What if the guns pointing skyward were mere illusions? This is the story of the Decoy Anti-Aircraft Battery in Edinburgh. It is a site of cunning deception during World War II. This wasn’t about real defense. It was about creating a convincing fake.
The Decoy Anti-Aircraft Battery aimed to mislead enemy bombers. The goal was to protect Edinburgh and vital military installations. Colonel John Fisher Turner headed a national decoy authority. This was after experiments in Glasgow and Sheffield. The system of urban lighting decoys mimicked military sites. These decoys were named Civil QL for urban lighting simulation. Civil QF was for dummy fires.
Q-sites took their name from Royal Navy Q-ships. These were warships disguised as merchant vessels. The sites used electrical and pyrotechnical devices. They simulated flares from furnaces. They even mimicked light escaping blackout precautions.
Here at the Decoy Anti-Aircraft Battery, the illusion was paramount. Dummy gun emplacements stood ready. These emplacements featured ready-use ammunition lockers and crew shelters. But there was a critical absence. No accommodation camp existed nearby. This absence strongly suggests its decoy status. Aerial photographs confirm the battery’s layout. They show gun emplacements and a command center.
The deception extended beyond visual trickery. Some sites simulated small fires from incendiary bombs. Oil-storage area fire simulation was developed at Greystoke castle. Special Fires sites, or Starfish sites, created larger fires. These Starfish sites aimed to draw incendiary bombs. This would divert the enemy from populated areas.
Civilian personnel often staffed these decoy sites. Sometimes police, RAF units, or Civil Defence manned them. Navy and Army decoys relied on sailors and soldiers. The RAF used selected ground-crew.
Imagine the control bunker hidden behind an earthen revetment. A blast-wall protected the entrance. The bunker had two rooms. One room housed generators powered by Morris Cowley engines. The other room served as the control center. Switchgear controlled the fires and lights. An escape hatch offered a quick exit. A telephone linked the site to command.
Consider the bravery of those staffing these decoys. They knowingly attracted enemy fire. They risked their lives to protect others. The Decoy Anti-Aircraft Battery stands as a testament to wartime ingenuity. It also serves as reminder of the sacrifices made during conflict. It played a crucial role in Edinburgh’s defense. It helped to confuse the enemy and save lives.
Today the Decoy Anti-Aircraft Battery offers a glimpse into wartime strategies. It reveals a world of illusion and deception. As we leave this site, remember its vital role. It protected Edinburgh during its time of need.