F/O GEORGE D. AITKEN's recollections of the daily routine for pilots stationed at Kenley and flying with the Canadian Wing in 1943...
The prolific author and historian Dilip Sarkar MBE was a close friend of the late, great, Air Vice-Marshal Johnnie Johnson, officially the top-scoring RAF fighter pilot of the Second World War, but was unable to join us for our RCAF100 tree dedication as planned; instead, Dilip has sent these thoughts to share
Dorothy Lowrie's tribute to her father George Dennis Aitken AFC, Canadian fighter pilot.
At 5.28pm, on 13th May, 1987, Henry James "Harry" Lenard, an elderly and inexperienced pilot, was attempting an autotow launch in a Pirat glider...
The wonderful war diary of Joan Snell which covers her wartime exploits, from serving in Signals at Kenley during the Battle of Britain right through to her struggle to gain a commission and training in Codes and Cyphers.
Henry was born in Blackburn, Lancashire, on 28th September, 1887, and baptised at St. Thomas' Church, (now demolished), on 2nd October. He was the eldest of four children born to Edward Critchley, a builder and joiner, and his wife, Mary. Henry followed in his Father's footsteps and was already apprenticed as a carpenter and joiner by 1901, when he was 13 years old.
Michael spent the early year of WWI serving as a Private in the West Yorkshire Regiment, before transferring to the RAF on 3rd June, 1918
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.
