PEOPLE from Weymouth and Portland, and further afield, have backed proposals for a new Battle of Britain memorial to be installed.

This comes after a former Weymouth resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, put forward an application for thememorial to be built in the Nothe Gardens, commemorating the squadrons who protected Weymouth and Portland’s former navy base.

These squadrons include the 152 (Hyderabad) Squadron Spitfires, which were based in Warmwell, and the 609 (West Riding) Squadron Spitfires.

After the Echo first broke the story, readers got in touch voicing their support.

Peter Price, from Weymouth, said: “I was there at the time and I have always regretted we didn’t have a memorial for those airmen who fought over Weymouth and Portland.”

Vee Starr, who lives in Weymouth, said: “I think this would be a really great idea and an excellent project to bring the people of Weymouth together, working for a common heartfelt cause.

“I would be willing to donate some of my time and money, where possible, towards it.”

David Chutter, who now lives 20 miles away from Weymouth, said: “During the war, I was taken to see my aunt who lived in West Knighton and spent many hours watching the Spitfires landing and taking off from Warmwell, so I consider it very appropriate.”

The former Weymouth resident who initially made the application said he was ‘overwhelmed’ by the response.

A bank account has since been up in Weymouth for The Battle of Britain Memorial Fund, with at least £1,700 needing to be raised for the stone.

Mark Sansford is one of the four people involved with managing the campaign to bring the memorial to the town.

He said: “People of Weym-outh remember D-Day and the part in which there hometown played in this.

“But if in 1940 these brave men in blue had sat back and not done what they had then the whole look and future of Weymouth and Portland could have been so much different.”

For more information about the campaign and the application email bobmemorialstone@gmail.com 

THE NEXT STEP

ONCE the planning application is received, it will be discussed by Weymouth and Portland councillors, who will assess it and then make proposals to senior officers who can decide whether the proposal requires a committee report.