'We can't thank them enough': Margaret Loughlin's SS Vega memories 80 years on

  • The third piece of our special five-part series marking the 80th anniversary of the arrival of the SS Vega

  • Sophie Dulson meets Margaret Loughlin from Jersey, who shares her memories of the day she received her parcel

The Channel Islands are marking a special milestone anniversary: celebrating 80 years since the SS Vega docked into Jersey and Guernsey harbours to deliver thousands of precious Red Cross parcels.

From December 1944, the relief ship delivered more than 100,000 Red Cross parcels, helping to keep thousands alive during the Occupation.

Each package contained food, toiletries, and medical supplies to bolster islanders' diets who had to make do with very little during the German Occupation.

Across 2024, ITV Channel's Sophie Dulson interviewed five islanders who revisited their special memories of receiving their parcels.

The SS Vega's cargo

The SS Vega arrived in Guernsey on 27 December and in Jersey on 31 December. Credit: Société Jersiaise

  • 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

  • Medical and surgical supplies (equivalent to 1,850kg or 3,700lb)

  • A small quantity of clothing for children and babies

Margaret Loughlin's story:

Credit: Margaret Loughlin

Margaret was born in the early 1930s and grew up in St Aubin with her father, mother and elder sister. Most of her childhood was spent living under German rule.

She recounts: "We lived at Hillcot in St Aubin on the hill. I remember when the Germans arrived they were all in order and walking up the hill.

"Of course, we went outside and stood on the doorstep to look at the Germans arriving - it was frightening actually."

Margaret remembers that moment as if it were yesterday, along with other memories that no child should have to recall.

She recalls: "One morning we went outside and there were our six rabbits' heads all on the doorstep. They'd been stolen during the night and they just left the heads - that was horrendous.

"It's things that don't go away."

Margaret and her mother stood outside their home in St Aubin. Credit: Margaret Loughlin

After years of conforming to the Nazi regime, Margaret eventually decided to rebel.

"I stole a block of coal because we had no coal - nothing.

"My mother and father had a fit when I got back home because it was just down the road but I was determined to do it because I knew that they were suffering.

"It's just one of those things you do on the spur of the moment [when] you know you're desperate."

By the Winter of 1944, supplies to the island had nearly stopped and people were starving.

Margaret says: "My mother used to cry because she didn't have food to give us - it was awful.

"We'd try and get vegetables or something from somebody but it was hard [...] we didn't have a big garden at the back - you couldn't grow anything - so what do you do?"

A jar of sugar beet syrup from 1944. This would have been home-made during the Occupation. Credit: ITV Channel

Despite having very little during the years of Occupation, Margaret remembers islanders sharing what they did have to help others.

She explains: "We used to get some sugar beet syrup from Mr Daghorn, and he used to make sugar beet syrup. That was like a gift - it was lovely - something that we never had before."

Following the harshest few months of the Occupation, the arrival of the SS Vega spread hope and joy.

At the time, Margaret was 13 and recalls the Red Cross parcels' arrival being "like Christmas".

She adds: "I can remember walking up the hill after getting it and holding my Red Cross parcel.

"It was fantastic [...] I couldn't wait to get home to open it up and find out what's inside."

What did the Red Cross parcels contain?

Credit: Société Jersiaise

The Canadian parcels contained:

  • 5oz Chocolate, 12oz Biscuits, 3oz Sardines, 16oz Milk powder, 6oz Prunes, 8oz Salmon, 12oz Corned beef, 7oz Raisins, 8oz Sugar, 4oz Tea, 4oz Cheese, 16oz Marmalade, 16oz Butter, 10oz Spam, 3oz Soap and 1oz Pepper and salt

And the parcels from New Zealand held:

  • 4oz Tea, 16oz Corned mutton, 12oz Lamb and green peas, 6oz Chocolate, 16oz Butter, 16oz Coffee and milk, 6oz Sugar, 7oz Peas, 14oz Jam, 16oz Honey, 12oz Cheese and 6oz Raisins

Each parcel weighed around 10.5kg and was expected to feed someone for about a month.

Margaret describes: "You had the Klim [powdered milk], the sugar, the tea - all the different things in there - the jam, marmalade - it was wonderful."

More than 80 years after Margaret received her Red Cross parcel that sense of gratitude still exists today.

She concludes: "We can't forget that year and we can't thank them enough. You know you can't repay people for things like that - you'd like to.

"Please god, never happen again."

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