Monument record TR 06 SW 1563 - Naval Bombing Decoy N12/sh1

A Second World War 'Starfish' and 'QL' bombing decoy located at Cleve Marshes (TR 047 645). 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), Binney Farm (TQ 851 772) and at two sites in Stoke (TQ 816 761, TQ 822 760). (1)

Aerial photography shows that by 1979 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 Cleve Marsh naval bombing decoy was commissioned in March 1941 as a 'QL' decoy for the Royal Naval Dockyard at Sheerness (hence the designation SH1). The site became operational between April and August 1941. It was redesignated as a 'Starfish' ('SF') decoy in October 1941 and released from requistion in June 1945.
In 2009 the semi-sunken operation post and generator room was archaeologically recorded prior to its demolition in advance of the construction of an onshore substation for the offshore London Array windfarm.
A full historical account of Naval Starfish site SH1 and historic building recording of the Operations Post (to EH Level 4) was carried out by Pre-Construct Archaeology Ltd on behalf of London Array Ltd in 2009. (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 M J Anderton, 01/01/99, Twentieth Century Military Recording Project, WWII Bombing Decoy Sites (Unpublished document).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> Dobinson C., 01/01/00, Fields of Deception: Britain’s Bombing Decoys of World War II (Bibliographic reference). SKE15274.

<4> Pre-Construct Archaeology, 2009, Historic Building Recording of Second World War Pillbox and Royal Navy 'Starfish' Decoy Operation Post, Cleve Hill, Graveney, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE18026.