Jersey
under the Swastika!

Page 43 - Philip Frederick Le Sauteur

CHAPTER TWELVE (SECTION 4)

1944

For several days these unfortunate people wandered around the town, whilst regular attempts were made to get them  away to France, the ships actually leaving and returning once or twice, no doubt because the "enemy" were about. In addition to the French workers and political prisoners, all local prisoners serving more than two months' German sentences were shipped away when eventually they all went on June 30th. One of the ships returned to harbour, having gone aground on its way, and left again a day or two later. The time of the main shipment concided with a B.B.C. report of the sinking of two ships, and probably a third, off St. Malo, and it was believed that it must have been these particular ships which were mentioned.

The EVENING POST editorial, as the Island entered its fifth year of German occupation, fairly and concisely expressed the feelings of most people, and is quoted verbatim:

"After listening to the booming of the guns as they grew nearer to our shores the fateful hour arrived, four years ago to-day, when the troops of the German Reich landed and the Island came under military occupation. The intervening years have passed, and we in little Jersey have been, as it were, in a backwater, far removed from the maelstrom of war. We were cut off from our kith and kin on the mainland, the business life of the community was disorganized, as the Island's trade was carried out almost exclusively with England, and there were many problems for individuals and authorities alike to deal with. The most serious problem was, naturally, the provision of food supplies from France, and the solution of this was only made possible by the co-operating of the German Authorities. Every assistance was afforded to our own officials and the result has been that, although we have naturally been short of the many little luxuries of pre-war days, we have nevertheless been enabled to sustain ourselves in a frugal manner.

"So the time has passed, four years which have seemed so long as we waited for the time of reunion. And now the guns boom again; once more the tide of battle flows in our direction. It is only natural that we should await it with hope in our breasts, for while no one longs for war in our midst, we nevertheless feel that each boom of a gun, each drone of a plane, brings us closer to the day when we shall link up again with the loved ones from whom we have been parted so long. We have no complaint with the military power which controls us; the behaviour of the troops of the German Reich, as we have pointed out on previous occasions, has been exemplary, but it is surely not unnatural that we should long for an end to this war and a return to the conditions under which we lived five years ago. So, as we enter this fifth year of occupation, we do so with hope in our hearts, a hope which becomes stronger with each day that passes."

There was some relaxation in the tension amongs the garrison itself. The Forum was reopened, and for the first time since D.-Day a few German soldiers were to be seen wandering around off duty. The weather was still variable, thick clouds and drizzle alternating with clearer skies and sunshine, but despite this the passage of planes — mostly out of sight — was almost incessant.

Four fighters dived out of the clouds on the evening of the 5th of July, making as if to attack the guns on Samares Coast Road, but apparently they were only "snooping", and they made off out to sea. The guns from town opened fire at them, but the shells all through burst a considerable distance from the aircraft.

The previous day — July 4th — the coastal batteries opened fire on that morning against the Navy which, according to B.B.C. news, chased a small convoy under cover of the Island batteries, damaging one of the ships.

The invasion naturally brought its spate of regulations and changes — one might expect that anywhere. The most important dealt with the problem of alarm. In the event of an alarm, arrangements were made under which the Bailiff and certain States Officials were to sleep at the Court, whilst the Constables would have to stay at their respective Parish Halls. The Paid Police were ordered to be prepared to sleep at the Police Station whilst all essential services personel were warned that they would have to remain at their posts.

A quieter period followed, although there was still air and other activity. Planes continued to pass frequently, sometimes quite low, and often in considerable numbers, but no flak opposition was offered by the Germans, whilst German shipping used the water between the Islands and the mainland (and not only at night) quite freely.

Meanwhile, rumour was rife amongst the Islanders of impending negotiations between the British and German Governments anent the Islands, it being generally believed that bargaining was going on in connection with a free passage of the garrison of 20,000 against the safety of the 70,000 inhabitants. Whether or not such a bargaining idea was ever discussed is not known, but, if it were, certainly nothing ever came of it.

Now for a curious factor at this time. It was noticeable that, whereas the German soldiers were never seen without their arms since the advent of the Allied invasion of Europe, the Italians, who, when they first came, wore arm-bands inscribed DEUTSCHE WERMACHT, were never armed, and they never appeared to do any guard duties. ln fact, it seemed that Mussolini's poor little henchmen had degenerated into being general housemaids to the German forces.

The cinemas were reopened during the middle of July, and they gave two performances weekly for civilians. Incidentally, about this time, too, the tobacco ration faded out! (see chapter dealing with the food problems of the Island during the occupation.

The apparent "truce" was abruptly broken on July 15th, when a heavy barrage was sent up against six bombers which passed over the centre of the Island from north to south. From Gorey, on the day following, many hundreds of planes could be seen, glitterng specks in the sky, retuning from the audiable bombing operations along the coast near Carteret.

