Shrewsbury to mark Battle of Britain 85th anniversary
Civic leaders in Shrewsbury will commemorate the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Britain this Sunday with a special parade and service.
The event will honour the bravery and sacrifice of the Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots and aircrew who defended the United Kingdom in 1940.
The day's events will begin with a parade by personnel from RAF Shawbury along St Chad’s Terrace at 10:45 am. This will be followed by a short wreath-laying ceremony at the War Memorial in the Quarry. At 11:00 am, a bugler will sound the Last Post, leading into a two-minute silence to remember the hundreds of lives lost during the battle.
As part of the commemoration, Shrewsbury Town Council has repainted Winston Churchill's famous quote on the grass near the memorial: "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." This powerful message, delivered by Churchill in 1940, serves as a poignant tribute to the pilots and aircrew.
The Battle of Britain, which took place between July and October 1940, is significant as the first major military campaign fought entirely by air forces. It was a crucial victory for the RAF, which ultimately thwarted Nazi Germany's invasion plans. The decisive moment came on September 15, 1940, when 630 RAF fighters successfully repelled 1,120 Luftwaffe aircraft in what was the largest daylight attack on London.
The Mayor of Shrewsbury, Councillor Alex Wagner, will lead the civic party. He expressed his hope that the public will attend to pay their respects. "We owe so much to our brave pilots and aircrew who fought to defend our country," he said. "I am honoured to be taking part in this weekend’s commemorative event and hope members of the public will turn out to pay tribute, especially on this 85th anniversary."
To accommodate the event, road closures will be in place along St Chad’s Terrace from approximately 10:00 am until 11:30 am.
