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Airfields Index
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Information.
Squadrons Based at RAF Biggin Hill
- No 32 Squadron from 4 June 1940
- No 79 Squadron from 5 June 1940
- 610 Squadron 10th May 1940 to 27th May 1940 & 8th July 1940 to 31 Aug 1940
- No 79 Squadron from 27 August 1940
- No 72 Squadron from 31 August 1940
- No 92 Squadron from 8 September 1940
- No 141 Squadron from 13 September to 18 September 1940
- No 72 Squadron from 14 September 1940
- No 74 Squadron from 15 October 1940
- No 609 Squadron. 1941 to 1942
This is a photo of Flying Officer John McKinley Carswell, RAF, and Assistant Section Officer Pat Leonard, WAAF taken by the RCAF for circulation in Canadian Newspapers to announce their upcoming marriage in August 1942.
One of my mother's favourite stories of the situation at Biggin Hill was the day that she and her best friend in the WAAF ran for a bunker during one of the bombings. Normally, they found themselves in a bomb shelter with hot sweating bodies, many of which had not taken a bath in a few days and in very cramped quarters. During this one particular raid they found themselves alone in a bunker and found it to be such a refreshing change. When the bombing was over, they left the bomb shelter only to read a sign they previously missed which said, "DO NOT USE, UNEXPLODED BOMB."
Bob Carswell
F/Lt James (Jimmy) Davies, DFC
Welsh-American pilot Jimmy Davies joined the RAF on a short-service commission in 1936 and, on completion of his training, was posted to 79 Squadron. He saw his first action flying out of Biggin Hill on 21 November 1939 when he shared in the destruction of a Dornier Do17 over the Straits of Dover (the first enemy aircraft to be destroyed over the Channel and the first by an aircraft based at Biggin Hill). In May 1940 the squadron was posted to France where he quickly added to his score. In early June 1940 the squadron returned to Biggin Hill and Jimmy Davies was awarded the DFC.
On 27 June, F/Lt Davies and P/O Stone of 79 Squadron and F/Lt Crossley, P/O Daw, P/O Grice, Sgt Cartwright and Sgt Whitby of 32 Squadron, were ordered to parade before the king to receive their medals. Early that morning Davies was one of a number of Biggin Hill pilots scrambled to intercept some German aircraft over the Channel. In the ensuing combat some 10 miles off the French coast, Davies (flying Hurricane P3591) and another Hurricane pilot were shot down and reported missing in action. When King George VI made the presentation of DFCs and DFMs, one silver cross was left on the cushion, unclaimed.
Jimmy Davies' body was never recovered and, in addition to his combat record, he was also almost certainly the first American citizen to be killed in air combat in the Second World War.
I am currently carrying out research into the brief flying career of Jimmy Davies and would be grateful for any further information which may be available.
Photographs
If you have any Photographs you would like to share please get in touch.
List of those who served.
- Charles Appleby. Maintenance Crew.
- Sgt/Plt. Edward Alan "Grandad" "Bill" Bayley. 32 Sqd. (d. 10th Oct, 1940)
- Flying Officer John McKinley Carswell Read his Story
- Sgt Cartwright, DFC. 32 Squadron Read his Story
- Flight Sergeant S.E Chandler. Medic.
- F/Lt Crossley, DFC. 32 Squadron Read his Story
- F/Lt James Davies, DFC. 79 Sqd. Read his Story
- P/O Daw, DFC. 32 Squadron Read his Story
- P/O Grice, DFC. 32 Squadron Read his Story li>William Burley Higgins. 32 Sqd.Read his story
- Maurice Edward Hunt. 202 Sqd. Read his story
- Assistant Section Officer Pat Leonard Read her Story
- Jack Lister. 609 Sqd. Read his story <
- W/C Robert "Lucky Tuck" Stanford-Tuck. Pilot. 92 Sqd. Read his Story
- P/O Stone. 79 Squadron Read his Story
- Sgt Whitby, DFC. 32 Squadron Read his Story
If you have any names to add to this list, or any recollections or photos of those listed, please get in touch.
If you have a story which you would like to share, or a website dedicated to an airfield or aircrew, please get in touch.
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