One of the most famous Battle of Britain airfields was located in Hawkinge, just north of Folkestone on the southern coast. Below is a genuine German reconnaissance map of Hawkinge aerodrome.
After a day of flying and fighting, pilots would often take one mile road (today called Aerodrome Road) northwest to the Cat and Custard Pot. The pub is located next to an old 12th century church;
St Benedict’s Church in Paddlesworth. A sign tells you this is the “highest church, lowest steeple, poorest parish, fewest people”.
This is the famous pub – “an original Battle of Britain Pub” and I enter…
…with a special feeling. Some of “the few” were actually here…
…many of them just boys coming here after surviving another day of fearsome battle in the sky.
Now we invade this pub. No boys, rather a bunch of grumpy old men…
…but we find our way and are welcomed with…
…a good ale…
…and typical English pub food. As we enjoy it we think of the “few” that came here. We were here 15 September 2015, exactly 75 years after that special day, today remembered as the Battle of Britain Day. In these days those young men fought for the freedom we have today and the possibility for a group of grumpy old men to come here and have this unique experience.
