A PIECE of wreckage from a German bomber shot down during a mission to destroy homes in Britain during the Second World War is to be auctioned to raise money for a Salisbury charity.

The 35cm long piece of airframe from the Dornier bomber has been mounted on a base with a plaque and a model depicting what the plane looked like before it met its end in 1940.

It will be sold in aid of Salisbury Trust for the Homeless by Woolley and Wallis in Salisbury on November 20.

The Dornier Do17z aircraft with the number FI BT 76 on its fuselage was shot down by anti-aircraft fire and RAF fighters during a raid on London on the night of November 15 and 16 November, 1940.

It crashed near Harlow, Essex and all its five crew were killed.

The crash site has been excavated by aviation historians on two occasions and a number of pieces of wreckage recovered. One of these – believed to come from the tailplane – was later given by one of the excavating team to a Salisbury man who has an interest in the home front during the Second World War.

The man, who has asked to remain anonymous, said: “I recently decided that this historic piece of wreckage should be used to raise money for a constructive purpose,” he said.

“Selling it to help STFH’s campaign to rebuild people’s lives and get them out of the cycle of homelessness is the absolute opposite of the Dornier’s original destructive mission when it took off bound for London.”

Salisbury-based Woolley and Wallis agreed to auction the piece of Dornier in its sale of Medals, Coins, Arms, Armour and Militaria on Wednesday waiving the fee it normally charges vendors. The lot is estimated at £100 to £150.

Ned Cowell, the auction house’s medals, coins and arms and armour specialist, said: “We are regularly approached by some of the bigger national charities to sell donated items on their behalf, so I am really pleased to be able to help a charity on our doorstep; especially one that does such vital work.

“The object we are selling is a really interesting piece and I hope that it does well and raises a decent amount to help the Trust and those people who rely on its support.”

Gordon Pardy, STFH’s head of fundraising, added: “We are extremely grateful to Woolley and Wallis for auctioning this piece of memorabilia and for waiving their charges. Salisbury Trust for the Homeless receives no support from government and so we are very dependent on the generosity of individuals and companies.”