On Sunday 6 September, 1036 (Bury) Sqn ATC held its annual Battle of Britain parade and church service. The parade took place on a warm, sunny day, and cadets from 80 (Bolton) and 2301 (Heywood) Sqns also took part.
This year we were joined by Mr Harvey Evitts who is 90 years old and was a cadet in 1036 Squadron from 1941 to 1943 before being called up to serve first in the Royal Navy and later in the Army in the Far East as a radio operator. Mr Evitts actually marched in the parade to the Parish Church in Bury, a distance of over a quarter of a mile. The parade was led by the band which comprised musicians from 80 Sqn and 1036 Sqn, and the Parade Commander was Flt Lt Liz Thomas who has been OC 1036 Sqn since 1999. Parents and civilian committee members were in place to marshal the parade on the way to church for the service which was led by the Rector of Bury, the Rev Dr. John Findon, and attended by the Mayor of Bury, Cllr Stella Smith, her consort, Mr John Smith, and Wg Cdr David Forbes DL.
Following the service, wreaths were laid at the memorials in the church grounds to the members of the Royal Air Force from Bury who died in the Second World War and to the three cadets from Bury and Horwich who died in the Wessex helicopter crash in North Wales in 1993.
The parade concluded with a march past and the Mayor of Bury, Wg Cdr Forbes and Mr Evitts took the salute.
