THE Lord Mayor of Oxford has urged residents to salute a team of airmen who will be marching through the city to boost this year’s Poppy Appeal, as details are released of the final route.

Members of the Royal Air Force will march through the county before arriving in Oxford, where they will lay a wreath at St Giles War Memorial.

The march, backed by Oxfordshire Royal British Legion, is part of a nationwide event aimed at raising more than £1m for the appeal.

Last night Lord Mayor John Goddard called on people in the city to show their support on November 6 and 7.

He said: “It would be a fitting show of respect if the streets could be lined in their honour as the march passes through the city.

“On Remembrance Sunday our traditional ceremonies in St Giles will honour the fallen and this march is a special tribute to the soldiers who have died in Afghanistan.”

The four teams – also including Marines, Army and Navy personnel – will march a combined total of 1,000 miles in uniform and carrying 40lb of equipment.

The March For Honour RAF team will arrive in Evenley, Buckinghamshire, at about 1.30pm on November 6, where they will be greeted by Oxfordshire Legion members.

At about 5pm they will arrive at the outskirts of Bicester, and town mayor Richard Mould will march with them to the Tesco Store in Pringle Drive.

After a quick break, the airmen will start making their way to Oxford, and they are expected to arrive at St Giles at about 10pm via the South Parks fireworks display.

The following morning the team will lay a March For Honour wreath at St Giles war memorial before heading through the city en route for Wootton Bassett, near Lyneham in Wiltshire, their final destination.

Royal British Legion county manager Linda Flecknell said there had already been generous offers of help.

She said: “We are extremely grateful to Tim Crocker, general manager of Premier Inn in Garsington Road, Oxford, who has donated rooms and breakfast to the airmen.”

A total of 341 servicemen and woman have been killed since operations started in Afghanistan in 2001.

Another 179 were killed in Iraq.

March 4 Honour is the brainchild of Lance Corporal Ram Patten, a Royal Marines Commando based in Plymouth.