NEWSLETTER Kenley Airfield Friends Group www.kafg.org.uk

Newsletter № 7 November 2011 Welcome to our latest newsletter which we hope will make interesting readCONTENTS ing. Page 2 Chairman’s The Airfield Structures seem Welcome to be pushing us into a new Page 3 Tribute Renovation direction. Remembrance Sunday At the AGM in June Bob Warnock gave us the interPage 4 RAF Hendon & Air esting news that English Training Cadets Heritage had recently inPage 5 Thanks from ATC spected the ‘Blast Pens’ and & RAF Coningsby were alarmed about the acPage 6 Members celerating deterioration of - 10 Memories them that was evident. As Page 11 Membership News Bob said the pens were built Kenley Fun Day to last for a period of a war, Contact Us not a lifetime. English Heritage were proposing a bid Page 12 Renewal Form

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CHAIRMAN’S WELCOME CONT’D

to Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to bring all the pens back to their 1938/39 standard. Subsequently we were called to a meeting at the Commons Office to meet the English Heritage officer concerned with Bob and some of his staff. It was made clear that the project would be dealing with all the remaining structures that make up the features of the airfield; the runways and peritrack for instance and those not on the airfield; in addition to the blast pens the rifle range, the Portcullis Building, Squash Court, the air raid shelter and other items to include those on the other side of Hayes Lane. Out of the blue came the announcement that KAFG was to lead the project, it was a surprise but logical that neither of the corporate bodies should lead such a campaign. Our carefully worded constitution more or less parallels the requirements that HLF look for in applicant organisations. Our objectives are to preserve and conserve and so we are well suited to the task ahead. We are not daunted by the prospect of the work ahead but we are well aware of the immensity of the task, we shall need help and sometimes professional input from many people. In the first instance though we have to get the paperwork right, the first stage is a pre application, which will get the nod from HLF that a proper application will be accepted for consideration. This is where we stand at the moment, we are looking for similar projects that have received HLF funding for guidance in making a successful application. Should the bid be successful we shall be responsible for and have to account for up to one million pounds – or more.

Chris Baguley STOP PRESS—As we go to print we have become aware of interim plans for workshop area of the Naafi site—details to follow.

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TRIBUTE RENOVATION

The Tribute has now completed its renovation to its year 2000 condition utilising funds made at last year’s Air Day. Work was undertaken by a firm of monumental masons who carry out much of the work nationwide on monuments and public buildings such as churches and so on. During the work questions that most of you ask were asked. As the Tribute is made from Portland stone it cannot be sealed due to porosity; in respect of the lettering not being particularly clear we were told that it could be painted in but within a short period it would weather out not making the outlay worth it. The lettering could be lead filled but the cost is really disproportionate. Finally Mike Street was given some reassurance that the correct choice of stone was made because polished marble is just as susceptible to frost damage, is more expensive and relatively so in terms of the cost of renovation. Notwithstanding the work, the march past at the Tribute took place on Battle of Britain Sunday, not many were there to witness the salute being taken by the Australian and Canadian Air Attaché staff. It was a proud moment with 26 standards being paraded. We shall endeavour to give you prior notification next year. Separately City Commons have concluded work in replacing the temporary soak away at the rear of the Tribute Blast Pen with a proper one. A digger was brought in to sink a five metre hole through the clay to the chalk sub strata. In heavy rain water collects in the SE corner but now it will drain away quite freely.

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY There will be a wreath laying ceremony at the Tribute on Sunday 13th November at 1.30 p.m.

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RAF MUSEUM HENDON OUTING

Our first organised coach trip took place on 22nd September as a follow up to the talk at the AGM. Some knowledgeable guides, well able to field some pretty focussed questions, took us round the historic part of the museum. Most of us enjoyed a good lunch as well for a total outlay of less than £20.00. After an enjoyable day the question was asked whether we should have other visits in the future with a verdict that we should. Several suggestions were made all of which have been taken on board. Watch for future announcements on that. There are lots of photos of the trip on our website.

