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Summary

A Second World War bombing decoy located at Hillsons House. It was built as part of the 'N-series' of naval decoys to deflect enemy bombing from the Royal Navy installations in Plymouth. This was a 'QL' decoy that featured a grid of muted lights, possibly set out around ponds or tanks of water, to resemble a port during a blackout. It is first referenced as being in use during March 1942 and was decommissioned in September 1944. Aerial photography from 1950 shows that the site had been given over to agricultural use and that no features of the decoy survive. This was one of ten naval decoy sites for Plymouth.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX66SW123
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1455734

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BOMBING DECOY (World War II - 1939 AD to 1944 AD (Between))

Full description

Dobinson, C. S., 1996, Bombing decoys of WWII, 116, 119, (Report - non-specific). SDV324125.

A Second World War 'QL' bombing decoy located at Hillsons House (SX 635 623). It was constructed as part of the 'N-series' of naval decoys to deflect enemy bombing from Plymouth. It is referenced as being in use on 12-MAR-1942. Further naval bombing decoys for Plymouth were located at Roborough Down (SX 513 644), Boringdon (SX 532 583), Cofflete (SX 548 510), Wembury (SX 530 488), Worswell (SX 525 473), Erth (SX 382 558), Southdown (SX 438 533), Shapley Tor (SX 700 818) and Down Thomas (SX 497 499). Reference to site on 12 March 1942.

Historic England, 2021-2022, NRHE to HER website, Accessed 18/05/2021 (Website). SDV364039.

Naval Bombing Decoy N19/pl10
Aerial photography shows that by 1950 the site had been given over to agricultural use and no features of the decoy survive (citing Michael J. Anderton, 1999, Twentieth century military recording project: World War Two bombing decoy sites, pg 100).
Grid reference concords with that given by Dobinson (1996). Plymouth's decoy sites were decommissioned in September 1944, as part of a national descaling of bombing decoys (citing Colin Dobinson, 2000, Fields of deception: Britain's bombing decoys of World War II, pg 205, 272).
Recorded in the Landscapes of War Recording Project (1463376).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8082 - Survey of the Upper Erme Valley

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