AS well as fighter planes of the Second World War flying over Swindon on Battle of Britain Day, a locomotive will be named after town hero Harold Starr.

Swindon Heritage has set up a series of events to commemorate the 75th anniversary of that fateful day, and our victory, that changed the course of the war.

Swindon's own fighter ace, Harold Starr, lost his life when he bailed out of his plane after being hit at 15,000 feet in the skies over Kent.

Sqd Ldr Starr was the leader of 253 Squadron. He was machine gunned to death by three BF 109s, as he parachuted from his burning plane.

He is buried in Radnor Street Cemetery where the flypast and family day will take place on Battle of Britain Day - Tuesday, September 15.

Sqd Ldr Starr's name will also live on through First Great Western's naming of a Class 43 locomotive after him.

During the week leading up to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, the Swindon Heritage team, led by Graham Carter, have organised a number of events for what has become the Swindon Remembers event, sponsored by First Great Western.

Graham said: "The flypast would be a tremendous honour at any time, but on the very day that the country is marking the 75th anniversary it becomes even more special.

"Swindon Remembers is an open invitation to everybody in the town to join in and help us remember The Few.''

Rob Mullen, general manager for the central region of FGW, said: "We are proud to be naming one of our high speed trains in honour of Harold.

"It is important as a country that we commemorate this anniversary and remember those who bravely gave so much.''

The town centre will host a display of Hurricanes and Spitfire planes.

The festival will also have three illustrated talks, hosted by the Central Library, starting with Graham talking about Harold's life, on Tuesday, September 8.

Other talks include Flying the Spitfire by Phill O'Dell on Wednesday, September 9, and Secrets of the Spitfire by Swindon's own author and aviation expert Lance Cole, who will be in conversation with local historian Mike Pringle, on Thursday, September 10. All talks begin at 7.15pm.

The official artist of the Red Arrows, Swindon painter David Bent, has an exhibition of his works on show, and pupils from Swindon schools have created their own designs for windows in the Radnor Street Cemetery Chapel as part of Swindon Remembers.

Local businesses are also becoming involved with the Flying Monk Brewery producing a commemorative beer and the Wilson Family Butcher's of Old Town selling Harold Starr sausages. The Beehive pub on Prospect Hill will host an illustrated talk on Flying A Lancaster Bomber, from 7.30pm on Monday, September 14.

For more details of the festival or Swindon Heritage, a quarterly magazine for lovers of local history, visit www.swindonheritage.com