GUERNSEY medal

[Marcon1]

Did you know about....

The Guernsey Liberation Medal…

Feb18

Over recent years observers watching the November Veteran march-pasts at the Cenotaph in London have spotted a new medal with a rather brightly coloured ribbon appearing on the blazers & jackets of some of the former proud old soldiers taking part in this annual Act of Remembrance…  and subsequent investigations have revealed it to be the Guernsey Liberation Medal that was first struck in 1995 and issued to the surviving members of Allied Force 135, the soldiers who originally liberated the Bailiwick of Guernsey on May 9^th 1945 after 6 long years of German Occupation…

On May 8^th as the German forces laid down their weaponry, the islanders broke out their hidden radios to hear Winston Churchill announce that “our dear Channel islands would once again be free.”.  Meanwhile the Destroyer HMS ‘Bulldog’ had sailed for Guernsey waters under the code-name ‘Operation Nest Egg’, to drop anchor on May 9^th just off St Peter Port’s harbour.

The official surrender by Germany’s Major-General Heiner then took place aboard Bulldog, after which a lone Royal Naval LCI sailed into the harbour and the entire German garrison of some 10,000 men handed over the reins of command to just 30 British artillerymen and the initial joy at deliverance from German Occupation on that sunny day in May 1945 has never been forgotten and today May 9th is enshrined in as ‘Liberation Day’, an official holiday across all of the Channel Islands.

But what of those young British soldiers who originally came ashore on that wonderful day in 1945?  This was a question that ex-pat Guernseyman John Richards, (a former advertising executive living in Hampshire), had often pondered  but  not knowing just how many Vets might even still be living, he joined forces with former Deputy Director of Guernsey Tourism (and a former officer in the Hampshire Regt), Major Evan Ozanne Ret. and the pair began a painstaking hunt across some 42 countries in an effort to trace those original members of Force 135.

As they were doing so, sketches for the design for an original Liberation medallion were being made, incorporating the 3 Guernsey Lions to the front of the medal and the legend ‘Operation Nest Egg. Fiftieth Anniversary of Liberation .Task Force 135’ on the obverse; with a suggestion that the ribbon be two yellow vertical lines on a red background in representation of the colours of the Bailiwick of Guernsey and redolent of the triangular badge worn on the battle-dress shoulders of the liberating soldiers of Force 135.

Final designs were subsequently submitted to London medal makers Toye, Kenning & Spencer and the official Force 135 Liberation Medal, to be worn on the right breast, was born.

By now John Richards & Evan Ozanne had located some 210 veterans from the original 1945 Operation Nestegg’ and, on Liberation weekend in 1995, a number of them were invited over to Guernsey to be presented with their medallion by the Bailiff of Guernsey, Sir Graham Dorey, whilst those unable able to make the trip were officially presented with their medallions in their home towns, as a small but heartfelt token of gratitude from the people of Guernsey to those young soldiers who came ashore on that joyful and emotional day in 1945..

 

 

Marcon1.

 

 

Edited August 25, 2021 by Marcon1

[Alex K]

Interesting, ive had a look in my medals year book (2019),, the  "bible" for british medals, in their unofficial, commemorative section it diesnt appear to be listed

[Shots Dave]

Here are some more images:

1-Boxed version

2-Reverse of medal

3-Picture of a veteran at this years's D-Day Commemoration with the medal

 

Edited August 25, 2021 by Shots Dave
Remove identity of veteran

[Shots Dave]