Royal Air Force Hawkinge or more simply RAF Hawkinge is a former

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

station located east of

Ashford Ashford may refer to: Places Australia *Ashford, New South Wales *Ashford, South Australia *Electoral district of Ashford, South Australia Ireland *Ashford, County Wicklow *Ashford Castle, County Galway United Kingdom *Ashford, Kent, a town **B ...

, north of

Folkestone Folkestone ( ) is a port town on the English Channel, in Kent, south-east England. The town lies on the southern edge of the North Downs at a valley between two cliffs. It was an important harbour and shipping port for most of the 19th and 20t ...

, Kent and west of

Dover Dover () is a town and major ferry port in Kent, South East England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies south-east of Canterbury and east of Maids ...

, Kent, England. The airfield was used by both the

Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

and the

during its lifetime and was involved during the

Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...

as well other important aerial battles during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

and the early stages of aerial usage in war in the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

History

First World War

During the

the airfield was called RFC Folkestone until 29 December 1916 and RFC Hawkinge later on. The only squadron present during this period was No. 25 Squadron RFC between 19 and 20 February 1916 with

Vickers F.B.5 The Vickers F.B.5 (Fighting Biplane 5) (known as the "Gunbus") was a British two-seat pusher military biplane of the First World War. Armed with a single .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis gun operated by the observer in the front of the ...

, Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2B and

Morane-Saulnier L The Morane-Saulnier L, or Morane-Saulnier Type L, or officially MoS-3, was a French parasol wing one or two-seat scout aeroplane of the First World War. The Type L became one of the first successful fighter aircraft when it was fitted with a si ...

. 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.

Inter-war years

Between the wars a number of squadrons were posted here: * 2 Squadron RAF between 30 November 1935 and 29 September 1939 with

Hawker Audax The Hawker Hart is a British two-seater biplane light bomber aircraft that saw service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was designed during the 1920s by Sydney Camm and manufactured by Hawker Aircraft. The Hart was a prominent British aircra ...

es,

Hawker Hector The Hawker Hector was a British biplane army co-operation and liaison aircraft of the late 1930s; it served with the Royal Air Force and saw brief combat in the Battle of France in May 1940. Some Hectors were later sold to Ireland. It was name ...

s and

Westland Lysander The Westland Lysander is a British army co-operation and liaison aircraft produced by Westland Aircraft that was used immediately before and during the Second World War. After becoming obsolete in the army co-operation role, the aircraft' ...

I . * 17 Squadron RAF reformed here on 1 April 1924 using

Sopwith Snipe The Sopwith 7F.1 Snipe was a British single-seat biplane fighter of the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was designed and built by the Sopwith Aviation Company during the First World War, and came into squadron service a few weeks before the end of th ...

s and Hawker Woodcock II before moving to RAF Upavon on 14 October 1926. * 25 Squadron RAF reformed here on 26 April 1920 with the Snipe before moving to Turkey on 28 September 1922. However the squadron returned on 3 October 1923 still with the Snipe but added the

Gloster Grebe The Gloster Grebe was developed by the Gloster Aircraft Company from the Gloster Grouse (an experimental aircraft later developed as a trainer), and was the Royal Air Force's first post- First World War fighter aircraft, entering service in 1 ...

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin The Armstrong Whitworth Siskin was a biplane single-seat fighter aircraft developed and produced by the British aircraft manufacturer Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft. It was also the first all-metal fighter to be operated by the Royal Air Force (RA ...

IIIA,

Hawker Fury The Hawker Fury is a British biplane fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force in the 1930s. It was a fast, agile aircraft, and the first interceptor in RAF service capable of speed higher than 200 mph (321 kmh). It was the fighter co ...

Mk I and II, Hawker Demon and the

Gloster Gladiator The Gloster Gladiator is a British biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) (as the Sea Gladiator variant) and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. Developed private ...

s before being posted to

RAF Northolt ("Ready to carry or to fight") , pushpin_map = Greater London , pushpin_label = RAF Northolt , pushpin_map_caption = Shown within Greater London , coordinates = , type = Royal Air Force station , code = , site_area = , height = , owner ...

on 26 September 1938. 25 Squadron returned again on 12 October 1938 and started using the

Bristol Blenheim The Bristol Blenheim is a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company (Bristol) which was used extensively in the first two years of the Second World War, with examples still being used as trainers until ...

IF before the squadron returned to Northolt on 22 August 1939. * 38 Squadron RAF from 14 February 1919 until 4 July 1919 when it was disbanded as a cadre. * 56 Squadron RAF reformed here on 1 November 1922 with the Snipe before moving to

RAF Biggin Hill London Biggin Hill Airport is an operational general aviation airport at Biggin Hill in the London Borough of Bromley, located south-southeast of Central London. The airport was formerly a Royal Air Force station RAF Biggin Hill, and a small ...

on 7 May 1923. * 83 Squadron RAF between 14 February 1919 and September 1919 as a cadre. * 120 Squadron RAF between 20 February 1919 and 17 July 1919 with the

Airco DH.9 The Airco DH.9 (from de Havilland 9) – also known after 1920 as the de Havilland DH.9 – was a British single-engined biplane bomber developed and deployed during the First World War. The DH.9 was a development of Airco's earlier successful ...

