In a ceremony attended by the Lieutenant-Governor, Lieutenant-General Andrew Ridgway, and the Bailiff, Michael Birt, the colours were handed back to the parish following a five-year stay with the Jersey Field Squadron.
The service featured a presentation on the importance of the colours, which were given to the 4th St Lawrence battalion on 17 August 1841. St Lawrence Constable Deidre Mezbourian, who arranged for the colours to be returned, said: ‘It was an important ceremony and it was time to bring them back. And we were delighted with the turn-out for the ceremony. The church was full and the parish hall was full afterwards. It was a lovely parish event and the weather held up for us.’
The presentation in the parish hall was followed by a parade to St Lawrence Parish Church led by the Band of the Island of Jersey. The parish Rector, Philip Warren, then led the official handover ceremony.
The colours were housed in the church for hundreds of years before being handed over to the Jersey Field Squadron when the building underwent restoration work. During the past few years a number of Islanders have called for the colours, which had previously been restored by Islander Alfred Pipon, to be returned to the parish.
