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BRENZETT ADVANCED LANDING GROUND

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The site of a former military airfield. Brenzett was established as an advanced landing ground in 1943. The landing surfaces consisted of two intersecting runways made up of Sommerfeld track, a type of steel mesh matting. The only accommodation recorded for the airfield was a tented camp. Brenzett was initially allotted to 122 Squadron, of the Royal Air Force, then was allocated to the United States Army Air Force. However the Americans only appear to have used Brenzett for ground based training and no squadrons were actually housed there. By December 1944 the site was de-requisitioned, and closed in 1945. By 1985 the site was said to be used for agriculture. Overlooking the site is the Brenzett Aviation Museum with exhibits on aviation and the Womens Land Army.

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The Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) at Brenzett was constructed in 1943 in preparation for a potential allied assault on occupied Europe. It was first allocated to 122 Spitfire Squadron. Then in 1944 it was officially allocated to United States Army Air Force Ground units and to 129, 306 and 315 (Mustang) squadrons: however no squadron was actually housed there and it appears that the Americans only used Brenzett for ground based training activities. DJ Corley suggests that the relative lack of activity at this and other Kent ALGs was that when the Kent RLGs were planned in 1942 the most likely target for allied invasion was the Pas de Calais, and that when the priority later changed to Normandy they became less viable. (1)

Brenzett airfield, TR 014 281 opened in 1943 and closed in 1945. By December 1944 it was de-requisitioned. The only accomodation noted was a tented camp. The landing surfaces were two runways made of Sommerfeld track. The source includes a sketch map showing the position of the site between Brenzett and Ivychurch. In 1985 the site was said to be in use for agriculture. (2)

Davies gives an alternative NGR for Brenzett at TR 015 280. (3)

SOURCE TEXT

(1) Airfield review

58, 1991 Page(s)20-21

(2) Steve Willis and Barry Holliss 1987 Military airfields in the British Isles 1939-1945

Page(s)33

(3) World Wide Web page

John Hayles. 2001."Brenzett Aeronautical Museum": http://www.aeroflight.co.uk; last updated 02-JUN-2004. Accessed 12-JAN-2005.

(4) by Ken Davies Ninety days to Normandy : the advanced landing grounds of 1944

Page(s)7

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