RNAS Capel

When Germany declared in February 1915 that it would commence unrestricted submarine warfare, the Royal Navy responded with the building of airship stations around the coast.[1] Being close to the Dover Straits the open fields east of Capel-le-Ferne were seen as ideal location for a base and work began in April 1915.[1] Although not entirely completed, the base was officially opened on 8 May 1915, under the command of Lt. A.D. Cunningham.[1] The first airship for Capel was to have been SS-1 the first of a new sea scout class of non-rigid airships, on delivery to Capel from RNAS Kingsnorth on 7 May it hit telegraph wires and was destroyed. Despite the accident, more sea scouts were soon delivered to Capel.

SSZ-37 a type designed at Capel

Following the successful repair to SS-10 at Capel production of the airships moved from Kingsnorth to Capel, although by 1916 production had moved again to Vickers at Barrow and RNAS Wormwood Scrubs.[1] The engineering section at Capel went on to design an improved variant of the SS airship, which would be known as the SSZ.[1] The SSZ had an improved aluminium covered ash-framed car and was fitted with a 75 hp Rolls-Royce Hawk aero-engine, it was fitted with a 70,000 cu ft (2,000 m³) envelope and test flown in August 1916.[1] When the Admiralty were informed about the new airship they censured the air station for carrying out unauthorised modifications, but on the other hand ordered the type into production.[1]

The airships carried out patrols along the English coast, and escorted shipping across the channel as a lookout for submarines.[1] In April 1918, the Royal Air Force was formed and Capel became RAF Folkestone. By then it had three large airship sheds and a grass landing area.[1] On 16 September 1918, while under the command of a United States Navy officer, SSZ.1 depth-charged and sank submarine UB-103.[1]

Two sub-stations were used: at Godmersham Park north of Wye, and Wittersham south of Tenterden. The sites were used as mooring-out bases where airships could be secured in a sheltered area.[1]

Following the end of the First World War, the station closed during the summer of 1919. In the Second World War the site was used as a radio monitoring station.[1]

• Battle of Britain Memorial, Capel-le-Ferne, on the other side of the village, is a memorial to the RAF aircrew of the Battle of Britain.[1]