When two communities came together to buy a Spitfire

It was a fundraiser like no other, and it brought two Wakefield communities together and help the war effort 80 years ago.
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Today, charity drives seem commonplace, but when money (not to mention food and every other basic need) was in short supply, it was incredible that more than £5,000 was pooled by the struggling residents of Horbury and Ossett - money that would be spent on funding a Spitfire aircraft to help fight the German Luftwaffe during the Second World War.

Taking inflation into account, that is the equivalent to raising £272,122 today. And it was all collected in the space of just four months in the summer and autumn of 1940.

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The story is proudly etched into the pages of history of Horbury and Ossett, but little was known about the fate of the aircraft or its pilot.

Anne-Marie Fawcett and Rachel Driver at the bench plaque.Anne-Marie Fawcett and Rachel Driver at the bench plaque.
Anne-Marie Fawcett and Rachel Driver at the bench plaque.

Few know that it was piloted by Polish airman Jozef Bondar, and that he was shot down in the West Yorkshire-funded plane near Neuve Chapelle in northern France on June 28, 1941.

Pilot Officer Bondar, who was just 24 years-old, was sadly killed and the Spitfire destroyed.

The iconic aircraft had only been in operation for a little over a week.

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Historian Anne-Marie Fawcett, who runs the online Facebook group, Ossett Through The Ages (OTTA) has been looking into the fate of the plane that was made possible by a forged community spirit.

A Spitfire gears up for take off.A Spitfire gears up for take off.
A Spitfire gears up for take off.

She said: “In 1940 Spitfire Fund Committees were set up by councils, businesses, voluntary organisations and individuals.

“More than 1,400 appeals were set up nationwide.

“The people of Ossett and Horbury were never formally told that the Spitfire they raised £5,000 to build only lasted nine days before crashing and burning.

“The aircraft were priced at a theoretical £5,000 and the neighbouring towns worked together to reach that target.”

The plaque.The plaque.
The plaque.
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Ms Fawcett said the community paper at the time, the Ossett Observer, supported the scheme.

An excerpt from the paper in 1941 proudly reported: “The response which was both immediate and generous, was covered by every section of the community, from the richest to the poorest.

“The campaign has disclosed many striking instances of sacrifice and zeal for the common cause. Notably the example of the humble old-age pensioner who took the whole of his weekly allowance direct from the post office to the secretary of the fund committee.

“Praise must be given for the inherent patriotism of the inhabitants and their conviction in the righteousness of the cause.”

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An unnamed businessman also donated 200 model Spitfires for every class of children who were involved in raising the money, with a larger model donated to the class that raised the most.

To encourage the community to give generously, Herbert Gledhill, who was well known in for Gledhill’s Garage in Ossett, borrowed a Spitfire which he then flew over Ossett Market Place during Spitfire fundraising events.

The final total was £5,269 3s 8d, which was announced in the Observer on November 9, 1940. As a reward to those involved in the fundraising, a celebration dinner was organised at Terry Mills in Horbury, organised and paid for by Councillor Ralph Hirst.

Ossett historian, Rachel Driver, recently arranged for a new plaque to be attached to the bench in Ossett Market Place, near to the town’s war memorial, commemorating the pilot on the 80th anniversary of his death, and for the people’s efforts.

Ms Fawcett added: “I think it was a supreme effort by the two towns and an excellent example of how communities can work together when they have a common aim.”

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