2nd Lieutenant Charles Henry Albert Godfrey, was a local lad whose family lived at No.5 Norfolk Terrace, Godstone Rd (the row of shops next to The Kenley Hotel). As far as we know, he never flew from RAF Kenley.
For the night of 18th October, 1940, the 615 Operations Book records the death of four airmen as a result of enemy action. They were stationed at RAF Northolt at the time but the Squadron had close connections with Kenley, being the local Auxiliary Squadron, with many personnel drawn from the local area.
I spent most of the years between 1945 and 2012 living at 170 Whyteleafe Hill opposite "the aerodrome" as everyone called it.
To date most of our stories about Kenley have featured men. To mark International Women’s Day 2017 on 8 March we thought it was timely to record the amazing life of one of Britain’s foundation glider pilots who had a Kenley connection. Ann Welch (1917-2002) was a world class glider pilot and an aviator who flew more than 100 aircraft types, from gliders to Wellington bombers.
Wandle Park recently partnered with the Kenley Revival Project to host a World War Two poster- making workshop, using vintage ...
At the front of Airmens' Corner, at St. Luke's Churchyard, Whyteleafe, are two metal plaques. One of them remembers an airman who served with 24 (Communications) Squadron, at Kenley, in the 1920's.
Walter James "Bill" Tyrrell was born in Brockley on 7th March, 1922. He was nicknamed Bill after Billy Buster, a carton character of that time, I’m told. His mother Annie Tyrrell, Nee’ Hayward was from Brockley and his Father Frederick Tyrrell was born in Carlshalton, in 1891.
In the early 1950's, Caterham lad, Cedric Wort must have felt that he was on familiar ground when he heard the news that he was going to be posted to Kenley, as part of his National Service with the RAF.
In a moving tribute to RAF Kenley, this month, the Kenley Revival Project have brought to the stage the true ...
This Valentine’s Day, many of you may take a moment to celebrate your relationships and reflect on the good times ...
I’d like to tell the story of my great grandfather William Battle, who is on my mothers side of the ...
On the 8 January 1940, rationing began in the UK, this first started with bacon, butter and sugar – later ...
Sheila used to fill in for Douglas Bader's secretary when he was away and got to know Bader quite well. The staff used to refer to the management by their initials and Bader was known as "B."
Although Glyn is not believed to have been stationed at RAF Kenley, he and his parents Ernest Andrew and Elizabeth Selina Ashfield, lived in Limpsfield and Oxted, Surrey for most of their lives.
Copyright of the attached article rests with the The Bourne Society. Bulletin 201 – August 2005 Preview During World War II my parents, sister ...
Copyright of the attached article rests with the The Bourne Society. Volume 46 – February 2006 Preview During the first half of that decade ...
Copyright of the attached article rests with the The Bourne Society. Volume 59 – May 2009 Preview I was just nineteen, an immature recruit, having ...
Copyright of the attached article rests with the The Bourne Society. Volume 60 – August 2009 Preview I was born in Georges Terrace, Caterham ...
There was an article on TV recently in which they asked for information on any wartime 'Unsung heroes'. I don't know about the hero bit, but what I, and my mates, did is certainly unsung, and as far as I know, has not been mentioned anywhere since.
We are grateful to Jan Murphy for these photos of her Grandfather, Wallace Royle Juden Lidbetter, and documents associated with his service during the Second World War.
