Jersey
under the Swastika!

Page 24 - Philip Frederick Le Sauteur

CHAPTER SEVEN (SECTION 5)

Feeding the Islanders

It was recognised within a few hours of the invasion of Normandy by the Allied Forces that, whatever might be the immediate or ultimate result of that military operation, new factors faced those Authorities, Civil and Military, who were responsible for the lives of the civilian population. Constant consultations have taken place between the Insular Government and the Occupying Authorities. Every phase of the first slowly, and then swiftly moving course of the military operations in France has been carefully studied in relation to its bearing on the problem of the maintenance of the life of the people of Jersey. It has, throughout those consultations, been apparent that the time might come, sooner or later, when the Occupying Authorities would desire to make the Insular Government aware of the date after which, in the opinion of the Occupying Authority, the increasing state of siege could no longer be maintained with due regard to the maxims of International Law.

The Insular Government has just heard, with unfeigned dismay, that the Occupying Authorities are of the opinion that the siege can be maintained until January 31st, 1945.

For the reasons which are stated in the foregoing memoranda, the Insular Government does not and cannot share that opinion, and declares in the most solemn manner possible that, in the view of the Insular Government, it is the bounden duty of the Occupying Authority to re-examine the problem in its entirety and in the light of the observations contained in this memoranda.

Sooner or later, the clash of arms will cease, and the Powers will meet not only to consider the means to an enduring peace, but also to pass judgment on the Authorities, be they Civil or Military, upon whose conceptions of the Principles of Honour, Justice and Humanity the fate of Peoples and Places, and not least of Occupied Peoples and Places, has temporarily been determined. The Insular Government believes that, at that day, it, or such of its Members as survive, will stand with clear consciences born of the conviction that it has failed neither in its duty to the People of Jersey, nor in its interpretation and observance of the rules of International Law.

May the Insular Government be spared the duty of adding to the problems which will face the Powers an allegation that, by an justified prolongation of the Siege of Jersey, the Military Representatives of the German Government unnecessarily endangered the health, and indeed the lives, of the People of Jersey.

On behalf of the Superior Council of the States of Jersey .
(Signed) A. M. Coutanche, Bailiff.

Following several further conference, for which the Military Commandant of the Channel Islands, Major General Graf von Schmettow, crossed from Guernsey, the following notice was published in the local press on October 3rd, 1944:

In order to keep the population informed about the question of supplies, and to stop injurious rumours, the Commander of the Channel Isles has authorized this paper to publish the following information:

The Channel Isles had virtually been cut off from already a month before the invasion. From that moment the population lived on the produce of the Island, and from stocks which had been formed according to instructions from the Occupying Power. In view of the possibility of a state of siege, agriculture and industry has been adapted as far as feasible to make the fortresses self-supporting.

As the population, however, cannot be supplied indefinitely from the stocks of the fortresses, or from produce harvested or manufactured within them, the Commander of the Channel Islands some time ago took the precaution of getting into touch with superior authorities, and has informed the German Government of the situation. This action was appreciably facilitated by reports about the most essential commodities, supplies of which were running out in the near future, submitted by the Bailiff in the interest of the population of Jersey.

The German Government has intimated its intention of taking the necessary steps in this matter with the Protecting Power. For this purpose the Commander of the Channel Isles has submitted a report about the Islands' monthly requirements of essential commodities. Any action the Protecting Power may decide to take on this information is now, of course, beyond the control of the Occupying Authority.

Whilst the States had, during the occupation, not always been above criticism, in this instance at least their diplomacy and firmness were not at fault, and the attitude of the Occupying Authorities was probably also influenced by their knowledge of the fact that the text of the States Memoranda had become publicly known.

The gas supply, so closely linked up with the many problems of food and feeding, finally ceased on September 4th. Coincidentally with this, the plans which had been made in anticipation of the emergency for communal cooking and feeding were put into operation. The alternatives offered were one hot meal a day at restaurants in town, in which case meat coupons and 3 lbs. of potatoes weekly had to be surrendered; or each household could take one dish a day to be baked at a communal centre, existing bakehouses being supplemented by old-type ovens prepared in various parts of the Island. Although neither scheme was ideal, it was the best that could be done in the difficult circumstances, and after a short shaking-down period, both worked well.

In addition to these arrangements, in order to still further conserve fuel, all cooking by electricity was banned, as was its use for refrigerators and almost all other electric appliances and the ban also included all business premises, including theatres, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, the "no shopping" days.

Round October, the Feldgendarmerie in an attempt to check black market activities, spent two Saturdays examining the parcels carried by everyone approaching the town. In addition to genuine black market stuff, they confiscated a very considerable quantity of foodstuffs which they had no right to touch, and it was only with considerable trouble that people managed to retrieve some of it. Probably this attempt to prevent black market goods from reaching the civil population in town was part of the policy which included cutting the rations and increasing the pay of the troops, so that they should live to a greater extent on what they could buy.

This policy of increasing the soldiers' pay, and its effects were referred to officially in some very outspoken correspondence which passed between the Guernsey States and the German Authorities, a copy of which reached Jersey some time later. After denying that the troops had been receiving more pay (although the Paymasters both there and in Jersey had been making heavier demands on the States Treasuries), the German reply made it quite clear that the reference to January 3lst in earlier statements was not intended as the ultimate date of the siege. It was considered to be the earliest date at which outside help, through the Red Cross, could be expected for the civilian population, and therefore the basis of the Islands' future domestic economy. In this statement, the German Commandant disclaimed all responsibility for the safety or feeding of the civil population under the existing conditions of siege.

Continuing their anti-black-market campaign, and acting on the usual anonymous letter, the Gendarmerie raided the house of one of the town's principal citizens and confiscated his very ample food reserves, which included a ton of potatoes, bacon, dripping and many other "unobtainables". The proceeds were displayed in a shop window in town prior to being handed over to the Communal Kitchens. On November 22nd, the following news was published:

As a result of negotiations instigated by the Occupying Authorities re supplies for the civilian population, a delivery of medical supplies, soap and food parcels has been promised as a first measure.

The extra ration for the 1944 Christmas season was 4 ozs. of ersatz coffee, but when it became apparent that the Red Cross supplies could not arrive in time, a last-minute notice announced the issue of a small tin of tunny fish. A further concession allowed the meat ration for the following week to be drawn with the Xmas issue, so that, if one was willing to go without meat over the New Year holiday, it was possible to have 8 ozs. of meat to help the Christmas table to groan! Black market meat and other food was nearly unobtainable, and those who were "lucky" had to pay fantastic prices for the questionable privilege! The curfew was extended as usual for the holidays, with a corresponding increase in the electricity hours.

The International Red Cross ship VEGA duly arrived in Jersey during the evening of December 30th, after having visited Guernsey and discharged that Island's share of the cargo. Two Red Cross representatives came with the ship, and conferences were held with the two Island Bailiffs and the German Authorities regarding the future needs of the population. Jersey received some 400 tons in this first consignment, which included a double issue of Canadian P.O.W. parcels, medical supplies, salt, soap, a small quantity of cigarettes and tobacco and a few babies' layettes, the gift of Lady Campbell, wife of the British Ambassador to Portugal.