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RAF Drem

RAF Drem
West Fenton Aerodrome
Gullane Aerodrome
RAF type A roundel.svgAir Force Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg
Drem, East Lothian, Scotland
RAF DremWest Fenton AerodromeGullane Aerodrome is located in East Lothian
RAF DremWest Fenton AerodromeGullane Aerodrome
RAF Drem
West Fenton Aerodrome
Gullane Aerodrome
Coordinates 56°01′19″N 2°47′38″W / 56.022°N 2.794°W / 56.022; -2.794
Type Royal Air Force station
Site information
Owner Air Ministry
Admiralty
Controlled by RAF type A roundel.svg Royal Flying Corps
 Royal Air Force
Site history
Built 1917 (1917)
In use 1917-1946 (1946)
Battles/wars Second World War
Garrison information
Garrison RAF Fighter Command

Royal Air Force station Drem or RAF Drem is a former Royal Air Force station, just north of the village of Drem in East Lothian, Scotland. The motto of the station was Exiit Hinc Lumen which means "Light has departed from this place".

The foundation of Drem as an airfield, precedes the creation of the Royal Air Force (RAF) as by 1916, an airfield had been established under the name West Fenton Aerodrome. From 1916 to 1917, No. 77 Home Defence Squadron, Royal Flying Corps operated from Drem and in April 1918, No. 2 Training Depot Station opened.

Between April and 14 August 1918, the American 41st Aero Squadron under the command of Lieutenant Warren C. Woodward was temporarily located at Drem together with an aero repair flight company. The Americans called the airfield "Gullane" in its official history. The squadron transferred to St Maixent in France and arrived at its operational airfield of Romorantin on 29 August 1918.

By November 1918, West Fenton had been renamed Gullane Aerodrome and with the post-war demobilisation the airfield was vacated in 1919. From 1933 to 1939, the airfield saw only occasional use by visiting squadrons.

In 1939, the grass airstrip was resurfaced, and the unit was renamed RAF Drem. The station was then home to No. 13 Flying Training School.

Following the outbreak of the Second World War, RAF Drem became an air defence fighter unit for the city of Edinburgh and the shipping area around the Firth of Forth, with Supermarine Spitfire of 602 Squadron posted to Drem.

On 16 October 1939, the Luftwaffe made its first attack on Great Britain. Junkers Ju88s of 1/KG 30 led by Hauptmann Helmuth Pohle attacked British warships in the Firth of Forth. Spitfires from 603 Squadron (City of Edinburgh Squadron) joined 602 Squadron aircraft in a defensive counter-air sortie. Following the destruction of a Luftwaffe bomber aircraft by a 603 Squadron Spitfire, 602 Squadron pilot Flight Lieutenant George Pinkerton gained the second kill of the Second World War.


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