The Second World War was incredibly expensive, both in terms of human lives and monetary cost. People across Britain and the Empire dug deep to help out.
Read on to discover the fantastic contributions of the people of Pontefract, in this special blog for VE Day 80.
Civic fundraising
2025 is the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. The war in Europe ended on 8 May 1945, VE Day. In Asia it ended on 15 August 1945, VJ Day.
This was the largest war in history. The human tragedy was terrible. Around 80 million people died.
It was also expensive. By 1945 52% of the British economy was devoted to the war. Today’s equivalent is 2.5%.
This huge cost had to be paid. Ordinary people were one source of money. At the start of the war people across Britain and the Empire gave generously to campaigns like the Spitfire Fund. Jamaica gave so much an RAF squadron was named for it, and it was one Pontefract was later linked to.
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| A civic fundraising poster from the Second World War |
The war cost over £100 million every week. The government needed a continuous supply of money. Compulsory methods, like higher taxes or forced saving, were considered. They were discounted as they could have damaged morale.
Instead, in 1941, the government introduced National Savings. Rather than giving their money, people lent it. They bought small bonds that would be repaid (with interest) after the war.
Local areas organised savings campaigns. Communities had targets and competed to save the most. Individuals and businesses bought bonds. Saving like this rather than spending money also kept inflation low, which was another government goal.
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| A Certificate of Honour awarded to Westbourne Crescent in Pontefract, in recognition of their fundraising efforts. It is signed by Archibald Sinclair, Secretary of State for Air. |
Fundraising each year focussed on a ‘War Week’. Towns concentrated their efforts on a national theme. These included ‘Wings for Victory’ or ‘Warship Week’. Targets were linked to specific aims. This made the saving more real and meant people felt more involved.
Places that met their targets were given commemorative plaques to celebrate their achievements. Smaller groups could also be recognised with certificates.
Pontefract's fundraising weeks
Pontefract’s 4 ‘special weeks’ raised over £1 million.
10-17 January 1941 – ‘War Weapons’
Target £300,000.
Raised £409,338.
14-21 February 1942 – ‘Warship Week’
Target £200,000, to adopt HMS Unique (a submarine).
Raised £217,976.
5-12 June 1943 – ‘Wings for Victory’
Target £160,000, for 8 Mosquito bombers.
8-15 July 1944 – ‘Salute the Soldier’
Target £167,373, to equip 1 infantry and 1 parachute battalion.
Raised £206,600.
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| A poster for Pontefract's 'Salute the Soldier' civic fundraising week |
Warship Week
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| Part of the official programme for Pontefract's Warship Week, 1942 |
The fundraising focus for 1942 was the Navy. Pontefract’s Warship Week was held 14 - 21 February. Pontefract’s target was £200,000. The total raised was £217,976.
Pontefract adopted HMS Unique, a serving submarine. Seven members of the crew came to visit. They went to the races, saw Pontefract Castle, had tea with the fundraising committee, and went to a civic reception with the mayor.
HMS Unique had been in service since September 1940. She spent most of her time patrolling in the Mediterranean, sinking Italian merchant ships.
On 7 October 1942 she left Holy Loch for her 22nd wartime patrol. She was to search the Bay of Biscay for German blockade-runners, in particular the minesweeper Belgrano. The patrol was due to end in Gibraltar on 23 October.
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| HMS Unique in harbour, image from the Submariners Association |
By 24 October she was overdue and reported missing. At the time it was unclear what had happened. Recent research suggests that on 13 October she attacked a damaged German tanker, the Spichern, heading for the French port of St Nazaire. The tanker reported seeing torpedo tracks. Both the Spichern and another British submarine, HMS Ursula, reported hearing explosions.
It seems most likely that one of HMS Unique’s torpedoes was faulty and exploded too soon. This damaged the submarine so badly that it sank, killing all 34 crew.
Pontefract later adopted another submarine, HMS Upstart. This survived the war and was passed to the Greek navy in August 1945.
HMS Unique - names and ages of the crew killed 13 October 1945
- Gwynne Addison Adlard, 21
- Kenneth Douglas Amos, 22
- Andrew Bartley, 30
- Robert Evelyn Boddington, 26
- Raymond Walter John Bond, 26
- George Edward Booth, 22
- Benjamin Bowlt, 25
- William Breen, 26
- Andrew Birridge Bryson, 30
- John William Burgess, 19
- Clifford Chapman, 33
- Leopold Albert Edward Collins, 37
- Albert Edward John Denne, 44
- Stanley Martin Edgar, 19
- Albert Ernest Fennell, 35
- Sydney Charlie Frank Fitall, 26
- Geoffrey George Wesson Frith, 21
- Ronald Frith, 31
- Cecil Edward Garner, 23
- George Henry Holland, 22
- Anthony Howard Martin, 21
- Jack Barker Meade, 23
- Maurice Furness Morten, 22
- Edward Moss, 27
- Stanley Munro Niel, 19
- Charles Ian Reed, 20
- Leslie John Riley, 23
- Norman Thewlis, 31
- Allen Royson Tuck, 38
- Roy Frederick Howard Turnbull, 23
- Leonard Jack Venn, 25
- George Albert Waterhouse, 20
- Edward John Humphrey Woodman, 21
- Arthur George Worland, 19
Wings for Victory
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| Part of the official programme for Pontefract's 'Wings for Victory' civic fundraising week |
The fundraising focus in 1943 was the Air Force. Pontefract held a Wings for Victory week 5-12 June. The target was £160,000, but the total raised was £205,263.
The goal had been for people in Pontefract to save enough to pay for 8 Mosquito Bomber aeroplanes. They raised enough for 10.
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| Page from the Wings for Victory Savings Committee log book |
The new Mosquitoes were sent to 139 (Jamaica) Squadron to equip them as Pathfinders. The squadron was named in recognition of the remarkably generous donations from Jamaica in 1940.
Pathfinders used radio beams to find targets. They could either drop bombs far more accurately than normal bombers, or coloured flares. These flares meant ordinary, less accurate bombers could find also targets, even at night.
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| Mosquitos of 139 Squadron at an RAF base |
New foyer display at Pontefract Museum
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| The display case at Pontefract Museum |
Pontefract Museum is open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4:30pm and Saturdays, 10:30am to 4:30pm. It is free entry.
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