Royal British Legion to hold parade and ceremony to commemorate Banbury WWII hero

The Middleton Cheney and District Branch of the Royal British Legion, in collaboration with the village's parish council, will hold the ceremony on May 23.

It will commemorate all of the 1,415 men that were killed when the battlecruiser HMS Hood was sunk during the Battle of the Denmark Strait in 1941.

The ceremony will also pay special tribute to Middleton Cheney’s own Vice-Admiral Lancelot Holland, who commanded the British force in the battle and lost his life.

Lancelot Holland was born in the village in 1887 and had a distinguished Royal Navy career for almost 40 years.

The Royal British Legion will lead a detachment of Banbury Sea Cadets, accompanied by the pipes and drums of the Banbury and District Caledonian Pipe Band on the parade.

It will take place at 7pm at Middleton Cheney Primary School’s playground.