GUERNSEY HISTORY
11th May 1949
11th May 1949
A liberation celebration ended in disaster
Celebration turned to tragedy at Vazon on 11 May 1949.
Twenty-year-old David Bougourd, who was secretary of the Guernsey Motor Cycle and Car Club was killed when racing there. The race had been put on to celebrate the Guernsey’s liberation four years earlier.
The Birmingham Daily Gazette described Bougard as one of Guernsey’s leading motorists.
Its report on the tragedy, published the following day, put him in an MG Midget, which turned over during a 10-lap handicap race. He was taken to hospital but died two hours later.
Island-wide commemoration
The race was part of a larger celebration taking place all over the island. It included a cavalcade on the east coast. Guernsey continues to hold a cavalcade as part of its annual liberation commemoration.
According to the Northern Daily Mail, which made no mention of the death,
Guernsey … celebrated Liberation Day with services of thanksgiving, motor cycle and car racing on the sands, road, athletic and cycling events, a fancy dress cavalcade, and an evening water carnival and fireworks display.
Sand racing at Vazon
Sand racing still takes place on Guernsey, often at Vazon, under the auspices of the Guernsey Motor Cycle and Car Club of which Bougard was secretary.
What else happened in Guernsey in September?
Guernsey history newsletter
Check out The Sarnian’s email newsletter for Guernsey history, features, puzzles and pictures. It’s also the first place where you’ll find out about the Sarnian series of books, including sneak previews and discounts.
We will never sell your data to third parties, and there’s an unsubscribe link in every email, so you can leave whenever you like.
Explore Guernsey's history
Or click to view every entry organised by year, from 521 to the present day.
The Sarnian
A body on a beach, an impossible alibi and an unstoppable race against time!
Check out the first book in The Sarnian series, set on the Channel Island of Guernsey.
September in Guernsey through the years…
FREE Guernsey newsletter
Don't miss our weekly update on Guernsey's fascinating history. We promise never to sell your data to anyone else, and there's a super-easy unsubscribe link on the bottom of each email so you can leave whenever you want.
