In 1942, during some of the darkest days of the War, the government appealed for the public to subscribe towards the cost of warships to replace the heavy losses already sustained. During 'Warship Week' the citizens of the old Spenborough Urban District Council raised over £500,000, enough to buy a destroyer. As a result they were allowed to 'adopt' the Hunt-class destroyer HMS Airedale. The Airedale, built on Clydeside, was a small, fast ship designed to protect convoys from submarine and aircraft attack. She was completed in February 1942, and her first service was guarding merchant convoys to Russia. She was then transferred to the Mediterranean. On June 15th, she was helping to guard a convoy from Alexandria to Malta when she was attacked by German dive-bombers. Badly damaged, sinking by the stern, and with 44 of her crew killed and many more injured, she was abandoned. Finally the wreck of the Airedale was sunk by her sister ship, HMS Aldenham. When towns adopted warships, the Admiralty normally presented a handsome plaque bearing the ship's crest. (One of these - for HMS Badsworth - can be seen at Batley Town Hall). However, the Airedale was sunk before the plaque could be made. Now a craftsman at Kirklees Community History Service has made a new plaque to commemorate HMS Airedale and her brave crew. Despite the loss of the Airedale, Spenborough resolved to adopt another warship. This was the aircraft carrier HMS Nairana which provided air cover against submarine and aircraft attack for merchant convoys bringing supplies across the North Sea to Russia. Its naval air squadron, No 835, flew Swordfish, Sea Hurricane and Wildcat aircraft, often in appalling weather, to deter attack. Only one ship was ever lost whilst under Nairana's protection. After the war the Nairana was transferred to the Netherlands navy and was finally scrapped in 1971. This plaque and the refurbished one for Nairana will be unveiled at Cleckheaton Town Hall on November 5th, in the presence of men who served on the ships and the relatives of some of those who died. John Rumsby, the Kirklees Community History Service's Collections Manager, has organised the event. He says: "In this year of the 60th anniversary of the end of World War Two, we are very pleased to commemorate and renew the old friendship between the Spen Valley and the gallant men who gave so much to save this country, and the whole world, from tyranny." |