AIR TRAINING CADETS We would like to supplement the excellent picture of the Air Training Cadets in Newsletter No 6 with the following information. In addition to Sgt S. Cogswell parading the No 450 Sqn Standard was the Standard of the Kenley & Caterham Branch RAFA paraded by Mr Ken Sayers. It is interesting to note that Ken enrolled with 450 Sqn during the war, and as a founder member of the Squadron Corps of Drums also, Ken rose to the rank of Cadet Flight Sergeant. It is usual to see Ken, now well into his 80’s, at events where the standards are paraded, generally in the company of both 450 and 285 (Coulsdon) Squadrons both of which are the adoptive squadrons of the RAFA Branch.

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THANKYOU FROM ATC

In July we allocated a donation to 450 Sqn ATC towards their mini bus replacement fund and have received a letter of thanks for our generous donation. Their fund raising is going well but just needs a few final donations.

BBMF—VISIT TO RAF CONINGSBY As a member of a supporting organisation I can go to the Open Day that BBMF hold as they close their display operations for the year. This year I met the two BBMF pilots that displayed for us on that glorious Sunday afternoon in June. Speaking to Wg Cr Paul Godfrey it turns out that he is a Kenley boy having been brought up in Fairoak Close, just off Firs Road. Paul owes everything to his father taking him to the 1978 Air Day when his ambition to fly was moulded. He is certainly living his dream as a Typhoon pilot and sometimes understudying the Station Commander at Coningsby as well as BBMF. He wants to be on every opportunity to fly in displays at Kenley and ultimately to land a Hurricane or Spitfire here. Duncan Mason, who flew the Hurricane on that day, mentioned that donations to the cross-country bike ride (400 miles in 4 days) were now well in excess of £50,000 and thanked us for our support.

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MEMBERS MEMORIES

In my Chairman’s report to this year’s AGM examples were given of enquiries from people in Wales regarding two airmen after visiting our website. Mike Squires runs a farm in Carmarthenshire as well as an engineering business that provides hydraulic lifting gear to the construction and haulage industry. He is second cousin to Peter Walley, up until this contact we only knew about Joyce Bain, a cousin from the other side of Peter’s family, she used to be a regular at the Portcullis Club and always sat as close as possible to the photograph of her cousin. Peter Walley, a nineteen year old joined 615 Sqn in 1938 as an aircraft hand/air gunner. He was born in Southfields where he attended school and developed some sporting prowess. His father died when he was thirteen as a result of his First World War action and his mother moved to a flat in Shirley. Peter’s ambition to become a pilot was fulfilled when selected for training at Flying Training School, graduating with his wings on 11th July 1940; he rejoined 615 Sqn on 6th August under Sqn Ldr Joe Kayll (Dcd 2000) as the Battle of Britain was beginning to accelerate. No time was lost in gaining both training and operational experience, records show the variety of Hurricanes that Peter was assigned to and the experience he would gain in losing colleagues in combat. On 16th August at just after 4:15 the squadron was ordered off to meet a raid coming in over Brighton, Peter flew as No 2 to the Red Leader Joe Kayll and later claimed a Heinkel shot down. It was a successful day for 615 with no casualties. Saturday 17th August was a quiet day as Goring had summoned his fighter and bomber pilots to a conference in Berlin. The fateful Sunday 18th August, “The Hardest Day” started quiet but bright though somewhat hazy. By noon radar was picking up a lot of activity over northern France and a little before 12:50 615 Sqn were scrambled to intercept the raid approaching Kenley, Peter was heard rushing from the dis-

