Airfield history is unlocked in fascinating new book
Kirkoswald author delves into the distant past
A comprehensive history of Turnberry Airfield has just been published which details the story of the airfield from conception until the present.
Kirkoswald’s Margaret Morrell, the author, has been compiling information on the airfield for more than 20 years, and during that time has spoken to scores of former airmen and others who worked there. The resulting volume is the most detailed account of the airfield ever written, or ever likely to be.
The airfield was created on the Turnberry Hotel golf course as part of a training school for Royal Air Force pilots during the First World War.
Although the site was flat, the proximity of the hills and sea meant that landing was difficult, and dozens of aeroplanes crashed during practise.
The names of all who died are in the book, along with details of the crashes.
Many of the airmen whom Margaret interviewed for the book have since died, but she managed to gather together a wonderful selection of personal accounts, original photographs and other memorabilia.
Each person who suffered in a crash is written about in detail, and some of the old pictures of aircraft wrecks are unique, never having been published before.
The re- use of the airfield in the Second World War is also covered in considerable depth, and again, every person who was killed in the line of duty is commemorated with their details and story of their death.
The methods of training are detailed, along with the many types of aircraft that flew in and out of the aerodrome.
In addition to the story of Turnberry Airfield, Margaret has written about the Loch Doon School of Aerial Gunnery, the major ‘ flop’ of the First World War, which was built in association with Turnberry.
To complete the whole history of Turnberry Airfield, the book includes details on what happened to the buildings and runways between the wars and since the last great war, connections with Turnberry Hotel, which was used as a hospital as well as officers’ quarters. The book is 576 pages in length, packed with detail from cover to cover. It is on sale at various outlets in the Kirkoswald, Turnberry and Maidens area, from Waterstones in Ayr, or by post from the publisher, Auchinleck- based Carn Publishing at www. carnpublishing. com. A larger- sized hardback book, the retail price is £ 30.