Monument record MDO39839 - Second World War bombing decoy, Airfield Bombing Decoy Q160b, Lower Common, Verwood

Linear features are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs taken in 1947 at Lower Common, Verwood. They lie in the vicinity of a known bombing decoy dating to the Second World War and may be associated with it. The features were digitally plotted during the Dorset Stour NMP.

A Second World War 'Q-type' bombing decoy located at Verwood (SU 100 066). It was constructed to deflect enemy bombing from RAF Hurn airfield and later used for RAF Isbley airfield. It is referenced as being in use between 18-JUN-1942 and 12-AUG-1942. A further bombing decoy for RAF Hurn was located at Ridley Plain, and another decoy for RAF Ibsley was located at Woodgreen. <1>

Aerial photography from 1981 shows an uncovered control building standing on the site in reasonable condition, with its south-east entrance fronted by a blast wall. <2>

NGR concords with that given in source 1. <3>

Linear features are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs taken in 1947 and 1953 at Lower Common, Verwood <4-5>. They lie in the vicinity of a known bombing decoy dating to the Second World War and may be associated with it. The features were digitally plotted during the Dorset Stour NMP. The features have since been plough-levelled and the site now partially lies under a solar farm. <4-6>

<1> Dobinson, C S, 1996, Twentieth Century Fortifications in England: Volume III, Bombing Decoys of WWII, 98, 110 (Monograph). SDO14087.

<1> Royal Air Force, 28-MAY-1947, RAF/CPE/UK/2101 RS 4260-1 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15667.

<2> Anderton, M J, 1999, Twentieth century military recording project: World War Two bombing decoy sites, 86 (Monograph). SDO18055.

<3> Dobinson, C S, 2000, Fields of deception: Britain's bombing decoys of World War II, 254 (Monograph). SDO18056.

<4> Royal Air Force, 08-JUL-1953, RAF/58/1163 V 17 and 37 (Aerial Photograph). SDO15668.

<5> Dorset County Council, 2002, Dorset County Council Vertical Photograph (Aerial Photograph). SDO13401.

<6> GetMapping, 2014, Digital vertical aerial photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDO14101.

<7> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1466158 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Mar 29 2023 7:49PM