Seventy five years ago, 18th August 1940, was dubbed 'The Hardest Day' of the Battle of Britain. That day the skies over Beckenham, West Wickham, Hayes and Keston were filled with vapour trails and dog fights between the RAF and Luftwaffe. Large numbers of aircraft, Britsih and German, were brought down in the fields of Kent and the suburbs of London. To mark the occasion a large collection of eighteen Spitfires and six Hurrivane fighter aircraft were assembled at Biggin Hill on 18th August. They took off and in three squardons and patrolled the skies of Southern England in commemoration of the gallantry of so many young RAF flyers in the Battle of Britain 1940.
Bob Stewart was at Biggin Hill and spent time with constituent and Second World War RAF veteran Bob Denwood. They are photographed laughing together.