“All the Fun of the Fair” Spitfire & Fairs during WW2
“All the Fun of the Fair” was a Supermarine Spitfire, specifically Spitfire W3764, paid for by the Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain through a fundraising appeal during World War ll. The aircraft was named to reflect the Guild’s contribution to the war effort and served with various squadrons, including the 303 Polish Squadron and 315 Squadron.
-
-
Fundraising:The Showmen’s Guild launched an appeal in August 1940 to raise money for a Spitfire. By January 1941, they had surpassed their £5,000 target, using the funds to purchase and equip a new Spitfire for the Royal Air Force.
-
Purpose:The appeal was launched to counter claims that the traveling community was not contributing to the war effort, while many members were serving overseas.The fairs continued to run at home, managed by wives and family members, to help keep spirits up and continue funding the aircraft.
-
-
Active Service:The Spitfire, a Mk.Vb model, was built in 1941 and was named “Fun of the Fair”. It served with numerous squadrons, including the highly successful Polish 303 Squadron during the Battle of Britain and later with 315 Squadron, which was based at RAF Woodvale in 1942.
-
Legacy:While the funds raised didn’t directly pay for the aircraft, they were a significant part of the overall war effort and boosted morale by giving people a way to “do their bit”. The Showmen’s Guild Roll of Honour at the National Memorial Arboretum commemorates this and other contributions.
George Irvin’s Funfairs on Clapham Common continued to run during World War II, and people did attend them for morale, although they operated under wartime restrictions.
While Clapham Common was a significant military site during the war, housing a heavy anti-aircraft battery and Nissen huts for gun crews, it was also one of the locations where George Irvin’s funfairs continued to operate. The government eventually realized that public entertainment was vital for morale during the conflict and revoked initial orders to close all places of entertainment at the start of the war.
George Irvin’s funfairs faced several difficulties:
-
- Blackout conditions: A “blackout fair” idea did not catch on, so the fairs had muted lighting.
- Rationing: Limited supplies of food, fuel, and prizes (“swag”) caused frustrations. Traditional games like coconut shies became rare because coconuts took up valuable shipping space, and rifle ranges were deprived of ammunition.
- Air raids: Music was muted in case it drowned out air raid sirens, and performances could be disrupted by raids.
- Camouflage: We changed our brightly coloured lorries and equipment to grey to be less conspicuous to enemy aircraft.
Despite these challenges, George Irvin’s funfairs were considered important for providing a much-needed break from the stress of the war, and people frequented them when not in immediate danger.
