Herald of Free Enterprise Disaster, 6th March 1987
RAF Search and Rescue teams in helicopters from No.22 Sqn at Manston were part of the rescue operation for the Herald of Free Enterprise ferry which had capsized shortly after...
Category: On this day
Spitfire Prototype K5054 maiden flight from Eastleigh airfield – 5th March 1936
Not directly related to Manston at the time, but the birth of another aircraft closely linked to Manston’s later history. The first test flight of Supermarine’s Type 300 K5054 prototype...
The Valentine’s Day ‘Battle of the MTB’ – 14th February 1943
In the channel a Motor Torpedo Boat (MTB) had been disabled near the French coast between Dover and Cap Griz-Nez after carrying out operations overnight around the French ports. The...
Channel Dash – The Bravest of the Brave
12th February 2017 marked the 75th anniversary of the Channel Dash in 1942. Three of Germany’s largest battleships were to run the gauntlet of the Dover Strait from their location...
F/Lt Baron Jean de Selys Longchamps’ Attack on Gestapo HQ and a hectic day for No.609 Sqn – January 20 1943
Baron Jean Michel P.M.G. de Sélys-Longchamps was born 31 May, 1912 in Brussels as the son of Baron Raymond Charles Michel Ghislain de Sélys-Longchamps and Emilie de Theux de Meylandt...
Loss of F/O Henry “Harry” Hector MacKenzie (RCAF) – 3rd January 1944
No.198 Sqn Typhoon JR523 piloted by F/O Henry “Harry” Hector MacKenzie (RCAF) took off from Manston at 1143hrs as “Blue 3” in a formation of four Typhoons with F/Lt R.O....
