Kenley Common

The cows have done an amazing job grazing Bunker Bank on Kenley Common using NoFence virtual fencing. We've now moved their perimeter further along to the northern section of Bunker Bank (which is on the eastern side of the airfield and perimeter track). To see a live location of where the cows are currently grazing, go to https://grazingmap.nofence.no/

The winter grazing herd have been removing dense patches of grasses and thatch following the summer hay cut and knocking back scrub to improve conditions for a wide range of grassland wildflowers and animals.

If you are walking your dog on the Common, it is important that you keep them under close control at all times - dogs must not bother cattle so do put them on a lead if you are unsure of how they will react.

After her mysterious death, on this day (5th January) in 1941, "War Illustrated" paid tribute to the wonderful Amy Johnson...

"Amy Johnson's Tragic End."
" British aviation has lost one of it's most daring exponents by the tragic death on January 5th of Miss Amy Johnson. She had recently been working as a ferry pilot for the Air Transport Auxiliary, and on that day left the airfield at 10.45am, in unfavourable weather, on a flight that would normally have taken an hour. That was the last that was seen of Miss Johnson's aeroplane until 3.30pm when it came down over theThames Estuary. It is thought that she lost her course owing to the bad weather conditions, and after flying round for several hours crashed owing to lack of petrol. It was stated at the airfield that the machine carried enough for a flight of 4 3/4 hours, the exact time that elapsed between the take-off and the crash. The crew of the naval trawler "Haslemere" saw the figure of the pilot baling out, and her commander, Lt.-Commander W.E. Fletcher, dived into the ice-cold water in a heroic attempt at rescue. He reached her, but was unable to support her, and was himself so overcome with exhaustion and extreme exposure that he died on arrival at hospital.

After leaving Sheffield University with a degree in Economics, Amy Johnson learned to fly outside the hours during which she worked in an office. She was the first woman to hold an Air Ministry license as a ground engineer. In 1930 she prevailed upon Lord Wakefield to finance a solo flight to Australia, and, although she had at that time no experience of navigation in unfamiliar areas, she landed at Port Darwin 19 days after leaving England, having created what was then a world record by reaching Karachi in six days. For this great flight she received the C.B.E. In 1931 she flew to Japan and back, setting up records on both flights, and in 1932 made record flights to and from Capetown."

Rest in Peace, wonderful Amy. Thank you for your service.....

From "Our Searchlight on the War," "The War Illustrated," January 24th 1941.

Kenley Common

Many thanks to The Bourne Society for allowing us to share the memories of Douglas Martin, who arrived at Kenley in September 1940, having just completed his Initial Training, aged 19. He paints a vivd picture of a battered RAF station struggling to keep up the fight and his own feelings of being "willing to help but incapable of doing anything useful".

The article is downloadable at the end of this link:

https://www.kenleyrevival.org/content/history/local-lives/bourne-society-volume-59-ground-kenley-september-1940

Photo shows Douglas Martin later in his RAF career.

Kenley Common

On this day (14th December) in 1931....

"Douglas Bader flew to Woodley airfield near Reading. After lunch someone said, ‘I bet you won’t roll at nought feet.’ Bader did, and the graceful little Bulldog ended up in a shapeless ball of twisted metal. After hovering at death’s door Bader lost both legs. At Cranwell he remembered the Commandant had admonished him, ‘The RAF needs men, not schoolboys.’ Now he was neither, and the RAF would not need him anymore.”

—Duel of Eagles by Group Captain Peter Wooldridge Townsend, CVO, DSO, DFC and Bar.

Bader was stationed at Kenley with No.23 (Fighter) Squadron at the time of his accident. He went on to become a giant figure in the RAF, his legend forged from the overwhelming determination to get back in the air despite the seemingly insurmountable difficulties posed by his terrible injuries. More about his accident here:

https://www.kenleyrevival.org/content/new-contributions/douglas-bader-at-kenley

Photo shows: Harry Day and Douglas Bader. 1930.
(Bunce Brothers: Bourne Society)

Kenley Common