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Summary

Several rectilinear crop or surface vegetation marks and six earthwork mounds, visible on aerial photographs taken in the 1940s, are interpreted as the Second World War bombing decoy recorded by Dobinson.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1413182
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX44NE/2

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BOMBING DECOY (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV168878.

RAF/CPE/UK/1890 2126-2127/(10/12/1946)/SMR 57/81-2.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV168879.

Plymouth Fortress Survey/Pye, A. /(1993)/in SMR.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV168880.

Crawshaw, A. /WWII decoy sites/(Nov 1996)/ms + plans/in SMR.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV168881.

Crawshaw, A. /WWII decoy sites/(1996)/disk in SMR.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV168882.

Dobinson, C. S.(CBA)/20th Century Fortifications in England/III(1996)116,119/Bombing decoys/in SMR.

Royal Air Force, 1946, CPE/UK 1890, 2126-2127 (Aerial Photograph). SDV140289.

Several rectilinear buildings of considerable size are visible on RAF 1946 air photograph, apparently as cropmarks. In view of their situation a fairly recent military origin is possible (APH). Other details: 57/81-82.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, DCC RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FS 2126-2127 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Six earthwork mounds and numerous rectilinear cropmarks or vegetation marks are visible.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/2105, RAF/CPE/UK/2105 RP 3137-3138 28-MAY-1947 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351151.

Six areas of scrub and possible earthwork mounds are visible.

Pye, A., 1992, Plymouth Fortress Survey (Report - non-specific). SDV167755.

-/7/1993 (Pye) no evidence of buildings on the ground, even in the form of a platform or rubble although the field was under stubble and had been recently cut for hay. Occupies a spur just to the West of the village of Down Thomas. There is no record in the FSG lists of an anti-aircraft battery, for instance, in this location (Pye).

Dobinson, C. S., 1996, Bombing decoys of WWII (Report - non-specific). SDV324125.

Documentation 1 August 1941 to 12 March 1942. Decoy PL1 (Dobinson).

Crawshaw, A., 1996, WWII Bombing decoys (Un-published). SDV145387.

Down Thomas bombing decoy for Plymouth. SF and QL decoy. Special Fire or 'Starfish' simulating damaged urban area and decoy night lighting - operational by 12 March 1942 (Crawshaw).

Pink, F., 2014-2015, South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey Desk-Based Assessment (Interpretation). SDV357736.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2019-2020, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP) (Interpretation). SDV362982.

Six irregular earthwork mounds, fairly consistent in size at circa 8 by 11 metres excepting one larger mound at 17 by 20 metres, are visible along the west side of a field boundary on aerial photographs taken in 1946. In this and an adjacent field several rectilinear pale features, possibly cropmarks but in some cases more probably slight earthwork ditches or flattened vegetation, are visible. They may be the remains of the Second World War bombing decoy recorded in this location, intended to replicate the layout of bombed urban areas. It is possible that the mounds are agricultural in origin. Neither the rectilinear features or the mounds are visible on aerial imagery captured after the 1940s. MDV59228 and MDV59229 may also refer to these features.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV140289	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. CPE/UK 1890. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 2126-2127.
SDV145387	Un-published: Crawshaw, A.. 1996. WWII Bombing decoys.
SDV167755	Report - non-specific: Pye, A.. 1992. Plymouth Fortress Survey. A4 Unbound.
SDV168878	Aerial Photograph:
SDV168879	Migrated Record:
SDV168880	Migrated Record:
SDV168881	Migrated Record:
SDV168882	Migrated Record:
SDV169268	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1890. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). DCC RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FS 2126-2127 10-DEC-1946. [Mapped feature: #121730 Formerly recorded as a point at SX49854995, ]
SDV324125	Report - non-specific: Dobinson, C. S.. 1996. Bombing decoys of WWII. Twentieth Century Fortifications in England. III. A4 Stapled + Digital.
SDV351151	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/2105. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/2105 RP 3137-3138 28-MAY-1947.
SDV357736	Interpretation: Pink, F.. 2014-2015. South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey Desk-Based Assessment. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV362982	Interpretation: Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R.. 2019-2020. The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP). Historic England Research Report. Digital.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8098 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey, Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (Ref: ACD2040)

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