£6,400 FOR PLANE

Grey River Argus, 11 September 1940, Page 4

£6,400 FOR PLANE

FROM HEBRIDES ISLANDERS. (Received September 10, 5.5 p.m ) RUGBY, September 9. The spirit of British people and their determinaiton to rid Europe ot Nazi oppression, was illustrateu by the action of the population of two islands Lewis and Harris, who are mostly’ fishermen and crofters, in sending over £6,000 to Mr. Churchill to be devoted to the purchase of an aeroplane. In the telegram to Mr Churchill, which he gratefully acknowledged, the Islands Spitfire Committee said: “On the anniversary of the declaration of war, the people of Lewis and Harris in the outer Hebrides, are proud to convey to you their unswerving loyalty and devotion to the national cause. Since September these islands have claimed the high honour of having more men, pi\ portionately, in the fighting services than any other part of the Empire. Many villages have had close on twenty per cent, of their total population on service since the outbreak of the war. Their casualties hava been three times higner than for the country as a whole. Th? people still at home, wishing to sustain the record of those on active service, have to-day forwarded a sum of over £6,400 to the Ministry of Aiicrafti Production for purchase of fighter planes to be called Lewis and Harris fighters. This sum was collected in a single week with the enthusiastic support of the Islands’ crofting and fishing communities. Typical of the spirit which accomplished this result is the comment of a crofter who contributed £l, he declaring that he had not £1 to give, but he would sell his calf to get it.