Croydon

 

“My brother and myself went into my parents’ bedroom with its big brass bedstead and my father took us to the window and we saw this silver Zeppelin, lit up by searchlights, with the bursts of anti-aircraft shells exploding around it.”

This is the recollection of David Lean, who director of “Brief Encounter” and “Lawrence of Arabia,” but who was at the time a frightened young boy living in Croydon.

Croydon was a target, and following a particularly devastating raid in 1915, a plot of land to the southwest of the town was requisitioned under the Defence of the Realm Act, and turned into Beddington Aerodrome.

From here, Sopwith Camels and Bristol Fighters sortied into the night sky, attempting to bring down the inflatable German “baby killers.”

“Civil aviation must fly by itself,” said Winston Churchill, who was secretary of state for air between 1919 and 1921.

“The government cannot possibly hold it up in the air.” 

Churchill didn’t mention that he himself had taken flying lessons at Beddington, crashed and very nearly died.

CNN 4 September 2024

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/croydon-airport-london-aerodrome-gateway/index.html