Kenley
[QUOTE=DODGYOLDFART;10886450]I was living right across the way from your family in Sanderstead during the Battle and from where we lived we could see the aircraft landing and taking off at Kenley across the Whytleafe valley. However I was only 18 months old so have no memory of that period. However on 18th August 1940 it was my fathers birthday and at lunchtime the family were enjoying a festive lunch in the garden when it all cooked off on the airfield. My big sister grabbed me and shot down our shelter followed by most of the family who could get into such a confined space. I believe several bombs fell in the fields behind out house and four houses in our road were destroyed. At the time it was believed they had been bombed but some time after the war it was discovered that they had been hit by bofors shells fired at a low flying Do17. Fortunately no one was killed or seriously injured.
Kenley was the place where I had did my first solo flight in a glider so holds some sweet memories for me.[/QUOTE
Treads will post the picture if you ask, Gliders still at Kenley 'despite everything', Shame they allowed so much of the camp area to be demolished or fall into decay. Having served in two conflicts it really was a classic example of an Airfield having to 'fight' despite it not being designed for that purpose. 615 GS/VGS still in being carrying on the pre war County Of Surrey number. 615 went to France with Gladiators but had Hurricanes by the BoB. The London Science Museum Hurricane K WZ L1592 is a former 615 machine that was operational during Dunkirk and the BoB at Kenley. It took part in the Aug 18th scramble from Kenley, and subsequently forced landed at Croydon. A real survivor just like Kenley.