A LONG lost plaque acknowledging the role Northwich played in adopting a Second World War destroyer has been found after an incredible stroke of luck.

The town raised raised an incredible £394,022 during Warships Week in March 1942 and adopted HMS Witch, a W-Class Destroyer that escorted convoys across the North Atlantic.

After the war she was decommissioned and scrapped in 1946.

Two plaques were produced in 1942, one from the people of Northwich to HMS Witch which was returned to the town after the war and now dieplayed in The Weaver Hall Museum.

Northwich Guardian:

Northwich residents raised an incredible £394,022 and adopted HMS Witch

The second plaque, in the shape of a shield presented to the town by the Admiralty with the crest of HMS Witch mounted on it, was lost presumed destroyed.

That was until a chance conversation between Cllr Sam Naylor and Mike Cooksley, a presenter on Radio Northwich, started an incredible chain of events.

Mike contacted Bill Forster of the V & W Destroyer Association, who had been searching for the plaque for years, and suggested that he might feature the story on the Northwich Now programme on Radio Northwich.

Bill indicated that information on the River Weaver and ICI might help so Mike contacted John Tackley, president of The River Weaver Navigation Society, to see if he could help.

Astonishingly, during a phone call John indicated that he was actually looking at the shield, there and then, and that it had been in his possession for some years.

At last a search that had lasted for years was over and Mike informed Bill Forster that he had found the long lost shield.

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Mike said: "It was an incredible stroke of luck that finally solved the mystery of the lost plaque. Within a small number of telephone calls the mystery was solved that brought an end to a search that had been going on for years."

John Tackley said: "The crest came into my possession when I tried to save a sizeable Northwich built craft for preservation on the Weaver some 20 years ago. The boat moved on but, luckily, the plaque stayed here."

It is hoped that both plaques will be on display at the Remembrance Day service at Witton Church and that they will be referred to during the service.

The programme about HMS Witch and the search for the missing plaque will be aired on Radio Northwich on Friday, October 16 at 1pm.

If you know any further information about the plaque, Mike would love to hear from you. Email mjcooksley@aol.com