CHRISTMAS UNDER OCCUPATION

As we are about to celebrate Christmas with our families all together and with as much to eat and drink as we want I thought it would be a good time to reflect on Christmas during the occupation of the Channel Islands.

I will look at it from the perspective of those trapped in the Channel Islands, those in exile in the United Kingdom and those who had been deported to Germany. Their experiences were quite different.

1940

Christmas festivities in the islands, in the first Christmas under occupation, were not too different than in previous years; aside from a multitude of regulations to comply with. In Jersey this was partly due to a lot of secret pig killing that had been going on. If the Germans had caught wind of the amount of food that was available on islanders tables’ that Christmas they would have been quick to adjust the situation.¹

In Guernsey the Essential Commodities Committee allowed additional rations for the Christmas period. Fifty percent extra of meat was allowed, along with the ration of butter and cooking fat being doubled. In addition the remaining supplies of currants and raisins were released.² This, coupled with the fact that some people had kept back provisions that they had been ordered to hand over undoubtedly helped the Christmas dinner tables look relatively normal.

The issue of tea had stopped in the middle of November 1940, with all stocks being collected and held centrally. In time for Christmas a one off ration of tea was issued.³

On Christmas Eve the Guernsey Evening Press front page announced that the islanders who had been sent to a Paris prison in October were to be released and returned to the island. They had been sent to prison following the commando raid by Nicolle & Symes. Sadly the reprieve came too late for Louis Symes who died in prison. You can read more about this here.

The Germans had also announced the return of islanders’ radios on Christmas Eve following their earlier confiscation so at least they could also enjoy the BBC Radio broadcasts. These radios were returned on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

A Christmas fund had also been raised to ensure that all children remaining in the islands had at least one Christmas present. Entertainment was also arranged around the parishes including the screening of three suitable films for children at the Regal Cinema.

In Jersey, Philip Le Sauteur, manager of a builders merchants, noted in his diary that it was the first Christmas Eve that he had not had a slap up feed of tea and buns. ⁴

In the UK, whilst the adults were desperate for news of relatives still in the occupied Channel Islands, the evacuated children were treated to Christmas parties for their first Christmas away from home. This news was announced by the Ministry of Health who arranged for at least one Christmas party to be held in each district of England & Wales. Santa was played by members of the armed forces.⁵ Some of the children were also desperate for news as they had been separated from their parents and were living with strangers that had effectively adopted them for the duration.

1941

The Germans extended the curfew hours so that islanders could stay out until 1am. 

Hartley Jackson, the vicar of St Stephens Church, was furious when he saw that the Germans had “improved” his Christmas message in the Star Newspaper by inserting “The recognition that Christ was born into the world to save the world and to bring peace on earth is the need of Britain and her other Bolshevist allies!”

In his diary Reverend Douglas Ord notes that 2lbs of potatoes each were to be issued for Christmas and that men were to receive extra tobacco rations. He laments that unfortunately the womenfolk were not to receive anything extra, despite their ceaseless work to keep families fed and looked after. He also records another death by starvation which is a continual occurrence even by this stage of the occupation.

Ord and his wife spent Christmas Day with friends and family although their only “Christmas box” was the news from the BBC that “Benghazi has fallen” as the shops had nothing to sell.⁶

Philip Le Sauteur, recorded the situation in Jersey in his diary on 27th December. Whilst there were no sweets, except for a few given to school children, and fruit was absent his mother still managed to conjure up a Christmas pudding of sorts. They had some unwanted company on Christmas Day as a German Corporal, presumably billeted with them, joined them for lunch. He was quite clearly an avid supporter of the German cause however Le Sauteur notes that he was a “good tempered chap” and they were able to have a lively exchange of views. He finished the entry with a note that they hadn’t been affected by Russian prisoners stealing or begging for food unlike other parts of the island.

Evacuee children in the UK were again entertained with the WVS and Scouts organising parties, food and toys across the UK. These parties managed to cobble together an excellent tea, despite rationing and as well as the playing of games they sang songs including Guernsey’s anthem ‘Sarnia Cherie’.⁷

At least by this Christmas it was possible to send and receive the short Red Cross messages although they took months to come through. If you want to read about how these messages worked you can read my blog on it here.

