THE 31st International Allied Air Forces Memorial Day will provide some colourful spectacle this weekend.

This year the ceremony, on September 4, commemorates the centenary of the Battle of the Somme, the first battle in history to feature dedicated military air campaigns.

The poignant occasion at the Yorkshire Air Museum at Elvington, near York, will feature the pageantry of a parade, led by the Yorkshire Military Band and Thirsk Royal British Legion Band Corps of Drums.

Significantly, the national, county and regional Standards of the Royal Air Forces Association, Royal British Legion and Royal Observer Corps Association will lead the 40 other regional Service Association and Squadron Standards being presented on the day.

After taking a Salute from the Lord Lieutenants of North and East Yorkshire, along with senior international air force representatives and other dignitaries from across the region and beyond, the parade will lead into a drum head service in the main display hangar, in front of the museum’s Halifax bomber.

And the Légion d’Honneur will be presented to five Normandy veterans by Jeremy Burton, the French Consul to Yorkshire and the French Defence Attaché Contre Amiral Patrick Chevallereau.

The event will feature spectacular flypast displays by the Lancaster bomber of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, and, in a separate sortie, the Hurricane and Spitfire fighters will provide a finale to the event.

Diplomatic representatives from France, the Netherlands, Finland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA, South Africa and other nations will be attending the event.

For further information contact the Yorkshire Air Museum on 01904-608595 or visit yorkshireairmuseum.org