RAF West Malling

Kings Mill was built upon the site of RAF West Malling, which was formed in 1940 when Maidstone Airport was requisitioned by the military. West Malling was assigned to Fighter Command, C Sector. Following WWII it continued as an RAF base and then was used by the US Navy Air Force. It closed as a military air base in 1969 and as an airfield in the1980’s. The air field art deco control tower still remains and is a Grade II listed building.

Many WWII air stations have reports of haunt like activity associated with them and RAF West Malling has quite a few.

The following description is extracted from an article in the Kent and Sussex Courier entitled ‘The ghastly ghouls rumoured to haunt our sleepy district’ dates from 31 October 2008. A ‘second world war airman hangs around the old RAF airfield at West Malling. A somewhat more aggressive ghost, he’s said to be responsible for throwing bricks at passing cars.’

Probably the best known ghost of West Malling is said to be that of a De Havilland Mosquito. Although West Malling also housed squadrons of the famous Spitfire, several squadrons armed with Mosquito’s were based in West Malling during WWII and in the years afterwards, where they operated as night fighters. These included 14 Squadron (1947, 1948), 19 Squadron (1947 – 1951), 29 Squadron (1944-1950), 80 Squadron (1943, 1944, 1947, 1948), 96 Squadron (1943 – 1944) 157 Squadron (1944), 409 Squadron (1944), 410 Squadron (1943) and 486 Squadron (1947–1948). Mosquito’s were primarily made of wood and had a two man crew. The Mosquito in question is thought to be an anniversary ghost and is said to be heard on a specific date and time.

A Great Warbirds Airshow that took place at West Malling in 1982 and it said that several apparitions of aircraft and crewmen were seen around the airfield.

There is said to have been strange experience during the filming of the 1982 TV series ‘We’ll Meet Again’ in which some airmen and a WAAF (a member of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force) seemed to vanish when approached.

In 1993 a figure in a long military great coat and uniform was encountered by some Group 4 security guards who reported to it the adjutant as a visitor. The figure could not be found again and presumably vanished.