RAF Kenley

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name = Royal Air Force Kenley


caption = RAF Kenley Station Crest, with motto: "NISI DOMINUS PRO NOBIS" (We depend on the Lord)
dates =
country = United Kingdom
branch =
command_structure = No. 11 Group RAF
type = Flying station
role = Defence of London & South East Engand
size =
current_commander =
garrison = Kenley, Borough of Croydon, England
garrison_label =
ceremonial_chief =
ceremonial_chief_label =
colonel_of_the_regiment =
colonel_of_the_regiment_label =
nickname =
motto =
colors =
colors_label = Royal Air Force Ensign
march =
mascot =
equipment =
battles = Battle of Britain,
Evacuation of Dunkirk,
Preparation for D-Day,
Normandy Campaign
notable_commanders =
identification_symbol =
identification_symbol_label = Station crest
anniversaries =

The former Royal Air Force Station Kenley, more commonly known as RAF Kenley (now known as Kenley Aerodrome) was a station of the Royal Flying Corps in World War I and the RAF in World War II. It is located near Kenley, London, England.

History

Its active phase commenced in 1917, and ceased in 1959 when RAF Fighter Command left the aerodrome. The airfield at Kenley now hosts 615 Volunteer Gliding Squadron (VGS), a Royal Air Force gliding squadron of the Air Cadet Organisation.

During World War II "RAF Kenley" was one of the three main fighter stations, which was, together with Croydon and Biggin Hill, responsible for the air defence of London. It was during the crucial days of the Battle of Britain that all three RAF stations came into their own, fighting off the overwhelming might of the German Luftwaffe.

RAF Kenley suffered its worst damage in an attack on 18 August 1940. September 15 is considered by many to be the climax of the Battle of Britain, but 18 August is often cited as the costliest or hardest - the British lost 68 aircraft and the Germans lost 69. At Kenley, all ten hangars and twelve aircraft, including ten Hurricanes, were destroyed and the runways badly cratered. The Sector Operations Room had to be moved to an emergency location away from the airfield.

The pilots

Many famous pilots are connected or served at Kenley, including the famous South Africans 'Sailor' Malan, Group Captain P.H. 'Dutch' Hugo and the British ace JE "Johnnie" Johnson, later Air Vice-Marshal, who took over the Canadian wing at Kenley in 1943. The aerodrome was used as a location in the following films:
Angels One Five (1952) and Reach for the Sky (1956), the latter about Douglas Bader who was posted to RAF Kenley in 1930 No. 23 Squadron RAF shortly before his accident in 1931.Facts|date=June 2007

The present

Although few of the remaining buildings survive and the control tower was demolished after a fire in 1978 along with the hangars, Kenley is thought to be the best preserved of all WWII RAF fighter stations, with the runway still in its original configuration. English Heritage (in 2000) identified Kenley as "The most complete fighter airfield associated with the Battle of Britain to have survived". The respective councils of Croydon and Tandridge have designated the airfield site as a Conservation Area (2006).

The south-west corner, previously occupied by married quarters, has been redeveloped with modern high-density housing directly abutting the airfield (the area was excluded from the Green Belt as part of the Tandridge District Local Plan and thus not included within the Conservation Area). In December 2005, the former Officers' Mess building and surrounding land was sold to residential building developer, Comer Homes, and its future is uncertain as is that of the Royal Air Forces Association (RAFA) Portcullis Club.

Some of the original 12 E-shaped blast pens remain, as well as the shelters for the servicing personnel. One in particular - forming the background to the RAF memorial - has been fully restored. Since 2004 these structures are protected as Scheduled Monuments.

It is still possible to walk in the woods and on the common, meander around the airfield, and even go for a meal and a pint in the Wattenden Arms, Old Lodge Lane, Kenley - a stone's throw from the airfield and a said to be a favourite with pilots during the war.Facts|date=June 2007 The pub is ornamented with pictures and artefacts associated with the airfield. Part of the former air station is preserved as a tribute to the service personnel of the Commonwealth and Allied fighter squadrons who shared the honours with the RAF. In a former aircraft parking area in one of the blast pens a memorial, was unveiled on August 19 2000. Dedicated to the Royal Air Force and allied air forces, the inscription reads:"RAF Kenley Tribute In Honour Of All Personnel Who Served Here 1917 - 1959"

quadrons based at Kenley

*No. 88 Squadron RAF 1918
*No. 95 Squadron RAF 1918
*No. 105 Squadron RAF 1918
*No. 110 Squadron RAF 1918
*No. 116 Squadron RAF 1918
*No. 91 Squadron RAF 1918 - 1919
*No. 1 Squadron RAF 1919 & 1941
*No. 207 Squadron RAF 1920
*No. 84 Squadron RAF 1920
*No. 24 Squadron RAF 1920 - 1927
*No. 39 Squadron RAF 1920 - 1921
*No. 32 Squadron RAF 1925 - 1932
*No. 13 Squadron RAF 1924
*No. 23 Squadron RAF 1927 - 1932
*No. 17 Squadron RAF 1934 - 1940
*No. 3 Squadron RAF 1934 - 1940
*No. 46 Squadron RAF 1936 - 1937
*No. 80 Squadron RAF 1937
*No. 615 Squadron RAF 1937 - 1941
*No. 600 Squadron RAF 1938
*No. 604 Squadron RAF 1940
*No. 229 Squadron RAF 1940
*No. 64 Squadron RAF 1940
*No. 66 Squadron RAF 1940 & 1943
*No. 616 Squadron RAF 1940 & 1942
*No. 253 Squadron RAF 1949 - 1941
*No. 501 Squadron RAF 1940
*No. 258 Squadron RAF 1941
*No. 302 Squadron RAF (Polish) 1941
*No. 312 Squadron RAF (Czech) 1941
*No. 485 Squadron RNZAF 1941 - 1942
*No. 602 Squadron RAF 1941 - 1942
*No. 452 Squadron RAAF 1941 - 1942
*No. 605 Squadron RAF 1941
*No. 111 Squadron RAF 1942
*308th Pursuit Sq. (USAAF) 1942*
*No. 402 Squadron RCAF 1942 - 1943
*No. 611 Squadron RAF 1942
*No. 401 Squadron RCAF 1942 - 1943
*No. 412 Squadron RCAF 1942 - 1943
*No. 350 Squadron RAF (Belg) 1942
*No. 403 Squadron RCAF 1943 - 1944
*No. 411 Squadron RCAF 1943
*No. 165 Squadron RAF 1943
*No. 421 Squadron RCAF 1942 - 1944
*No. 416 Squadron RCAF 1943 - 1944
*No. 400 Squadron RCAF 1943
*No. 661 Squadron RAF RA & RAF 1949
*No. 61 Comms Flight - 1959

*Inscription of memorial actually reads "No. 308 Sq. (USAAF) 1942"

References

* Peter Flint (1985), "R.A.F. Kenley", Terence Dalton Limited Lavenham Suffolk, ISBN 0-86138-036-3

ee also

* Battle of Britain
* Battle of Britain Airfields
* Battle of Britain Squadrons

External links

* [http://www.615vgs.com No. 615 Volunteer Gliding Squadron]
* [http://www.controltowers.co.uk/H-K/Kenley.htm Photos of RAF Kenley 1n 1975 and 2002]