Report: Emma Day

Every year, the British Legion calls on the nation to unite in commemorating Remembrance Sunday.

And this year Burscough residents will have a unique opportunity to view a special mural at the historical HMS Ringtail site, on the Burscough Industrial Estate.

On Sunday 10 November, the national Service of Remembrance will call on the nation to unite in commemorating Remembrance Sunday; starting at 11am, services across the country will honour the service and sacrifice of our Armed Forces community, the British and Commonwealth veterans, the Allies that fought alongside us and the civilian servicemen and women involved in the two World Wars and later conflicts.

And honouring the service and sacrifice of our veterans, the team at GraffitiArtists2Hire.co.uk have dedicated a substantial commemorative display never seen before in Burscough; the impressive artistic memorial features on the side of an articulated lorry trailer.

Named after a bird, HMS Ringtail was a Navy airfield rather than an RAF one. Commissioned on the 1st September 1943, it was the last airfield to be built in Lancashire during WW2, and it followed the Navy blueprint for airfields - which differed significantly from RAF format.

According to Aldon P. Ferguson's book Lancashire Airfields in the Second World War: 'it was constructed to the normal Navy plan with four runways instead of three, all of which were only 30 yards wide instead of the RAF standard 50 yards. The extra runway allowed the aircraft to land and take off as close as possible into the wind, with eight directions to choose from. The narrower landing strips also simulated take-off and landing on aircraft carriers.'

During WW2 more than 40 squadrons used this site, mostly positioned there to increase their operational size - training new pilots and testing new aircraft before returning to battle. The types of planes that would have been seen around the airfield included Seafires, Corsairs, Fireflies, Hellcats, Ansons, Barracudas, Wildcats, Helldivers, and Swordfish, piloted mainly by British and American airmen.

Destinations for these squadrons included Normandy, the Mediterranean and very often the Far East.

Even when the last original remnant of the airfield has been removed, its memory will live on in the road names: Ringtail Road and Swordfish Close. Additionally, the new Booths supermarket also pays homage to the history of site with its unique design, which replicates an aircraft hangar.

A monument can also be found there, which features just outside the supermarket; erected in 2004, it has become a destination for the annual Armistice Day ceremony honouring those who served at HMS Ringtail during WW2.

Graffitiartists2hire told QLocal this morning: "The special mural on Burscough airfield pays tribute to the service and sacrifice to our veterans and respectfully commemorates Remembrance Day in Burscough.

"We hope that it effectively draws attention to the important legacy of our old airfield and the wartime history of the town. Hopefully this will inspire the local community of all ages to get involved in remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can live free lives today.”

The display can be viewed on and leading up to Remembrance Sunday behind Karting UK, just off Tollgate Road, Burscough Industrial Estate, L40 8LD.