Squadron Leader Pujji remembers flying from Kenley during WW2

One of the oral histories recorded by the Museum of Croydon was with Mahinda Singh Pujji who was an RAF Fighter Pilot

Squadron Leader Pujji talks about flying from RAF Kenley:

"I joined the RAF in 1940 and was stationed at Kenley in early 1941. I was a fighter pilot, and Kenley was used only for fighters, it was our main base. They chose Kenley because although it is not very far from Croydon. it is a remote place, a village on the top of the hill and it was very well camouflaged. In fact whenever we took off even we used to get lost - we wouldn't be able to see where Kenley was.

The role of the fighters is twofold - one is to escort the bombers and the second is to intercept enemy fighters. Whereas in bombers you have colleagues with you, and plenty of time, a fighter pilot is all by himself, firing machine guns,

We were escorting bombers to occupied France. We went there in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening, three times a day.  The risk at that time was so great that hardly did all of us come back safe, ever. Every morning there would be two or three pilots less sitting round the breakfast table.  The war was ferocious, there were hundreds of pilots being killed. A fighter pilot has to be a fearless person. Kenley fighter pilots saved lives. From Croydon they defended the country and attacked the enemy.

Croydon was home to two Royal Air Force stations. It was away from London yet close to the English Channel and France. From RAF Kenley and Croydon Airport fighter planes flew over south east England. The risks were high. Many died and more than 400 fighter pilots did not come back”.