RAF Gravesend - Royal Air Force

Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force moved into Gravesend in 1937 when a Flying Training School began operating Tiger Moths and Hawker Harts at the airfield. In 1942, the RAF greatly enlarged the airfield, which included major extensions to both runways - albeit still formed of grass. Throughout World War II, Essex Aero continued to manufacture aircraft parts at the site. Accommodation for personnel was provided nearby at Ashenbank Wood. The company also drew up major plans for the airfield, including concreting the runways (the longest one being just over 5600 ft after the RAF extensions), a new terminal and cargo centre west of the Thong Lane side and their aircraft parts main plant to the east of Thong Lane.

When the RAF requisitioned the entire aerodrome in 1939 at the beginning of the war they made it a sector airfield for Biggin Hill, as one of the airfields of 11 Group. The first squadron to occupy Gravesend was 32 Squadron, arriving on 3 January 1940 with their Hawker Hurricane fighters, being replaced by 610 Squadron on 27 May. These were followed by another Auxiliary Squadron, 604, who operated Bristol Blenheims as night fighters from 3 July. 501 and 66 Squadrons also flew from here during the 1940 Battle of Britain, arriving on 25 July and 10 September respectively. Many other units also occupied the station during the war years, such as 71 Squadron, who arrived 14 August 1942 for the Dieppe Raid, 92 Squadron (24 September 1941). 306 (Polish) Squadron, arriving 11 August 1943 and 65 Squadron, who arrived 29 July 1943, and were the first Squadron to be issued with the North American Mustang III in December - making Gravesend the first RAF base to operate it.

Accommodation was split between Cobham Hall (officers mess), the control tower (some pilots), and the 'Laughing Waters' restaurant (groundcrews), while aircraft were dispersed around the perimeter. Air defence was supplied by the army, and the airfield was only attacked a few times - on 2 September 1940 two soldiers were killed when a pair of bombs were dropped, and on the 4th an attack was mounted by a force of Heinkel He 111s, but was aborted. Two more attacks came, but neither managed to hit the airfield itself.

The airfield was extended later in the war to accommodate three squadrons of American fighters, and it was also used as an emergency runway for bomber aircraft returning from sorties over the continent. After the war, Gravesend Aerodrome largely returned to civilian use, with the RAF finally leaving in 1956, whereupon Gravesend airfield became a housing estate. All that there is to see now is a plaque in a local sports centre - listing the names of fifteen pilots killed in action whilst flying from this small field.