RNAS Capel
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Contents
History
When Germany declared in February 1915 that it would commence unrestricted submarine warfare the Royal Navy responded with the building of airship stations around the coast.[1] Being close to the Dover straight the open fields east of Capel-le-Ferne were seen as ideal location for a base and work started in April 1915.[1] Although not completed the base was official opened on 8 May 1915.[1] The first airship for Capel was to have been SS-1 the first of a new sea scout class of non-rigid airships, on delivery to Capel from RNAS Kingsnorth on 7 May it hit telegraph wires and was destroyed. Despite the accident more sea scouts were soon delivered to Capel.
Airship production
Following the successful repair to SS-10 at Capel production of the airships moved from Kingsnorth to Capel, although by 1916 production had moved again to Vickers at Barrow and RNAS Wormood Scrubs.[1] The engineering section at Capel went on to design an improved variant of the SS airship which would be known as the SSZ.[1] The SSZ had an improved aluminium covered ash-framed car and was fitted with a 75hp Rolls-Royce Hawk aero-engine, it was fitted with a 70,000 cu ft (2,000 m3) envelope and test flown in August 1916.[1] When the Admiralty were informed about the new airship they censured the air station for carrying out unauthorised modifications, but on the other hand ordered the type into production.[1]
Operations
The airships carried out patrols along the English coast and escorted shipping across the channel always on the look out for submarines.[1] In April 1918 the Royal Air Force was formed and Capel became RAF Folkestone, it had by then three large airship sheds and a grass landing area.[1] On 16 September 1918 SSZ.1 while under the command of a United States Navy officer depth-charged and sunk submarine UB-103.[1]
Two sub-stations were used, at Godmersham Park north of Wye, and Wittersham south of Tenterden, were active. The sites were used as mooring-out bases where the airships could be secured in a sheltered area.[1]
Closure
Following the end of the First World War the station was closed in 1919. In the Second World War the site was used as a radio monitoring station.[1]
See also
- Battle of Britain Memorial, Capel-le-Ferne on the other side of the village is a memorial to the RAF aircrew of the Battle of Britain.[1]
References
Citations
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