Yellow Alert at 04:10, all leave cancelled as Germany invades Belgium and Holland.
Tag: Hawkinge
RAF Hawkinge was the closest airfield to France.
25 and 601 Sqn arrive at Hawkinge
12:0025 Sqn (Blenheims) and 601 Sqn (Hurricanes) arrive at Hawkinge.
17 Sqn Arrives at Hawkinge
Friday 17th May 1940 12:0017 Sqn (Hurricanes) arrive at Hawkinge.
Aircraft retreating from the Battle of France use Hawkinge as a landing ground.
Tuesday 21st May 1940 00:00605 Sqn Arrives at Hawkinge
12:00605 Sqn (Hurricanes) arrive at Hawkinge from Drem.
RAF Air component HQ arrives at Hawkinge
Wednesday 22nd May 1940 00:00AVM N.D.K. McEwan, CB, CMG, DSO of 22 Group and AVM K.R. Park, MC, DFC of 11 Group.
Maintenance, Refuelling and Rearming Flight forms at Hawkinge
Friday 24th May 1940 00:00Lysanders of 2 Sqn support troops defending Calais
Sunday 26th May 1940 12:00Flying from Hawkinge eight Lysanders took off at ten minute intervals without fighter cover to drop supplies to troops defending Calais. Canisters containing water, food and ammunition were dropped from 50 feet but this exposed the aircraft to ground fire - two were lost and, whilst the remaining six returned to Hawkinge, they were all damaged.
Dynamo Air operations run from Hawkinge
Monday 27th May 1940 00:00AVM C.H.B. Blount arrives at Hawkinge and starts running the RAF operations in support of Dynamo from the Haskard Target Building - this HQ was called 'Back Component'. It was collecting evidence to assist with evacuation, as a lot of the wireless equipment was inadequate it relied heavily on debriefs from returning aircrew supplemented with information from German short wave radio traffic intercepted by WAAFs of the experimental wireless section based in Maypole Cottage.
Aircraft of all types returning from action were landing at Hawkinge, many to be refuelled then immediately moving on to inland airfields but those that were too damaged to fly were patched up before being moved on.
OPERATIONS RECORD BOOK of (Unit or Formation) RAF. Station Hawkinge
Place | Date | Time | Summary of Events | References to Appendices |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hawkinge | May 1940 27th |
WEATHER. Fine, some cloud in thick patches. S.Q.FC Staff Engineer visted the station in connection with the formation of Maintenance, re-fuelling and re-arming party which has now assembled. A.V.M.C BLOUNT visited the station. |
245 Sqn relives 605 Sqn at Hawkinge
Tuesday 28th May 1940 12:00245 Sqn (Hurricanes) from Scotland relives 605 Sqn who return to Drem.
245 Sqn in action over Dunkirk
Saturday 1st June 1940 12:01Sqn Ldr Whitley led 245 Sqn on a patrol over Dunkirk. They were in the air for an hour and half and during a dog fight with Meserchmitts had claimed four but POs West and Treanor were missing.
245 Sqn and PAU leave Hawkinge
Sunday 2nd June 1940 12:44245 Sqn fly an early morning patrol over Dunkirk and report no air activity and the evacuation apparently complete. Later they are withdrawn back to Scotland.
The Pilotless Aircraft Unit leaves Hawkinge.
245 Sqn Arrives at Hawkinge
Sunday 9th June 1940 12:00After refuelling they fly an uneventful bomber escort over France.
79 Sqn replaces 245 Sqn at Hawkinge
Monday 1st July 1940 12:00501 Sqn Patrol
Monday 29th July 1940 07:20501 take off from Hawkinge for a patrol at 0720h. They intercept 40 Ju 87s and Bf 109s. Flt Lt Don McKay leading A flight claims a ju 87 bringing his total to 5.
PO Campbell crashes near Elham
12:00PO K.C. Campbell of 43 Sqn is unable to bring his Hurricane with damaged flaps and ailerons down at Hawkinge and crashes near Elham.
Radar plots appear
Monday 12th August 1940 07:20As the dawn mist burns off, radar picks up aircraft over Cap Griz Nez. (6+ over Cap Griz Nez and 3+ in the Straights.)
54 Sqn (Spitfires) are scrambled from Manston to deal with fighters and 610 Sqn (Spitfires) are scrambled from Hawkinge to deal with bombers.
The 6+ raid are Do 17 from KG 2 targeting Lympne.
610 Sqn Scramble
07:31Spitfires of 610 Sqn scramble from Hawkinge.
Dover, Folkestone and Hawkinge are shelled
10:00Long range guns firing across the channel hit several houses in Folkestone and Dover killing and maiming civilians. Hawkinge airfield is also hit.
This is a preparatory shelling - testing and ranging the guns.
501 Sqn Scrambled from Hawkinge
11:00Tasked with intercepting raiders over Ramsgate.