Monument record TR 04 NW 262 - First World War training airfield at Wye

The site of a First World War training airfield at Wye. The airfield was opened in 1916 and used by various training squadrons until it was closed in 1919.
The airfield covered 86 acres and initially it contained only basic facilities including a number of Bessonneau hangars and tented accommodation. In 1917 it was developed and three hangars were erected as well as other technical buildings and accommodation.
The first training squadron to arrive was the Number 20 Training (ex-Reserve) Squadron with a variety of aircraft including BE2Cs, RE8s and Avro 504s. Other training squadrons were formed and spent time at Wye airfield including Number 50 and Number 60 Training (ex-Reserve) Squadrons, Number 65 and Number 86 Squadrons. The airfield was then allocated in late 1917 to a new Anglo-American training unit in preparation for the deployment of US Army Air Corps squadrons to France. The newly formed Number 42 RS unit trained pilots, including American pilots, from 1918. Use of Wye airfield started to slow down in late 1918 and although Number 3 Squadron was transferred to the airfield in early 1919, it was as a cadre unit, and only stayed a few months before transferring away. Soon after Wye airfield was closed. (1)

Wye airfield, to the east of Bramble Lane, was first used by the 6th Home Defence Wing in 1916. The airfield consisted in a moderately flat runway, three hangars, a guard room, canteen, repair shed, motor transport shed and hutted accommodation.
The site is now cultivated land and no remains have survived. One of the hangars had been used for agricultural purposes, but was finally removed in the 1990s. (2)

<1> 2005, THE MILITARY AIRFIELDS OF BRITAIN; SOUTHERN ENGLAND, KENT, HAMPSHIRE, SURREY AND SUSSEX (Unspecified Type). SWX21105.

<2> Peter Higginbotham, 2000, The Workhouse (Website). SKE56079.