THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
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A World War Two US Airman has been posthumously nominated to receive the Freedom of Wirral. Lt Jay Frederick Simpson was testing a Republic Thunderbolt P-47 on January 9, 1944, when he reported that the aircraft was on fire. The plane lost altitude and eventually crashed near Saughall Massie, a hamlet on the Wirral Peninsula, near Liverpool.
A plaque dedicated to his memory was unveiled near the crash site in 2005, and now Chris Blakeley, councillor for the Moreton West and Saughall Massie Ward, has nominated Lt Simpson to be awarded the Freedom of Wirral.
Explaining the nomination, Cllr Blakeley said "Having nominated Lieutenant Simpson to posthumously receive the Freedom of the Borough, I have now traced his grandson, Pastor Jay Simpson who lives in Pryor, Montana and his eldest great grandchildren, Lachelle and James Simpson who both live in Billings, Montana ... Lieutenant Simpson’s family will be watching the Council meeting on 14 October via webcast as we vote to award Lieutenant Simpson the Freedom of the Borough of Wirral and a representative from the US Embassy has also been invited to attend."
After the October 14th meeting of the council, we'll report on the vote to award Lt Simpson the Freedom of the Borough of Wirral.
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