Liberation Of The Island Of Jersey - 40 Years - St. Helier, Jersery, The Channel Islands
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 49° 11.021 W 002° 06.343
30U E 565169 N 5448259
This commemorative stone underneath the balcony of the States Building in Royal Square was unveiled on 10th May 1985 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the liberation of Jersey from German occupation.
Waymark Code: WMM4JV
Location: Jersey
Date Posted: 07/20/2014
Views: 3
The island of Jersey is a self-governing parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy, with its own financial, legal and judicial systems, and the power of self-determination. It has an international identity separate from that of the UK but the United Kingdom is constitutionally responsible for the defence of Jersey.
During the Second World War Germany feared that the UK would use the island as a base to invade Europe and so it occupied the island to prevent this.
Alexander Moncrieff Coutanche had been appointed the Bailiff of Jersey in 1935, a role he continued to hold during the war, whilst under German Occupation.
On the 8th May 1945 he made an announcement from the balcony of the Jersey States Building in Royal Square that the island was to be liberated.
In 1985 this commemoration stone was laid to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the liberation. It stands next to the entracnce to the building, which is under the balcony from where he made the announcement.
The text on the stone is as follows.
On MAY 8th 1945 FROM THE BALCONY ABOVE
ALEXANDER MONCRIEFF COUTANCHE
BAILIFF OF JERSEY
ANNOUNCED THAT
THE ISLAND WAS TO BE LIBERATED AFTER
FIVE YEARS OF GERMAN MILITARY OCCUPATION
ON 10TH MAY 1985
HER ROYAL HIGHNESS, THE DUCHESS OF KENT
UNVEILED THIS PLAQUE TO COMMEMORATE THE LIBERATION
To the right of this stone there is a small bust of Alexander Moncrieff Coutanche. This was erected at a different time to honour the man himself, but it allows you to see what he looked like.