- Type of Memorial
- Composite
- WMR Reference Number
- 10145
- Description
- A sculptured group of Channel Islanders, and a liberator dressed in fatigues, holding aloft a flag. Together the group creates a victory arch for people to walk through. The sculpture is set in the middle of a three-stepped circular base of polished stone, which in turn is surrounded by a circular pool representing the island, whilst 12 fountains represent the 12 parishes. The memorial is explained in further detail on a plaque mounted to a plinth, with a further plaque and tablet mounted on a nearby building wall, scene of the formal liberation. (See separate entries for both Liberation Square itself and the minor plaque and tablet.)
- Inscription
- Plaque: AT THIS PLACE ON 9TH MAY 1945, ADVANCED PARTIES FROM THE ROYAL NAVY AND/ THE BRITISH ARMY LIBERATED JERSEY FROM NEARLY FIVE YEARS OF OCCUPATION/ BY THE GERMAN FORCES. THEY AND THE RETURN OF THE BRITISH FLAG WERE/ GREETED BY THOUSANDS OF ISLANDERS WITH RELIEF, JOY AND GRATITUDE./
ON THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THAT DAY, THE STATES AND PEOPLE OF JERSEY/ DEDICATE THIS LIBERATION SQUARE TO COMMEMORATE THAT HISTORIC EVENT/ AND ALL THOSE WHOSE EFFORTS AND SACRIFICES MADE THIS POSSIBLE./
THE SCULPTURE BY PHILIP JACKSON F.R.B.S. WAS COMMISSIONED BY THE JERSEY/ PUBLIC SCULPTURE TRUST AND UNVEILED BY HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS/ THE PRINCE OF WALES ON 9TH MAY 1995./
THE DESIGN OF THE SQUARE INCLUDES A SIGNIFICANT DEGREE OF SYMBOLISM/ WHICH CAN BE EXPLAINED AS FOLLOWS-/ EACH CIRCLE HAS A FUNCTION RELATING TO THE SCULPTURE,/ THE FOUNTAIN, THE COMPASS, THE FLAGPOLES AND THE/ TIME CAPSULE./
THE CIRCULAR AND CURVELINEAR FORMS REPRESENT/ FREE THOUGHT AND LIBERATION./
THE PLINTH OF THE SCULPTURE REPRESENTS THE ISLAND,/ THE SCULPTURE REPRESENTS THE PEOPLE, THE MOAT/ REPRESENTS THE SEA AND THE TWELVE FOUNTAINS/ REPRESENT THE PARISHES OF THE ISLAND./
THE COMPASS ROSE SIGNIFIES THAT JERSEY IS PART OF/ A LARGER GLOBAL COMMUNITY. WHILST REJOICING IN ITS/ OWN LIBERATION IN 1945 AND PEACE DURING THE/ SUBSEQUENT 50 YEARS, JERSEY LOOKS OUTWARD IN THE/ HOPE THAT THE PEACE AND FREEDOM THAT IT ENJOYS/ WILL ONE DAY EXTEND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
