2010

NS4277 : Remains of Starfish decoy

taken 17 years ago, near to Bellsmyre, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland

Remains of Starfish decoy
Remains of Starfish decoy
See the end-note for an explanation of Starfish decoys.

The booklet "Off the Main Road" (I.M.M.MacPhail, 1976) notes that "on the night of May 5-6, 1941, more bombs fell on this decoy site than on the whole of Dumbarton, and the town was thus spared the holocaust which befell the neighbouring towns of Clydebank and Greenock".

Numerous bomb craters in the area testify to its effectiveness: Link

A number of concrete blocks of various sizes are visible in this area, which is outlined by red markers in the following annotated satellite view: LinkExternal link

See NS4277 : Concrete block at Starfish decoy site for a close-up view of a smaller block that was located nearby.

For the control bunker that was associated with this decoy, see NS4277 : Starfish Decoy Site - Control Bunker, Auchenreoch Muir and NS4277 : Starfish Decoy Site - Control Bunker Escape Hatch, Auchenreoch Muir.

See also the latter half of NS4278 : Corner of enclosure for a discussion of the remains of other structures located some distance to the north-west (possibly where WWII structures overlapped the remains of a much older enclosure).
Auchenreoch Starfish decoy

During the Second World War, so-called Starfish decoys were carefully designed to provide very convincing false targets for enemy bombers. See LinkExternal link (at Secret Scotland) for a full explanation; LinkExternal link (at the same site) for a detailed description (with many photos) of the particular site shown here; Link for my own article on the topic; LinkExternal link for an annotated satellite view; and Link for nearby bomb craters, testimony to the decoy's effectiveness.

Lang Craigs Woodland :: NS4377

The woodland occupies 240 hectares (590 acres) that were acquired by the Woodland Trust Scotland in 2011. It is named after the Long Crags (or Lang Craigs), a line of cliffs — Link — making up the facade of the Kilpatrick Hills plateau. Lang Craigs Woodland is one of the 13 Commonwealth Woods, and is an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest). New paths have been laid out (waymarkers were added in May 2015), and about 160 hectares of new native woodland planted.


Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Lairich Rig and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Geographical Context: Defence, Military Derelict, Disused Period: Second World War Category: World War II defences other tags: Starfish Decoy Click a tag, to view other nearby images.
This photo is linked from: Articles: · Relics of the limestone industry on Dumbarton Muir Automatic Clusters: · Starfish Decoy Control Bunker [11] · Concrete Blocks [5] Other Photos: · Concrete block at Starfish decoy site · Gate near Square Wood · Starfish Decoy Site - Control Bunker, Auchenreoch Muir · Starfish Decoy Site - Control Bunker Escape Hatch, Auchenreoch Muir · Starfish Decoy Site - Bomb Crater, Auchenreoch Muir · Remains of a structure · Old field boundary ·
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NS4277, 78 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Lairich Rig   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Friday, 29 January, 2010   (more nearby)
Submitted
Wednesday, 3 February, 2010
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! NS 4214 7798 [10m precision]
WGS84: 55:58.1274N 4:31.8531W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! NS 4213 7798
View Direction
East-southeast (about 112 degrees)
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Image classification(about): Geograph
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