Jersey
under the Swastika!

Page 47 - Philip Frederick Le Sauteur

CHAPTER THIRTEEN (SECTION 2)

Toward the End

As a result of food and other shortages, schools were opened mornings only, football and competitive games were stopped, mail was delivered only thrice weekly, and there was a reduction in working hours in some cases. Also, by this time, the buses had completely ceased to run. The third issue of parcels; again mainly Canadian but with a few New Zealand, was made on February 20th.

The houses of those collaborating or cohabiting with the Germans had, in most cases, been decorated with tarred swastikas by youthful patriots, and probably as an answer to this, the German Kriegsmarine had "a night out" on the 20th. Headed by some of their officers, they painted swastikas all over nearly every building in and around the town, and judging by the results there must have been several hundred men on the job. The local police found it useless to protest, but the Feldgendarmerie made many arrests. Certainly the incident met with the disapproval of the Higher Command, and the local labour of the German Org Todt firms were given the job of chipping off the black paint. A day or two later the place was well decorated with red, white and blue V's and tricolours, presumably the work of local elements.

The following is a translation of a leaflet which was being circulated amongst the troops at the end of February:

ln 1942 it was the Spanish workers, and in 1943 it was the Russians, who were eating raw roots and digging up seed potatoes to eat. But in 1945 it was the erstwhile all-conquering Wermacht which were hungry enough to eat raw swedes and mangolds. It was the German soldier who watched behind a hedge whilst the farmer was planting seed potatoes, noting the place so that he might return after dark and, grubbing in the ground with his hands, extract the not-so-succulent seed to eat raw. His almost entirely vegetarian rations, composed for the most part of swedes, sting nettle soup and limpets from the rocks failed to satisfy him, and his health and morale suffered. Never very smart by British standards, he became unkempt and clean neither in clothes nor person. He suffered considerably from boils and skin troubles, looked dejected and unhappy, whilst his officers retained their smart clothes and corpulent figures. Badly off though the civilian population were at this time, they were, thanks to the Red Cross supplies, having a much happier time than the German troops, especially as it had by now become apparent to both sides what the end must be.

Fifty cigarettes or two ozs. tobacco were issued to all adults on March 3rd, and the fourth issue of parcels, New Zealand this time, was made on March 6th.

At 11.30 a.m. on March 7th here was a great explosion at the Palace Hotel, the blast from which shattered much glass, including shop windows in town. The whole place then burst into flames, and throughout the day other explosions were heard coming from the same place. By evening the building was a shamples, and it was believed that in the neighbourhood of thirty people were killed. There were as many other casualties. This incident was generally credited to the German underground movement, possibly as a proof of its power, in order to convince those troops still vascillating. Another quite feasible explanation was that an accident occurred during a lecture on explosives, starting a fire which spread to a room in which ammunition was stored, which in turn caused the big explosion. Like many other occupation incidents, it is doubtful whether the thruth will ever be known. At 10.30 p.m. that same night there was another fire, this time at the O.T. storage dump at Georgetown, when a shed was burn out. This, quite probably, was the work of some opportunist saboteur, local or German.

A series of heavy explosions during the small hours of the 9th brought further expectations of developments in the insurrection movement, but this time it was the Germans returning from their Commando raid on Granville. The official communique gave the following information:

Shock troops from the Channel Islands garrison landed from naval patrol boats under the command of Kapitan-Lieutenant Mohr, during the night of March 8th/9th carried out the raid on the enemy supply port of Granville in the Bay of St. Malo. They destroyed the locks, set the town and docks on fire, and took many prisoners, including a Lieutenant-Colonel and four other officers. Fitfy-five German soldiers were freed from captivity an American patrol boat was sunk, five supply ships totalling 4,800 tons were destroyed and a supply ship was captured.

The B.B.C. version of the incident was so terse that it may well be that the German verion was not unduly exaggerated. The facts as known in Jersey were that the bombardment previously referred to was the coastal battery at St. Martin's in action, presumably against forces pursuing the returning German ships. lt was reported unofficially that one German patrol boat was lost. Later in the morning the ships reached harbour, bringing a small collier, the ASQUITH, under tow. Judging by the activity of the ambulances, the operation was not carried out without casualties, but the raid certainly raised German morale from the low ebb into which it had sunk.

The local press contained German laudatory articles for a few days after this escapade — indeed, it appeared surprising that this exploit did not win the war for Germany! The interesting aftermath was the investiture held later, when the men taking part were presented with an Iron Cross, a packet of cigarettes and a pot of sugar beef syrup. One wonders which reward was the most appreciated by the recipients.

The VEGA berthed in Jersey once again on March 9th, bringing the awaited flour, yeast, one issue of parcels, salt, soap and a small quantity of petrol for the ambulance. The first bread made from this very white flour was being delivered almost as soon as the vessel had completed her discharge, being issued on a basis of 4 lbs. for adults, 3 lbs. for juveniles and 1½ lbs. weekly for infants. A charge of 3d. per lb. was made. Apparently, whereas the parcels and certain other items were a gift from the lnternational Red Cross, the flour and most other goods were procured on behalf of the Island by the British Government, and sent through the Red Cross — these latter items, it seemed, would have to be paid for after the war, and therefore a charge was made. A further 1,700 messages from England arrived by this trip. With the advent of the Red Cross flour, the double rations of potatoes and meat were stopped.