RAF West Malling: memories of Philip Field

Post date: Apr 02, 2016 6:41:53 PM

The following memory is contributed by Philip Field.

In 1956/1957 when ending my service in the RAF, I was stationed at West Malling where I was on the staff of the Commanding Officer. I remembered the following during a wakeful period in the night, us elderly people have these all too frequently!

One morning whilst at work in the Headquarters building, there was a sudden, and really unexpected, burst of cannon fire coming from the flight lines. We had Gloucester Meteor night fighters there, and it subsequently came to light that an armourer was re-arming a fighter ready for an live firing exercise, and inadvertently pressed the firing button, whereby launching several cannon shells. As the flight lines were on a slight uphill slope, the shells left the airfield in a shallow parabolic curve. The Yard Manager at the Whitbred's Brewery, which was situated on the left down the Nettlested road, was inspecting the crates of empty bottles stacked in the yard, when they were suddenly shattered by the incoming shells. This must have been an alarming experience for him - it certainly caused a panic situation up in the Station.