London Air Defence Area
Appearance
The London Air Defence Area (LADA) was the name given to the organisation created to defend London from the increasing threat from German airships during World War I. Formed in September 1915, it was commanded initially by Admiral Sir Percy Scott,[1] a controversial figure, responsible for major advances in naval gunnery techniques, but also accused of insubordination and profiting from his inventions.[2]
Airfields
At the end of the war, the following airfields came under the direct control of LADA:
Station | Branch | Grid Reference |
Station Opened |
Station Closed |
Squadrons | Current Use | External Link |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Stow Maries | RFC | TQ83189955 | 9/1916 | 1919 | B Flt, 37 Sqn | Agriculture. Most buildings still present. | Stow Maries Airfield[permanent dead link] |
Goldhanger | RNAS[3] / RFC | TL90450885 | C Flt, 37 Sqn | ||||
Hainault Farm | RFC | TQ46759105 | 10/1914 | 44 Sqn | Agriculture / light industry. Hangars still present. | Hainault Farm Airfield | |
Bekesbourne | TR20055545 | Housing / agriculture | |||||
Mattishall | TG06801155 | Agriculture | Mattishall Airfield | ||||
Tydd St Mary | TF458192 | 8/1917 | 5/1919 | B Flt, 51 Sqn | Agriculture | ||
Marham | Royal Air Force flying station | ||||||
Rochford | A Flt, 37 Sqn | ||||||
Hadleigh | |||||||
Elmswell | |||||||
Suttons Farm | RFC | Hornchurch Country Park and housing estate | |||||
Throwley | |||||||
Biggin Hill | London Biggin Hill Airport | ||||||
Detling |
References
- Notes
- ^ Peter G Cooksley, Aviation Enthusiasts' Guide To London & The South-East, PSL, 1982, ISBN 0-85059-533-9
- ^ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
- ^ Until March 1916 Goldhanger was a RNAS night-landing ground (National Archives: AIR 1/146/15/55)
- Bibliography
- Christopher Cole and E.F. Cheeseman, The Air Defence of Britain, 1914-1918, 1984, Hungry Minds Inc, ISBN 978-0-370-30538-7
- Peter G Cooksley, Aviation Enthusiasts' Guide To London & The South-East, PSL, 1982, ISBN 0-85059-533-9