Spitfire flypast at Capel le Ferne to mark the anniversary last year

A ceremony will be held at Capel today to mark the 72nd anniversary of the Battle of Britain.

A Spitfire and Hurricane from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will open the parade at 1.30pm and will return at 3pm to give a short display.

Twelve members of the elite group of men Winston Churchill first described as "the Few" - all now in their 90s – will be among those at the National Memorial for the ceremony when the nation pays its respects to the bravery of nearly 3,000 airmen who took to the sky to end Nazi invasion plans in the summer and early autumn of 1940.

Memorial Day, organised by the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust, has seen large crowds in the last few years and organisers are expecting another good attendance at this year’s clifftop event.

Guest of honour will be Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton, GCB ADC, Chief of the Air Staff, and music will be provided by the Central Band of the Royal Air Force and The Pipe Band of 2513 (Romney Marsh) Squadron Air Training Corps.

Flypast at the 70th anniversary celebration of the Battle of Britain at Capel-le-Ferne

Standard bearers from more than 70 different veterans’ organisations from all over the country will make it a colourful occasion, with the action being relayed to the crowds on a big screen.

The salute by the Spitfire and Hurricane will serve as a poignant reminder of the bravery and sacrifice of the Few.

Trust members will also be promoting their £2.8m campaign to raise cash for The Wing, a new visitor centre that will use modern audio-visual techniques to bring the story of the Battle of Britain to life.

Planning permission has been granted for the building – which will be in the shape of a Spitfire wing – and fundraising is well underway.

For more information visit www.battleofbritainmemorial.org.