It was on September 15, 1940, that RAF Fighter Command was able to officially claim victory over the German Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain during the Second World War.

The Headcorn branch of the Royal Air Forces Association will mark the event a little early – on Sunday, September 3 – and for very good reason.

It was on that date – a Tuesday – 83 years ago that the fierce sounds of a dogfight were heard over the Weald and soon a blazing Hurricane was seen to plummet to earth heading – to the dismay of watching villagers – directly towards the local primary school where classes were in session.

At the last moment, the aircraft was seen to swing away and it was clear that the pilot has stayed at the controls.

It crashed in a field at Parkhouse Farm in Chart Sutton (postcode ME17 3RD.)

The identity of the brave pilot surprisingly remained a mystery for decades because of some wartime confusion.

Another Hurricane crashed at Parkhouse Farm only 11 days after, and in between times, on September 4, a Spitfire was shot down only a short distance away at Amberfield Farm in Chart Sutton.

The debris from all three crash sites was collected together by an RAF Recovery Squad on September 26.

It was not until archeological digs at the other two sites in the early 1980s proved the identity of their pilots, that by a process of elimination, it was determined that the first Chart Sutton pilot must have been Pilot Officer Robert Henry Shaw, originally from Bolton. He was 24.

In 1970, even before PO Shaw’s identity was known, a memorial garden was created at the farm and a grateful village began a tradition of holding an annual service on the anniversary of his death.

His identity was finally confirmed when a piece of engine plate, which had been recovered from the site in 1989, came to light in the late 1990s.

This year’s memorial service will start at 2pm with a service of remembrance led by the Rev Fiona Haskett at St Michael’s and All Angels’ Church in Chart Sutton.

The congregation will then move to the Memorial Garden at Parkhouse Farm. The garden is on private land and is only open to the public to visit on this one special day each year.

After the laying of wreaths, there will be a flypast at 3pm by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

Guests at the service will include the Deputy Lieutenant of Kent, Brigadier (Retd) Nick Baveystock OBE; Group Captain Mark Tillyard of the RAF; the Mayor of Maidstone, Cllr Gordon Newton, and members of PO Shaw’s family.

Afterwards, the Headcorn RAFA will offer tea and refreshments at the Sutton Valence Preparatory School (in Chart Sutton.)

Flying Officer John Cutts was the Spitfire pilot whose aircraft crashed at Amberfield Farm, Chart Sutton.

Sergeant John Brimble was the second Hurricane pilot to crash at Parkhouse Farm. They were aged 20 and 23 respectively.