Hornchurch Airfield is probably a familiar name to anyone with an interest in the Battle of Briatin but it has its origins in WWI when it was known as Suttons Farm - from the land that it was built on. It was from Suttons Farm that that a Be2c took off and became the first aircraft to down a Zeppelin back in 1916. The airfield was closed after the war but the land was subsequently requisitioned by the RAF and the airfield opened again in 1928 initially as RAF Suttons Farm but this was soon changed to RAF Hornchurch.
During WWII Hornchurch was part of 11 Group, defending London and South East England and played an important role in the Battle of Britain. After the war Hornchurch had a limited role including Aircrew Selection Center and Paraachute training before closing in July 1962.
Part of the airfield, including hangars and the technical site are now under a housing estate but much of the rest has become a country park where there are still a few small signs of the past including pill boxes and gun emplacements although as the runways were grass it is hard to discern exactly where they were.
Just up the road from the park is Hornchurch Heritage Centre which opened in 2019 in two houses used by RAF Hornchurch from 1939 to 1946. The centre recounts the history of Hornchurch through a number of different diplay rooms and includes stories from the time, such as a Home Front exhibition and other general RAF displays. All worth a look and I finished up by visiting the
concrete barges at Rainhaim.
