A chilling blast of wind whips across Hare Hill. This isn’t just any hill. It’s a place etched in history a silent witness to a tragic event. Hare Hill stands tall in the Pentland Hills offering breathtaking views of Edinburgh on a clear day. But on a dark night in March 1943 a German Junkers Ju 88 bomber plunged into its slopes.
Imagine the scene. A dense fog cloaks Edinburgh. Blackout regulations are in place. The city is shrouded in darkness. Four German airmen are navigating through the fog. Their mission: to bomb Leith Docks. They are unable to find the docks. They must jettison their bombs. They choose the Pentland Hills. Suddenly Hare Hill appears. The pilot crashes the aircraft. A deafening explosion shatters the night.
The four airmen died instantly. Their remains were later found scattered over half a mile. Local people buried them in Kirknewton graveyard. Years later their graves were moved to the German War Cemetery in Cannock Chase.
A memorial post now marks the crash site on Hare Hill’s northwest hillside. It stands as a somber reminder of that fateful night. A testament to the lives lost. As you stand here you can almost hear the rumble of engines. You can almost feel the tragedy that unfolded in the fog. But also the quiet respect that followed. A respect that continues to this day.