Cunliffe-Owen Aircraft Limited had a factory
on the eastern edge of Macmerry aerodrome.
This was used to modify and repair Lockheed
Hudsons.This was the first aircraft to be built
in America and used by the R.A.F. in World
War Two.It was used by Coastal Command for both sea reconnaissance and
anti submarine patrols.The firm was formed by British America Tobacco Company
at Eastleigh near Southampton to make the Burnelli Flying Wing.The company
was renamed as Cunliffe-Owen in may 1938.
On the 14th of may 1940 there was an appeal
for men aged 17-65 to form local defence volunteers groups.A number of
companies were formed and one of these was Macmerry.
The L.D.V. for short was later renamed The
Home Guard by Winston Churchill on 23rd july 1940.
The Royal Air Force took over the landing ground in 1941.On january 2nd 1941 a detachment of Hurricanes from 607 Squadron (Polish Squadron) moved to Macmerry and then joined the rest of their Squadron at Drem on march 2nd 1941.Three days passed and then No.614 Squadron (County of Glamorgan) moved into Macmerry on the 5th.They were flying Westland Lysanders and Bristol Blenheims although there were various types of aircraft here such as the De Havilland 89a Dominie.The exercises were for training until the start of 1942 When eight Blenheims left for West Raynham to carry out attacks on theLuftwaffe fighter airfields in support of the 1000 bombers that were at Cologne on the 30th of may 1942.There were also various other raids carried out by 614 in this time.No.13 Squadron joined them with Blenheims for the first ten days in august 1942.Then were joined by No.225 on the last day of august for two months with its Mustangs.No.63 also joined them on 21st of november 1942 with its Mustangs before moving to Turhouse on july1943.
During 1942 Macmerry aerodrome was vastly expanded in size extending onto the First World War landing site of Penston.
Macmerry was used as a satellite station for from 1943 and the R.A.F had a training school here between 1943 and 1944.An elementary gliding school opened in 1944 until 1946.
On 21st of April 1945 Macmerry was loaned to the Navy by the R.A.F. with the intent that No.770 Fleet Air Arm was to use it.This never actually happened but was commissioned on June 1st 1945 as a satellite to Drem although it was actually the Navys and called H.M.S. Nighthawk II and finally being returned to the R.A.F. on 15th March 1946.
A deception plan had been plotted throughout the war and was named Fortitude North which entailed that all shipping that was available was anchored in the Firth of Forth thus allowing the Germans to photograph the fleet apparently gathering ahead of an invasion of Norway.More deception came into play when radio messages were sent out to confuse the Germans even more and since the bulk of the army could not go sending out bogus messages because of the misuse of valuable resources,small units sent out the number of signals that a whole army could send.Some units operated out of Macmerry airfield.The Germans kept their troop level in Norway and didn't send any reinforcements to Normandy to fight and some people say the importance of the radio work from Macmerry may have helped win the war although others will criticize that it was ineffective in that it did not convince the Germans to send additional units to Norway.But if the Germans had attacked from Norway they would have probably walked right through Britain.The only reason they didn't was they thought that the north was well defended and that we were ready to invade Norway.So they decided to take their chances in Normandy where we were actually quite strong thus in effect bringing a end to the war.
Edinburgh Flying Club reopened on 31st August 1946 and aircraft flew from here until the airfields closure 1953.
Many local areas were venerable points for attack such as the anti tank blocks seen today along East Lothians coastline.Anti glider poles were put on beaches and in coastal fields although these are rarely seen today.Also pillboxes large in size were dotted about Macmerry airfield on the perimeter to protect the airfield.The last of these can be seen on the south eastern corner of the airfield on the A199 road east bound just before the Longniddry road roundabout.Most of Macmerry airfield has disappeared under an industrial estate and the A1 bypass but there are a few buildings around all you have to do is look around and use your imagination.
