Kenley

[Bomber]

I agree personl stories by people who lived on or near airfields are fasanating . Imagine seing parts of aircraft partially buried or on the fire dump from the late Forties or early Fifties magic !

[David Harvey]

Hello All,

I have just joined this forum as I have been interested in military aviation for some time, especially airfields. Because my in-laws live just 10 minutes walk from Kenley aerodrome my wife and I regularly walk the perimeter. I have been visiting since the late 1970's and in 1979 I took a couple of photos: Kenley aerodrome building 1979.jpg Can anyone confirm the purpose of the building?

Here is a photo of the officers mess back in 1979 showing bullet damage from the raid on August 18th 1940:Kenley officers mess 1979.jpeg

Thanks in anticipation.

[Hautboy]

Hello

I believe this is on the same side of the airfield as the Officer's Mess and is on the entrance drive way up to the Mess. Can you check on Google maps and confirm its position? It may be an original building taken over by the Air Ministry/airfield as it doesn't appear to be Air Ministry architecture and more local Surrey brick.

Cheers

Hautboy

[REF]

A couple of great photos David, really nice to see them. I am not sure of the purpose of the first one, as houtbouy says it looks like it might have been requisitioned.

Welcome to AiX too, I grew up near Heathfield, my brother still lives there! Enjoy the forum and I look forward to seeing some more of your posts and photos.

[David Harvey]

Hello Hautboy and Ref,

Thanks for your replies. The mystery building has since been demolished and here is my best guess at to it's location: http://g.co/maps/4uuy4 I very much regret not taking more photos in the 1970's! I have a walk around Kenley at least twice a year and every time I visit I take several photos for posterity. Today I drove past St. Luke's church and on impulse I parked up and walked around the grave yard for the first time and took some photos of the modest war graves section. I was surprised at how many pre-WWII graves there were.

[Hautboy]

I believe TenToneTone has the answer in his post from 13 Aug 2006 (page 6 of this thread)

"The officers' mess was a good size, & was the roost mainly for officers at MOD. Further down the road from it stood an old red-brick mansion named Flintfields House, which was our SHQ. There was also Flintfields Lodge. Maybe they're still there. When the unit began to run down, it was decided to close the blocks, & the mess, & those few of us left were moved into Flintfields, where we had a kitchen in which our breakfast was cooked, although other meals were brought down from the Off Mess Kitchen. My bed stood where the Group Captain's desk had been, so I could telephone the bathroom (formerly his secretary's office), & illuminate a 'Do Not Disturb' sign outside the door!!"

Cheers

Hautboy

[David Harvey]

Subject to the usual caveats (weather, serviceability etc.) there are a couple of events to be aware of in 2012: Sunday May 20th - BBMF Spitfire flypast + Saturday June 23rd Kenley Heritage Day 12.00 to 16.00.

[netcompsys]

Things to do - includes a reconstructive painting of Kenley in 1945 by Stephen Conlin, 2010

kevin

[Hautboy]

The City of London Corporation who are responsible for a large part of the former RAF Kenley site have put together a very good series of information boards. The link to their site enables those not in the local area to be able to read them. However, It doesn't beat walking the perimeter track and visiting the remaining dispersal pens and structures.

http://217.154.230.196/Corporation/L...tage+Trail.htm

Cheers

Hautboy

[PNK]

Great news. I was told to go away when I tried to walk it in 1972. Must have been the long hair!