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 The Dunkirk evacuation, codenamed Operation Dynamo and also known as the Miracle of Dunkirk, or just Dunkirk, was the evacuation of more than 338,000 Allies of World War II, Allied soldiers during the World War II, Second World War from the bea ...

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.
CWGC Cemetery Report, Hawkinge Cemetery. 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. A number of squadrons were posted here: * No. 1 Squadron RAF, 1 Squadron RAF as a detachment between 18 June 1940 and 23 July 1940 with the

Hawker Hurricane The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s–40s which was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was overshadowed in the public consciousness b ...

I. * 3 Squadron RAF as a detachment between 13 November 1939 and 28 January 1940 with the Hurricane I. * 16 Squadron RAF between 17 February 1940 and 13 April 1940 with the Lysander II. * 25 Squadron RAF returned during the Second World War on 10 May 1940 staying for two days still with the Blenheim IF. * 26 Squadron RAF between 6 October 1944 and 11 October 1944 with the Hurricane IIC. * 41 Squadron RAF initially between 30 June 1942 and 8 July 1942 with the

Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, from the Mk 1 to the Rolls-Royce Gri ...

VB then again between 12 April 1943 and 21 May 1943 with the Spitfire XII. * 65 Squadron RAF between 30 June 1942 and 7 July 1942 with the Spitfire VB. * 66 Squadron RAF between 8 October 1942 and 9 October 1942 with the Spitfire VB & VC. * 79 Squadron RAF between 1 July 1940 and 11 July 1940 with the Hurricane I. * 91 Squadron RAF reformed here on 9 January 1941 with the Spitfire IIA & VB versions until 2 October 1942, however the squadron returned 9 October 1942 this time staying until 23 November 1942. 91 Squadron returned again on 11 January 1943 still with the Spitfire and stayed until 11 January 1943. The squadron returned for the last time on 21 May 1943 with the Spitfire XII and stayed until 28 June 1943 when the squadron moved to

RAF Westhampnett Royal Air Force Westhampnett or more simply RAF Westhampnett is a former Royal Air Force satellite station, located in the village of Westhampnett near Chichester, in the English County of West Sussex. It was built as an emergency landing ai ...

. * 124 Squadron RAF between 7 April 1945 and 10 April 1945 with the Spitfire HF IXE. * 132 Squadron RAF between 29 September 1944 and 14 December 1944 with the Spitfire IXB. * 245 Squadron RAF as a detachment between 12 May 1940 and 20 July 1940 with the Hurricane I. * 277 Squadron RAF as a detachment between 7 December 1942 and February 1943 with the Lysander III,

Supermarine Walrus The Supermarine Walrus (originally designated the Supermarine Seagull V) was a British single-engine amphibious biplane reconnaissance aircraft designed by R. J. Mitchell and manufactured by Supermarine at Woolston, Southampton. The Walrus f ...

and the

Boulton Paul Defiant The Boulton Paul Defiant is a British interceptor aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II. The Defiant was designed and built by Boulton Paul Aircraft as a "turret fighter", without any fixed forward-firing guns ...

I. A detachment returned on 15 April 1944 with

Supermarine Sea Otter The Supermarine Sea Otter was an amphibious aircraft designed and built by the British aircraft manufacturer Supermarine. It was the final biplane flying boat to be designed by Supermarine; it was also the last biplane to enter service with bo ...

before leaving during April 1944. The squadron returned on 5 October 1944 with the Sea Otter, Spitfire VB and the

Vickers Warwick The Vickers Warwick was a multi-purpose twin-engined British aircraft developed and operated during the Second World War. In line with the naming convention followed by other RAF heavy bombers of the era, it was named after a British city or ...

