World War One Audit of Surviving Remains
Date 4 June 2013
Event ID 961224
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type World War One Audit of Surviving Remains
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/961224
Campbeltown military aerodrome was used in both First and Second World Wars. In the First World War it was known as Machrahanish. It lay to the south of the later Machrahanish aerodrome, which was built in the Second World War and continued in use throughout the Cold War. The First World War aerodrome occupied what would become the eastern part of the Second World War Campbeltown aerodrome.
In a RAF survey of aerodromes in 1918 Machrahanish was described as ‘Marine Operations (Aeroplane) Station, No. 272 Squadron’ the purpose of which was to act as HQ for the squadron and its flights 531, 532 and 533 for anti-submarine patrols, under the command of the Senior Naval Officer at Larne. The aerodrome had an area of 26 hectares, measuring 548m by 503m. The aerodrome had no permanent buildings, the aircraft being housed in canvas Bessoneaux hangars and the men in wooden “Armstrong” huts. The establishment of the station was 179 officers and men and 18 DH6 aircraft (a type designed for training but used for anti-submarine work from 1917 until the end of the war). 272 Squadron was formed in July 1918 and disbanded in March 1919.
The Machrihanish station was also used as a sub-station for airships based at Luce Bay; these sub-stations were used for the airships to moor if the wind prevented an airship getting back to its base.
Information from HS/RCAHMS World War One Audit Project (GJB) 31 May 2013