New Year’s Eve in Guernsey saw an incident that marred the ringing in of the new year. A number of Germans indulged in drunken activities which included them firing their pistols and rifles into the air at midnight. Despite having been warned slightly before this not to go outside George Fisher, a resident of Collings Road, did go outside and was accidentally shot.⁸

Fisher was recorded by the coroner as having died due to an ‘excessive haemorrhage caused by a bullet wound’. The news of the manner of his death was not reported accurately in the local newspapers as they were controlled by the Germans. The Evening Press did however report the name of the German NCO who had fired the fatal shot, although they omitted to report that the German was so drunk he could hardly stand.

1942

Islanders could no longer rely on listening to the BBC to entertain themselves as the Germans had taken their radios away on 8th June 1942 and were to hold on to them until the liberation. Some risked the stiff penalties and held on to the radios. Others made crystal radio sets to enable them to continue to listen albeit at great risk. One of the side effects of the manufacture of crystal radio sets was that public telephones were soon without earpieces as they had been appropriated for crystal sets.

As food was becoming scarcer the cost of a Christmas turkey had escalated from £2 17s 6d at auction the previous year to £25 on the black market. At the time of writing this in December 2023 £25 is the equivalent of £1,452 and the equivalent of the 1941 price is £156.⁹ It was at this time that the Germans imposed price restrictions as they were ‘Shocked and horrified’ at the prices being asked. This legislation had little effect other than to force people to turn to the black market or theft.

Unlike the previous year the curfew was not extended to 1am and people had to be indoors by 9pm throughout the Christmas period. Ord records in his diary an encounter with a fellow who wished him a happy Christmas and opined that they hadn’t extended the curfew because they knew they were losing the war.

Some Christmas traditions continued with the panto carrying on.

This was the first Christmas for those deported in September 1942 to Biberach, Wurzach-Allgau, and Laufen. Red Cross parcels had not yet started to arrive at all of the camps so they were on meagre rations of watery soup twice a day and a one kg loaf between five people each day.

Those evacuated to the UK continued on as in previous years with parties for the children and life carrying on as usual, within the constraints of rationing. They were probably in the best position of everyone at this point in the war.

Mr & Mrs H J Morgan of Yeovil advertised in the local newspaper that they had a copy of a booklet, produced by the Channel Islands Refugee Committee, which told of conditions in Guernsey and the German pronouncements. This was based on information obtained from the ‘Guernsey Press’ and the ‘Star’ between 16th September and 2nd October 1942.¹⁰

The advert advised that they would be happy to show the booklet to anyone and that a copy was available at the office of the newspaper. This booklet was the ‘Channel Islands Monthly Review’.¹¹ Given the dates of the newspapers and the lack of any escapes from Guernsey in this time period, other than one escape on 15th September 1942 it is safe to assume that this information came from this escape and the commando raid on Sark, Operation Basalt. The information must have been passed to the review by military intelligence.

This would seem to have been the most information provided to the public since the escape in September 1940 which I wrote about here.

Back in Guernsey Christmas 1942 did not pass without another incident with a drunken German and a firearm. This time the victim was a cow which was shot whilst some Germans were out horse riding.

1943

Potatoes had been scarce for some time and one would have to queue for hours in order to obtain your ration. It wasn’t unusual to find that the queue for the market trader or shop that you were attempting to purchase supplies from ran out before you reached the front of the queue. During Christmas week a supply of 2lbs of potatoes was authorised but this had the unfortunate consequence that the following week supplies were completely exhausted and none were to be had until April.¹²

Evacuated Guernsey children singing was broadcast on the BBC at 10:45am from the UK. Although how many of those in Guernsey would have heard it? They had to listen on illegal radios and usually only risked that for the news.¹³

One evacuee received a Christmas parcel from Mrs Roosevelt, the wife of the US President.

In Jersey, permission had to be sought from the Germans to sing carols out of doors.

Life for those that had been deported was somewhat better as they received regular Red Cross parcels, one per person per week, and sometimes parcels from relatives in the United Kingdom. The Red Cross parcels included; milk, fruit, jam, fish, soap, and cigarettes. Some toys and board games were also received. The December parcels also included sweets and small Christmas puddings.

This Christmas another edition of the ‘Channel Islands Monthly Review’ was able to provide a great deal of information about life in Guernsey for the period ending 23 August 1943. The review mysteriously says that the information is compiled from several sources without divulging anything further. Given the dates referred to it is likely to be from escapes from the islands. You can read the news if you open the scanned copy of the review on the link below.

1944

Electricity supplies were rationed and cut off at the mains. Gas supplies were strictly rationed and eventually exhausted just before Christmas 1944. This reduced those with no other method of cooking to attempt to cook in their fireplaces, but that was only if they could obtain wood or coal both of which were scarce.

