Military parade on Boar Lane, which was part of the route taken which ended at Leeds Town Hall on The Headrow. Unseasonably bad weather had delayed the Normandy Invasion Forces, the D-Day landings took place 3 days later on the 6th of June. Many of the people seen here in the crowd are wearing coats and hats, prepared for rain.placeholder image
Military parade on Boar Lane, which was part of the route taken which ended at Leeds Town Hall on The Headrow. Unseasonably bad weather had delayed the Normandy Invasion Forces, the D-Day landings took place 3 days later on the 6th of June. Many of the people seen here in the crowd are wearing coats and hats, prepared for rain.

Salute the Soldier Week: Why Leeds raised more than £6 million during World War 2

Andrew Hutchinson
By Andrew Hutchinson

Specialist Reporter

Published 9th Jun 2023, 04:45 GMT

It was a week when Leeds came together in a major fundraising drive to support their armed forces during World War 2.

Salute the Soldier Week was a British National savings campaign in 1944 with the aim of British Army equipment being sponsored by a civil community. And Leeds played its part smashing its £6 million target to send 100 divisions to Berlin. The city’s final total was £6,848,594. The Royal Air Force equivalent was Wings for Victory Week and the Royal Navy equivalent was Warship Week. READ MORE: The Leeds Blitz - Nine air raids which brought death and devastation LOVE LEEDS? LOVE NOSTALGIA? Join Leeds Retro on facebook

Parade on Rothwell's Marsh Street of The Royal Women's Junior Air Corps on the occasion of the visit of H.R.H. Princess Mary (The Princess Royal) for Salute the Soldier Week. Children and Adults line the street and onlookers look out from upstairs windows of businesses. The shops that are featured are The Post Office and Lesley Pyle, Cycle dealer.

7. Salute the Soldier Week

Parade on Rothwell's Marsh Street of The Royal Women's Junior Air Corps on the occasion of the visit of H.R.H. Princess Mary (The Princess Royal) for Salute the Soldier Week. Children and Adults line the street and onlookers look out from upstairs windows of businesses. The shops that are featured are The Post Office and Lesley Pyle, Cycle dealer. Photo: Leeds Libraries, www.leodis.net

Photo Sales
Air raid wardens on parade on Rothwell's Marsh Street during the visit of H.R.H. Princess Mary, The Princess Royal to mark Salute the Soldier Week. The street is lined with men, women and children. Businesses featured are a Post Office and Lesley Pyle, cycle dealer.

8. Salute the Soldier Week

Air raid wardens on parade on Rothwell's Marsh Street during the visit of H.R.H. Princess Mary, The Princess Royal to mark Salute the Soldier Week. The street is lined with men, women and children. Businesses featured are a Post Office and Lesley Pyle, cycle dealer. Photo: Leeds Libraries, www.leodis.net

Photo Sales
Previous
2 / 2
Next Page
Related topics:LeedsBritish ArmyBerlinRoyal Navy
Celebrating 135 years of telling Leeds' stories
Follow us
© 2026 Iconic Media Group Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice