Starfish Bombing Decoy Sf3f |
| Hob Uid: 1468471 | |
Location :
Rotherham
Ulley
|
| Grid Ref : SK4720088600 |
| Summary : A Second World War bombing decoy site at Ulley. It was commissioned in late 1940 as a 'Permanent Starfish' site to deflect enemy bombing from the city of Sheffield. In 1941 a 'QL' decoy was incorporated into the site as part of the 'C-series' of civil decoys to protect Templeborough steel works and marshalling yard at Rotherham. The 'Starfish' decoy operated by lighting a series of controlled fires during an air raid to replicate an urban area targeted by bombs. The 'QL' decoy displayed a variety of lighting to simulate the furnace glows, tram flashes, factory lighting, loco glows and marshalling yard lights found at a working steel plant. The site is referenced as being in use up until 1943, but could have been in use until late 1944. Aerial photography shows that by 1973 the site had been given over to agricultural use and no features of the decoy survive. Further civil bombing decoy sites for Sheffield were located at Conisbrough, Kiveton, Norton, Ecklington and Bramley. Further 'Starfish' sites were located at Curbar, Thorpe Salvin, Ringinglow, Norton and Bramley. |
More information : A Second World War 'Permanent Starfish' bombing decoy located at Ulley (SK 472 886). It was constructed to deflect enemy bombing from Sheffield. It is referenced as being in use between 01-AUG-1941 and 08-APR-1943. It was also the site of a 'QL' decoy, which was built as part of the 'C-series' of civil decoys for Sheffield to protect Templeborough steel works and marshalling yard. This is referenced as being in use between 02-OCT-1942 and 01-MAY-1943. The 'QL' decoy displaying lighting to replicate the furnace glows, tram flashes, loco glows, factory lighting and marshalling yard lights found at a working steel plant.
Further civil bombing decoy sites for Sheffield were located at Conisbrough (exact location not traced), Kiveton (SK 507 838), Norton (SK 369 804), Ecklington (SK 416 799), and Bramley (SK 504 933). Further 'Starfish' sites were located at Curbar (SK 270 743), Thorpe Salvin (exact location not traced), Ringinglow (SK 278 8816), Bramley and Norton. (1)
Aerial photography shows that by 1973 the site had been given over to agricultural use and no features of the decoy survive. (2)
NGR concords with that given in source 1. The first 'Starfish' sites for Sheffield were commissioned in November 1940. Following on from this the first civil decoys for Sheffield were in place by January 1941 with the remainder finished by August. All urban layout decoys for Sheffield were decommissioned by August to September 1944. (3) |