Building record MAB29652 - LENABO, FOREST OF DEER

Remains of World War I airship station.

Remains of World War I airship station. The station was built on the site of a peat bog in the early months of 1915 by Tawse of Aberdeen. Although most wartime camps were of a flimsy nature, RNAS Longside, as it was known as, was seemingly built to stand for eternity. A powerhouse, gasworks, water works, steam generators, engineering shops, canteens, church, messes and living quarters were all built of solid brick with connecting avenues. The camp was surrounded by a steel spike fence with main entrance adorned with pseudo classical pillars. The station was in use from 1916-18. Several types of airships were stationed at Longside including the C (Coastal type), SS Zero, NS1 and NS3 which could carry a crew of ten. After the war the land was sold and trees were planted after the site was part demolished. When the forest was cut down in 1989 the remains were exposed. The entrance pillars have disappeared, but close to the present entrance are two elaborate fireplaces and chimneys which may have been part of the Regulating Office. The floor of the main shed is largely intact, as are the concrete 'snatch blocks'. Close by are heaps of concrete slabs, presumably part of the wind breaks. Throughout the area are various foundations and parts of buildings, including the scheduled remains of three airship hangers and adjacent structures (NK04SW0075). A memorial to the men who served there was erected in 2003 by the Longside Community Council, fixed on to the remains of a building which is thought to have been part of the officers' mess (at circa NK 0288 4285). The memorial plaque reads: 'ROYAL NAVAL AIRSHIP STATION LONGSIDE This memorial marks the site of RNAS Longside, which was Britain's most northerly airship station. Work started on the Lenabo site in 1915, and by 1917 it was operational and well established, with 1500 personnel on the base, supported by an infrastructure of shops. swimming pool, theatre, Church and its own gas works. From Lenabo, three classes of ship, with ranges from 200 to 1000 miles, flew long sorties over the North Sea acting as escorts to northern shipping convoys. Visible for miles, the large buildings housing the airships extended to 150 metres long by 30 metres high. Concrete foundation, anchoring blocks and various ruins are still visible, this building is thought to have been part of the officers' mess. ERECTED BY LONGSIDE COMMUNITY COUNCIL 2003'. There is also a memorial in St John's Church, Longside (NK04NW0092) to one of the air crews lost when an airship crashed into the North Sea in 1918. The memorial is former from the propeller from C25, the airship which crashed, and is the only piece of the aircraft ever found after the crash. The memorial stood within one of the buildings of the airship station, but was moved to the church in March 1919. A re-dedication service was held at the church in March 2019.

Period Notes
WWI airship station built in 1915, in use from 1916-18. Land sold after the war and when the forest was cut down in 1989 the remains were exposed.

SMITH, D, 1983, ACTION STATIONS 7, 141-2 (Bibliographic reference). SAB3237.

BUCHAN, J, 1987, BYGONE BUCHAN, 86 (Bibliographic reference). SAB97.

HUGHES, J, 1997, 'FORGOTTEN' AIRSHIP BASE ROYAL NAVAL AIR STATION LONGSIDE.IN AIR ENTHUSIAST NO. 68, 52-55 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4460.

Apr 10 1997 , AAS/97/04/CT, AAS/97/04/CT (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB16742.

Apr 10 1997 , AAS/97/04/CT2-9,48, AAS/97/04/CT2-9,48 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB16716.

Apr 10 1997 , AAS/97/04/G8/23,24, AAS/97/04/G8/23,24 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB16715.

Aug 2 2002 , GR/02/CT306-319, GR/02/CT306-319 (Ground Photograph). SAB36981.

Mar 17 2005 , AAS/05/1/CT108-123, AAS/05/1/CT108-123 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB18301.

May 6 1988 , JASAIR NK04 08.88.047, JASAIR NK04 08.88.047 (Air-vertical Photograph). SAB15017.

Oct 22 2003 , GR/03/CT389-397, GR/03/CT389-397 (Ground Photograph). SAB18017.

Record last edited

Nov 14 2025 9:37AM