Onlookers reflect on Queen’s life during castle’s gun salute
NINETY-SIX bangs were heard across St Peter Port as a gun salute took place at Castle Cornet to honour each year of the Queen’s life.
Onlookers gathered around the harbour to watch the display and were deep in thought as they experienced the event.
Mary MacKinnon from Inverness was in the island visiting her daughter and both watched the salute from the top of the Yacht Club.
‘We came out to watch because this is something we’ve never experienced before and might never experience again,’ she said.
‘It is a huge event and a great opportunity to celebrate the life of the Queen.’
Aaron and Amy Coutu said that the Queen’s death is a huge loss for the world.
‘It is a real shame, it’s sad but it was inevitable,’ said Mrs Coutu.
‘It has shaken the world and it was like when Diana died, it just happened so quickly.’
House-mates Silviya Stoyanova and Aaron Heathcock were visiting Guernsey on a day trip from Poole.
They had booked it previously and had not expected the Queen to die the day before their trip.
‘We hadn’t planned for it at all, but we thought we’d see the gun salute while we were in the island,’ they said.
Miss Stoyanova is originally from Bulgaria and had heard about Guernsey through colleagues.
‘We’ll explore the island later or we’ll have to come back,’ she said.
‘For now, we’re seeing how Guernsey is celebrating the Queen’s life.’
Battery commander Rob Grant led the gun salute.
‘It is not necessarily our duty to do it, but it was something that we felt really strongly about,’ he said.
‘It is really unusual to have had Prince Philip last year and the Queen this year.’
Twenty-five gunmen were on site at the castle, with individual roles including loading, firing and taking safety precautions.
Mr Grant timed the display and a gun was fired every 10 seconds.
‘It was strange because the castle was closed to the public, compared to the Jubilee when we had the best turnout of people. This was a lot different,’ he said.
‘We are pleased that the 96 gun salute went well and as planned and we are hoping that the crowds will come into the castle for the 21 gun salute.’
