RAF Brenzett

RAF Brenzett was a Royal Air Force station close to the village of Brenzett near Romney Marsh in Kent during the Second World War. It was used as an airfield in 1944 for the Mustang Wing which comprised three squadrons including two Polish squadrons in exile and operated patrols against V-1 flying bombs.

History

The site was chosen for an advanced landing ground in July 1942 and construction work on the 300-acre (1.2 km²) site of flat marshland commenced in 1943, it was due to open on 1 March 1943 but was not ready for occupation until September and the airfield opened as RAF Brenzett as part of RAF Fighter Command on 14 September 1943 with two Sommerfeld Tracking runways. The locals referred to the airfield as Ivychurch after the nearest village. The airfield eventually had five blister hangars for the aircraft but most of the personnel were housed in a tented camp.

The first unit to use the airfield was 122 Sqn with Supermarine Spitfires in August 1943 who used it relieve pressure on their home airfield of RAF Kingsnorth five miles (8 km) to the north. The airfield was not used to support the D-Day landings but in July 1944 a Mustang Wing (No 133 Polish Fighter Wing) with three squadrons was based there, mainly on anti-flying bomb patrols.

Brenzett

Coordinates: 51°00′36″N 0°51′14″E / 51.01°N 0.854°E / 51.01; 0.854

Brenzett is a village and civil parish in the Shepway District of Kent, England. The village lies on the Romney Marsh, three miles (4.8 km) west of New Romney.

The place-name 'Brenzett' is first attested in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as Brensete. The name is thought to mean 'burnt house' in Old English.

It is the home to the Brenzett Aeronautical Museum Trust that as well as exhibiting the remains of various World War II combat aircraft that have been excavated from the surrounding marshland also includes a de Havilland Vampire T.11 and an English Electric Canberra B.2 on display in the museum grounds.

Brenzett was also the site of a Royal Air Force Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) airfield during the Second World War, RAF Brenzett, at one time operating North American Mustang IIIs.

Whilst Brenzett is a busy transport hub, it has surrendered its public house (Fleur de Lis), Little Chef restaurant and Post Office, but retains a petrol station and school. The parish church of St Eanswythe is located on the road to Brenzett Green, a remnant of the original A2070 to Hamstreet and Ashford, which was rebuilt entirely in the 1990s.