Sark celebrates its own Liberation Day
SARK celebrated its Liberation Day yesterday.
While allied troops arrived on Guernsey and Jersey on 9 May 1945, Sark was not officially liberated for another 24 hours.
Seigneur Christopher Beaumont led a short silence at the Men of Sark memorial at 11am alongside members of the Royal British Legion.
During the afternoon the Seigneur then hosted a cream tea at the La Seigneurie Gardens for the nine remaining Sarkees who stayed on the island during the occupation.
The evening was planned to finish with a Sark-based quiz in the Island Hall.
‘It should be very interesting to see what we get right,’ he said.
Next year’s celebrations for the 80th anniversary would be bigger in Sark too, he said.
Among those who travelled to Sark for the celebrations was well known Liberation Day supporter Geoff Le Gallez, who had chosen a special suit for the trip, embroidered with a horse and carriage.
Mr Le Gallez travels to Sark for its Liberation Day every year, which coincides with his own birthday
‘I always bring my daughter with me to Sark to hep celebrate my birthday,’ he said.
‘I’ve seen some of my friends and I’ve paid my respects at the cemetery.
‘There’s no comparison with Sark and Guernsey’s celebrations for Liberation Day. Sark is a small community and they do the best they can.’
On 9 May 1945, when the news of Germany’s unconditional surrender reached the island, locals lit a victory bonfire on the cliffs on Sark.
This caused a great deal of concern in Guernsey and resulted in 10 British soldiers arriving on Sark the next day to formally accept the German surrender.
Not having sufficient British troops available, the island’s formidable Dame, Sibyl Hathaway, was put in charge of the islands 270 German soldiers.
