Monument record TQ 87 NE 1240 - Naval Bombing Decoy N12/vi1

A Second World War 'QF' bombing decoy located at Binney Farm (TQ 851 772). It was constructed as part of the 'N-series' of naval decoys to deflect enemy bombing from Royal Navy installations at Chatham. It is referenced as being in use between 01-AUG-1941 and 12-MAR-1942.
Further naval bombing decoys for Chatham were located at Harty Ferry (TR 013 657), Nore Marsh (TQ 812 702), Cleve Marshes (TR 047 645) and two sites in Stoke (TQ 816 761, TQ 822 760). (1)

Aerial photography shows that by 1978 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. (3)

The area around Binney Farm was surveyed from aerial photographs as part of the English Hertitage: Hoo Peninsua Landscape Project. However, no trace of a bombing decoy fitting the description described above could be seen on the available aerial photographs. Wartime photographs were consulted, but were too poor to be of any use, and no trace could be seen on RAF photographs from 1946. It is possible that the site had already been removed and ploughed over. It must also be borne in mind that this record could be a duplicate for a surviving QF bombing decoy located 500m to the east of this in Allhallows Marshes (NMR Monument:1469960). (4)

<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 M J Anderton, 01/01/99, Twentieth Century Military Recording Project, WWII Bombing Decoy Sites (Unpublished document). SKE14469.

<3> RCHME/EH/HE Aerial Photographers comment, English Heritage: Hoo Peninsula Landscape Project (Verbal communication). SKE58727.