Liberation Day in the Channel Islands

Liberation Day is celebrated in the Channel Islands on 9 May each year, except on the Island of Alderney. It commemorates the arrival of the United Kingdom forces on 9 May 1945 to liberate the islands from German occupation during the Second World War.

Liberation Day is a national holiday in Jersey, when it is illegal to open any shops, although the Bailiff (the head of government on the island) can, and sometimes does permit some shops to open in the capital, St Helier, particularly when the day falls on a weekend. The local government is split into parishes, and the Constable of each parish also has this power, though not all will use it.

Because the local population had been evacuated, Alderney celebrates Homecoming Day on 15 December each year, which commemorates the return of the inhabitants after the departure of the German forces which had held the island.

Jersey has a Marché (Jersey French for Market) in the Royal Square, where Crepes and other goodies are on sale. When I lived on the island, I was told by an old Jersey farmer that during the war, the Germans had the Royal Square paved by local workers, who unknown to the occupiers engraved "V" for Victory on the underside of every stone used. Since, like most pavements on the island, these were solid granite slabs, this must have been quite some undertaking!

If you're looking for a way to commemorate this event, you might be interested in this article: Commemorations with Cross Stitch

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