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Starfish site

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Starfish sites or bombing decoy sites were deliberately created simulations of burning towns that were constructed in Britain during World War II. They were used to decoy German night bombers away from bombing real towns. Towns thus successfully protected, according to some, include Bristol, Sheffield, and Derby. 'Starfish' decoy sites were part of Britain’s war of deception against German attacks and were designed to protect various targets including airfields, factories or even cities. They were established in July 1940 by the National Decoy Authority as part of a programme of civil defences known as 'C-series' of civil decoys. They were operated by lighting a series of controlled fires or other pyrotechnics during an air raid to simulate an urban area targeted by bombs. There were various types of smaller decoy sites including the “QL” decoy sites which used lights and the “QF” sites which were dummy fire sites. The 'QL' decoys used a grid of muted lights to resemble factories during a poor blackout. [1]

Beacon Batch

World War II bunker on Black Down

During World War II a bombing decoy town was constructed on Black Down on the Mendip Hills, which was intended to represent the blazing lights of Bristol. The decoy, known under the code name Starfish from the original code SF (Special Fire), used fires of creosote and water to simulate incendiary bombs exploding. In addition glow boxes were used to simulate the streets and railways of Bristol; the light bulbs were powered by electrical generators, powered by Coventry Climax petrol engines contained in two bunkers.[2][3] The success of this endeavour is questionable, with no ground indications that the hills were used as targets.[4]

References

  1. ^ Hunt, Bob (2004-09-23). "Surface Sites - 'Q' Decoy Site". Portsdown Tunnels. Retrieved 2009-05-14. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  2. ^ Davies, Les (March 2009). "Starfish and subterfuge". Mendip Times. Retrieved 2009-02-24.
  3. ^ Brown, Donald (1999). Somerset V. Hitler: Secret Operations in the Mendips, 1939-45. Countryside Books. ISBN 978-1853065903.
  4. ^ "Mendip Hills An Archaeological Survey of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty" (PDF). Somerset County Council Archeological Projects. Retrieved 2006-10-28.

Further reading

  • Fields of Deception - Britain's Bombing Decoys of World War II, Colin Dobson, Methuen Publishing, 2000, ISBN 9780413745705.
  • The Bombing of Rolls-Royce at Derby in Two World Wars, 2002, Kirk, Felix & Bartnik, RR Heritage Trust


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