Sark's Liberation Day marked with military parade

The Channel Island of Sark has marked the 81st anniversary of its liberation from German forces during World War Two with a "special" military parade.

Organisers held a mixed liberation and Royal Guernsey Light Infantry (RGLI) commemoration to mark the first time the regiments recently remade colours had been paraded on the island.

The RGLI was a dedicated regiment formed in 1916 for World War One, which about 2,500 men from Guernsey, Alderney and Sark served in.

Event organiser John Hunt said the island did not normally hold large scale commemorations between significant anniversaries but parading the RGLI colours was "very special".

Hunt said: "We've got lots of people here, we've got the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry Trust, we've got the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment, 262 Signal Squadron and the Lieutenant-Governor and his cadets, so it's a very busy day for us."

The RGLI colours were recreated in 2025 as an exact replica of the standard provided to the Regiment on the fields of France for the First World War.

Sark was liberated a day later than Guernsey on 10 May 1945 to allow time for British soldiers to sail across and formally accept the surrender.

Hunt said: "It's such an important occasion for us as we've still got seven liberated

living on the island and they're guests of honour today for us as well.

"As you can appreciate every year becomes harder because sadly we come to a time of life where people disappear, sadly.

"So the longer we can keep the commemorations and celebrations going and keep them at the centre of it, to my mind, that's what I'm doing it for."

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