The States of Guernsey have marked the 80th anniversary of the island’s Liberation by recreating the States meeting that their predecessors attended on 8 May 1945, after the Victory in Europe was declared.

That meeting was held to mark the end of the Channels Islands’ occupation, after give years of being ruled by the German forces.

Today’s Bailiff, Sir Richard McMahon addressed the current States of Deliberation – reading out the words of the then-Bailiff, Sir Victor Carey who thanked the International Red Cross, which had directly helped to save occupied islanders from starvation.

Reading Sir Victor’s 1945 speech, Sir Richard repeated his words verbatim – proving that although the war was over, the dark days of the occupation would continue to loom over the island for some time to come.

“I ask you to take great care of your identity cards, they must not be lost or destroyed,” he announced.

Pictured:  Street celebrations and ‘Inside the HMS Bulldog’ off Guernsey. Seated around table, left to right, were Rear Admiral Stuart, DSO, DSC(Retd.), Lt. Col. E G Stoneman, Wing Commander ‘Archie’ Stewart, DFC, Major John Margeson, Col. Herbert Ralph Power (standing) in charge of civil affairs unit, and Captain Lieut. Armin Zimmermann. Standing in left corner is Intelligence Corps Captain Herzmark and an interpreter.

Archive Pathé footage shows the moment British troops arrived in St Peter Port on 9 May 1945, a day after that States meeting was held.

They were met by scenes of relief, jubilation, and pure celebration from very tired and hungry, but resilient islanders.

British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, had decided not to defend the Channel Islands at the outset of the war.

Guernsey was bombed in June 1940, with the loss of civilian life before the island was occupied by the German forces.

Thousands of people had already been evacuated, but hundreds more were deported when Hitler announced the removal of any non-island born men aged between 16-70 and their dependents in 1942.

Many of the deportees were sent to Biberach in Germany, via a transit camp in Dorsten.

Many deportees did not make it back home until long after the war had ended and, sadly, some never made it home at all.

36 of today’s (38) deputies attended the re-enactment of the 1945 States meeting, on Thursday 8 May 2025.

They also observed a commemorative silence.

President of today’s Policy and Resources Committee, Deputy Lyndon Trott gave a speech explaining how his father was one of the children evacuated ahead of the German army arriving in June 1940.

He went on to describe the events surrounding the liberation and how Brigadier Snow; the Commanding Officer of the Allied liberating task force, and his troops had been “preparing for a year, studying maps and road names of Guernsey,” so that when they arrived they could navigate around the island.

The Very Reverend Tim Barker, Dean of Guernsey was also present at the re-enactment of the 1945 States meeting.

Reflecting on the event he said it was an important occasion to honour.

“To hear that the British government had been planning for a year of how they would navigate when they arrived on Guernsey was amazing. It was really important to hear that.”