Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

The site of the former R.F.C. Aerodrome at Bekesbourne (Canterbury).

Images

Monument Types

• (Former Type) AIRFIELD (Modern - 1914 AD? to 1940 AD)
• (Former Type) LISTENING POST (Modern - 1917 AD? to 1918 AD?)

Full description

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The former location of Bekesbourne (Bridge) Canterbury aerodrome.

From 1916 onwards the increasing number of air raids led to a change in tactics with the RFC becoming responsible for Home Defence as they were ordered to deal with air raids. This led to a massive expansion in the number of War Office/RFC aerodromes as more resources were focused on dealing with the threat from German airships and bombers. (1)

Bekesbourne was a major First World War fighter airfield. Originally opened in 1914 No 50 Squadron RFC remained ready to defend London and south-east England against Zeppelin and later Gotha bombing raids. The increasing number of attacks on London during the First World War led to a need to have an integrated home defence system. The War Office with the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) took an increasing role in home defence as the war progressed. The London Air Defence Area (LADA) was created from 1917–1918. This demanded the integrated reporting of sightings of enemy aircraft calling up aircraft from local areas. Wireless telegraphy had an increasingly important role to play in home defence as the war progressed and allowed an early warning system to be set up. The process led to a co-ordinated defence of areas. Stations were set up at various locations and were linked to specific RFC stations. National Archives file A1/305/15/226/164 suggests that by 1918 a number of RFC squadrons operated the wireless sets as part of the LADA. (2)

During May/June 1940 Bekesbourne was briefly revived as a military airfield for Westland Lysander army co-operation aircraft to support the Dunkirk evacuation. A Great War General Service hangar disappeared in 1998 for new housing but a number of original buildings associated with the airfield still survive as private dwellings, including the Officers’ Mess and combined station chapel/NAAFI but no remains exist of the original aerodrome. (2)

<1> Oxford Archaeological South, 2016, First World War Wireless Stations in England. (Bibliographic reference). SKE31551.

<2> Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust., 2016, Airfields of Britain. (Website). SKE31556.

Sources and further reading