Ghosts of Biggin Hill

200 pp. When the RAF quit Biggin Hill in the early 1990s they left behind sprawling blocks of anonymous-looking buildings, a chapel which bears witness to the station's great engagements, memories of the greatest aerial combat the world has ever known and many, many ghosts. The ghosts materialise frequently. They have appeared from within the redundant administrative buildings and near the old runway. They have been seen running to and from the dispersal shelters. They have been spotted, in full flying gear, walking the country lanes and, of course, they regularly mingle with the visitors of the Chapel of St. George's. On occasions, they evocative sound of a Merlin engine has filled the air. The Ghosts of Biggin Hill is not just about the friendly spirits which inhabit the old fighter station. It's also about the heroes and heroines and, by selecting a story here and a picture there from his superb archives, Bob Ogley has completed a splendid follow-up to his highly-acclaimed book, Biggin on the Bump, the Story of the most famous fighter station in the world.