General Background
The Second World War was the first “modern” war in many ways.
One of these was the importance of airpower. East Lothian was very
much in the front line of military aviation. Airfields like East
Fortune had been important locations in the 1914-18 War and after;
and the geography of the county made it a fertile area for airfield
development. The more so because East Lothian was in line of flight
for incoming enemy aircraft seeking to penetrate the defences of
the Forth, Rosyth, Edinburgh and the Clyde.
No surprise then that the first enemy air incursion over Britain
the Second World War should come over East Lothian (a
reconnaissance flight over the Forth on 2 October 1939); nor that
the first enemy aircraft to be shot down over Britain (two Junkers
88 bombers off Port Seton by Spitfires from 603 "City of Edinburgh"
Squadron and 602 "City of Glasgow" Squadron on 16 October 1939);
and the first enemy plane shot down intact on British soil should
have been the “Humbie Heinkel” on a photo reconnaissance mission,
shot down over Yester House again by pilots from 602 and 603
Squadrons on 28 October 1939.
RAF East Fortune
East Fortune is now the home of the Museum
of Flight and a visit to the museum is well worthwhile. As well
as the excellent exhibits, there is a chance to see the hangars and
other buildings which have survived here unlike most other
airfields of the period.
There had been an air station at East Fortune during the First
World War, operating both airships and aircraft after the opening
of the station in September 1915. After the war, flying continued
from the station and it was the starting point of the epic
transatlantic flight of the huge airship
R34.
During the Second World War East Fortune was principally a
training establishment. In June 1941 No 60 Operational Training
Unit (OTU) from Yorkshire to train night fighter crews for Fighter
Command. Most of the trainees came from Poland, New Zealand,
Australia and Canada No 60 OTU used night fighter aircraft retired
from combat service, principally Bristol Blenheims and
Beaufighters,
and
Boulton
Paul Defiants. The condition of these aircraft was a major
factor in the large number of fatal crashes during training
flights.
Beaufighter and Crew at East Fortune
No 60 OTU was disbanded in November 1942 and on 24 November,
East Fortune was transferred to No 17 Group, Coastal Command. No
132 OTU took over the establishment, training crews for
anti-shipping strikes using Beauforts and Beaufighters, and from
April 1944 also de Havilland Mosquitos. Crews trained at East
Fortune played an important part in formations such as the Banff
and Dallachy Strike Wings, both based on the Moray coast to attack
German shipping along the Norwegian coast.
Strike Wing Attack over Norway
Many of the wartime buildings can be seen, including the control
tower (although the land surrounding it is now farmed) and the main
runway is also still intact. The cache is placed by the road which
now cuts across the end of the runway. The runway is used, amongst
other things, for a popular Sunday market so bear this in mind when
seeking the cache!