Photograph of the ‘Royal Tunbridge Wells’ Supermarine Spitfire, October 1940
The aircraft shown in this photograph was purchased by the Tunbridge Wells Spitfire Fund in October 1940 as a ‘gift of war’. During World War 2 a number of spitfires were supplied to RAF fighter squadrons thanks to the generosity of the people of Kent. The Tunbridge Wells fund amounted to £5,716 11s 9d, but the overall the ‘Spitfire Fund’ raised over £100,000 and furnished an entire squadron.
This particular spitfire was given the dedication ‘Royal Tunbridge Wells’ and the town’s coat of arms, and was handed over to number 121 Eagle squadron in April 1941. 121 squadron flew principally in the hands of American volunteer fighter pilots, some time before America entered into the war.
Inspection of the photo shows that the ‘Royal Tunbridge Wells’ was a Mk 5b variant spitfire, and that it bore the RAF serial number AA871. From this number I have been able to trace the history of the plane. I’ve discovered that it was built at Supermarine’s Eastleigh plant and that it first flew on 22 October 1941. Unfortunately it failed to return from a North Sea patrol on 12 December 1941, and the body of its pilot, Pilot Officer Kenneth Le Roy Holder was retrieved from the Lincolnshire shore. Holder now rests in Ipswich General Cemetery.
Although aircraft AA871 was lost, in the spring of 1942 the name was restored to another Spitfire - number AD552- which was based in Merston in Sussex. Unfortunately this aircraft became badly damaged when making a wheels-up landing following a mid-air collision. When rebuilt and put back into service it no longer carried our town’s proud name.
Bob Wotton (Museum Volunteer)
