Take a look at the Spitfire Memorial

On the seafront against Fairhaven Lake you’ll see the Spitfire Memorial, flying high in the sky. The nine-metre plane is a full-size, exact replica Spitfire.

It sits on a plinth and pole-like support next to the Lake. The centrepiece of a lakeside RAF Fighter and Bomber Command memorial. Its official title is the “Lytham St Annes RAF Fighter, Bomber & Coastal Command Memorial“.

If you’re not familiar with the area you can find it adjacent to St Paul’s Avenue car park, off the Inner Promenade at Lytham Saint Annes. Use postcode FY8 1BD.

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The Lytham St Annes Spitfire W3644 is a fantastic addition to Fairhaven Lake. No-one should forget the frightening days of World War Two. Fylde people are proud to host such a memorial.

We went to take a look –

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More about Lytham St Annes Spitfire Memorial

The memorial was officially unveiled on 19 August 2012. It includes commemorative plaques to RAF, Commonwealth and United States Army Air Forces.

This RAF Fighter, Bomber & Coastal Command Memorial and its interactive “Roll of Honour” is quite unique. It’s a tribute those aircrewman who lost their lives on active service during WW2.

It’s also an educational tool to enable future generations to learn about the many sacrifices made by the Royal Air Force. Both on the ground and in the air, between 1939 – 1945.

The Spitfire’s Connection to Lytham St Annes

Lytham St Annes’ Spitfire, W3644, was shot down in Devon on 23 June 1942. It was returning from France where it was escorting bombers.

John Coombes is a volunteer and fund-raiser who leads the Spitfire Ground Display Team. He explains: “Residents of Lytham and St Annes raised £6,500 to buy the original Spitfire plane in 1941.

“Sadly, it was shot down the following year. Residents were especially touched as its pilot – Sergeant Alan Lever-Ridings – had family connections with the area. His mother and grandparents lived in St Annes. It was especially poignant that a number of his surviving relatives attended the unveiling of the memorial in 2012.”

23 June 2017 marked the 75th anniversary of the loss of W3644. In 2017 the Team also opened a Visitor Centre at former RAF Squires Gate, in Hangar 42.

In memory of Sergeant Alan Lever-Ridings

Thursday 23 June 2022 marked the 80th anniversary of the loss of Sgt Alan Lever Ridings and his Spitfire W2644. 

• He was born on 20 July 1921 in Middleton, Lancashire.
• His mother was born on the Fylde coast and grew up with her parents at their family home ‘The Cottage’ Beach Road, St Annes during The Great War.
• Alan spent many weekends and school holidays in St Annes with his grandparents.
• On his 18th birthday, Alan got his first job as Cub Reporter for the Oldham Chronicle.
• Following the Outbreak of WW2, as soon as Alan reached the minimum enlistment age, he joined the RAF on his 19th birthday, 20 July 1940.

He served the Squadron until 23 June 1942. Alan took off from RAF Hutton Cranswick to take part in escorting Boston Bombers to Morlaix, France. He spotted one of his fellow pilots landing at sea and began relaying the information to organise a rescue.

However, he was ordered to fly home as he was running low on fuel. Alan turned around and headed home however, he never made it. His last recorded vector was on a heading between Berry Head and Starting point, about six miles out to sea. Contact was lost at 10:40, Tuesday 23 June 1942. He was presumed missing and no trace of W3644 or Alan were ever found. 

Refurbishment of the Spitfire Memorial

If you’d visited Fairhaven Lake during winter 2018, you’d have thought the Spitfire had flown off.

After being in situ for five years, it had been taken down for refurbishment. A little later than expected, it returned in summer 2019.

The Spitfire went to Hangar 42, the Lytham St Annes Spitfire Ground Display Team’s base at Blackpool Airport. Wrea Green based business Wareings very kindly donated the equipment and personnel to help recover the Spitfire, which would have otherwise run to a considerable cost. Wareings had originally lifted and installed the plane.

The plaques and information were also refurbished.

Lytham St Annes Ground Spitfire Display Team

The Lytham St Annes Ground Spitfire Display Team operate three Spitfire aircraft from their base at Blackpool Airport. You can visit Hangar 42 Spitfire Visitor Centre and see all kinds of interactive displays and information.

The MkII’s and Mark IX’s are available to hire for events. They can cover all the UK and Western Europe.

Spitfire Arrives at Blackpool Illuminations

In September 2020, another Spitfire landed at Gynn Roundabout as part of the Blackpool Illuminations display. In 2023 the display at Gynn Roundabout became an even bigger and better Spitfire tribute, in association with model-makers, Airfix.

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