The RAF's 1930s Wartime church
REPORTAGé/HERITAGE History The construction of the station The RAF's 1930s expansion plan included a requirement for a station to provide anti-submarine and anti-shipping patrols off the South-west coast of England. The site at St Eval was chosen as a Coastal Command airfield and work started in 1938. Five widely dispersed cottages, two houses and portions of two farms were acquired by compulsory purchase; the village of St Eval was completely demolished in order to build the airfield. Levelling of the site by G Wallace Ltd involved the removal by bulldozers of many Cornish dry stone walls and three ancient tumuli. One householder tried to hold out against the authorities and refused to leave his cottage for several days. Only the church survived which the RAF adopted as their station church[2] and it still stands today. The work progressed well and RAF St Eval opened on 2 October 1939. Battle of Britain In June 1940 St Eval became a Fighter Command sector headquarters during the Battle of Britain. and Supermarine Spitfires were stationed there. These were joined by Hawker Hurricane and Bristol Blenheim fighters. The station's aircraft took an active part in the conflict.
Size: 4607px × 6905px
Location: Saint Eval, Cornwall, United Kingdom
Photo credit: © Malcolm S Firth. BA(Hons)ARPS / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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