EVENT CANCELLED The 2021 RGLI 'Big' Memorial Ride
Updated: May 22, 2021
Delayed from 2020, next year's memorial ride from Guernsey to France takes place between 27th - 31 May 2021. You can follow us at our public Facebook site, and there is also a Membership site where you can request access if you are taking part in the ride itself.
2021 'Big' Memorial Ride
This year Condor Ferries have kindly agreed to increase the number of motorbikes for the RGLI Memorial Ride from Guernsey to France. This year we have extended the reservation from thirty to fifty places, following the increased take up in 2019. However, this is a time based offer in which you can experience the battlefields of Guernsey's Finest Hour.
The sailings are now available to book on the Condor website. [The timetable shows until the end of March 2021, so ensure you put in the sailing dates of May 2021 to book]
2021 Making Your Booking
Outbound - Thursday 27th May 2021 From Guernsey to St Malo, via Jersey. The Memorial Ride departs of the 16:15 hours sailing which arrives at 21:15 hours local time.
Return - Monday 31st May 2021 From St Malo to Guernsey, this is a direct sailing departing St Malo at 12:20 hours and arriving back in Guernsey at 13.30 local time.
2021 The Itinerary
[Please note at this early stage changes to schedules, ports of arrival, change in COVID restrictions and guidance are all possible]
Due to ferry travel times our 21:15 hours arrival in St Malo means there will be a night ride to Caen for our first hotel.
An update to the all activities shown below will be updated regularly.
The ride will travel from the RGLI memorial in St Peter Port to the Menin Gate visiting, and paying respects at :
Ginchy Site of the attack of 6th and 7th Regiments of the Royal Irish Fusilliers took place as part of the Somme offensive during 1916. This has a connected interest to the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry with members of D Company being comprised of men from the Royal Guernsey Militia (The forefather of the RGLI)
Rue Vertes, Masnieres 'Guernsey's Finest Hour' where the RGLI stood between 30 November and 2 December 1917 against overwhelming enemy forecs, holding the allied line whilst all around them withdrew. The visist to the memorial will inclide a small cenermony.
Doulieu The location where the RGLI stood during the German Spring Offensive of 1918, the Battle of Lys, and were pushed back against overwhelming odds leaving only 47 men to answer the final roll call.
The largest Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery commenting over eleven thousand dead, which includes servicemen of the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry.
Chosen this year and granted the honour by the Last Post Association, the Group will lay a wreath to the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry during the Last Post Ceremony.
2021 The Hotels
Night 1 - Thursday 27th May 2021 IBIS Port de Bretagne(Caen)
Night 2 - Friday 28th May 2021 NOVOTEL Pole Jules Verne (Amiens)
Night 3 - Saturday 29th May Flanders Lodge (Leper)*
Night 4 - Sunday 30th May 2021 IBIS Porte d'Angleterre (Caen)
Important Notice: Flanders Lodge, Leper is already fully booked. We have been successful in making a block booking. Please contact the team for reservations on ride@rgli.org