Spitfire Memorial

The Lytham St Anne’s Spitfire display team has spent the past three years raising funds for a new RAF Fighter and Bomber Command Memorial which will be the Town’s tribute to those British and Commonwealth Airmen lost during WW2. It will be unveiling on the 24th June 2012 at FY81BD. The Meomorial will feature at its centre a full size replica of a Mark Vb Spitfire W3644 (The Lytham St Anne’s Spitfire) which was purchased by the residents of the Town in 1941.

We have done some extensive research on the aircraft and understand that W3644 piloted by Sgt. Alan Lever Ridings 19 Squadron flying out of Portreath was shot down (KIA) off Start Point at approx 19.30 by Oblt. Egon Mayer 7./JG 2. This information was not known to the family but was gleaned from cross referencing the information on Tony Woods website with research on RAF Casulty claims and Luffwaffen missions (http://don-caldwell.we.bs/claims/tonywood.htm). There were three KIA that day with Uffz. Willi Reuschling 7./JG 2 colliding with W/Cdr. A. Vasatko Spitfire Vb: BM592 and Oblt. Egon Mayer 7./JG 2 with two claims/kills. Hence why we think Sgt. Alan Lever Ridings was shot down by Oblt. Egon Mayer. This was again cross referenced with a detailed account regarding the Czechoslovak Fighter Wing (310, 312, 313 squadrons) that were also on the same mission Ramrod 23 in which Unteroffizier Wilhelm Reuschling from 7/JG2 collided with Wing Commander A. Vašátko. (A great account found on http://www.ferdinando.org.uk/alois.htm an extracts from Broken Wings by Eduard Cejka and Fighters Over The Channel by Jiri Rajlich and jiri Sehnal).

There are a few things we would like to know more about. We were wondering if anyone on the forum might be able to help?

1. What Boston Bomber Squadron was on the the Ramrod 23 mission (6 aircraft no losses) and where did they fly from.

2. According to the RAF records 19 Squadron flew out of Portreath at 18:35. Was this their base on June 23 1942 as the family say he flew out of RAF Hutton Cranswick (Yorkshire) which is 250 miles away. Did they fly to Portreath they fly on mission?

We have a website at: http://www.w3644.com which is due for an update with our Facebook page being the most unto date at: http://www.facebook.com/lytham.spitfire?v=wall

Many thanks in anticipation.