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Monument details

HER Number:TQ 96 NE 1000
Type of record:Monument
Name:The Royal Aero Club flying ground, home of the Short Brothers Factory, Eastchurch

Summary

The Royal Aero Club flying ground, home of the Short Brothers Factory, Eastchurch. Flying from Eastchurch began in 1909 when a Short built glider took off from Stamford Hill. The airfield developed as a home to both the flying fraternity, a Naval Flying School and the Naval Wing HQ, until the flying field was formally requistioned under the Defence of the Realm Act in december 1914.


Grid Reference:TQ 9821 6966
Map Sheet:TQ96NE
Parish:EASTCHURCH, SWALE, KENT

Monument Types

Full description

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Shorts Factory and auxiliary flying ground on level ground adjoining Stamford Hill, Eastchurch (1).

The Royal Aero Club began flights from Eastchurch at the end of 1909, when Charles Rolls used Stamford Hill and the adjoining level ground to the south and southeast to test his Short Glider, designed and built at Leysdown flying field (TQ 96 NW 1078). The Aero Club bought 400 acres of land at Eastchurch and in 1910 the Short Brothers were invited to move their whole works over from Leysdown, which they did in May. Their Sheds from Leysdown were re-erected at Eastchurch and soon the airfield had developed into a centre for the 'wealthier members of the flying fraternity', with seven sheds and a repair shop. Towards the end of 1910, the Aero Club offered the Admiralty free flying instruction for naval officers and four were 'grudgingly chosen' for flying instruction. By the end of 1911 a small Navy flying school had been set up using purchased and loaned Short flying planes. By 1912 the Naval Flying School was up and running and new sheds, hangars and facilities were constructed for it on leased Aero Club land. With the formation of the RFC in 1912, Eastchurch was established as the Naval Wing HQ and undertook the training of most Naval Wing Personnel, acted as a depot for pilots awaiting posting and as an experimental station. During 1913, the Naval side of the Airfield expanded further and became known as HMS Pembroke II. By 1914 the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) had separated from the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and in the build up to war the RNAS Squadron at Eastchurch was reinforced by No.4 squadron RFC. The Eastchurch War Flight was also formed to defend the Sheerness and Chatham bases. On the outbreak of War the RNAS squadron was sent to Skegness, the RFC unit to Dover, leaving the War Flight and Naval Flying School at Eastchurch, alongside the Shorts' factory. No 2 squadron RNAS was formed at Eastchurch, and on 22 December 1914, Eastchurch was formally requisitioned under the Defence of Realm Act.

See (TQ 96 NE 41), for details of the War Service of Eastchurch Airfield.

With the death of Horace Short on April 6 1917, the Eastchurch works were sold to the Government [2].

The grid ref below is centred on the position of the early sheds at Eastchurch Flying Field, still visible on post world war one photos of the Airfield, but demolished by the time of the 1946 Aerial Photographs (598210,169660).

Eastchurch Airfield was formally requisitioned from the Royal Aero Club in December 1914. It served as a base for No. 2 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) and No. 4 Squadron, although this situation was fluid with parts of the squadrons being posted off to other bases; the units were also flying a huge variety of aircraft. The airfield at Eastchurch on the Isle of Sheppey played a significant role in the history of British aviation from 1909 when Frank McClean acquired Stonepits Farm, on the marshes across from Leysdown, and converted the land into an airfield for members of the Aero Club (later Royal) of Great Britain. Later, McClean loaned his aeroplanes there to the Royal Navy to train officers in the skill of flying. RNAS Eastchurch (parent ship PEMBROKE II ) existed from June 1913 until 1 April 1918 when the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps combined to form the Royal Air Force and RNAS Eastchurch became RAF Station Eastchurch. Four Aircraft hangars, built by the engineers Harbrows for the Admiralty in 1912 still remain at Eastchurch within what is now HM Prison Standford Hill. HM Prison Swaleside was built on the airstrip of RAF Eastchurch. (3)


<1> Barnes, C. H., Shorts Aircraft since 1900, p.51 (Bibliographic reference). SWX9264.

<2> Ashword, Chris, 1985/1990, Action Stations 9: Military Airfields of the Central South & South East (Monograph). SKE8330.

<3> Fleet Air Arm, 2016, Fleet Air Arm Officers Association. (Website). SKE31491.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
<1>Bibliographic reference: Barnes, C. H.. Shorts Aircraft since 1900. p.51.
<2>Monograph: Ashword, Chris. 1985/1990. Action Stations 9: Military Airfields of the Central South & South East.
<3>Website: Fleet Air Arm. 2016. Fleet Air Arm Officers Association..

Related records

TQ 96 NE 41Parent of: Eastchurch Military Airfield, Isle of Sheppey, Kent (Monument)

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