The Guernsey authorities had argued with the Germans and succeeded in being allowed to issue six ounces of beef, six ounces of rice, a little cheese and some cooking fat. A typical Christmas Day meal in many houses therefore consisted of some fried potatoes for breakfast, followed by a meal with some meat and a pudding fashioned from some apples and rice for lunch. There was no milk to use in the pudding. A pudding in these times was a luxury. Bramble tea substitute was the drink that was typically had. ¹⁴

I have tried bramble tea and can assure you dear reader that it tastes nothing like tea or indeed anything else one may wish to drink.

If they were lucky they may get some thin soup made with cattle carrots, turnips or parsley.

Carrots and parsnips eaten in a house without heating or light was Christmas day dinner.

Letter received in May 1945, after the liberation, by Florence Adey from her relatives in Guernsey.¹⁵

The Taylor family Christmas Day lunch consisted of one dog biscuit, an apple, some seaweed and a tiny portion of meat from their ration for each of them.¹⁶.

Islanders did get a late Christmas present in the form of the arrival of the Red Cross ship ‘Vega’. The ship arrived in Guernsey on the 27th December with parcels for the islanders before sailing on to Jersey on the evening of the 30th December.

The parcels contained things that they had not seen for years such as salmon, corned beef, lamb, coffee, tea, jam, chocolate, condensed milk and marmalade.

Those in camps in Germany received the last of their parcels in December 1944 after which the German transport system collapsed so they were unable to be delivered.

For the evacuated children the Christmas parties continued as in the prior years. Fortunately for most of them this was to be their last Christmas away from their homes and relatives.

As in 1943 a Guernsey Girls choir was broadcast again on the BBC. 

Conclusion

If you have made it this far thank you. You will probably be feeling, like me, extremely grateful for the Christmas you are about to have compared to that experienced by those during the occupation. We will be surrounded by friends and family with as much to eat and drink as we want. Swapping presents, not worried about being bombed, and able to go about your business as you please.

I hope all of my readers have a happy and healthy Christmas and New Year. Thank you for your support since I started writing the blog. I really value all of the comments, feedback and information provided. It takes a lot of time to pull these blogs together and this makes it all worth it.

I hope that you have enjoyed reading the blog post.

I also co-host a podcast with Keith Pengelley in which we talk about the occupation of the Channel Islands month by month using first hand accounts, diaries and our research in the archives. You can find us on all the major podcast services. Just search “Islands at War” or visit our podcast page here.

You can also follow the blog on Twitter at @Fortress_Island where I share other information and photographs. If you prefer Facebook I also have a page there. 

If you would like to receive email notifications of future blogs, you can sign up to the right of this blog post or here. Feel free to look around the website, where I have categorised posts to make them easier to find and other resources such as tours, places to visit and films that may be of interest.

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I will be adding more as time permits. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I hope you enjoyed it. Please share it on social media or add a comment if you did. Feedback is always appreciated.

Also happy to be contacted with questions about the war in the Channel Islands, media appearances, podcasts etc.

© Nick Le Huray

Footnotes

1. The German Occupation of the Channel Islands – Charles Cruickshank P199 ↩︎
2. Guernsey Under German Rule- Ralph Durand P75 ↩︎
3. Jersey Heritage Archive – Discontinuation of the issue of tea, stocks being held at the Overseas Trading Corporation Ltd. Special Christmas issue of tea. Ref B/A/W32/2/32 ↩︎
4. Diary of Jersey under the Swatika: A daily account 1940 – 1945 by Philip Le Sauteur P70 ↩︎
5. The Manchester Evening News 20th December 1940. ↩︎
6. Guernsey Occupation Diaries 1940-1945 – Douglas Ord P174 ↩︎
7. Alderley & Wilmslow Advertiser – Friday 26 December 1941 ↩︎
8. Guernsey Under German Rule- Ralph Durand P120 ↩︎
9. Guernsey Under German Rule- Ralph Durand P154 ↩︎
10. Western Gazette – Friday 25 December 1942 ↩︎
11. Channel Islands Monthly Review – was produced and distributed around the country ↩︎
12. Guernsey Under German Rule- Ralph Durand P156 ↩︎
13. Leicester Evening Mail – Friday 24 December 1943 ↩︎
14. Guernsey Under German Rule- Ralph Durand P244 ↩︎
15. Coventry Evening Telegraph – Thursday 31 May 1945 ↩︎
16. Interview with Peter Taylor New Milton Advertiser – Saturday 12 August 1995 ↩︎