Liberation Day is the most important day in Guernsey’s calendar and commemorates the islands’ freedom from the German Occupation during World War II.
Celebrated annually on 9th May, the festivities provide an opportunity for islanders to remember the days of Occupation, which played such a monumental role in shaping both the landscape and the lives of the people of Guernsey.
Find the 2022 Liberation Day programme of events below.
10:00 - 17:00 | HMS Medusa open to visitors (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 7th May: 10am - 5pm
Sunday 8th May: 10am - 5pm
Monday 9th May: 10am - 2pm
Tuesday 10th May: 10am - 4.30pm
To access the vessel visit the pontoon at the end of Crown Pier.
10:00 - 17:00 | HMS Medusa open to visitors (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 7th May: 10am - 5pm
Sunday 8th May: 10am - 5pm
Monday 9th May: 10am - 2pm
Tuesday 10th May: 10am - 4.30pm
To access the vessel visit the pontoon at the end of Crown Pier.
19:30 - 'Beat the Retreat' on Albert Pier, St. Peter Port
“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.
09:00 | Schools Relay Race in St. Peter Port
The historic Guernsey Schools Relay Race will be back in St. Peter Port again this year with races for boys and girls.
09:40 | The Liberation Day Military Parade
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.
10:00 - 14:00 | HMS Medusa open to visitors (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 7th May: 10am - 5pm
Sunday 8th May: 10am - 5pm
Monday 9th May: 10am - 2pm
Tuesday 10th 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.
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11:00 - 16:00 | Liberation Music at Castle Cornet (Castle Cornet open for free entry from 10am-4pm)
11:00 - 00:00 | Parish Events Programme
Plans for a parish-focused Liberation Day are well underway with local events already on offer in eight parishes. View the full programme here.
12:00 - 16:45 | Islandwide Community Cavalcade
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.
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16:00 | The Bugles And Drums Of The Stedfast Association Band performance
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.
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10:00 - The Liberation Day Military Parade
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 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 is being livestreamed and can be viewed below.
11:00 - 16:00 Liberation Music at Castle Cornet (Castle Cornet open for free entry from 10am-4pm)
10.00 |
Castle Opens |
|
All day |
Exhibition and Poetry Display of select images from Olympia McEwan’s Exhibition “In Lasting Memory”, recorded poetry from Trudy Shannon, static poetry display |
Well Walk Magazine |
All day |
Area for Reflection 1940’s song and Liberation 75: Freedom not Forgotten exhibition |
South Battery |
10.0 – 14.00 |
Activities Flag decorating, Liberation Collages, lawn games |
Amherst Room / Lawn area |
10.30 – 15.00 |
Face Painting |
Top Lawn |
11.00 – 13.00 |
Guille Alles Library Story Telling |
Top Lawn |
11.00 – 14.00 |
11.00 Guernsey History In Action "Liberation Scenes" |
Middle Ward |
11.00 – 15.15 |
11.00 Ocean White 12.15 GU10 |
Outer Ward |
12.00 |
Noon Day Gun |
Royal Battery |
13.30 – 14.30 |
B Creative Dance |
Top Lawn |
15.00 |
Castle Bridge will close for the 21 gun salute |
|
15.00 |
Guernsey Youth Choir |
Middle Ward |
15.20 |
Liberation Day Ecumenical Service |
Middle Ward |
15.30 |
Guernsey Music Service Youth Choir sing Sarnia Cherie |
Middle Ward |
15.45 |
21 Gun Salute |
Saluting Battery |
16.00 |
Castle Bridge will open |
|
16.00 |
Castle Closes |
There will be no vehicular access onto the Castle Emplacement between 14.00 – 17.00
There will be no parking on the Castle Emplacement apart from along the Havelet Wall
11:00 - 00:00: Parish Events Programme
Plans for a parish-focused Liberation Day are well underway with local events already on offer in seven parishes. View the full programme here.
12:00 - 16:45 Islandwide Community Cavalcade
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 of the cavalcade will take place in the afternoon at approximately 4pm so be sure to tune in to watch live.
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.
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