Special service in Sale will honour Battle of Britain heroes

A commemorative service will be held in Sale this Sunday (14 September) to pay tribute to the servicemen and women who fought in the Battle of Britain during World War II.

The ceremony, hosted by Trafford Council alongside RAF Cadets from across Greater Manchester, will take place from 10.30am outside Sale Town Hall on School Road.

The service will feature a traditional Drumhead Altar constructed by the cadets, an improvised altar made from upturned drums that has traditionally created a focal point for remembrance on the battlefield.

Councillor Jane Brophy, Mayor of Trafford and the Council's Armed Forces Champion, Councillor Judith Lloyd, will be among the dignitaries attending, alongside community representatives from across the borough.

"Each year we come together to honour the courage of those who fought in the Battle of Britain," said Cllr Lloyd. "The contribution of those brave men and women can never be underestimated. Without the RAF holding off the advance of the Luftwaffe, Hitler's planned invasion of the UK would have gone ahead."

She added: "We will remember the pilots who took to the sky with no thought of their own safety, as well as the many servicemen and women who supported them. Their courage and sacrifice protected the freedoms we enjoy today - and we will never forget them."

The Battle of Britain, fought in the summer and autumn of 1940, marked the first major military campaign conducted entirely through air power. The decisive moment came on 15 September 1940, when the Luftwaffe launched a massive assault over Britain, only to be defeated by RAF forces supported by international allies.

All residents are welcome to attend the service.