, whilst small,  was a sort of godsend to many of the population.

Intelligence from the other Islands indicated that the situation generally was much the same as in Jersey. Guernsey appeared to have more troops garrisoned there, and fortification work was proceeding rapidly. The food situation  there seemed to be rather worse than ours, the four-ounce meat ration not always being available, whilst skimmed milk was served to all except young children and invalids. Potatoes were even shorter in supply than in Jersey.

During the early days of December, the meat ration was doubled to eight ounces, while the butter ration was raised to four ounces. The bread, now being made from the unmatured 1941 local harvest, was the subject of some caustic comment, for it had a texture like damp sawdust, and contained a big percentage of straw and shucks. The milling was done locally in the several old mills which, during the previous months, had provided much labour in clearing the stream's and repairing the long-idle machinery. Certainly Jersey's efforts at being self-supporting in this direction did not meet with much success at this stage.

People naturally look forward to the Christmas celebrations, and they wondered what would be distributed to meet the festivities. Even the meager "extras" were welcomed  — double sugar (6 ozs.) and 2 ozs. of tea for adults, and three bars of chocolate and 2 ozs. of cocoa for the children. In addition, small packets of sweets were given to the school children. The tobacco ration was increased to 2 ozs. and cigarettes were increased to 50 — all of which proved to be very welcome.

Although not as in pre-war years a time of over-eating, Christmas, 1941, was passed in most homes pleasantly enough. The old family reunions were not possible, naturally, and the traditional Christmas hospitality was only made possible by the guests bringing their own bread and other rations. The few walnuts available also helped to create the impression of festivities and, taking things full and bye, a surprisingly good time was enjoyed by most of the people, in spite of the fact that very few indeed had any stores upon which they might draw.

The insidious "black market", of course, did a roaring trade, and the heavy demand and small supply created such prices as 15/- per pound for pork and £5 per pound for chocolates, whilst dried fruit was worth 10/- per pound. Sugar at 15/- and tea at £4 per pound were prices which had been ruling for some time, whilst cigarettes were sold at 8/4 for 20 and tobacco at 10/5 per ounce.

In view of the fact that the general level of incomes had dropped, except in the case of those working for the Germans, whilst the cost of living even on rationed goods was steadily rising, these figures are surprising. But food had become the most important thing in life and no measure was taken of the cost in money. Unlike the position in England, where the black market was rightly regarded as a reprehensive racket, it was very general in the Islands, where most of the population considered that any extra food secured was not at the expense of their fellow citizens, but so much loss for the Germans. This was probably factual, but the competition amongst the civilians for the small quantity available certainly put a lot of money into the hands of the black market racketeers.

During the early days of 1942, following on a period of growing shortage, potatoes were rationed on a basis of seven pounds per week. This at first sight appears to be an ample ration, but in most cases it was not enough, for potatoes had been until now the basis of every meal. Even this ration was reduced after a week to five pounds. As Guernsey was entirely without potatoes, some of Jersey's stocks had been shipped over to Guernsey. Hence the ration reduction.

News from Guernsey showed that the sister Island was in a rather worse way than Jersey for food generally — the 4 ozs. meat ration was not always available, and no sugar had been issued for several weeks, whilst potatoes themselves were so scare that the mere peelings were being sold at the black market price of 9d. per pound!

The steady rise in the prices of black market commodities continued — veal, for instance, was now being offered at 9/ a pound, whilst eggs were sold at 1/0½ and extra milk at 1/0½ per pint. Butter soared to 25/- a pound. Many other ridiculous prices could be quoted, but these are ample to indicate a position which was becoming progressively worse, and which also indicated the general food position at the time. It is only scarcity on which the black market can flourish. And it certainly flourished in the Islands during the German occupation.