College students mark village’s wartime role

The handiwork of mature students at Derby College Group has commemorated the important role played by a Derbyshire village during the Second World War.

Horsley Woodhouse was home to three factories, which were opened at the beginning of the war following concerns that the main Rolls-Royce factory in Derby would be targeted by German bombers.

View fullsize

Initially, old and damaged RAF engines came to the village’s factory to be stripped and sent for scrap before two of the sites were charged with inspecting Merlin engine parts, which powered the iconic Spitfire planes. A third factory was involved in the building of a new tank engine for the Army.

Keen to showcase this wartime link, Horsley Parish Council contacted the horticulture team at the college’s Broomfield Hall to create a planted memorial, which has recently been completed.

The part-time students, who are all studying for the RHS level two qualification, and teacher Mike Baldwin, created a circular red, white and blue flowerbed with the outline of a Spitfire at the centre.

Parish council clerk Kay Richardson said: “We have had some great feedback about the flowerbed and look forward to it becoming more established in future years.”