Royal Air Force 80th Birthday
(by Eric Wm. Walker)
At the beginning of World War I a Royal Flying |Corps Air Base was set up a short distance north of the former Royal Air Force Base and United States Navy Base which was recently closed down near Edzell, Angus, Scotland.
It served us well for many years during and after two World Wars and for many years during "The Cold War".
Many civilian jobs were created for the local people in the area for miles around. Friendships and marriages were made and a great bond now exists between families in the United States and those in this part of Scotland.
On Friday (24 July 1998) I had the pleasure of meeting two American ladies in our local library who were over here tracing relatives who had emigrated to the United States in the early 1800s. We managed to track down the members of their family who had left Brechin so long ago and also went round Brechin photographing the areas and places where their forbears had lived and worked. Most of the houses of the period are still standing as are the old spinning, weaving, and paper-making mills where the families had carried on their lives around 160 years ago before sailing for "The New World". I was a delighted as they were to find out about them an their ways of life.
However, another unexpected surprise was in store when one of the ladies told me she had served with the United States Marine Corps and had been stationed in Japan but never made it to Edzell. She had heard a lot about Edzell Base and expressed a desire to see it. I needed no further persuasion and the three of us set off, driving up past Golf Park Road, out by Trinity, Stracathro, and up "The Lang Stracht" to the Base, still surrounded with its perimeter fence.
We had to stop at the police box and, with a little friendly persuasion, we were allowed into the Base. We first drove out to "The Building" which is now minus its "Elephant Cage" and past the "Wizard" and down the long main runway used by the Royal Air Force during World War II. Many different types of aircraft used it including Spitfires, Hurricanes, Mosquitos, Boulton Paul Defiants, Lancaster and Wellington Bombers.
It was a great thrill for us to speed down the long runway and having it all to ourselves, especially this being the weekend commemorating the Royal Air Force birthday. We had to pull up at the closed gate leading into Base Housing although I was dreaming of how nice it would be to really take off.
We toured the Barracks; Medical; the Galley; Printshop and Public Affairs; the Chapel; the Marine Barracks; and Administration, with Mast still standing; also the Commissary and recreation hangars, all so very quiet and lonely now. After a tour around Housing and up to Halsey School we left and drove up "The Stracht" to Edzell, over Gannochy Bridge and past "The Blue Door", through Edzell passing the Panmure, Glenesk, and Central Hotels.
Driving on we saw the Inglis Memorial Hall on our left and, after passing under the Dalhousie Memorial Arch, we drove to Inchbare and took a scenic back-road to Brechin.
An enjoyable trip was had by all, and memories came flooding back at home during the evening. I took out my "Tartan Logs" and photographs of good times with many friends.
A wonderful day due to meeting two American tourists in Brechin.