Chelsea Pensioners at Sark School dispensing from the now-traditional hats full of sweets. (0770922)

SARK’S Liberation Day celebrations – held, as always, a day after those in the other Channel Islands – were typically low key but none the less poignant for all that.

As has been the tradition for many decades, the highlight was the visit of Chelsea Pensioners from the Royal Hospital, Chelsea. Their programme varied a little this year, not least because their customary drink at the Bel Air Inn had to be forgone as pubs do not open on Sundays in Sark.

Their leisurely stroll up The Avenue, accompanied by Sark’s oldest ex-serviceman Fred Teers (93) and other members of the local branch of the Royal British Legion, was punctuated by frequent stops for photographs.

The 10 pensioners on the visit have an average age of almost 78, although it gave me a bit of a jolt when I realised that I am older than a couple of them, and together they had served in the armed forces for 150 years.

The first stop was Sark School, where the customary hats full of sweets were distributed to pupils by the pensioners.

For the first time, the island’s guests were invited into the school where they were shown the pupils’ work and offered coffee and biscuits.

I have to say that this was a welcome innovation and one that I hope will be repeated in years to come, even when 10 May falls on school days. The more young people can learn about why Liberation Day is so special the better and having former servicemen explain to them where their medals came from goes part of the way towards that.

Another welcome innovation – and one which it wouldn’t hurt to repeat annually – was the vin d’honneur in the Island Hall. All Sark residents had been invited and a good many turned out to applaud the pensioners as they entered.

There was a surprise in store for Guernsey’s John Gallienne, who was presented by Seneschal Reg Guille an illuminated scroll from the Sark branch of the Royal British Legion and the people of the island to commemorate his 35 years of organising the pensioners’ visits.

Afterwards the guests were taken on a carriage tour of the island, stopping to visit the gardens at La Seigneurie and, later in the afternoon, for cream tea at Harry and Joyce Southern’s Fleur du Jardin.

There were a couple of things which were pleasing to note during the early part of the visit. The first was the delightful scene of Air Commodore Robert Robb, who served in the Royal Air Force until becoming Sark’s doctor, chatting away with former corporal Werner Rang, a member of the German occupying forces who later became a valued and much respected member of this small community.

The second was the decision to allow those tourists who chanced upon the Island Hall while the vin d’honneur was in progress to come in and join the celebration. It was both wise and much appreciated.

While at the hall I saw Simon Elmont, whose trek across the freezing wastes of Greenland was cut short by an ankle injury.

He told me the ankle should be fine in a week or so and added that he much appreciated all the good wishes and commiserations he had received since news of the injury was published.

The email address for comment is fallesark@sark.net.