Final preparations are underway for the annual Allied Air Forces Memorial Day, which will take place on Sunday, September 14, at the Yorkshire Air Museum in Elvington, near York. The event honors the bravery and sacrifice of air force personnel from all Allied nations during the Second World War, many of whom flew from bases in and around Elvington. This year’s commemoration will welcome representatives from several overseas air forces and governments, alongside senior Royal Air Force officers, including the most senior RAF officer in northern England.
The day begins with a parade at 11:30 a.m., followed by a remembrance service in the museum’s main hangar at approximately 12:15 p.m. The service will take place beneath the imposing nose of the museum’s reconstructed Handley Page Halifax Mk. III bomber, “Friday the 13th,” and will be conducted by the museum’s chaplain, the Reverend Charles “Taff” Morgan MBE, a former RAF Navigator.
A central feature of the event will be a parade of around 100 participants, including 15 to 20 Service Association and Air Training Corps Standards. These ceremonial banners, symbols of camaraderie and remembrance, will be carried with pride through the museum grounds before the commemoration begins in the Canadian Memorial Hangar. The parade will be accompanied by the Yorkshire Military Marching Band & Corps of Drums, ensuring a stirring atmosphere for both participants and spectators.
Ian Richardson, Head of Memorial and Heritage at the Yorkshire Air Museum and Project Officer for the event, highlighted the significance of the occasion. “Under the magnificent and imposing presence of our unique recreation of the Halifax Mk. III Bomber ‘Friday the 13th,’ the contribution of all those who served and sacrificed from the Allied nations will be honoured and remembered. This will be a poignant occasion for all participants, guests, and our visitors to enjoy.” The museum will be open as normal on the day of the event, with no special tickets required. Members of the public are warmly invited to attend and share in this moving tribute to the men and women of the Allied air forces. For more information about the Yorkshire Air Museum, visit yorkshireairmuseum.org.