Following continued air activity in rather better weather, there were two particularly violent explosions during the night of the 17th, as though ammunition dumps not far away had been hit.

Six heavy bombers crossed the Island on the 19th, at so low an altitude that it looked as if they were preparing to attack, but, beyond a heavy flak barrage, there was no "incident" on this occasion. Several Lightnings passed just below cloud level the following day, but the A.A. batteries quite ignored them!

Coincident with the attempted coup d'etat in Germany (when certain German officers of high rank, backed by others, sought to rid Germany of its Fuhrer, but were unsuccessful), one heard of copies of the British news, printed  in German and on middle leaves of cigarette paper packets, being distibuted locally to the troops by throwing them into lorries. etc. The only outward result of the attempt on Hitler's life, however, was the obeying of the order that benceforth the Nazi salute was to be used in place of the ordinary military salute.

Following the internment of the Islands' buyers in France at the time of tbe invasion, their office was taken over by a Mr. Kirschner, wbo had been in the Island for some years, and who, it was believed, was the person who was waiting to meet the surprised airmen who first "captured" Jersey.

The presence of a quite a large convoy near the Island on the evening of the 22nd probably accounted for the intensity of the barrage sent up against planes flying through thick cloud. The incidence of shipping was usually a sign for greater activity.

The S.H.A.E.F. official warning to fishing boats in the vicinity of the Islands and the surrounding French coasts that the area was now to be regarded as a free bombing area, was, it was presumed, tantamount to the declaration of a blockade. But in view of the fact that it was impossible for fishermen to excuse themselves from going out because of this warning — which in theory could not reach their notice — it bad not much effect. Fortunately, there were no casualties as a result of ignoring the warning.

Air activity was stepped up till further on the 24th, audible evidence including some ear-splitting flak and the sound of a stick of bombs exploding, followed by some machine-gunning just after a big batch of planes had passed. It was presumed that shipping had been attacked. One large piece of shrapnel from the A.A. guns pierced tbe roof of the market, but there were no casualties because of this.

During the forenoon of the 25th, a Liberator passed over the town, flying dead straight, slowly and at quite a low altitude — in fact, a perfect target for any A.A. gunner. Every gun within range opened fire, but not a single shell of the many hundreds fired burst close enough to disturbed the machine on its imperturbable course. This incident, however, was only a sort of hors d'oeuvres, for a little later the thunderous roar of many engines was heard, and four nearly an hour group after group of planes passed along, not very high, and just off the south coast. Many people attempted to count the planes, but all agreed that it was quite impossible, despite the favourable visibility. However, the B.B.C. settled the argument as to the number, by stating that 1,500 heavy bombers — plus a fighter escort of the like number, had attacked west of St. Lo, and it was these no doubt which had been returning from their mission. Local flak fired on those groups which came rather nearer to the coast, but seemed to hesitate (and who can really blame them) from molesting the bulk of the planes, although they were well within the range of the guns. This huge galaxy of fighting and bombing planes made the what then seemed mighty air-fleets of eighty to 100 of Luftwaffe, which had circled over the Island in 1940, look quite silly. This air armada certainly caused considerable excitement amongst the Islanders. The aerobatics of a single fighter later in the morning came rather as an anti-climax.

At this time there was a relaxation of the beach ban order, short stretches of beach at St. Clement's West Park and La Rocque, were now opened for bathing but this before 6.0 p.m.

Certain local people had been putting profit so far in front of patriotism as to purchasing property in their own names on behalf of the Germans, thus evading the law that no foreigner may own property on the Islands. No doubt they were suitably rewarded by a generous pourboire. This general lack of principle of profit before patriotism had become very widespread during the occupation, and a too-high proportion of the population, English as well as local, were very ready to make money at whatever the ultimate cost to the remainder of the population.

A number of ships of all types arrived in the harbour, presumably from the various small ports threatened by the rapid Allied advance. They brought thousands of additional troops to the Island. By the close of July, the Islands had become besieged fortresse, so passing into the final phase of the occupation.

During the last few days of the month, many planes were heard by day and night, but without incident. The night of July 31st, following an evening of heavy bombing, was disturbed by several terrific explosions of the kind which made one think that doors and windows were coming loose from  their fastenings, this no doubt being the oil dumps which (according to the B.B.C. news) were blown up at St. Malo that night. Later on, the coast batteries added their noise, probably firing against the ships taking the Allied reinforcements being landed southwest of Avranches.

The following night brought the same sleep-destroying noises, added to the rifle and gun-fire of big-scale anti-invasion exercises, whilst on the next day again bombing on a super scale caused a third successive sleepless night.

With U.S. troops approaching St. Malo, the B.B.C. description of the position of the garrison in the Islands as "very delicate" was most apt, and the isolation was emphasised by the German plane which each night flew low, dropping mail for the troops by parachute.