Townhead
Military Airfield (First World War)
Site Name Townhead
Classification Military Airfield (First World War)
Alternative Name(s) Gifford Landing Ground
Canmore ID 331333
Site Number NT56NW 127
NGR NT 548 686
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/331333
- Council East Lothian
- Parish Yester
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District East Lothian
- Former County East Lothian
Gifford was a landing ground of No. 77 Home Defence Squadron, the role of which was to defend the Firth of Forth area against bombing raids by German Zeppelin airships, and to liaise with coastal gun batteries in the event of an attack by sea. The squadron’s emergency landing grounds were created in case engine failure or bad weather prevented an aeroplane from returning to one of its more permanent bases; when the squadron was flying the farmer on whose land the strip lay would be warned by telephone to clear animals from the landing area.
Gifford was listed in the RAF survey of air stations in 1918 as having an area of 14 hectares and measuring 640m by 365m. It was on the farm of Townhead, east of the village, but it is not certain where the landing ground lay.
Information from HS/RCAHMS World War One Audit Project (GJB) 11 June 2013.
Project (March 2013 - September 2013)
A project to characterise the quantity and quality of the Scottish resource of known surviving remains of the First World War. Carried out in partnership between Historic Scotland and RCAHMS.
