RAF Ashford

Royal Air Force Ashford or more simply RAF Ashford is a former Royal Air Force Advanced landing ground in Kent, England. The landing ground is located approximately west of Ashford just south of the A28 near the junction with Old Surrenden Manor Road.

Opened in 1943, Ashford was one of several prototypes for the temporary Advanced Landing Ground airfields built in France after D-Day, required as the Allied forces moved east across France and Germany. It was used by British, Dominion and the United States Army Air Forces. It was closed in September 1944.

Today the airfield is a mixture of agricultural fields with few recognisable remains.

History UnitDatesAircraftVariantNotesNo. 65 (East India) Squadron RAFOctober 1943Supermarine SpitfireIXNo. 122 (Bombay) Squadron RAFOctober 1943Supermarine SpitfireIXNo. 414 Squadron RCAFAugust–October 1943North American MustangIPart of the Canadian Reconnaissance WingNo. 430 Squadron RCAFAugust–October 1943North American MustangIPart of the Canadian Reconnaissance Wing The following units were also here at some point: No. 129 Airfield Headquarters RAF (August - October 1943) No. 2817 Squadron RAF Regiment No. 2880 Squadron RAF Regiment No. 3205 Servicing Commando No. 3206 Servicing Commando No. 3207 Servicing Commando No. 3209 Servicing Commando

United States Army Air Forces use

Ashford was known as USAAF Station AAF-417 for security reasons by the USAAF during the war, and by which it was referred to instead of location. Its USAAF Station Code was "AF".

406th Fighter Group

On 5 April the airmen of the 406th Fighter Group arrived, having crossed the Atlantic by troopship. The group arrived from Congaree Army Airfield, South Carolina. Operational fighter squadrons and fuselage codes were:

512th Fighter Squadron (L3) (yellow) 513th Fighter Squadron (4P) (red) 514th Fighter Squadron (O7) (blue)

The 406th Fighter Group was part of the 303d Fighter Wing, XIX Tactical Air Command operating Republic P-47 Thunderbolts.

The 406th Fighter Group conducted its first operation on 9 May and was chiefly involved in fighter-bomber work. On 18 when the 513th started to use ALG A-13 at Tour-en-Bessin. The last remnants of the 406th departed RAF Ashford on 31 July.

Bombing

The airfield was bombed during a night-time raid on 22 May 1944, at 12:35 am. A high-explosive bomb was dropped in the tented area which accommodated the reserve flight pilots and other staff. These were RAF Volunteer Reservists of 5003 Airfield Construction Squadron, based at RAF Great Chart, some 1.2 km northeast of the airfield. There were 30 casualties, 14 being fatal.

Current use

With the facility released from military control, Ashford was rapidly returned to agricultural use. There is little to indicate that an airfield ever existed at this location.

RAF Ashford

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