Permanent memorials have been unveiled to mark Edzell’s important wartime aviation role stretching back more than a century.
The Angus village is the setting for two of the latest markers created by the Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.
And another unveiling was staged at Fordoun in neighbouring Aberdeenshire on a busy weekend for the charity.
ABCT director general Kenneth Bannerman said the trust was proud to add Edzell and Fordoun to its list of memorial locations.
106-year-old history of original Edzell airfield
Edzell actually consisted of three airfields, the first opened in the summer of 1918.
It was used by aircraft of No. 26 Training Depot Station, and came equipped with many hangars and other support facilities.
“Following its useful contribution to the winning of World War One, Edzell I closed in the spring of 1919 and has since, to all intents, completely vanished,” said Mr Bannerman.
Then, in World War Two, a new airfield developed to the south of the first Edzell site was extensively developed.
It was a major maintenance base and also used for training pilots based at RAF Montrose.
The Angus town became Britain’s first operational military air station in 1913.
Its historic significance is marked at Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre on the original Broomfield site.
“Aircraft being prepared for front-line service during World War Two included famous types of the day such as de Havilland Mosquitoes and Lockheed Hudsons.
“No. 44 MU remained well into peacetime. Edzell III closed in a flying capacity in December 1957,” added Mr Bannerman.
Edzell airfield’s vital nuclear era role
But for almost 40 years it then became ‘Edzell base’, a vital Cold War listening station of the US Navy.
“Since the Americans left in 1997, the airfield has become a mixture of industry and housing,” Mr Bannerman said.
“It remains greatly tangible through many of the large hangars and other facilities that can be seen.
The Edzell I and III airfields are now marked with one granite memorial at Edzell Woods, the housing estate associated with the later site.
Mr Bannerman said Edzell II is the often forgotten but important missing link in the history of the three airfields.
“In the first half of the 1930s it existed as a civil landing ground under a national scheme overseen by the Automobile Association to support civil aviation across Britain.
It was the first of its type in Scotland.
“This airfield possessed extremely strong links with the locally famous Panmure Arms Hotel, being discovered by its then owner, Charles Thiem.”
A plaque recognising the significant of Edzell II has been sited at the village war memorial garden.
To find out more about the work of ABCT visit www.abct.org.uk
“Well over 200 memorials have already been unveiled following huge public demand, with hundreds more being planned,” said Kenneth.
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