STARFISH decoy sites' archaeology

The theory and practice of the Profession of Arms through the ages.
Post Reply
Nik_SpeakerToCats
Posts: 1786
Joined: Sat Dec 10, 2022 10:56 am

STARFISH decoy sites' archaeology

Post by Nik_SpeakerToCats »

A blast from the past...

Starfish sites: The secret war effort of British aerial bombing decoys
https://phys.org/news/2025-02-starfish- ... ffort.html

quote:
In 1940, the British government implemented a network of decoy sites to mislead German bombers away from strategic targets. The broader decoy effort across the UK included dummy airfields, though the decoys in the study were meant to look like industrial sites.

These decoys, particularly "Starfish" sites, simulated bombed urban and industrial areas to attract Luftwaffe attacks away from high-priority targets like airfields and manufacturing hubs.
/
If you cannot see the wood for the trees, deploy LIDAR.
MikeKozlowski
Posts: 1820
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2022 9:46 pm

Re: STARFISH decoy sites' archaeology

Post by MikeKozlowski »

...I hope someone is trying to get that/them preserved. I'd be willing to throw a few bucks that way.

Mike
warshipadmin
Posts: 662
Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2022 4:16 am

Re: STARFISH decoy sites' archaeology

Post by warshipadmin »

I hadn't really realised the bombers got that far over, that's basically the Welsh border.
David Newton
Posts: 1314
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2022 9:37 am

Re: STARFISH decoy sites' archaeology

Post by David Newton »

They got a LOT further than that. Cardiff. Glasgow. Belfast. All heavily bombed.
Timbo W
Posts: 43
Joined: Fri Dec 09, 2022 10:22 pm

Re: STARFISH decoy sites' archaeology

Post by Timbo W »

Yup, blew up my mums next door neighbours house in Barry
User avatar
jemhouston
Posts: 5380
Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2022 12:38 am

Re: STARFISH decoy sites' archaeology

Post by jemhouston »

They also came from bases in Norway.
warshipadmin
Posts: 662
Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2022 4:16 am

Re: STARFISH decoy sites' archaeology

Post by warshipadmin »

OK it's the daily fail, but good map. I kind of knew this since Liverpool was bombed.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech ... ar-II.html
Craiglxviii
Posts: 3156
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2022 7:25 am

Re: STARFISH decoy sites' archaeology

Post by Craiglxviii »

David Newton wrote: Wed Feb 26, 2025 10:41 pm They got a LOT further than that. Cardiff. Glasgow. Belfast. All heavily bombed.
This one’s just down the road from you.

Coventry had 3 Starfish sites, of which one partially survives.
Post Reply