Local Conservative campaigner Doug Pullen has launched a petition to bring one of the recently discovered Spitfires currently buried in Burma back home to Birmingham.
The planes, discovered after a lengthy and expensive search by a Lincolnshire farmer, have been buried in Burma unassembled and protected by wax and paper in transport crates since being delivered there during the Second World War.
Prime Minister David Cameron has negotiated a deal with the Burmese authorities that the Spitfires can be repatriated, and a UK firm has been appointed to fund the excavation and transport.
The Spitfires, of which around 12,000 were manufactured at the present day Jaguar plant and subsequently tested over what is now Castle Vale, were instrumental in defeating the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain.
Doug, who has joined forces with local Royal British Legion Chairman Gerry Brien, said “It is absolutely fitting that we should have a Spitfire delivered to the local area to commemorate the sacrifices and hard graft that local people gave to protect our borders during the war – having one returned to its “birthplace” will give us all a tremendous sense of pride, and provide an iconic monument in the local area”.
Gerry Brien commented that “it’s a wonderful idea – many of us would like to see a Spitfire in the area, and we look forward to moving this campaign forward”.
The petition, which is available online at http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/32913# and will be circulated amongst residents soon, reads in part:
“We call upon the UK Government to recognise the hundreds of ordinary citizens from Birminghamwho made a distinct and lasting impact upon the protection of UK borders by manufacturing the Supermarine Spitfire at Castle Bromwich. We believe that a fitting tribute to the sacrifice made by these people is the delivery of a Spitfire to the City, to be placed within the Tyburn Ward boundaries, in close proximity to the original Aircraft Factory (now Jaguar) and Castle Bromwich Aerodrome (now Castle Vale Housing Estate).”