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MEMBERS MEMORIES CONT’D

persal hut yelling ‘Start me up, somebody’. Some moments later he was racing across the field to join his colleagues as No 3 in Yellow Section; they were up to 26,000 feet still climbing with their backs toward the sun when the Bf109’s escorting the bomber formation attacked; a colleague Pilot Officer D.J. Looker in L1592 (Now displayed at the Science Museum) saw Peter’s aircraft P2768 lamed and smoke pouring from it; Looker, also hit, force landed at Croydon. Many witnesses saw Peter’s plane coming down, no power in the engine and clearly crippled. Peter didn’t bale out as two of his colleagues had, as those that saw the rise and fall of his aircraft he was clearly trying to avoid the electricity pylons and housing by the Sutton By-Pass and London Road and just having enough height to brush the trees surrounding Morden Park. Apart from avoiding loss of life on the ground Peter was trying to save his aircraft by landing in Morden Park, sadly his manoeuvres had lost him airspeed and lift; the aircraft now in a stall was not controllable he skidded on the ground and slid inexorably into a small copse felling a tree, losing a wing and inevitably his life. Just twenty years of age and thirty-eight days out of training. Many local people praised Peter for his heroics in ensuring their safety, Mike Squires has photo copied the letter from the RAOB (Pride of Morden Lodge) for us and we present it on our display board at events. In it the Secretary “beseeches” that it be conveyed to next of kin, their admiration and pride for the gallant Pilot of the aircraft that crashed…… and goes on “By what must have been to this gallant airman a super human effort, he managed to lift his crashing ’plane sufficient to miss by what seemed inches, the homes of the men maimed in the last war” and “The brothers reverently observed a two minute silence on behalf of this gallant soldier and gentleman”. We also have a copy of the covering letter from the Air ministry to Peter’s mother, now Mrs Dorothy Young at her address in Shirley.

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MEMBERS MEMORIES CONT’D

On the more personal side Mike Squires has told me of some of his interest and activities from his position as a second cousin. Peter Walley’s father George died in 1933 probably as a result of being gassed in WW1, he was Mike’s father’s best friend and they probably met at boarding school at Margate. This would have been approx 1895. Mike’s father’s parents were in India, and he used to go to his mother’s sister (his Aunt Min) at Solihull during school holidays. Aunt Min’s daughter was Dorothy (Peter’s Mother). It is probable that George Walley met Dorothy via this situation. When George died, Dorothy moved to Shirley, (Croydon) where she was bombed and injured; eventually she settled in Boscombe near Bournemouth after marrying Jock Scott a friend of George’s, who from his deathbed had asked Jock to look after Dorothy. After she died their landlady passed on to Mike the few keepsakes that Peter’s mum had kept throughout her life. A memorial plaque was unveiled at Merton College (Morden Park) in 1972, which Dorothy attended, as did Joyce Bain. Mike has been given the commemorative album of that event and Joyce is very recognisable in the pictures but Mike never met her; Joyce has now moved north to be closer to the care of her family, we understand that she has Peter’s war medals. Mike says that he had little passed on through the family circumstance but his interest and pride in Peter stems from the love and kindness shown to him when, as a schoolboy, he spent two holidays in Boscombe with Aunt Dorothy. Dorothy died in 1981; Mike with his wife Glynis attended the funeral. They had not at this stage got to know where Peter was buried; they hadn’t liked to enquire, as they were afraid of upsetting auntie. By chance in 1989 they were passing Tangmere on business and decided to go to the museum. Here they found the book ‘Battle of Britain Then and Now’ in which they found all that they needed to know about Peter.

