Select a region
The Chief Minister, Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq, and the Bailiff, Mr Richard Collas, will be in Normandy from 6 to 8 June 2014 to represent the Island at a series of official ceremonies commemorating the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
The Chief Minister and Bailiff will be part of a Channel Islands delegation that will include: the Chief Minister of Jersey, Ian Gorst; the Bailiff of Jersey, Sir Michael Birt; and the President of Alderney, Stuart Trought.
On 6 June, the delegation will be accompanied by two Jersey war veterans, Harry Fenn and Bill Reynolds. They will all attend the ceremony of remembrance at the British Cemetery in Bayeux, followed by the larger official ceremony in Ouistreham, in the presence of 19 heads of state, including Her Majesty the Queen, the President of the United States, the President of France and the Chancellor of Germany. They will then attend a dinner hosted by the President of the Regional Council of Lower Normandy, Mr Laurent Beauvais.
On 7 June, the delegation will visit Utah Beach, where they will be present at the unveiling of commemorative artworks, including a 70-metre fresco completed by local secondary school students in commemoration of the D-Day anniversary. The day's events will conclude with a further commemorative ceremony in Sainte-Mère-Église, followed by an evening meal with veterans of the landings.
On the morning of the final day (8 June), there will be a memorial mass at Sainte-Mère-Église, followed by a parachute display at nearby La Fière.
Deputy Le Tocq said:
"It is an honour to represent the States of Guernsey at the official ceremonies to commemorate the 70th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, at the invitation of the French authorities.
Operation Overlord marked the turning point in WW2 as well as marking the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the German occupation of the islands.
My parents lived through the Occupation and told me stories as a child of how news of the Allied Landings brought renewed hope to islanders that, in terms of the war, this was the beginning of the end. I am proud to be able to represent Guernsey and pay tribute to the sacrifice of so many at the various official ceremonies being held across Normandy this weekend."
The Bailiff of Guernsey said:
"It is a great honour for me to be able to attend the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the D day landings. WE all owe an enormous debt to those who fought and gave their lives in the battle of Normandy and which, ultimately, led to the liberation of the Bailiwick."
Senator Gorst said:
"I am honoured to be a part of the official commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landings. This historic event is a significant example of the shared heritage between Jersey and our French neighbours. The Normandy landings brought hope to Channel Islanders who had endured years of occupation, and they brought the promise of liberation to France. Both our communities felt the impact of this extraordinary turning point in the Second World War."
