KENLEY Airfield, near Croydon, was one of the most important fighter stations, along with Biggin Hill, in defending London.

Now a leading Royal Air Force Association (RAFA) member has called for the airfield's history to be more widely recognised and preserved.

The airfield was 11 Group Sector B headquarters and its fighters – with pilots from Britain, Canada, Australia and Poland – were dispatched from there to confront bombers heading for London.

Its importance was brought home in a devastating way on August 18, 1940 when the airfield was attacked by nine bombers.

Ken Sayers, of the Kenley and Caterham branch of the RAFA, said: "I was a schoolboy at the time of the raid – it was carnage.

"Eight people were killed and ten others injured in the raid, which also wiped out ten hangars and severely damaged six others.

"The runways were riddled with craters, the equipment stores and hospital were wrecked and the flight operations room stopped working. But planes were back on the airfield the following day and flight operations were up and running again from a butcher's shop near Caterham barracks on Coulsdon Road.

The 83-year-old added: "When you hear people talk about the Battle of Britain you would think Biggin Hill was the only fighter station we had. To be frank I am sick of only hearing about Biggin Hill – Kenley was just as important during the Battle.

"But it is only relatively recently people began to ask why this has not been recognised and why its history had not been preserved like Biggin Hill."