‘Salute the Solider Week’ was a national fundraising effort to encourage civilians to place their money in government accounts, as Britain prepared for a final assault on Nazi Germany. Across the country celebrations began with a parade and culminated on public space, such as a village green, with a mixture of speeches, blessing ceremonies, sporting events and games.
This report from the Bromley & District Times newspaper in August 1944, provides details of the event which took place in Orpington.
Salute the Soldier
Everything is set for Salute the Soldier Week in the Orpington urban district. As inaugural luncheon was held on Tuesday by Orpington Rotary Club, the principal guest being Lieut.-General Sir Douglas Brownrigg, K.C.B., and the next important event will be the military and civil parade tomorrow afternoon along Spur Road and Orpington High Street.
The band of the Coldstream Guards were to have taken part in the parade, but owing to the death of their musical director, a change had to be made and their place will be taken by the Irish Guards Band. A large number of our local young men were serving in Irish Guards units.
General Sir Frederick A. Pile, K.C.B., will take the salute at the parade in Spur Road. The Commander-in-Chief of our A.A. Defences will be welcomed at the Council Offices by Mr G. E. Davis M.C., J.P., Chairman of the Council
You might be interested to watch these videos from the BFI archive, which shows the type of events that happened during this fundraising events: Salute the Soldier Week & Salute the Soldier Parade
Sources: Bromley & District Times newspaper, BFI archive website
