Airfield Bombing Decoy Q158a |
| Hob Uid: 1452024 | |
Location :
North Somerset
Bleadon
|
| Grid Ref : ST3105256915 |
| Summary : A Second World War bombing decoy located at Bleadon. It was built to deflect enemy bombing from Royal Air Force Weston-super-Mare airfield, and also operated as part of the 'C-series' of civil decoys for Weston-super-Mare. This site functioned as both a 'Q-type' and 'QF' decoy. The 'Q-type' decoy displayed a sequence of lights to simulate an active airfield. The 'QF' decoy consisted of a series of controlled fires lit during an air raid to replicate a target struck by bombs. It is referenced as being in use between 1941 and 1943.The decoy is visible on aerial photographs taken in 1941. The site is located at the junction of Stroud Pill with the River Axe and covers an area that measures 160m by 120m at its widest points. The site consists of three structures, which appear to be a nissen hut, a small hangar and a possible control bunker. Possible bomb craters can be seen nearby and may be associated with the air aid on the 4 January 1941, which left 42 big craters and 1500 incendiary fins in the area. By the 1980s the site had been given over to agricultural use and no features of the decoy survive. |
More information : A Second World War decoy site is visible on aerial photographs taken in 1941. The site is located at the junction of Stroud Pill with the River Axe and centred at ST 3107 5692. It covers an area that measures 160m by 120m at its widest points. The site consists of three structures, two of which appear to be a nissen hut and a small hangar. The nissen hut is centred at ST 3111 5694 and the hangar is centred at ST 3110 5687. The possible control bunker is centred at ST 3102 5694. The site was built by the RAF as a decoy to nearby RAF Locking airfield. As well as dummy buildings, fires and lights were lit at night to attract enemy bombers from their real target. The use of wooden planes may also have been employed. Possible bomb craters can be seen nearby centred at ST 3168 5757 and may be associated with the air aid on the 4 January 1941, which left 42 big craters and 1500 incendiary fins in the area. Nothing of the site remained on aerial photographs taken in 1946. (1-4)
A Second World War 'Q-type' and 'QF' bombing decoy located at Bleadon (ST 310 567). It was constructed to deflect enemy bombing from RAF Weston-super-Mare airfield. It was also part of the 'C-series' of civil decoys for the town of Weston-super-Mare.
It is referenced as being active on 01-MAY-1943. (5)
Aerial photography shows that by 1988 the site had been given over to agricultural use and no features of the decoy survive. (6)
NGR concords with that given in source 5. (7)
Further reference. (8) |