Skateraw Landing Ground
Military Airfield (First World War)
Site Name Skateraw Landing Ground
Classification Military Airfield (First World War)
Canmore ID 331291
Site Number NT77NW 107
NGR NT 7372 7517
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/331291
- Council East Lothian
- Parish Innerwick (East Lothian)
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District East Lothian
- Former County East Lothian
Skateraw 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.
Skateraw was listed in the RAF survey of air stations in 1918, with an area of 21.5 hectares, measuring 595m by 365m. It was situated on the coast, adjacent to sea cliffs, and therefore probably occupied the part of the large open field shown on the 2nd edition OS map just east of Skateraw.
Information from HS/RCAHMS World War One Audit Project (GJB) 10 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.
