DURING the Second World War, the people of Southampton donated to a Badge Fund and raised sufficient money, while also helping the war effort, by having a Spitfire built, possibly named Southampton.
If anyone with knowledge of this, can they please give more details? Who flew this plane? How long did if fly in active service?
During the war years, how many Southamptonians died in the Spitfire's production, delivery, ground support etc?
Why not build a Southampton Spitfire Memorial to include their memory, aided by another Badge Fund, if so wished? A memorial that could be viewed from air, sea and land, to which people from around the country and the world, would wish to visit to remember their own comrades and loved ones.
An ideal location, not far from Supermarine, would be the recently upgraded, and relatively peaceful Weston Shore area, looking to the west, giving one of the best uninterrupted views over Southampton Water and the New Forest where With the setting of the sun, we shall remember them'.
JOHN POPE, Woodmill, Southampton.
