Monument record 7108/0/1 - WWII Bombing Decoy, north-west of Geddington Chase

A Second World War bombing decoy site at Stanion. It was built in 1941 as part of the 'C-series' of civil decoys to protect Stewarts and Lloyds steel works in Corby. The site functioned as both a 'QF' and 'QL' decoy. The 'QF' decoy consisted of a series of controlled fires lit during an air raid to replicate a target struck by bombs. The 'QL' decoy displayed simulated marshalling yard lights, locomotive glows and factory lighting that would be present at the steel works during a poor blackout. The site is referenced as being in use until 1943. Aerial photography from 1971 shows that the site had been given over to agricultural use and no features of the decoy survive.

{1} 'QL' & 'QF' site, to simulate specific targets by night (QF fire & QL lights) for Corby. These were smaller decoys than the Starfish during WW2. Further details of the operation of QL & QF sites in Gibson p89-90 and in summary under 'Airfield Decoys'.

{2} The report gazetteer makes specific reference to this C Series (civil) decoy (a QL & QF site) on p128 & 136. The report also contains detailed descriptions of the two decoy types (summarised in part 4 of this report). The QL target was Stewart and Lloyds in Corby with MY lights, factory lights and furnaceglows at the QL decoy. The QL site identified in the gazetteer as being in use at least 2.10.1942 - 1.5.1943 with the single date of 1.5.1943 being identified for the QF decoy.

{3} p.97: ref to the decoy " which used fire and lights to both simulate an already bombed target and, more importantly to divert attention from the steelworks" (in Corby). "The same unit (formed from the Northants Territorials) also added significantly to the 'fog of war'. Hundreds of oil burners were placed around Corby and the steelworks which gave out sufficient smog to obscure the light from the blastfurnaces and coke ovens. These were largely ineffective however - but luckily so too were the German bombs. As if to show that they weren't fooled by the Stanion attempts to confuse the issue. 100-200 incendiary bombs were dropped on the village on 25th June 1942." These were easily dealt with apart from a small fire at "the local tannery."

{4} Aerial photography from 1971 shows that the site had been given over to agricultural use and no features of the decoy survive.

{5} NGR concords with that given in source 2. The 'C-series' decoys for Corby were implemented by September 1941.

<1> Gibson M.L., 1982, Aviation In Northamptonshire: An Illustrated History, p.90 (unchecked) (Book). SNN100276.

<2> DOBINSON C.S., 1996, TWENTIETH CENTURY FORTIFICATIONS IN ENGLAND: BOMBING DECOYS OF WORLD WAR TWO, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN39642.

<3> WILSON J., 1996, TWENTIETH CENTURY NORTHAMPTONSHIRE: CHANGE & CONTINUITY IN NORTHAMPTONSHIRE, p97 (Uncertain). SNN39643.

<4> Anderton M.J., 1999, Twentieth Century Military Recording Project: World War Two Bombing Decoy Sites (Survey Undertaken for MPP), p. 81 (Report). SNN106122.

<5> Dobinson C., 2000, Fields of Deception: Britain's Bombing Decoys of World War II, p. 137, 282 (Book). SNN105856.

Record last edited

Mar 8 2023 11:32AM