RAF Turnberry was an airfield in

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...

used by the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

(RAF) during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, and again by the RAF in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

. Between the two wars, the site reverted to its pre-1914 use as the Turnberry Golf Course and hotel. It reverted to this use again after the Second World War. Although there is still a disused landing strip, the site is now the Trump Turnberry.

History

First World War

WWI World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

Turnberry housed No. 1 School of Aerial Fighting (

Loch Doon Loch Doon ( gd, Loch Dùin, ) is a freshwater loch in Carrick, Scotland. The River Doon issues from its northern end, while the loch itself receives waters from Gala Lane and Loch Enoch (in the Galloway Hills) via Eglin Lane. History In the ...

, to the east, was used for a School of Aerial Gunnery). The school merged with No. 2 (Auxiliary) School of Air Gunnery, becoming No. 1 School of Aerial Fighting and Gunnery, renamed No. 1 Fighting School (North-West Area) on 29 May 1918. It provided pilots with three-week courses in the arts of aerial gunnery and combat. It was disbanded on 25 January 1919. The Turnberry Hotel was used during the war as a hospital for the wounded.

Inter war period

Following the end of the conflict, all land and property requisitioned for military purposes was returned to civilian ownership. Golf courses 1 and 2 were rebuilt and renamed "Ailsa" and "Arran". A memorial honouring lost airmen at Turnberry was erected on the hill overlooking the 12th green of Ailsa.

Second World War

With outbreak of the

, the hotel was again commissioned by the British government as a hospital, and the golf courses were requisitioned for air training for the

RAF Coastal Command RAF Coastal Command was a formation within the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was founded in 1936, when the RAF was restructured into Fighter, Bomber and Coastal Commands and played an important role during the Second World War. Maritime Aviation ...

based

Consolidated Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models de ...

s there for anti-submarine patrols over the Atlantic. The base was also used for training Bristol Beaufighter and

Bristol Beaufort The Bristol Beaufort (manufacturer designation Type 152) is a British twin-engined torpedo bomber designed by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, and developed from experience gained designing and building the earlier Blenheim light bomber. At le ...

crews. Testing of Barnes Wallis's "Highball"

bouncing bomb A bouncing bomb is a bomb designed to bounce to a target across water in a calculated manner to avoid obstacles such as torpedo nets, and to allow both the bomb's speed on arrival at the target and the timing of its detonation to be pre-deter ...

was also performed by 618 Squadron, flying from Turnberry. As Turnberry hotel was used a Royal Navy hospital, as many as 200 patients died at the base. In 1943,

Bruce Forsyth Sir Bruce Joseph Forsyth-Johnson (22 February 1928 – 18 August 2017) was a British entertainer and presenter whose career spanned more than 70 years. Forsyth came to national attention from the late 1950s through the ITV series '' Sunday Nig ...

's older brother John, who was serving as a pilot in the RAF, was killed during a training exercise at the base. The following units were based at Turnberry: *

No. 5 Operational Training Unit RAF The numero sign or numero symbol, №, (also represented as Nº, No, No. or no.), is a typographic abbreviation of the word ''number''(''s'') indicating ordinal numeration, especially in names and titles. For example, using the numero sign, t ...

(May - December 1942) * No. 10 Gliding School RAF (May 1945 - January 1948) * No. 254 Squadron RAF * Coastal Command Flying Instructors School RAF (June - October 1945) became[Coastal Command Instructors School RAF (October - November 1945) * Torpedo Training Unit RAF (November 1942 - January 1943) became No. 1 Torpedo Training Unit RAF (January 1943 - May 1944)

References

Citations

Bibliography

* *

External links

The Ayrshire airfield that helped shape the fledgling RAF
' Alison Campsie, ''The Scotsman'', 31 March 2018. {{DEFAULTSORT:Turnberry Royal Air Force stations of World War I in the United Kingdom Royal Air Force stations of World War II in the United Kingdom Royal Air Force stations in Scotland Royal Air Force stations in Ayrshire Defunct airports in Scotland