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Royal Air Force Hawkinge or more simply RAF Hawkinge is a former Royal Air Force station located 13.23 miles (21.29 km) east of Ashford, 2.2 miles (3.5 km) north of Folkestone, Kent and 7.1 miles (11.4 km) west of Dover, Kent, England. The airfield was used by both the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force during its lifetime and was involved during the Battle of Britain as well other important aerial battles during the Second World War and the early stages of aerial usage in war in the First World War.

RAF Hawkinge
Hawkinge, Kent in England
Spitfire Mk Vs of No. 91 Squadron lined up at Hawkinge during May 1942
RAF Hawkinge
Shown within Kent
Coordinates51°06′45″N 001°09′09″E
TypeRoyal Air Force station
CodeVK
Site information
OwnerAir Ministry
OperatorRoyal Flying Corps (1915–1918)
Royal Air Force (1918–1962)
Controlled byRAF Fighter Command 1940-62
Site history
Built1915 (1915)
In useOctober 1915 - January 1962 (1962)
FateSite redeveloped for housing estate and museum
Battles/warsFirst World War
European theatre of World War II
Airfield information
Elevation165 metres (541 ft)[1] AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
00/00  Grass field

History



First World War


During the First World War the airfield was called RFC Folkestone until 29 December 1916 and RFC Hawkinge later on.[2][3] The only squadron present during this period was No. 25 Squadron RFC between 19 and 20 February 1916 with Vickers F.B.5, Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2B and Morane-Saulnier L.[4]

An Aircraft Acceptance Park was in residence between 27 July 1917 and 12 October 1917 before being renamed to No. 12 Aircraft Acceptance Park which stayed until May 1919.[5]


Inter-war years


Between the wars a number of squadrons were posted here:


Second World War


It was from Hawkinge that air liaison was maintained between the Royal Air Force and the British Expeditionary Force during the fighting in France and the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940. As long as communications remained open targets were selected in accordance with requests from the BEF and Hawkinge was one of the advanced re-fuelling bases when maximum range was required for operations over France. It was a fighter airfield for squadrons of No. 11 Group, and was so severely damaged by German bombing and machine gun attacks during the Battle of Britain that it had to be abandoned temporarily.[13]

Hawkinge Cemetery is near the site of the aerodrome and most of the 95 Second World War casualties buried there were airmen. About a quarter were killed during the Battle of Britain. Most of the war graves are in a special plot east of the chapel, including 59 German graves, which are together in a group at the south-eastern corner.[13]

A number of squadrons were posted here:


Post war


After the war, the station hosted the RAF Home Command Gliding Centre (part of RAF Home Command), and is fondly remembered by many Air Cadets as the place where they first learned to fly in Slingsby Mk III and Slingsby Sedbergh TX Mk.1 gliders.

In the 1950s, RAF Hawkinge became a Woman's Officer Cadet Training Unit, under the command of Group Officer Jean Conan Doyle, the daughter of Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle. Group Officer Conan-Doyle went on to become the most senior woman officer in the Royal Air Force with the rank of Air Commandant.

The Home Command Gliding Centre was ancillary to the training unit, the reason being that the grass airfield made it ideal for ATC Cadets to learn to fly sail planes.


Units


The following units were here at some point:[3]


Station commanders



Current use


The site has been largely built over, but now occupied by two things:Kent Battle of Britain Museum and a housing estate. However currently there are remains of the strip that locals refer to as "the rough grounds".[37]


See also



References



Citations


  1. Falconer 1998, p. 42.
  2. Jefford 1988, p. 147.
  3. "Hawkinge (Folkestone)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Archived from the original on 17 September 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  4. Jefford 1988, p. 32.
  5. "RAF Hawkinge". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Archived from the original on 9 February 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  6. Jefford 1988, p. 23.
  7. Jefford 1988, p. 29.
  8. Jefford 1988, p. 33.
  9. Jefford 1988, p. 37.
  10. Jefford 1988, p. 43.
  11. Jefford 1988, p. 50.
  12. Jefford 1988, p. 58.
  13. Archived 15 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine CWGC Cemetery Report, Hawkinge Cemetery.
  14. Jefford 1988, p. 24.
  15. Jefford 1988, p. 38.
  16. Jefford 1988, p. 45.
  17. Jefford 1988, p. 49.
  18. Jefford 1988, p. 52.
  19. Jefford 1988, p. 59.
  20. Jefford 1988, p. 77.
  21. Jefford 1988, p. 82.
  22. Jefford 1988, p. 83.
  23. Jefford 1988, p. 86.
  24. Jefford 1988, p. 88.
  25. Jefford 1988, p. 89.
  26. Jefford 1988, p. 90.
  27. Jefford 1988, p. 92.
  28. Jefford 1988, p. 93.
  29. Jefford 1988, p. 94.
  30. Jefford 1988, p. 95.
  31. Jefford 1988, p. 97.
  32. Jefford 1988, p. 99.
  33. Jefford 1988, p. 100.
  34. Jefford 1988, p. 75.
  35. Jefford 1988, p. 103.
  36. Lake 1999, p. 22.
  37. "About Former RAF Station Hawkinge". Kent Battle of Britain Museum. Archived from the original on 11 September 2013. Retrieved 6 February 2014.

Bibliography







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