Cruden Bay
Note: This map only shows the position of Cruden Bay village within the UK.
CRUDEN BAY: Temporary airfield?
Operated by: Mr Tryggre Gran (Norwegian Naval pilot)
Location: Near village of Cruden Bay on the A975 about 7nm SSE of Peterhead
NOTES: On the 30th July 1914 Tryggre Gran took off in his Blériot XI ‘Ca Flotte’ to fly to Norway.
It is well worth looking up this name as he was certainly not averse to getting involved in perilous adventures. (He accompanied Capt. Scott to the Antartic for example). It was a most daring flight and engine failure would almost certainly have resulted in a quick death due to the very cold waters even at that time of year. He made it, landing at Jæren near Revtangen, (some say Kleppe near Stavanger), in the Stavanger region after flying for four hours and ten minutes and covering 320 miles.
Although a most amazing achievement the press in Europe barely mentioned it if at all as the very next day, the 1st of July, Imperial Germany declared war on Russia! Gran returned to Britain to volunteer for the RFC but was turned down as Norway was neutral. He did succeed however pretending to be Canadian and led an illustrious career at one point possibly shooting down Hermann Göring who later became the head of the Luftwaffe during the Nazi regime? The two of them met later, it seems, but they couldn’t reach a conclusion.
We'd love to hear from you, so please scroll down to leave a comment!
Leave a comment ...
Copyright (c) UK Airfield Guide
