Bailiwick remembers
YESTERDAY’S Remembrance Sunday service in St Peter Port was one of the few to go ahead in the British Isles with full community involvement.
Alderney also held a public Remembrance Sunday service.
The Dean of Guernsey, the Very Rev. Tim Barker, who led the service, paid tribute to all those who had served and died for peace, justice and freedom.
‘We gather once more in grateful remembrance of those who gave their lives in time of war,’ he said.
‘This year there are few communities in the British Isles where people can gather in Remembrance like we can here in St Peter Port and in the parishes and the islands of this Bailiwick of Guernsey.
‘Let us remember those who died in the wars and conflicts over the last century and more recently those who we have known and whose memory we treasure and all who have lived and worked in the service of humanity.’
In the UK, commemorations were scaled back due to coronavirus restrictions.
The annual service at the Cenotaph in London went ahead yesterday, but the thousands of people who would normally attend were unable to do so.
It was the first time in the Cenotaph’s 100-year history that the traditional 11am service was closed off to members of the public, who instead marked the event from home.
That was in marked contrast to St Peter Port with hundreds of islanders turning out to pay their respects to those who have served in the armed forces, as well as their relatives, friends and all of those who knew them and have been affected by war in some way.
The parade and annual service at the Smith Street war memorial was organised by the Royal British Legion. The parade set off from the Town Arsenal, arriving at the war memorial in time for the 11am service.
A bugler sounded The Last Post at 10.58am, followed by the firing of the cannon at Castle Cornet signalling the start and end of the two-minute silence.
Dozens of wreaths were laid at the memorial, including by Lt-Governor Vice-Admiral Sir Ian Corder, the Bailiff, Richard McMahon, representatives of the Royal Court, the Royal British Legion, the States of Guernsey, the douzaines and the armed forces.
Navy, Army and Royal Air Force hymns were sung during the wreath-laying, which lasted for around a quarter of an hour.
