New Romney
Note: I believe this location is correct, but would much appreciate it being confirmed.
NEW ROMNEY: Military aerodrome later temporary airfield
Military users: WW1: RFC/RAF Flying School
WW2: RAF Fighter Command 11 Group
ALG (Advanced Landing Ground)
Location: N of A259 and the ‘New Sewer’ drainage canal, roughly 1nm N of New Romney
Period of operation: WW1: 1917 to 1919 WW2: 1943 to 1944
Site area: WW1: 450 acres 3246 x 503
Runways: WW2: Steel matting NW/SE 1257x46 grass NE/SW 1463x46 grass
NOTES: I am assuming the WW1 and WW2 sites were pretty much on the same site?
One feature of this WW1 aerodrome does stand out as the length of 3246 metres is quite extraordinary and really quite unusual in WW1 making it a massive flying site for that period. So much so it’s almost impossible today to envisage just how flying operations could have been organised. Then again the concept of flight safety hadn’t even been born let alone implemented and the “Western Front” was very close.
I still struggle to envisage one aspect of what it must have been like in those days. For example, when a major offensive was taking place by either side the noise generated by the guns was so large it could be heard in SE England almost as far away as London! What must trainee pilots here have thought, hearing this, and knowing that pretty soon they’d be in and amongst this nightmare?
Henry.
This comment was written on: 2018-02-11 10:47:09The steel matting was called “Marston,” or the incorrect but widely used “Marsden,”
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