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Drem
Arriving
from Acklington on 17th October 1939, the
"small, hilly and soft in
patches" airfield at RAF Drem, situated to the south east of Edinburgh in
East Lothian, became home to 609 over a period of seven months, apart from two
short stays at RAF Kinloss. After losing a fight for billets against 609, the
previous residents 13 Flying Training School moved away, and shortly afterwards
fellow Auxiliaries 602(City of Glasgow) and 603(City of Edinburgh)
squadrons moved in, bringing down a Heinkel III on 28th October - the first
enemy aircraft to crash on British soil since the war began, force landing
barely 10 miles away.
During
the first seven months of war, more interceptions were made over Scottish
airspace than either England or France, although with no further victories being
claimed. It was while stationed here that 609 received its first Regular and
Volunteer Reserve pilots - leaving its true Auxiliary status behind until
reformation in 1946.
On 29th January 1940, 609 engaged the enemy for the first time, with Dudley 'Presser' Persse-Joynt and Desmond 'Dizzy' Ayre intercepting a Heinkel III. Though scoring numerous hits, it escaped. (this same aircraft was shot down near Wick a few months later, whereupon its pilot reported being riddled with bullets on the 29th, although he managed to make it home). On 26th February, King George VI, Air Chief Marshal Hugh 'Stuffy' Dowding and Air Vice Marshal Saul visited RAF Drem, during which the King presented Wing Commander Douglas Farquhar, 602 Squadrons CO, with the Distinguished Flying Cross. As if to celebrate the squadron made its first kill on the following day, which was shared between Desmond 'Dizzy' Ayre and 'Buck' Buchanan who claimed a Heinkel III whilst engaged on a convoy patrol. On 18th May, with the Dunkirk evacuation in progress, and the Battle of Britain about to begin, 609 was ordered to Northolt to take part in what was to become a very hectic phase in the defence of Great Britain.
Known during World War One as West Fenton, Drem airfield was used for Home Defence by 77 Squadron during 1916 - 17. On 15th April 1918, No. 2 Training Depot Station was formed her, at what was soon to become known as Gullane, although it was disbanded ithe following year. It was also home to the , by the American 41st Aero Squadron from April - August 1918. Soon after the war, the station was closed down and left to deteriorate.
By 1939, 13 Flying Training School had become established at RAF Drem, though they were to gradually depart during 1939, ultimately being disbanded 27th October, by which time war had been declared and the airfield was in use by fighter squadrons - principally 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron, which had been allocated Drem as its 'War Station', arriving on 13th October. On the 16th, they were engaged in the first air battle of the war to take place over Britaint when twelve Junkers Ju 88's attacked the Royal Navy in the Firth of Forth. 602 and was scrambled from Drem, and 603 from nearby Turnhouse. 603 Squadron drew first blood off Port Seton, with Flight Lieutenant Pinkerton of 602 Squadron making a claim ten minutes later. These were the first German aircraft to be shot down over Britain since World War One. Later that year, both 72 and 111 Squadrons arrived at what had now become an important base for day-fighters. During the Battle of Britain, 111, 141, 145, and 263 squadrons were all based at Drem, Whilst resting from the big air battles of the south, they were mostly utilised on largely uneventful convoy patrols. Many night fightersquadrons were also based here during the war, including 29 Squadron in April 1940, and 600 (City of London) Squadron a year later. The airfield was attacked by a Junkers JU88 on 12th August 1942 and the control tower was damaged along with some parked Spitfires - though no casualties were recorded. On 5th July 1943, 1692 (Radio Development) Flight was formed at Drem as part of 100 Group, which was experimenting with ways of countering and jamming radar and radio equipment - an important consideration with Bomber Command now flying over Germany on a regular basis, where its aircraft would regularly meet German radar-equipped night-fighters. In addition, Drem was also used by 605 (County of Warwick) Squadron as a forward aerodrome from Castle Camp for intruder flights in their Mosquitoes. 784 Squadron of the Fleet Air Arm arrived in October 1942, and was to become Drems longest-serving unit. Not only was it a night-fighting unit itself, but it was also the Royal Navy's school for this type of warfare. Perhaps due to this night-flying tradition, and the difficulties involved in it, Drem is famed for its pioneering use of a type of aerodrome lighting which aligned lamps in such a way as to provide a guide for a normal curving approach to Spitfires, making successful night landings far simpler. This system became known throughout the service as 'Drem lighting', and soon became a standard setup on RAF bases.
On 21 April 1945 Drem was transferred to the Royal Navy, changing its name, two months later, to HMS Nighthawk. A few weeks after this, on 11th May 1945, 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron intercepted three white-painted Junkers Ju 52's flying from Stavanger in Norway. These carried a delegation of high-ranking German officer who had come to surrender the German forces in Norway to the Allies. They were driven to Edinburgh Castle where the surrender was completed.
On 15 March 1946 Drem was returned to the control of the Royal Air Force. These days, the grass runways are used for grazing, the hangars by local industry, and the rest of the airfield buildings used as retail outlets.
Incidentally, although lying unused between the wars, legend has it that a lost pilot flying through a storm, Wing Commander Goddard, recalled flying over Drem airfield in the 1935 and saw it operational, with yellow RAF aircraft on the ground and mechanics wearing blue overalls. Neither of these existed in the RAF at the time. He had actually landed there a few days before, and noted that the aerodrome was a shambles. The tarmac and four hangars were totally run down barbed and wire divided the landing field into smaller seperate ones, with cattle grazing everywhere. It was now a farm, and of no use as an airfield. He also checked later on and found that the airfield definately was unused. A few years later, the airfield was re-opened as a training school, and aircraft based there were painted yellow.
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