Carrying on from my last two decoy sites we have another two airfield bunkers for dummy decoy airfields. The idea of these dummy airfields was to deflect bombings from the real airfields. For more detailed information see previous report.
The first one is a KQ site for RAF Marham, this is one of three decoy sites for Marham. The Wormegay and the other at South Acre. This one is situated near North Pickenham. Operating as K daytime site and a Q nighttime site, dummy Wellingtons would be sited in the day and moved around with tractors. The night time one would have lights to replicate a working airfield. The Wellington dummy planes worked so well it had two big craters in the field from a raid.. It stopped operating as a K site in 1943 like most K sites, I guess due to the decline in daytime raids.The Q side of it probably operated till the end of the war.
RAF Marham during the war.
The decoy bunker is in great condition and even has two original doors. Although one is laying on the floor.
Entry into the command post.
The usual alleyway with entry and normally a blast wall.
The generator room. So piled up with soil you can't see the plinths.
The second one was a Q type dummy airfield. This was just used at night and used lights to replicate the airfield. This site was used for a decoy too RAF Watton and then later for USAF Snetterton. It was said that a Wellington attempted to land here but managed to climb back up when the decoy crew switched the lights off. This shows the reality of these decoys. It seemed to be a regular occurrence and a few fatalities happened.
RAF Watton during the war.
This one is pretty overgrown. And with the alleyway bricked up was quite dark inside.
At last one that you can see the generator plinths. The ducting holes were quite clear as well.
Sadly this had a little graffiti in it. But it looked years old.
Again this has two original doors but one unhinged.
This door had the makers mark on it.
Report - - Starfish & KQ decoy sites..Norfolk, October 2021 | Military Sites
Prob not a lot of interest to most, but I am fascinated with these. I have been reading and researching about them for quite a few years now. Here are two examples, one of a starfish and one of a KQ decoy site. During wars over history decoys have been used to good effect to fool the enemy. This...
www.28dayslater.co.uk
The first one is a KQ site for RAF Marham, this is one of three decoy sites for Marham. The Wormegay and the other at South Acre. This one is situated near North Pickenham. Operating as K daytime site and a Q nighttime site, dummy Wellingtons would be sited in the day and moved around with tractors. The night time one would have lights to replicate a working airfield. The Wellington dummy planes worked so well it had two big craters in the field from a raid.. It stopped operating as a K site in 1943 like most K sites, I guess due to the decline in daytime raids.The Q side of it probably operated till the end of the war.
RAF Marham during the war.
The decoy bunker is in great condition and even has two original doors. Although one is laying on the floor.
Entry into the command post.
The usual alleyway with entry and normally a blast wall.
The generator room. So piled up with soil you can't see the plinths.
The second one was a Q type dummy airfield. This was just used at night and used lights to replicate the airfield. This site was used for a decoy too RAF Watton and then later for USAF Snetterton. It was said that a Wellington attempted to land here but managed to climb back up when the decoy crew switched the lights off. This shows the reality of these decoys. It seemed to be a regular occurrence and a few fatalities happened.
RAF Watton during the war.
This one is pretty overgrown. And with the alleyway bricked up was quite dark inside.
At last one that you can see the generator plinths. The ducting holes were quite clear as well.
Sadly this had a little graffiti in it. But it looked years old.
Again this has two original doors but one unhinged.
This door had the makers mark on it.