GIFTS EXCEED £3,000,000

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 August 1940, Page 8

GIFTS EXCEED £3,000,000

BEREAVED PARENT’S LETTER

[BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.]

RUGBY, August 18

Lord Beaverbrook announces that voluntary gifts now received from the public for the purchase of aircraft amount to over £3,000,000. Lord Beaverbrook has received the following letter from Mr. H. H. Merrett: “On Sunday last, we received the tragic news that my son, Flying Officer Norman Merrett, has lost his life somewhere in Britain, while serving with the R.A.F. On Monday morning, we woke to find, as a result of a raid, five of our store cattle killed, and others badly maimed. The village in which we live is one of 1000 acres, with a population of 100. These tragic circumstances have served only to strengthen the determination of this little community to prove to the despicable enemy that we are unconquerable, and have set our hearts to rise to the greatest possible heights in assisting you and your colleagues in the admirable efforts you are making to defend and feed the people of the most-sacred spot on God’s earth. I cannot provide you with another gallant son. The one who has gone was my only son, but I want you to accept from the village of Michaelston le Pit the enclosed cheque for £5OOO, to purchase a Spitfire, so that one of the ever-growing number of lads from Britain and the Dominions, so anxious to defend us in the air, may be equipped with an instrument which, combined with that indomitable spirit of courage and fearlessness, will enable him, as his colleagues are now doing, to take a severe toll of these insane beings who are attempting, with increasing failure, to demolish the morale of our people. Every member of this community is “subscribing towards the Spitfire. It is not a personal gift, but something to commemorate the passing of my son.”