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MEMBERS MEMORIES CONT’D

At 1.20pm on 18th August 1990, the 50th Anniversary of the crash Mike, Glynis and his half-sister held a small ceremony at the plaque and laid some flowers. They then travelled on to Airmen’s Corner at St Luke’s; what happened next was both bizarre and a little bit spooky. They parked up and started looking for the headstone, whilst doing so another man visiting shouted out ‘there it is’ and immediately fell on the grave, it was of course Peter Walley’s grave, Mike’s sister went over to him and asked if he knew Peter, the response was “no but I saw him shot down” Such a coincidence after all this time and that they should meet on this 50th anniversary. They had much to talk about and exchanged addresses, eventually, the man having departed they sat down on the bench facing the headstones and took in the tranquillity of the place and talked for an hour or so. Glynis then announced, “Aunt Dorothy is with us” and repeated it much more definitely. It was quite some time later that Mike, having exchanged correspondence with the man he had met at Whyteleafe, found out that Aunt Dorothy’s ashes had been interred with her son’s remains! Whilst on this theme there is the story that one morning at the college the cleaner opened up and sub consciously acknowledged an airman in full flying kit standing by the plaque, seconds later reality kicked in, she looked round but he was gone! I was pleased to bring Mike to the Portcullis Club on the 14th August this year and meet the veterans of 615Sqn who were having their annual reunion. He was so very well received and how proud he was to be able to show those few keepsakes and the album to some who showed intense interest. Mike was very interested in the Tribute and impressed by the Heritage Trail boards, he was touched too by the road signs in the new estate; I told him that Peter’s name was on the shortlist but he understood completely why the name wasn’t used. I am sure that Mike will visit us again.

Chris Baguley

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MEMBERS MEMORIES CONT’D

Double Command by Tony Harding Wing Commander J.R.A Peel not only had the distinction of being Kenley’s first Wing Leader but later returned to take over the position again. He was said to have fired the RAF’s first shots in the Battle of Britain while in command of No 145 squadron at Tangmere, claiming in all several enemy aircraft that summer and being awarded the DFC. In March 1941 he was promoted to the newly created rank of Wing Commander (Flying) one of the first three appointed, Douglas Bader went to Tangmere and “Sailor” Malan to Biggin Hill. This was because now the fighter squadrons were flying together in Wings during cross channel operations and needed an experienced leader in overall control. John Peel began to lead Kenley’s Hurricane squadrons on offensive sweeps and bomber escorts and on 7th April destroyed two Messerschmitts in the process of taking off from Berck airfield. While at the head of No 302 (Polish) squadron on 9th July he was shot down himself but after being rescued from the sea was back flying with the wing the next day. Early in August he was awarded the DSO and was rested from operational flying and was succeeded at Kenley, firstly by Wing Commander J.A. Kent DFC and then in mid October by Wing Commander E.N. Ryder DFC. However Norman Ryder’s stay was a short one, just a matter of days before being shot down and taken POW on 31st October while the Wings Spitfires were escorting Hurri-Bombers on a low level shipping strike. This was when John Peel came back to lead the Kenley Wing for a couple of months although winter months offensive daylight operations were being scaled down. At the end of the year he was promoted to Group Captain and Wing Commander Findlay Boyd took his place.

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MEMBERSHIP NEWS

To date there are 150 households (196 members) that have not sent me their renewal subscriptions this year. If you have forgotten to do so. please use the form on page 12 but remember to add names of all household members. Also please include a telephone or mobile number so that we can contact you at short notice if needs must. If you are not sure whether you have or not give me a ring on 020 8660 3149 or use the email below. The subscription fee has now changed to £5.00 per household per year with an option to include a donation if you wish. 50 new members have joined our group this year since March. It is always good to welcome new members so please can you share this newsletter with friends, family and work colleagues to spread the word. Lesley West

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MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL FORM

Kenley Airfield Friends Group Membership Renewal Subscription for year July 2011—June 2012 I/We wish to subscribe to a Single Household Membership of £5.00 I/We enclose a further donation of £……..

Add all Household Members

KENLEY FUN DAY Kenley and District Residents’ Association’s current Newsletter carries an article that says that there may not be a Fun Day next year, which is a shame. This will be a serious omission from the Airfield Diary; we will keep our eye on this and keep you up to date.

CONTACT US Chris Baguley

Chair

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Mike Simpson

Secretary

[email protected] or telephone 01883 - 627438

Carole Streeter

Treasurer

Lesley West

Membership Secretary & Newsletter

Webmaster

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[email protected] Andy Spencer-Jones

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I/We would like to be part of a committee or as a volunteer helper. Please make cheques payable to KAFG and return to:- Lesley West, KAFG Membership Sec., 5 Hillhurst Gardens, Caterham, CR3 5HX