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The Jersey flag is flying in Whitehall as part of the Island's Liberation Day celebrations. It was raised by the Communities Secretary, Eric Pickles, outside the Department for Communities and Local Government.
Meanwhile in the States Assembly, Chief Minister Ian Gorst spoke about the importance of retelling the personal stories of those islanders who lived through the occupation, which ended on the 9th May, 1945.
In front of an audience of States members, Senator Gorst gave examples of the Occupation experiences of the Trinity farming family which he married into in Jersey:
"Like many families they kept a radio – which of course was illegal. One radio was correctly handed into the Parish Hall, but another was kept. It was stored in the loft amongst the hay. Pops would often go and listen to the news, but Gran listened only once and after that was too scared to listen again.
"When a Russian slave came knocking on the kitchen window looking for something to eat, Gran recalled occasionally giving him food - until Pops told her to stop, for fear of repercussions. The man did carry on coming back to eat the turnips though, always leaving the good ones for the cattle.
"Just like for many island families - the daily lives of Gran, Pops and their children were taken up with trying to outwit the occupying forces.
"This was often in small ways, like killing pigs under the cover of darkness, hiding parts of their carcasses in potato barrels, siphoning fuel to use in Pops’ lorry and telling the milk inspector that the cows had stopped production and were dry, so they could keep milk back for the family".
He finished by reading a poem expressing the meaning of Liberation, written by the children in Year Six at Les Landes School. The poem concluded:
"People cheering, hats flying through the air.
The British arrive and save the day.
Sadness turned to happiness.
Through the hard times and good times
The stories and memories must live on.
Celebrate our freedom.
It is our history - we must not lose it.
What happened is important".
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