18/06/2026
LICHFIELD and DISTRICT WINGS FOR VICTORY
May 29th – June 5th
Target £200,000 (wanted to buy 5 Lancaster bombers, see wall chart of groups of options).
By 3 June 1943 figure was £140,000.
Lichfield Mercury 4 June 1943
LICHFIELD AND DISTRICT'S "WINGS FOR VICTORY" WEEK OPENING OF CAMPAIGN TO RAISE £200,000
Small Savers' Generous Response to Appeal
IMPOSING ALL-SERVICES PARADE
ALTHOUGH it is too early at the time of writing to forecast Lichfield and District's “Wings for Victory” Week achievement, it is plainly evident the small saver is doing his or her part most loyally and generously to assist in reaching the very high target which has been set of £200,000. When all the returns are available our readers will be amazed at the stupendous efforts which have been made by the members of street groups, schools, villages, and employees of local industries, and whatever may be the result of the week's campaign it will be no fault of the small saver if the city and district has not accomplished its ambition. Some very arduous work has devolved upon those who have voluntarily undertaken the organisation of the week's programme, and the success already achieved is some compensation to the large band of willing workers who have devoted long hours in arranging social propaganda events and in coping with the investments pouring in daily from all parts of the district.
The campaign was given a very auspicious send-off on Saturday when the city witnessed a very impressive parade of all-services personnel, followed by an eloquent address by Air Vice-Marshal R. P. Willock, C.B. Sunday's drumhead service in the Recreation Grounds and the concert by the band of H.M. Royal Air Force College, Cranwell, were two outstanding successes of the week's programme; while other notable events in the city have been the whist drive at the Guildhall on Monday and a very popular and well-patronised ball on Wednesday evening.
Undoubtedly the most interesting and instructive feature during the week has been the R.A.F. exhibition at the Drill Hall, which has afforded visitors the first opportunity of seeing the numerous and intricate mechanical devices the R.A.F. use and require. If any of our readers have not yet visited the exhibition we strongly advise them to do so to-day or tomorrow between the hours of 2 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Apart from their keen interest in the savings side of the campaign the schoolchildren of Lichfield and district have contributed a very commendable effort in their exhibition of posters and models staged in the old Museum Buildings, which we can assure everyone is well worth seeing. It is very gratifying to announce that one result of "Wings" week will be the provision of a very handsome donation to the R.A.F. Benevolent Fund from the various social events held in the city and district, the most notable to date being the sum of £70 raised by means of a whist drive and dance in the small village of Weeford, which has only a population of 300. Well done, Weeford; you deserve a special bouquet.
OPENED BY THE MAYOR
The campaign was formally opened by the Mayor (Councillor Miss A. M. Thompson) on Saturday morning at the Drill Hall, where a very interesting exhibition of aeroplane parts and accessories was staged by the R.A.F. These exhibits are too numerous to mention, but they are all of especial interest in illustrating the multiplicity of essentials with which men of the R.A.F. have to be provided in their fight against the enemy. There were also interesting exhibits from local manufacturers who are engaged on war work. These included a wide range of components, complete units, tools and equipment manufactured in Lichfield workshops, and the firms contributing to this were Air Industrial Development, Ltd., Chamberlin and Hill, Ltd., John Harris (Coventry), Ltd., Gills Cables, Ltd., and Tuke and Bells, Ltd. The Drill Hall was kindly loaned by Lieut.- Col. A. A. Trowell, T.D., Officer Commanding 10th Staffordshire Battalion Home Guard, and the exhibition will remain open until 9 p.m. tomorrow (Saturday).
In opening the exhibition the Mayor said it was a very great pleasure and honour for her to open that really marvellous exhibition. They had a wonderful show from the R.A.F., and also a very interesting exhibition of articles produced in their local factories which went to make up the whole of those marvellous machines. The breath taking exploits of the R.A.F. were to many earth bound mortals like herself almost incredible, but they knew those things had been done, and were being done. It was a great occasion for them to see all those things which were used in the planes they heard going over almost nightly.
They all knew what the object of the week was. They took great interest in that exhibition, but what they really had to do was to provide money for it all. They knew the men of the Navy, Army and Air Force were more than a match for the enemy if they were given what they wanted. They could not let it be said they had not given them that. They had put their target rather high possibly, but not too high for Lichfield. It was a wonderful place for making efforts, and she felt sure they could make that effort and pass their target.
The Mayor then read the following telegram from Sir Archibald Sinclair:—"My best wishes for Lichfield’s Wings for Victory Week. By reaching your target you have found an opportunity to show gratitude for what the RA.F. has done and is doing. The task facing them calls for the very best machines we can give them. These cost money, and you now have a chance to provide that money, and by so doing to speed our final victory."
Another telegram from Sir Kingsley Wood read as follows: "Best wishes for success of your Wings for Victory Week. I am confident that the result of your week will give convincing proof of Lichfield's determination of speeding the R.A.F. on the path to victory." Councillor Moseley said on behalf of the people there he wished to thank the Mayor for her kindness in coming to open the exhibition, and also for the great assistance she had given in connection with the preparations of that week. He also thanked the R.A.F. for the very good exhibition they had staged. It would be very interesting to the youth of Lichfield, because they were all interested in aeroplanes. He also thanked the local manufacturers for giving them an opportunity of seeing what was produced. They knew they were engaged on making munitions, but they never had an opportunity of seeing what the exact thing was. They also thanked the employees for the great help they had given before they commenced that week. They had got to raise £200,000, and they had quite a good start, but they wanted everyone to put their shoulder to the wheel.
A GRAND PARADE
The principal streets of the city 1 were crowded with sightseers on Saturday afternoon when an all- Services parade was held. This was formed on the Cricket Field, under the direction of Captain F. A. Simmons, who acted as chief marshal and at the head of the procession was a band of the R.A.F. Following that were contingents of the R.A.F., Women's Auxiliary Air Force, Air Training Corps, U.S.A. troops. R.A.F. vehicles, band of the North Staffordshire Regiment, Home Guard, Army Cadet Corps, Old Contemptibles and British Legion, City and Rural Civil Defence, Civil Defence Ambulances, Boy Scouts, Girl Guides and N.F.S. The route taken was via Birmingham Road, St. John Street, Bird Street, Gaia Lane, St. Chad's Road, Stowe Street, Lombard Street, Bore Street, and thence to the Friary Road, where the salute was taken by Air Vice-Marshal R. P. Willock, C.B. Every contingent received a rousing cheer from the large crowd, and probably the most outstanding applause was that received by the Old Contemptibles and British Legion, men who had fought in the last Great War. They were led by Chum Nevill, who despite his incapacity in the last war, when he lost a leg, marched throughout the procession.
Accompanying Air Vice-Marshal Willock on the saluting base were the Mayor, the Sheriff and the Sheriff's Lady, Group Captain C. E. Horrex, Mrs. Willock, the Bishop (Right Rev. E. S. Woods), Councillor T. Moseley, Mr. Mayer Jones, Colonel B. L. Evans, the Town Clerk, Mr. G. K. Pullen, Mr. J. E. Bishop (Hon. Publicity Officer), Mr. J. Hall (Chairman of the Entertainment Committee), Rev. M. C. C. Melville (Hon. Secretary), Colonel C. L. Longstaff, Lieutenant-Colonel A. A. Trowell, Councillor J. Deakin (Chairman of the Lichfield Rural District Council), Alderman Mrs. Stuart Shaw, and R.A.F. and Army Officers.
A KEY TO VICTORY
Thank you to Richard Purshouse for input in this
