Families to return for remembrance service

ISLANDERS will remember lost navy and marines personnel who died when HMS Charybdis and HMS Limbourne sank during the Second World War, at a special service this Sunday.

The scene at last year's service held at the Foulon in memory of those who died aboard HMS Charybdis and HMS Limbourne. (Picture by Andrew Le Poidevin, 31288650)

This year marks the 79th anniversary of the sinking of the vessels in 1943. More than 500 Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel died, with 21 bodies were washed ashore locally. They were buried with full military honours at the Foulon Cemetery.

This funeral service was undertaken by the occupying forces at the time and a ban was imposed on the population attending.

However, more than 5,000 islanders attended the service in defiance of the orders of the occupying forces.

Chris Welsby, president of the Guernsey Association of Royal Navy, Royal Marines & Merchant Navy, said there would be a parade from The Ladies’ College to Foulon Cemetery at 2.35pm.

A service will then be held at 3pm, when wreaths will be laid.

‘We have had restrictions on visitors to Guernsey over the past two years and this year we will see the return of the families of men lost on HMS Charybdis and Limbourne and that of the Royal Navy, who support the remembrance weekend,’ Mr Welsby said.

n The Fleet Air Arm Football team will play a Guernsey Development team on Saturday, with kick-off at 4pm, preceded by a veterans’ game at 2pm. Both games will be played at Blanche Pierre Lane in St Martin's.