This Saturday, June 29, marks Armed Forces Day: a time to celebrate those who serve our country.

SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, recently highlighted how little people know about the Forces community - 64 per cent of Brits don’t know what the Armed Forces do on a day-to-day basis, while 48 per cent do not know where our Armed Forces are currently based. So, I would like to take time to give thanks to the incredible military community in our own local area.

I am a local volunteer for SSAFA’s In-Service Committee at RAF Linton. Three hundred members of the military community work here, ensuring tomorrow’s fast jet pilots for the RAF and Royal Navy are trained to an excellent standard.

Not many people know that on the night of September 3, 1939, ten Whitley aircraft of Nos 51 and 58 Squadrons were dispatched from RAF Linton-On-Ouse to drop propaganda leaflets over Germany, becoming the first RAF aircraft to operate over Germany at night during World War Two.

Our role with SSAFA means that we are on-hand to provide practical, emotional and financial support to anyone in need on the base.

We call on you to support your local military community this Armed Forces Day by visiting ssafa.org.uk/donate.

John Murray,

Volunteer Co-Ordinator at RAF Linton-On-Ouse Committee,

RAF Linton-On-Ouse