LAST week we attended the one night showing of the film "Spitfire" at the Odeon Cinema. What a marvellous tribute to the Aircraft, Designers and Aircrew, Including of course the Lady ATA pilots.
However, as longstanding residents of Salisbury we were most concerned and disappointed that the manufacture of Spitfires in Salisbury was totally overlooked. Many others probably felt the same.
In 1940, the Germans destroyed the Spitfire factories in Southampton, and believed they had ended the threat from their nemesis, but, unknown to them, the British were building Spitfires in secret. Salisbury became a major centre for manufacturing them, hidden in garages, back gardens, a bus depot and a hotel.
With a workforce mainly made up of unskilled young girls, boys, women, and a handful of engineers, over 2000 Spitfires were built, 10 per cent of the total build, becoming instrumental in winning the war.
Quite a major contribution to the Air War effort!
Peter Bankes
Stratford-sub-Castle
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