A TOWN will pay tribute to the heroes of a "forgotten" battle during a memorial parade and service.

This weekend members of the Air Force Association will lead a parade through Barrow to the town's cenotaph, paying tribute to those who served and died during the Battle of Britain.

It is 77 years since the battle took place, during which the German Luftwaffe attempted to crush the British spirit during a relentless four month aerial campaign.

Mike Boulton, press officer for the Barrow AFA branch, was hopeful for a good turnout during the parade this Sunday.

He said: "It's the Air Force's doing, we will be leading the parade, the commander is Squadron Leader Ray Brown.

"We're hoping to have people come from Windermere, Kendal and Millom.

"The Battle of Britain tends to be forgotten about, it's a national parade and we're just for Barrow, doing our bit."

Mr Boulton said there will be three orders of eyes left given as the marchers pass by Barrow's other memorials; one for the submariners' memorial, the second at Barrow Railway Station, and the third at the Victoria Cross marker in Barrow Park.

The march will begin at the town hall at 11.30am on Sunday September 17, before marching to the cenotaph for a noon service.

Barrow Blitz

Although far North from where the majority of German bombing took place, Barrow did not escape unscathed from the war.

The town's steelworks and dockyards were strategic targets for the Nazis, and throughout 1941 many raids took place trying to smash the town's industry.

Over 10,000 houses were destroyed during the Barrow Blitz, an estimated 25 per cent of the town's stock.

Read some of this history behind Barrow's Blitz.

Barrow's Air Ace

The previous year, 1940, one of Barrow's sons took to the air to beat back the German planes sweeping in over the South of England.

Ken Wilkinson, who died in August aged 99, was one of the last surviving veterans of the Battle of Britain.

Mr Wilkinson, who flew Spitfires in the RAF. Based in East Anglia he was charged, like many others, with protecting the vital factories of the East Midlands from destruction.

Speaking on his time as a pilot, Mr Wilkinson said: "I didn't carry any lucky charms, but I did wear a pair of my wife's knickers around my neck.

"And I was one of the lucky ones. I saw friends fall out of the sky, aircraft go up in flames ... terrible things."

Read the tributes paid to Mr Wilkinson following his death.