The ships that brought hope and trouble

In September 1940, two Jersey-registered vessels: the SS Normand and the MV Spinel, began operating supply runs between France and the Channel Islands. These were not ordinary merchant ships; they were lifelines for the besieged islanders, bringing in much-needed food and goods as the full impact of isolation set in.

Crewed by islanders who knew the treacherous waters well, these ships quickly became entwined in controversy. The Normand’s original captain, Charles Sowden (pictured second row, far right), angered the Germans when he flatly refused to transport military equipment for the occupiers. His principled stance earned him arrest and removal from duty. His successor met a similar fate - caught secretly smuggling letters destined for England, he too was detained by the authorities.

As time passed and suspicions deepened, the Germans tightened their grip. By the end of 1941, both vessels were no longer operated independently but instead fell under full German control. The ships that once symbolised hope and self-reliance had become unwilling tools of the regime, a sobering reminder of how quickly trust could vanish under occupation.