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Discover what this means

Remembering the Guernsey evacuation

Find out about the events 80 years ago that shaped the history and people of the Bailiwick of Guernsey during the war.

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You’ll need

  • A4 paper
  • Pens or pencils
  • Tables
  • Chairs
  • Access to a computer
  • Access to a printer

Remembrance honours people who serve to defend our democratic freedom and way of life. We unite across faiths, cultures and backgrounds to remember the service and sacrifice of the Armed Forces community from the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. We will remember them.

  • We remember the sacrifice of the Armed Forces community from the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
  • We pay tribute to the special contribution of families and of the emergency services.
  • We acknowledge innocent civilians who’ve lost their lives in conflict and acts of terrorism.

Remembrance doesn’t glorify war and its symbol, the red poppy, is a sign of both Remembrance and hope for a peaceful future. Wearing a poppy isn’t compulsory but it’s greatly appreciated by those who it’s intended to support. When and how you choose to wear a poppy reflects your individual experiences and personal memories.

Remembrance unites people of all faiths, cultures and backgrounds, but it’s also deeply personal. It could mean wearing a poppy in November, joining with others in your community on a commemorative anniversary, or taking a moment on your own to pause and reflect. Everyone’s free to remember in their own way or to choose not to remember at all.  

  • Armistice Day is the 11 November. It marks the armistice agreement that bought an end to the fighting of the first world war.
  • People pause at 11am on the 11 November to remember service and sacrifice past and present.
  • The national service of Remembrance happens on the closest Sunday to 11 November, which is known as Remembrance Sunday. Each year people gather at the Cenotaph in London and other memorial sites.
  • We call the whole period around these dates Remembrance. There are many ways to take part in Remembrance

In 2022, the Royal British Legion remembers the Service of those who work to protect us and our ways of life. Whether in the Armed Forces, Emergency or Civilian Services, past or present, we remember who has served, how they served and why it’s important that we continue to remember them.

    

Before you begin

  • Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Additional help to carry out your risk assessment, including examples can be found here. Don’t forget to make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely.
  • Make sure you’ll have enough adult helpers. You may need some parents and carers to help if you’re short on helpers.

Getting ready for this activity

  • Print out some information about the history of the Guernsey in the war. You can find some information on the Liberation day Guernsey website.
  • Older sections may be able to bring in their own research.
  • You could separate the information into topics such as: what happened, why it happened and how it’s remembered.
  • Print out some poems, enough for one per table. You can find some examples on the Poques Guernsey website.
  • Set out enough tables and chairs for everyone. Place some pictures, paper and pens on the tables, too.

Discover what happened

  1. Everyone should sit down at a space around a table.
  2. Everyone should talk about what happened in Guernsey. The person leading the activity should make sure everyone understands what happened, why it happened and how it's remembered.
  3. If anyone’s completed their own research, now’s their time to shine. What can they tell everyone else?
  4. Everyone should look at the poems on the tables.
  5. Someone should read one of the poems. Everyone should chat about how they’re written and what they’re talking about. You could do this as one big group or people could work with others on their table.
  6. Everyone should spend about 10 or 15 minutes writing their own poem about the events on Guernsey.
  7. People’s creations don’t have to be long. They could try a short story or piece of writing instead of a poem if they want to. Each table could work together, too.
  8. Once everyone has finished, people who want to should take it in turns to read their poem or writing to the rest of the group. Leave some time for questions or reflections in between each person.
  9. People could read part of their creation if you’re short on time or they don’t want to read it all.
Shop the Official Poppy and Scouts Range

Reflection

This activity gave everyone the chance to learn and think about the impact the war had on the island of Guernsey. Guernsey’s a part of the United Kingdom, but their experiences were quite different during the war. What did people learn about the events on Guernsey? What impact do people think these events had on the people of Guernsey? They could think about how families and friends may have been separated or homes lost.

In this activity, everyone thought about Remembrance and how it links to their lives. What did people find out about Remembrance? How did it make them feel? How are people going to take part in Remembrance this year?

Safety

All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.

Online safety

Supervise young people when they’re online and give them advice about staying safe. Take a look at our online safety or bullying guidance. The NSPCC offers more advice and guidance, too. If you want to know more about specific social networks and games, Childnet has information and safety tips for apps. You can also report anything that’s worried you online to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command. As always, if you’ve got concerns about a young person’s welfare, including their online experiences, follow the Yellow Card to make a report.

  • Make sure you print the font in a big enough size for everyone to be able to read it.
  • People could nominate a friend to read things out for them if they’d feel more comfortable sharing in that way.

All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.