Posted by on Facebook by Alan Matlock – 28th October 2023
TOP SECRET SPITFIRE PRODUCTION in the back streets of Southampton
Massive privilege to interview Frederick (Walter/Wally/Walt) Kemish, 98, yesterday.
He told us how he’d joined Weir Precision Engineering Ltd in South Mill Road, Regents Park, Southampton as a 14-year-old apprentice in the late 30s and stayed with them all through WWII eventually retiring as Works Manager in the late 80s.
He and a workmate did sign up to join the RAF but were turned down when it was found out they were in a reserved occupation!
Weir Precision is listed as one of over 300 Supermarine subcontractors, and are described as making “Machined details”.
Walter explained how “the Weir” didn’t usually make parts but rather machine tools for lots of companies like Rolls Royce and the Admiralty. However, he believes he was involved in making a top-secret bespoke part for the Spitfire.
He had to tell his parents he wouldn’t be home for several days and was asked to work round the clock with two senior engineers behind closed doors. They made what he described as “a ball within a ball” and produced two of them which they took “to the bus garage on Winchester Road” (the Hants & Dorset Bus Garage which was making Spitfire wings and where we unveiled one of our Spitfire Makers plaques earlier this year!)
He remembers reading a report shortly afterwards which said that the first Spitfire fitted with cannons instead of machine guns had shot down an enemy plane and he believes that the parts he had helped to make were used to mount and adjust the cannons inside the wings.
For more than two hours Walter regaled us with a flow of amazing memories that we have recorded and look forward to following up.
The photo of the premises is from his collection and the map shows Weir Precision along with two other nearby Supermarine subcontractors: the Solent Carpet Co and British American Tobacco.
If you can add anything about what was happening in any of these companies please share it.
We are delighted that has accepted an invitation to be a guest of honour at the Hamble Valley Probus Club meeting next month when Spitfire Makers’ chair, Alan Matlock will include some of Walter’s stories in his “Building Spitfires Without a Factory” talk.
Photos courtesy of Walter Kemish and The Spitfire Makers Charitable Trust
The Spitfire Makers Charitable Trust 