It was cancelled in 2024 following the Queen’s death and prevented by poor weather last year.
The event in St Peter Port was also the first occasion there had been to try the parade’s new format.
‘The parade commander wanted to do something slightly different, being inspected in Market Square instead of in front of the Town Church, which has been done in the past,’ said Heather Chan, chairwoman of the Royal Air Force Association in Guernsey.
‘The parade is going down the High Street and up into Market Square to be inspected by the Bailiff and the commanding officer of 201 squadron, and then into church for the service.’
Among those in the parade were members of the Guernsey Air Cadets and Elizabeth College’s Combined Cadet Force.
The cadets had also been involved in several other Battle of Britain events across the week.
‘I’ve been a cadet for around a year and a half, so I’ve done this type of thing before,’ said Charlie Pennington, 15, of the Guernsey Air Cadets.
‘Yesterday there was the Allied Air Force Memorial at the airport, and when the planes were flying over for the air display I was going around with a bucket.’
The busy schedule did not put him off and he was already looking forward to taking part in more commemorative events.
‘I love it,’ he said. ‘Hopefully I’ll do it again next year.’
Also present for the Sunday parade were representatives from ‘Guernsey’s own’ 201 Squadron, who, like the cadets, had attended multiple events across Battle of Britain week while over from Scotland.
‘Everyone’s feeling really positive and the weather has been glorious,’ said the squadron’s wing commander, Martin Pearson.
‘We’ve managed to achieve everything we set out to achieve. We’ve done some fundraising for Rafa at the air show, and then we’ve also done some engagement with the air cadets, and the CCF at Elizabeth College.
‘We did the Battle of Britain Memorial for the Allied forces yesterday, and then we’re doing the parade today.
‘It’s been fantastic.
‘It’s been a fairly busy week, but this is one of the good things we get to do in the job – engage with communities and the public, and we get to come to Guernsey.’
You need to be logged in to comment.