The ominous noises
coming from the continent in 1939 resulted in the closure of the station
in May for the construction of runways, perimeter tracks and blast pens.
This resulted in the demolition of three pairs of the original 1917
hangars, but Kenley was getting ready for war. It now had 35,000 gallons
of aviation fuel storage, 8,000 gallons of petrol and 2,500 oil storage.
The armoury had space for 1.25 million rounds of ammunition. Defending
an airfield in those days was not an exact science in those days, and
it was left to the army. Various units manned four 40mm Bofors emplacements,
two 3-inch guns and some Lewis guns. A slab of concrete on one of the
remaining blast pens indicates a Lewis gun emplacement; sometimes an
odd shell can be found in the surrounding area. A parachute/cable installation
was constructed on the north side of the airfield, and it was responsible
for bringing down a Dornier on the 18th August as the cable it had fired
caught the bombers wing.
Over six months
into the war Kenley was reactivated, we were on the retreat from the
continent and squadrons were returning. 615 Squadron, although now equipped
with Hurricanes had a particularly tough time in Belgium, and, with
the withdrawal of No. 3 Squadron, the Station Commander was faced with
a huge logistical problem of where to accommodate these and other returning
squadrons prior to their dispersal to other airfields. Kenley's Squadron's
played a great part in providing cover for the evacuation of Dunkerque;
it was becoming clear, however, that operating from home reduced the
dominance that the Luftwaffe clearly had when the Squadrons were operating
from forward and in the main inferior bases on the continent.
Kenley grew in status
as it took on the role of Sector HQ in 11 Group. Shoreham, Gatwick,
Redhill and Croydon airfields were earliest under its control. The Germans
now had the run of mainland Europe and were increasingly turning their
attention to Britain and particularly RAF Kenley. In the years leading
up to war, Lufthansa airliners were regularly flown over Kenley en route
to Croydon airport as part of familiarisation training for their passengers
- trainee bomber and fighter aircrew.
Kenley's finest
hour was the day of its greatest bombardment by the Luftwaffe on the
18th August 1940. This was three days after Croydon had been bombed,
surprisingly in error for Kenley. Sixty-three factory workers were killed
in that raid. The early warning radar had picked up a lot of enemy activity
across the channel at about 12.45. 615 and 64 Squadrons were scrambled
but the precise target of the raid was still unclear. At 13.00 some
sixty aircraft crossed the coast and all local air raid sirens were
activated. 15 minutes later the onslaught on Kenley began; some pilots
still on the ground strapping themselves into their aircraft. Damage
to the airfield and its facilities is well-documented - three of the
1917 hangar, built mainly of wood were well alight, the equipment stores
was a write off as were four parked Hurricanes and a Blenheim destroyed
on the ground. Damage was sustained to another four parked aircraft
and the station's medical facilities. No communications now existed,
nine were killed and a further ten injured. 64 and 615 Squadron's pilots
claimed kills on a mix of fighters and bombers.
Apart from these
deaths and injuries, the Germans paid a far higher price than Kenley
suffered. The hangars were mainly surplus to requirements, and the equipment
stores was mainly dispersed to the squadrons. The sick bay was relocated
and such was aircraft output that there were more planes than people
to fly them. Runway craters were filled in from mounds of rubble located
around the airfield and, most of all, the Operations block remained
intact. It was a lesson learnt about vulnerability and soon the Operations
block was moved to a vacant butcher's shop in Caterham while alternative
arrangements could be made. Alterations were being made to 'The Grange'
in Old Coulsdon which would accommodate an Ops room that would have more
up-to-date equipment as well as space.
The Battle of Britain
was well and truly begun, a battle that was entrusted to many young
twenty and twenty-one year olds whose experience was limited to training
only. Nevertheless Squadron's operations from Kenley claimed pro-rata
success as an increasing number of Bf109s arrived over the south-east.
After the Battle was won, the course of war changed but it was still
five years before the war came to an end. By 1941 Kenley was on the
offensive, operating against large enemy targets on the continent or
by escorting Blenheims to their targets. The influx of Allied and Commonwealth
airmen started in 1941 with two Polish Squadrons, a Czech, Australian,
and New Zealand Squadron arriving. After a Belgian Squadron arrived
in 1942, six Canadian Squadrons who were on rotation through to 1944
swiftly followed it.
(Text taken from RAF Kenley Memorial Day Programme - A Brief History
of RAF Kenley)
