TWO of the town’s bravest brothers will be honoured when the Swindon Heritage Team unveils not one but two commemorative blue plaques to the war heroes.

Harold and Norman ‘John’ Starr were born in the Central Hotel, Regent Street, which was replaced with a cinema in the 1930s and today the Art Deco building houses the popular Weatherspoon’s pub, The Savoy.

As soon as the pub chain was approached about having blue plaques outside they said yes and have been assisting with the logistics ever since. The unveiling will take place from 3pm on Thursday, September 8.

Swindon Heritage, who are responsible for installing the plaques, needed to raise £700 to cover the cost and earlier this month they reached the target thanks to generous donations on a crowd funding website.

Squadron Leader Harold Starr bailed out of his burning Hurricane during the Battle of Britain in 1940, aged 25, but was gunned to death by a Messerschmitt as he parachuted down.

His wife was carrying their unborn child at the time. He is buried in Radnor St Cemetery in Swindon in a Commonwealth War Grave.

Wing Commander Norman John Starr DFC and BAR was shot down and killed, aged 27, while piloting an Avro Anson over Dunkirk in 1945.

He was flying back to England to get married to his sweetheart the following day. He is buried in Dunkirk Town Cemetery in a Commonwealth War Grave.

Last September, the town put on an air display to mark the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain and to remember the Starr brothers’ sacrifice.

On the day, Harold’s nephew, retired squadron leader Peter Starr Mills, said his charismatic uncle would have enjoyed the day’s celebrations and fondly referred to Harold and Norman as the ‘boys’.

He said: “Harry would have loved it here today, he loved a celebration and I truly feel that he has been honoured in the best way.”

“The boys were so close and it feels that they are here today.

“It’s so important not only to remember my uncle but all those brave boys who died protecting our country.”

The Battle of Britain was fought from May to September 1940. Herman Goering’s Luftwaffe attacked RAF airfields, their buildings and important industrial centres in an attempt to bring down the formidable force of the RAF ahead of Hitler’s Operation Sea Lion – a planned land invasion of Britain by German soldiers.

Prime Minister Winston Churchill famously said of the conflict: “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”