Tributes were paid to the brave pilots who lost their lives in the Battle of Britain at a special commemorative service organised by Trafford Council.
The High Sheriff of Greater Manchester, Eamonn O’Neal, the Mayor, Cllr Rob Chilton, and the deputy Mayor, Cllr Laurence Walsh, attended the event at Sale War Memorial on Sunday, September 20. They laid wreaths and remembered the pilots who died and those who served in the conflict.
This year marks the 80th Anniversary of The Battle of Britain which took place during World War II, between Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Luftwaffe, Nazi Germany’s air force, and was the first battle in history fought solely in the air. Although September 15 is marked annually as Battle of Britain Day, the conflict took place from July 10 to October 31 1940.
Sadly, due to Covid 19 regulations, Trafford Council was unable to hold its usual public annual ceremony to mark this remarkable victory. The commemorative event was private, by invite only and all social distancing measures were observed by those who attended.
Cllr Judith Lloyd, Trafford Council’s Armed Forces Champion, said:
“I was very proud to be part of the commemorative service to remember the brave pilots who died. The Battle of Britain was a turning point in World War II. If the RAF had not held off the Luftwaffe, Hitler would have likely moved forward with his Operation Sea Lion invasion of the British Isles. This would have been devastating for the British people and all efforts to stem Hitler’s rise to power. Germany needed to control the English Channel to invade Britain, and winning the battle prevented them from gaining that valuable control.”
The Council’s Armed Forces Lead Sue Wright said:
“It was an honor to be able to commemorate those very brave pilots who took to the sky with no thought of their own safety during this fierce battle. We will never forget them.”
Posted on Monday 21st September 2020