I before disbanded on 15 February 1945. * 278 Squadron RAF as a detachment from 15 February 1945 with the Spitfire VB and the Sea Otter during October 1945 when the squadron was disbanded. * 313 Squadron RAF between 21 August 1943 and 18 September 1943 with the Spitfire VB. * 322 Squadron RAF between 31 December 1943 and 25 February 1944 with the Spitfire VB & VC. The squadron returned with the same aircraft on 1 March 1944 and stayed until 10 March 1944. * 350 (Belgian) Squadron RAF initially between 1 October 1943 and 12 October 1943 with the Spitfire VB. 350 Squadron then returned on 31 October 1943 with Spitfire VC and stayed until 30 December 1943. The squadron again on 10 March 1944 with Spitfire IXB and stayed until 14 March 1944. The squadron returned for the last time on 8 August 1944 with Spitfire XIV and stayed until 29 September 1944. * 402 Squadron RCAF between 8 August 1944 and 30 September 1944 with Spitfire IX & XIVE. *

416 Squadron RCAF __NOTOC__ Year 416 ( CDXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Theodosius and Palladius (or, less frequently, year 1169 ...

between 14 August 1942 and 20 August 1942 with Spitfire VB. *

441 Squadron RCAF __NOTOC__ Year 441 ( CDXLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Seleucus without colleague (or, less frequently, year ...

initially between 1 October 1944 and 30 December 1944 with Spitfire VB & IXB. The squadron returned on 3 April 1945 with Spitfire IX. It left on 29 April 1945. * 451 Squadron RAAF between 2 December 1944 and 11 February 1945 with Spitfire IXB & XVI. The squadron returned on 3 May 1945 with Spitfire XVI staying until 17 May 1945. * 453 Squadron RAAF between 2 May 1945 and 17 May 1945 with Spitfire LF XVI. * 501 Squadron RAF between 8 and 10 October 1942 with Spitfire VB & VC. The squadron returned on 21 June 1943 with Spitfire VB & IX before leaving on 21 January 1944 to RAF Southend. * 504 Squadron RAF between 28 February 1945 and 28 March 1945 with Spitfire IXE. * 567 Squadron RAF initially as a detachment between 14 November 1944 and 1945 with

Miles Martinet The Miles M.25 Martinet was a target tug aircraft of the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Fleet Air Arm (FAA) that was in service during the Second World War. It was the first British aircraft to be designed specifically for target towing. Work o ...

IV and

Airspeed Oxford The Airspeed AS.10 Oxford is a twin-engine monoplane aircraft developed and manufactured by Airspeed. It saw widespread use for training British Commonwealth aircrews in navigation, radio-operating, bombing and gunnery roles throughout the Seco ...

. The squadron returned on 13 June 1945 with full squadron strength and replaced the Martinets with the Spitfire XVI. 567 Squadron left on 21 August 1945 going to

RAF Manston Royal Air Force Manston or more simply RAF Manston is a former Royal Air Force station located in the north-east of Kent, at on the Isle of Thanet from 1916 until 1996. The site was split between a commercial airport Kent International Airpo ...

. * 605 Squadron RAF between 21 May 1940 between 28 May 1940 with Hurricane I. * 611 Squadron RAF between 31 December 1944 and 3 March 1945 with Spitfire VII and IX. * 613 Squadron RAF as a detachment between November 1939 and April 1940 with Hinds and Hectors. * 616 Squadron RAF between 14 August 1942 and 20 August 1942 with Spitfire VI.

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. * 122 Squadron RAF between 24 September 1945 and 19 October 1945 with the Spitfire IX. * 234 Squadron RAF between 27 August 1945 and 21 September with the North American Mustang IV. * 658 Squadron RAF between 2 and 6 July 1945 with Auster V. In the 1950s, RAF Hawkinge became a Woman's Officer Cadet Training Unit, under the command of Group Officer

Jean Conan Doyle Air Commandant Dame Lena Annette Jean Conan Doyle, Lady Bromet, (21 December 1912 – 18 November 1997) was a British military officer in the Women's Royal Air Force. The second daughter of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, she was a spirited child who ...

, the daughter of Sir

Arthur Conan-Doyle Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) was a British writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for ''A Study in Scarlet'', the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Hol ...

. 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:

Station commanders

* Anne Stephens (1950 to 1952) *

Henrietta Barnett Dame Henrietta Octavia Weston Barnett, DBE (''née'' Rowland; 4 May 1851 – 10 June 1936) was an English social reformer, educationist, and author. She and her husband, Samuel Augustus Barnett, founded the first "University Settlement" at To ...

(1952 to 1956) *

(1956 to 1959) *

Felicity Hill Air Commodore Dame Felicity Barbara Hill, (12 December 1915 – 30 January 2019) was a British Royal Air Force officer. From 1966 to 1969, she served as Director of the Women's Royal Air Force. She died in January 2019 at the age of 103. Mil ...

(1959 to 1960)

Current use

The site has been largely built over, but now occupied by two things: Kent Battle of Britain Museum and a

housing estate A housing estate (or sometimes housing complex or housing development) is a group of homes and other buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to country. Popular throughout the United States ...

. However currently there are remains of the strip that locals refer to as "the rough grounds".

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * *

External links

Kent Battle of Britain Museum

Hawkinge Village Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hawkinge Royal Air Force stations in Kent Royal Flying Corps airfields Royal Flying Corps airfields in Kent Royal Air Force stations of World War II in the United Kingdom Battle of Britain