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Monument record TQ 56 SW 263 - Starfish Bombing Decoy Sf8e

Summary

A Second World War bombing decoy site at Lullingstone. It was built in January 1941 as a 'Permanent Starfish' site to deflect enemy bombing from the city of London. The 'Starfish' decoy operated by lighting a series of controlled fires during an air raid to replicate an urban area targeted by bombs. The site was decommissioned in September 1943. Aerial photography from 1982 shows that the site had become part of a golf course and no surviving features of the decoy are visible. Lullingstone was the location of a bombing decoy for Royal Air Force Biggin Hill airfield (see HOB UID 1465039). The two sites were so closely located that they shared an operations room and personnel. Further 'Starfish' sites for London were located at Richmond Park, Farleigh, Rainham Marshes and Lambourne End.

Location

Grid reference	TQ 5190 6420 (point)
Map sheet	TQ56SW
County	KENT
Civil Parish	EYNSFORD, SEVENOAKS, KENT
District	SEVENOAKS, KENT

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Type and Period (2)

Full Description

A Second World War 'Permanent Starfish' bombing decoy located at Lullingstone (TQ 519 642). It was constructed to deflect enemy bombing from London. It is referenced as being in use between 01-AUG-1941 and 08-APR-1943. Further 'Starfish' sites for London were located at Richmond Park (TQ 204 730), Farleigh (TQ 375 610), Rainham Marshes (TQ 529 800) and Lambourne End (TQ 493 938). (1)

Aerial photography shows that by 1982 the site had become part of a golf course and no features of the decoy survive. (2)

NGR concords with that given in source 1. The 'Starfish' sites for London were built by 23-JAN-1941. The Lullingstone site was decommissioned in September 1943. (3)

<1> C S Dobinson, Twentieth century fortifications in England, volume 3. Bombing decoys of WWII : England's passive air defences, 1939-45 (Monograph). SKE58701.

<2> M J Anderton, 01/01/99, Twentieth Century Military Recording Project, WWII Bombing Decoy Sites (Unpublished document). SKE14468.

<3> Dobinson C., 01/01/00, Fields of Deception: Britain’s Bombing Decoys of World War II (Bibliographic reference). SKE15274.

Sources/Archives (3)

<1> SKE58701 Monograph: C S Dobinson. Twentieth century fortifications in England, volume 3. Bombing decoys of WWII : England's passive air defences, 1939-45.
<2> SKE14468 Unpublished document: M J Anderton. 01/01/99. Twentieth Century Military Recording Project, WWII Bombing Decoy Sites.
<3> SKE15274 Bibliographic reference: Dobinson C.. 01/01/00. Fields of Deception: Britain’s Bombing Decoys of World War II.