Alderney marks the 70th anniversary of Homecoming

ALDERNEY said a rousing thank-you to its post-war Homecomers yesterday to mark the 70th anniversary since the first evacuees returned to the island.

With a flash of the indomitable spirit that saw them rebuild the island from scratch after five years of exile, dozens of returnees waited in the wintry rain to watch a plaque unveiled outside the courthouse, the first in a string of events organised to celebrate their outstanding efforts.

As a peal rang out on bells stripped from the belfry and returned after the war, the Rev. Arthur Mignot unveiled a new plaque outside the Courthouse inscribed with a note penned by Judge French on 22 June 1940 instructing residents on how they should prepare for evacuation.

After the unveiling, the Salvation Army's Charlie Greenslade coaxed a poignant rendition of Home Sweet Home out of his cornet. That cornet is the very instrument on which John McCarthy played the same tune aboard the Autocarrier as it rounded into Braye Harbour on the morning of 15 December 1945.

At noon, around 150 people poured into St Anne's Church for an ecumenical thanksgiving service led by the new Dean of Guernsey, the Very Rev. Tim Barker.

Readings were taken from The Alderney Story, detailing the Homecoming and the tumultuous days that followed.

After that Homecomers and evacuees were invited to a vin d'honneur at the Island Hall at which States President Stuart Trought read out a history of the return to Alderney.

'Without your prodigious hard work and dedication we would not be living in this beautiful island that we live in today,' he said.

'Whatever challenges we face in restoring the island can never match those you faced in 1945. You overcame them through huge efforts… and we must take our cue from your indomitable spirit and look at what you did for the island and the confidence you showed by returning here and staying to transform our island 70 years ago.'

Later in the afternoon returnees were shown a film on recollections of the Homecoming, titled, appropriately, The Homecoming.

Returnee Patsy Martel said she was thrilled that so much had been laid on. 'I think it's great,' she said. 'I haven't had such a hectic day for years and years. It's wonderful that there's so much going on and to be part of. I think it's high time that the Homecoming was taken note of like this.'