A village will once again remember its Second World War Royal Australian Air Force hero.

Warrant Officer Richmond Anthony Barrett Blumer, known as Red because of his red hair, was from New South Wales.

He died on June 25, 1944, when his Spitfire crashed in the field behind the Hop Pole pub in Nettlestead Green.

Since 2005, villagers have gone out of their way to ensure the memory of the 23-year-old is kept alive with a memorial service each year on the Saturday closest to the anniversary of his death.

This is followed by a get-together at the pub, which itself is decorated with a full-wall mural depicting the flyer.

This year’s service will be held adjacent to the mural, starting at 11.30am this Saturday (June 24) and will be attended by Flt Lt Jobee Job and Flying Officer Zachary Ringer, of the Royal Australian Air Force, representing the High Commissioner for Australia.

Afterwards, a community barbecue will raise funds for the KM Media Group’s Homes for Heroes campaign, and for the Tommy Club, both supporting the Royal British Legion Industries’ (RBLI) village for ex-servicemen at Aylesford.

The RBLI needs funds to build extra accommodation and a community centre at its new Centenary Village.

Bad weather had curtailed flying for most of the hours on the day that WO Blumer lost his life, but he flew the final patrol of that day.

He was headed for home and his base at West Malling, but had to make a stop at the advanced landing ground at Staplehurst to refuel. He took off again, but crashed just short of his destination.

He is buried in Brookwood Cemetery in Surrey.

Jackie Bennett is a Nettlestead parish councillor and churchwarden at St Mary The Virgin as well as being a bronze champion fund-raiser for the Tommy Club.

She said: “We will have prayers and hymns in a service conducted by the Rev Sue Morrell.

“We will have the lines from Robert Binyon’s poem For The Fallen, and the Last Post will be played.”

“Afterwards there will be a family barbecue in the pub’s garden and a sponsored car wash in the pub car park, to raise funds for the RBLI.

“It will be people’s last chance to get their cars washed before the hosepipe ban comes into force the next day.

“Everyone is invited and we hope many people will come to honour this truly remarkable man and to raise funds for a good cause.”

WO Blumer had already had an adventurous war.

While still training in Australia he had crashed one aircraft when tryng to fly between two grain silos for a dare – there wasn’t sufficient room.

Later in England, he was posted to 91 Squadron based at RAF Westhampnett near Chichester in Sussex.

There he carried out a number of missions, including "Ramrods" (bomber escorts), "Rodeos" (fighter sweeps) and "Rhubarbs" (attacks on ground targets).

He shot down a German Focke Wulf over Lille in France, but only days later was forced to bail out of his own plane over the sea off Deal when it developed engine problems following a furious dogfight.

He was unhurt and luckily was quickly rescued.

Resuming his duties, he shot down a Bf 109G over Beaumont in France, but subsequently on November 6, 1943, while attacking enemy locomotives in France, his aircraft was hit by ack-ack fire and colleagues last saw him climbing into cloud with black smoke pouring from the engine.

He was posted as "missing" but six months later turned up again at the squadron’s new headquarters at RAF West Malling.

It transpired that after crash-landing in France, he had been found by members of the Resistance who initally helped him to escape to Switzerland.

But discovering that he was likely to be interned there for the rest of the war, he had returned to France, again made contact with the Resistance, and this time made his way through to the South of France, Spain and then to Gibralter, and thence to England.

On his last fateful day, he had been on a mission to shoot down V-1 flying bombs, succeeding in destroying one between Tenterden and Ashford.

Villagers in Nettlestead saw his Spitfire crash only a mile short of the runway and say his aircraft suddenly dived straight into the ground.

The crash site was excavated in 1992, when a number of items including his flying helmet, seat harness, watch and coins were found.

He is remembered also in a housing development named Blumer Lock at Yalding, and in Nettlestead’s village sign, which includes an image of his Spitfire.

If you are unable to attend the event and still wish to donate to the Help For Heroes campaign, you can do so here.

Alternatively, donate by text message – text 5RBLI to 70085 to donate £5; text 10RBLI to 70085 to donate £10, or or text 20RBLI to 70085 to donate £20.

Texts will cost the donation amount plus one standard network rate message, and you’ll be opting into hearing more from the RBLI.

If you would like to donate but not be contacted further, please add NOINFO to your text message.