HMS Medusa is a Harbour Defence Motor Launch (HDML). Built in Poole in 1943 by RA Newman, Medusa is now the last of 464 vessels of her class that is in original and seagoing condition. Entirely built of wood and powered by diesel engines, she is not fast (12 knots) but has huge endurance of 2500 miles. HDMLs were designed to provide an offshore anti-submarine screen for harbours but were used for convoy escort, offensive operations and agent landing and recovery.

Medusa was navigational leader for Omaha beach on D Day,  leaving Portland on 4 June to mark the edge of a minefield for minesweepers and then staying on station as a beacon for the invasion fleet. She went on to take the surrender of the port of Ijmuiden  in Holland before becoming the first Allied vessel to reach Amsterdam. Post war she became an inshore survey vessel before decommissioning in 1968. She is now one of the UKs historic fleet and is operated by the Medusa Trust, a registered charity.  During the 1970s, she was a frequent visitor to Alderney and St Peter Port. She last visited St Peter Port in June 2019.  www.hmsmedusa.org.uk.

HMS Medusa will visit Guernsey over the Liberation Day weekend and be open to visitors on Crown Pier. Open times as follows:

Saturday 7^th May: 10am - 5pm
Sunday 8^th May: 10am - 5pm
Monday 9^th May: 10am - 2pm
Tuesday 10^th May: 10am - 4.30pm

To access the vessel visit the pontoon at the end of Crown Pier.

HMS Medusa is a Harbour Defence Motor Launch (HDML). Built in Poole in 1943 by RA Newman, Medusa is now the last of 464 vessels of her class that is in original and seagoing condition. Entirely built of wood and powered by diesel engines, she is not fast (12 knots) but has huge endurance of 2500 miles. HDMLs were designed to provide an offshore anti-submarine screen for harbours but were used for convoy escort, offensive operations and agent landing and recovery.

Medusa was navigational leader for Omaha beach on D Day,  leaving Portland on 4 June to mark the edge of a minefield for minesweepers and then staying on station as a beacon for the invasion fleet. She went on to take the surrender of the port of Ijmuiden  in Holland before becoming the first Allied vessel to reach Amsterdam. Post war she became an inshore survey vessel before decommissioning in 1968. She is now one of the UKs historic fleet and is operated by the Medusa Trust, a registered charity.  During the 1970s, she was a frequent visitor to Alderney and St Peter Port. She last visited St Peter Port in June 2019.  www.hmsmedusa.org.uk.

HMS Medusa will visit Guernsey over the Liberation Day weekend and be open to visitors on Crown Pier. Open times as follows:

Saturday 7^th May: 10am - 5pm
Sunday 8^th May: 10am - 5pm
Monday 9^th May: 10am - 2pm
Tuesday 10^th May: 10am - 4.30pm

To access the vessel visit the pontoon at the end of Crown Pier.

“Beat the Retreat” Visiting and local members of the Bugles And Drums Of The Stedfast Association (BADOTSA) will be joined by the local Guernsey Boys’ Brigade Band and everyone is welcome to come along and enjoy the marching and music.

The band was formed in 2000 by ex-members of The Boys' Brigade in London, to help celebrate the Millennium, and was previously known as the 'London Stedfast Association Bugle Band'. On 1st January 2010, the band changed its name to its current one, in recognition that bands Members, who all give their time freely, come from all over the United Kingdom, Guernsey and beyond. BADOTSA the “Bugles And Drums Of The Stedfast Association.”

In November 2021, the bands, sixty plus members strong made its fifth appearance in the prestigious annual City of London, Lord Mayor's Parade, and in the last few years performances have taken place on The Somme Battlefield in France, Edinburgh Castle, Malta, Guernsey, Northern Ireland, and Wales.

The morning of Monday 9 May will begin with the siren sounded from Victoria Tower at 8:59 am, in remembrance of those who fought in the Second World War.  This will be followed by a two-minute silence before the sounding of the 'all clear' siren.

The historic Guernsey Schools Relay Race will be back in St. Peter Port again this year with races for boys and girls.

The The Liberation Day Military Parade will start at The North Beach carpark, ending at Town Church. The parade will be inspected by the Governor, Lieutenant General Richard Cripwell.

The Bailiff of Guernsey will lay a commemorative wreath at the War Memorial at 09:50am.

HMS Medusa is a Harbour Defence Motor Launch (HDML). Built in Poole in 1943 by RA Newman, Medusa is now the last of 464 vessels of her class that is in original and seagoing condition. Entirely built of wood and powered by diesel engines, she is not fast (12 knots) but has huge endurance of 2500 miles. HDMLs were designed to provide an offshore anti-submarine screen for harbours but were used for convoy escort, offensive operations and agent landing and recovery.

Medusa was navigational leader for Omaha beach on D Day,  leaving Portland on 4 June to mark the edge of a minefield for minesweepers and then staying on station as a beacon for the invasion fleet. She went on to take the surrender of the port of Ijmuiden  in Holland before becoming the first Allied vessel to reach Amsterdam. Post war she became an inshore survey vessel before decommissioning in 1968. She is now one of the UKs historic fleet and is operated by the Medusa Trust, a registered charity.  During the 1970s, she was a frequent visitor to Alderney and St Peter Port. She last visited St Peter Port in June 2019.  www.hmsmedusa.org.uk.

HMS Medusa will visit Guernsey over the Liberation Day weekend and be open to visitors on Crown Pier. Open times as follows:

Saturday 7^th May: 10am - 5pm
Sunday 8^th May: 10am - 5pm
Monday 9^th May: 10am - 2pm
Tuesday 10^th May: 10am - 4.30pm

To access the vessel visit the pontoon at the end of Crown Pier.

The traditional Church Service at the Town Church will take place alongside services across the Island's churches to mark the day at 11 am. The full service, including all music and hymns, is being livestreamed and can be viewed below. The livestream will begin at 10.45am with the church service beginning at 11am.

Download the service sheet here. Copyright hymns are used by permission under CCL license no 2328071.

Plans for a parish-focused Liberation Day are well underway with local events already on offer in eight parishes. View the full programme here.

The much-anticipated island-wide Cavalcade is set to return this Liberation Day. Organisers have released this year’s route, where the Cavalcade, supported by JT, will visit all ten parishes on Monday 9 May.

Approximately 100 military vehicles and motorbikes from the Guernsey Military Vehicle Group, classic cars from the Old Car Club and tractors will travel over 30 miles on the afternoon of Liberation Day. Decorated tractors will join them at Pembroke until the end of the route and  Islanders will be able to pick any spot around the Island to watch the cavalcade go past. Click here for further details about the 2022 route.

A livestream will begin at 3.50pm with the cavalcade passing our cameras at approximately 4pm on the day so be sure to tune in to watch live.

The Bugles And Drums Of The Stedfast Association Band (BADOTSA) will play at the Castle emplacement as the Cavalcade travels around the model Yacht Pond.

The traditional fireworks always signal the end of the day’s celebrations and will be launched from their usual location at Castle Cornet. To ensure as many people can view them as possible we will be livestreaming the full fireworks display below. The livestream will begin at 9pm with the fireworks display taking place at approximately 9.15pm.