Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust, an organisation aiming at preserving and protecting the historic airfields throughout the country, has informed us about planned unveiling of another airfield memorial, this time at the former RAF Dundonald, Scotland.

RAF Dundonald was one of the lesser known World War II RAF airfields.The site is located to the west of B730 between Dundonald and Drybridge. The airfield began as a simple emergency landing ground with grass airstrips, also known as Bogside, and served as a reserve landing ground for No. 12 Elementary Flying Training School based at nearby Prestwick, but was later to become the home of 516 Combined Operations Squadron.

Dundonald played a crucial role in making the D-Day landings a success by providing realistic practice attacks for Combined Operations training units courtesy of No. 516 Squadron.

No. 516 Combined Operations Squadron provided air support for Combined Operations training exercises in amphibious landings. As the landing craft approached the training beaches to discharge their troops, elements from the squadron would lay smoke and/or strafe the area to simulate the conditions the troops would encounter on enemy held shores. The Squadron also helped to calibrate the radar of the newly commissioned Fighter Direction Tenders.

Aircraft used in these exercises notably included Hurricanes, Mustangs, Blenheims, Lysanders and Ansons.

Various other RAF and Fleet Air Arm squadrons also made brief visits in the run up to the Normandy landings for this highly specialised training.

No. 516 Squadron disbanded in December 1944 and Dundonald Airfield closed in August of the following year. Although the airfield has mostly disappeared (the hangar standing today is not original), sections of the shorter metal runway can still be found.

The memorial will be unveiled at 11am Saturday 16th October 2010 at the entrance to the Olympic Business Park, Drybridge Road, Dundonald, Kilmarnock, KA2 9BE.

The website of Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust is available at www.abct.org.uk .