The Royal Guernsey Light Infantry Trust has already secured enough money to buy 16, La Rue Verte in Masnieres, but is looking to raise a further £350,000 which will be required for the refurbishment and expansion.
‘The house at number 16 was right at the centre of battle, it was surrounded by barricades, men took shelter in the cellars there, and it was very badly damaged,’ said Chris Oliver of the RGLI Trust.
‘It was restored after the war but has become derelict. The last time it was occupied was 30 years ago.’
A memorial was put in front of it because it is so relevant to the island, but the RGLI Trust has raised the money to buy the building, and plans to turn it into a multifunctional facility.
It will be used as an educational centre, supporting the Guernsey-Masnieres student exchange, accommodation and a culture and history section.
The original purpose of a cafe and community centre will be restored.
‘We have 25% of the money that we need for the full restoration and refuge and the build,’ said Mr Oliver.
‘Right now we’ve got enough not just to buy it, but to preserve it and stop it deteriorating and that is the greatest push we’ve got at the moment, to stop it getting any worse.
‘Any new developer would just knock it flat and would think we are totally mad for trying to preserve this building, but its historical significance is enormous.’
The fundraising campaign was launched at Government House, a fitting location, as it was General Sir Reginald Hart, the Lt-Governor during the First World War, who was responsible for the raising of the regiment in the first place.
‘His concern was that thousands of Guernsey men were fighting in the First World War but they were not fighting under a banner that had Guernsey in the title and therefore that Guernsey’s contribution to war effort would not be properly recognised,’ said his present day successor Richard Cripwell.
‘He said at the time that he would be vilified by future generations for doing so, but the truth is that the regiment at the time thanked him personally for bringing Guernsey men under one banner and creating an identity for all of those who fought at the time.’
Sir Richard had framed drawings on display that he had received from school children in Masnieres during his last visit.
‘This is going to do so many things, but it’s going to bring together two communities.
‘It’s about remembering those who came before us and whose sacrifices underpinned the lives that we are lucky to live today,’ he said.
‘It is a very special cause that remembers those who come before us and ensures the future of those who will come after us.’
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