In the year marking the 110th anniversary of the deployment of Guernsey Militia volunteers to France and Flanders in 1916, and the formation of the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry, the local Freemasons planted a lasting memorial at their hall in St Martin’s.
A presentation saw the unveiling of the two budding trees, while looking back at the contributions and sacrifices made by local Freemasons.
‘I hope that these trees will stand as a reminder of what local Freemasons have sacrificed,’ said Brett Williams, who organised the presentation.
Simon Hamon, deputy head of Freemasons in Guernsey and Alderney, said the trees were planted about three months ago and are now ‘doing beautifully well’. They provide a lasting reminder of the island’s past while enhancing the grounds for years to come.
‘We’ve improved our garden, and hopefully that ties in with the parish and the work they’re doing with Floral Guernsey,’ he said.
‘It allows us to think about where we’ve come from, and hopefully where we’re going.’
Many members of the Masonic lodges of Guernsey and Alderney served during the First World War, including professional soldiers and volunteers across a variety of regiments and, in some cases, the armed forces of other nations. Many did not return home.
Guernsey’s constitutional position historically meant that islanders could not be compelled to fight in a foreign war, except where the life of the monarch was considered to be in danger. As a result, most of the Guernseymen who left the island to fight were volunteers.
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