Saturday 23 May 2015

Loafers wall

 
I meant to post this last year when they put this plaque up, but things happened, so sorry its late, but I think its an unusual memorial with a very human touch.
At the bottom of Cornet Street is the beautiful granite stone work of the Loafers Wall,
so called because when it was built in the very early part of the nineteenth century,
it was were all the young men used to congregate, leaning on it and chatting.
So it seemed an apt memorial to that lost generation.

Loafers Wall
This wall was refurbished by the St Peter Port Constables and dedicated by His Excellency
the Lieutenant-Governor Air Marshal Peter Walker on 10th May 2014,
in remembrance of the Guernsey men who fought and died
during the war of 1914-1918 

And as a lovely finishing touch hanging baskets have been put along the length of the wall full of the wild flowers found in the battle fields of Flanders.
They will not be forgotten.

Saturday 16 May 2015

proud daughter

After the Liberation of Guernsey our States give every child who had stayed here
during those five years and was still at school an Liberation Medal 
 
This one is my Fathers, sadly we lost him 7 years ago.

 So I thought that it was only appropriate that I wore it for the
70th Anniversary Celebrations in memory of him.
 
(well you cant get more local than that can you? A Liberations Medal on a Guernsey!)

And it made it on to my 1940's fancy dress for our float as well. The Cavalcade was brilliant fun to be part of, there were about 20,000 people in town waving and cheering, that's a third of the whole island!!!!. But huge respect to the Queen, 1 was exhausted after all that waving and grinning!

Wednesday 13 May 2015

Operation Omelette

We have just had an absolutely fabulous weekend celebrating the 70th Anniversary of our Liberation from the Nazis in 1945.  It was an amazing day and one of the the first events was the re-enactment of wait for it.........Operation Omelette!!!
What a fantastic name for a military operation, it cant help but make you smile, and they certainly made the people of Guernsey smile 70 years ago.  This was the code name given to the advance landing of Taskforce 135, the British troops who liberated Guernsey.

I found it very emotional watching the re-enactment.....

....my Dad had been down at the harbor 9th May 1945, I am not sure if he saw the troops arrive, but I do hope he did.


The re-enactors also had a very special guest!

Brilliant Day

Wednesday 6 May 2015

Town is getting ready to Celebrate!!!!

The island is getting ready to Party!!!
On Saturday we will be celebrating 70 years of Liberation from the occupying forces during WW2.
And so the shops in town have been getting in the mood with lots of red, white and blue.
Free Love in Mill Street
 

Ben Le Prevost Chocolates

The Library

Eleven in the Arcade

The Corkscrew

Tapenade Deli by the Ship and Crown

The Press Shop


Even an estate agents, Inspired
Oxfam

Creasey's, with their original till on the left, like the 1939!

Stone Lakes in Smith Street

And me, with our 20th century poster showing the Vega red cross ship, the evacuees, and a German observation post and Iris and Dora's fab limited edition tea towel.

But pride of place in the middle is my Grandpas occupation ID card.
Now all we have to do is pray that the wind drops for Saturday as its a very big day!