News
07 Jun 2024
Commemorations for the 80 anniversary of the D-Day in Normandy
To mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, a delegation from Jersey and Guernsey visited Normandy.
Deputy Bailiff Robert MacRae and Minister for External Relations Deputy Ian Gorst attended to represent Jersey while Chief Minister Deputy Lyndon Trott, External Relations lead Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq and Bailiff of Guernsey Sir Richard MacMahon represented their island.
During the visit, they attended the tribute to civilian victims’ ceremony in St-Lo in the presence of Emmanuel Macron.
The next day, they attended the commemoration at the British Normandy Memorial at Ver-sur-Mer, which was also attended by King Charles, French President Emmanuel Macron, current Prime Minister Keir Starmer and dozens of British veterans who landed there on 6 June 1944. The Channel Islands delegation could engage with them all.
The Channel Islands representatives then attended the French and American Commemoration at Omaha beach along with US veterans, American President Joe Biden, President Macron and Prince William.
On the night of the 6 June, Bailiff of Guernsey Sir Richard McMahon and Deputy Bailiff of Jersey Robert MacRae laid wreaths at the memorial of the Royal Engineers at Pegasus Bridge where Jersey engineer, the late Clive Kemp, landed on 6 June 1944 and drove through enemy lines.
The Deputy Bailiff of Jersey said: “It is important that we never forget the service and sacrifice of those who fought to liberate Europe and secure for us the freedoms which we continue to enjoy today.”
On the 7 June they attended the international ceremony in Cherbourg. Among dignitaries attending was French president Emmanuel Macron.
Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq said: “I felt privileged to have been invited by President Macron as well as our close friends in the Normandy administration to a number of significant and different events to mark the 80th anniversary. We were also guests of the British Legion at a service of commemoration at the British Memorial at Ver-sur-Mer, in the presence of the King and Queen,” he said. “It was especially moving to hear the testimonies of those few veterans who were present.”