RNAS Longside
| RNAS Longside RNAS Lenabo RAF Longside |
|
|---|---|
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| Longside, Aberdeenshire | |
 RNAS Longside
RNAS Lenabo RAF Longside |
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| Coordinates | 57°28′26″N 1°57′00″W / 57.474°N 1.950°W |
| Type | Military - Airship station |
| Site information | |
| Owner |
Air Department 1915-1918 Air Ministry 1918-1920 |
| Controlled by |
Royal Naval Air Service Royal Air Force
|
| Open to the public |
Yes, as a woodland |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1915 |
| In use | 1916-1920. |
| Battles/wars | First World War |
RNAS Longside is a former Royal Naval Air Service airship station located 3.2 miles (5.1 km) south of Longside, Aberdeenshire and 3.7 miles (6.0 km) north of Hatton, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It was constructed in 1915 and was operational from 1916 until 1920 when the extensive buildings were demolished. It is sometimes referred to as RNAS Lenabo particularly by locals who termed the airships 'Lenobo Soo' a reference to the name of the area combined with the local dialect for a pig. It was the most northerly air ship station in mainland Britain. The air ships also used a small mooring site near Montrose in bad weather. The remit was to patrol the shipping lanes in the North Sea and the north east coast.
Since the airship station was decommissioned, it has been used as a forestry plantation and there is little indication of its former use.
The land at Lenabo was a large piece of bog land and when it was decided to commission it to be used as the most northerly British air base station before any building could start, the land had to be cleared. The meaning of Lenabo is taken from the Gaelic 'Lannam bo' that means 'wet meadow of the cows' and was an apt description of the land. The excavations were carried out by thousands of Irish and Scottish labourers drafted into the area. A large amount of peat was removed from the 950 acre site using basic equipment such as steam scoops and bucket cranes.
The buildings on the site were extensive and included three airship sheds that were 100 ft (30 m) high and could be seen on the horizon for miles as the land was flat. There were also two 66 ft (20 m) high chimneys as well as stores, workshops and administration areas together with barracks. Unlike most sites constructed for use during the war, which were of an easily removed nature, the buildings at the base were built to last and were heavy concrete and brickwork. The main entrance had two concrete pillars adorned with elaborate globes mounted at the top.
Four airships could be accommodated in the biggest shed while one or two could be housed in the smaller hangars.
There were 1500 personnel based at the station and the facilities included a swimming pool, shops, a theatre and Church. There was also a gas works within the site.
The arrival by rail of two deflated airships in 1916 signified the base becoming operational. There was an extensive community stationed at the base and it is referred to in the book "Longside: a parish and its people" as a township. A magazine titled "The Battlebag" was regularly produced and distributed at the base.
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Wikipedia