Vega

Vega and Red Cross Parcels

Families walking home clinging to their precious food parcels

After the D-day landings in 1944 the Channel islands were completely isolated and their situation became desperate, with no imports of food and other essential commodities possible.

1970 anniversary stamp issue

The British government reminded the German commander that it was the duty of the occupying authority to feed the civilian population. On 12 November the German authorities allowed the Bailiff of Jersey, Alexander Coutanche, to send a message to the British government giving details of the state of the islands’ supplies.

The Home Office issued a letter on 9 November 1944, proposing that the Joint War Operation of the British Red Cross and Order of St John take action to help the islanders. The government would provide facilities for sending food parcels to British civilians on the islands, subject to the same conditions under which parcels were sent to prisoners of war.

The German government agreed to accept a supply of food to the islands and on 8 December the Bailiff announced in the Evening Post that help was on the way, and that a ship had been due to leave Portugal the day before. It took a little longer than anticipated and it was not until 20 December 1944 that the Red Cross ship Vega left Lisbon bound for the islands carrying food parcels and diet supplies for the ill. She arrived in Guernsey with her life-saving cargo on 27 December and in Jersey on 30 December, commencing unloading there the following morning.

The Vega carried:

• 119,792 standard food parcels
• 4,200 diet supplement parcels for the ill
• 5.2 tons of salt
• Four tons of soap
• 96,000 cigarettes
• 1850 kg medical and surgical supplies
• a small quantity of clothing for children and babies

The Germans insisted in searching Vega food parcels

The Bailiff of Guernsey wrote to the JWO to convey the grateful thanks of the inhabitants when the first shipment arrived. He said that the parcels had arrived at the most opportune moment. Islanders also showed their gratitude after the Vega’s first voyage, when a Red Cross fund was opened in Jersey. By October 1945 it had reached £125,000. The people of Guernsey raised £46,000 for the fund. The letter from the inhabitants that accompanied the cheque explained that they were “trying to show their undying gratitude to the British and Empire Red Cross Societies for the great and timely aid which they had received from them”.

The Vega sailed five more times. In relief voyages between February and April 1945, she brought mixed cargoes of Red Cross parcels and commodities supplied by the British government. The JWO sent a letter to the Home Office on 9 February 1945 stating the items the ship was carrying:

• standard food parcels
• invalid diet supplement parcels
• standard medical unit parcels
• medical and surgical supplies
• educational material
• books and indoor recreations
• outdoor games
• soap and toiletries.

On 9 May 1945 the Channel Islands were freed from German occupation. The JWO agreed with the Home Office that the Vega should make one more journey, clearing the cargo lying at Lisbon and already planned for her to load. The JWO was able to provide 200,000 standard food parcels and medical parcels to the islands.

On the sixth and final journey on 31 May 1945, the Vega carried:

• 21,232 standard food parcels
• 118 bales of medical supplies
• 23 cases of x-ray equipment
• 721.5 tons of flour
• 1.75 tons of yeast
• 38 tons of sugar
• 26 tons of soap
• 1,888 cases of biscuits
• 502 bales of clothing
• 163 bales of boots and shoes
• 155 drums of paraffin
• 71 barrels of diesel oil
• ten cases of honey
• 150 sacks of salt
• two cases of clothing.

In total, the Vega brought the islands 456,264 standard food parcels. The ship also carried 22,200 invalid diet supplement parcels.

The Vega depicted on a phonecard

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  Jersey and Guernsey Bailiffs Alexander Coutanche and Victor Carey met on 28 December 1944 to discuss Red Cross supplies from the Vega
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  The Vega arrives in St Helier Harbour for the first time
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  The Vega reached Jersey at the end of 1944
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  The Vega docked in St Helier Harbour
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  A previously unpublished photograph of Vega berthed on the Albert Pier on her second visit
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  The Vega rady to unload her vital cargo
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  Red Cross representatives met by German officials
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  The captain of the Vega meets German officials at Government House
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  Unloading the Vega
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  St John Ambulance members helped unload
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  Parcels craned off the ship
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  Unloading crates of parcels
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  The Germans insisted in searching Vega food parcels
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  Alexander Coutanche on board the Vega
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  8 May 1945
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  8 May 1945
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  8 May 1945

Heading for home with treasured Vega parcels. Dolly Mullholand (just out of photo), Mr Le Fondre, Lara Palmer, Beryl Skeels, Mrs Tucker, Mrs Le Fondre, Dorothy (Dolly) Dolbel, John Dolbel and Gary Dolbel in prams. Front: Deanne Palmer and David Isherwood.

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  Queuing to collect Vega parcels
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  Boys return home with their family's parcels in a home-made barrow
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  A wider view of the iconic picture of the family taking their parcels home shown in the box at the top of the page
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  The contents of the Red Cross parcels
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  A Vega parcel delights a Jersey family
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  Vega departs
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  The Sutherland family with their parcels
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  A Red Cross parcel
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  Bailiff's letter of thanks to the Red Cross

Jersey Museum exhibit