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The 2018 Liberation Day commemorations will start in the traditional manner with the sounding of the island's remaining air raid siren ahead of a parade and church service.
At 09:00 the siren on Victoria Tower will sound before the all clear is also heard. The siren can be heard across St Peter Port and further afield on a good day and signals the start of the formalities which mark the anniversary of the island's liberation from German occupying forces in 1945.
Pictured: Victoria Tower
The Liberation Church Parade, which will be under the command of Tim Slann, will start at 10:00.
The parade will march off from St Julian’s Emplacement heading towards the Town Church before mustering on the North Esplanade in front of the Tourist Information Centre where it will be inspected by His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor and The Bailiff.
If anyone wants to view the Parade and Inspection, the pavements on the seaward side of the North Esplanade will be allocated for public viewing.
Pictured: File image of a previous Liberation Church Service. Image from guernseyliberationday.com
Following the Liberation Church Parade Sir Ian Corder and Sir Richard Collas will join other invited guests and members of the public at the Liberation Church Service at the Town Church. There will also be an outdoor congregation in the 'Home Front marquee' on the Crown Pier where the service will be broadcast on two large screens. Sheets will be provided inside the marquee so that all members of the congregation can follow the service.
In total there will be seating for approximately 500 people at either the Town Church or the marquee.
The Liberation Church Service will start at 11:00 but the doors will open from 10:00, anyone wanting to sit in the Church is asked to be seated no later than 10:30, with some seating allocated and the rest on a first come first served basis.
Pictured: File image of the Cobo slipway service. Image from the guernseyliberationday.com
Away from St Peter Port there will be other commemorative events marking 73 years of liberation.
At Cobo a short service will be conducted on the slipway leading to the beach which will include the blessing of a Guernsey flag which will then be taken out to Grosse Rocque where it will be raised on a flagpole. The annual Liberation Day tradition is one of the oldest events in the calendar, having started soon after the end of World War II. It will be followed by a coffee morning at the Cobo Community Centre.
St Peters Church will host the re-established Country Liberation Day Service, for all interdenominational faiths at 11:00.
The Reverend Adrian Datta will officiate the service which will include four short accounts from individuals who either lived through the occupation or were evacuated.
Parking is available in Les Brehaut Playing Fields but those with mobility difficulties can be dropped off at the top of St Peters Church. The service will be followed by a buffet lunch at Styx from 12:30.
There will be a collection for the Salvation Army (Guernsey branch) to contribute to its work in the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
Pictured top: File image of a previous Liberation Church Parade Image from guernseyliberationday.com
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