Tourists and locals lined up on the ramparts of Castle Cornet to see the first Noon-Day Gun of the year on Wednesday.

But, if firing St Peter Port’s famous cannon sounds like a blast, you could soon have the chance to light the fuse yourself – as the Liberation Day shot goes up for a silent auction.

The auction will help pay for this year’s celebrations, which will mark 81 years since the end of Guernsey’s occupation during World War Two.

Helen Glencross MBE, Head of Culture and Heritage Services, said the winning bidder would have the “unique honour” of firing the 227-year-old cannon “in celebration of freedom and in remembrance of Guernsey’s wartime history”.

Two heavily bearded men in historic red military-style uniforms stand to attention in front of a canon on some castle walls.
Pictured: The winning bidder will set off the 18th Century cannon under supervision from the Castle Keeper.

The tradition’s roots go back as far as the early 1800s, she said, when the cannon “was fired at midday and again at 21:30 as a curfew gun to recall soldiers of the garrison back to their barracks”.

The current incarnation of the tradition – which sees the gun fired at noon between spring and autumn – has been going for more than 50 years.

The minimum bid to fire it on Liberation Day this year is set at £950.

That will entitle the winner to fire the gun under close supervision from the Castle Keeper.

The winner will need to be available from 11:00 on Liberation Day for a safety briefing, and can bring friends and family – with hospitality packages available for an extra cost.

Anyone wanting to take part should submit their name, bid amount and contact details including a phone number by email to info@liberationday.gg by 09:00 on Friday 17 April.

A sign in front of a row of cannons on a castle wall. It reads: 50 Years of our Noon-Day Gun. Seeing the Gun Today As midday approaches, music will begin to play and the Castle's Keepers, dressed in their traditional scarlet uniforms, will march out to prepare the cannon. At precisely 12:00 noon, the order will be given to fire the historic Noon-day Gun, with the blast echoing across the town - so cover your ears! Afterwards, our costumed Keepers will stay for photos and questions - feel free to come and say hello!
Pictured: The Noon-Day Gun tradition can be traced back to the early 1800s, with the modern version being more than 50 years old.

Deputy Andy Cameron, Education, Sport and Culture’s Liberation Day Lead, said he was “fortunate to be the first to fire the gun after the Covid lockdown” which was a “fantastic and truly unforgettable experience”.

Deputy Cameron said corporate sponsorship for Liberation Day had declined in recent years, but auctioning the Noon-Day Gun firing was a “fitting and memorable way” to raise funds.