Peggy, 93, collects Liberation Day gift hamper in Army Jeep
ISLANDERS who lived through the Occupation were celebrated for the second year in a row with liberation-themed gift hampers.
More than 500 were given out yesterday at Beau Sejour containing Guernsey gache, banana bread, loose leaf tea, butter, fresh milk and war-themed post cards.
The initiative is run as a collaboration between law firm Collas Crill and the Committee for Education Sport & Culture.
‘We want to include all members of our community in Liberation Day celebrations,’ said ESC head of marketing and events, Nikki Symons.
‘Many aren’t able to take part in the main celebrations so its nice for them to be recognised here.’
The initiative was started last year when the hampers were distributed to residential homes by Guernsey Post. This year it was extended to allow islanders still living at home to sign up.
Among those was 93-year-old Peggy Chutter, who collected her hamper in her family’s 1943 Second World War Willys Jeep, otherwise known as a US Army truck.
She was the youngest of three children, with one brother in the army and the other a policeman.
‘My other brother joined the police force because he was originally a carpenter, but when the Germans made him work for them he quit,’ she said.
She was seven years old when war broke out and said her main memories of the time were being hungry, as well as going down to Petit Bot to gather wood to heat the house.
She also remembered walking down to Town to celebrate Liberation Day.
She went on to have four children and nine grandchildren, some of whom will be taking part in the cavalcade today in their Jeep.
