WikiWirral yrs online 24/7 365 days a year.
Forum Statistics
Forums65
Topics76,473
Posts1,033,991
Members14,851
Most Online80,173
Apr 25th, 2025
Who's Online Now
8 members (Alanbentley, 2 invisible), 23,804 guests, and 687 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters
sunnyside 45,164
MattLFC 22,315
Mark 21,269
granny 17,810
_Ste_ 16,347
Newest Members
BCD2025, barmbo, CathyCool, Marc_D, han_3008
14,851 Registered Users
New General Forums
Back To CB, Again! Yet Again!
by TheGodSplinter - 21st Apr 2025 2:29pm
Last person to post wins...
by GaryB - 9th Oct 2007 9:15pm
New Wirral History
Looking For Info On Stone Water Fountain
by Erainn - 20th May 2025 2:03pm
Phoenix Bungalows
by bert1 - 17th May 2025 11:23am
Birkett Scheme.
by bert1 - 8th May 2025 8:25am
70% houses damaged
by bert1 - 5th May 2025 3:10pm
Wartime Scouts.
by bert1 - 2nd May 2025 4:11pm
Top Posters(30 Days)
bert1 17
joney 3
Topic Replies
Looking For Info On Stone Water Fountain
by Erainn - 20th May 2025 2:03pm
Boode Memorial Breck Road Wallasey, The
by diggingdeeper - 19th May 2025 8:56am
Jorvik mt11 trike
by KevinFinity - 17th May 2025 11:52pm
Witches Circle Bidston Hill
by KevinFinity - 17th May 2025 11:50pm
PLATT - Wirral Colliery
by bert1 - 17th May 2025 2:28pm
Phoenix Bungalows
by bert1 - 17th May 2025 11:23am
Brackenwood Lane
by Longnails - 15th May 2025 12:25pm
More Bins
by Longnails - 15th May 2025 12:16pm
70% houses damaged
by bert1 - 14th May 2025 7:23am
May
M T W T F S S
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30 31
Top Likes Received (30 Days)
bert1 3
Top Likes Received
bert1 26
casper 4
Mark 4
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#280405 4th Jan 2009 10:43pm
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 243
w10694 Offline OP
Addict
OP Offline
Addict
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 243
The whole idea of the WW2 Bombing Decoys was that we knew the Luftwaffe bombers came up the Dee Estuary from the south, and then turned right, to pass over the Wirral, and then Liverpool. After the first bombers had passed over, we then lit up fires and electric lighting, so that it looked as the decoy site was the real site, hoping that subsequent bombers would bomb Burton Marsh, which they did, and it still bears the scars.

The whole affair and operation was Ultra Secret, and very efficient, with numerous bombs being dropped by the Luftwaffe onto Burton Marsh. the local populace were told nothing about the real reason for the nightime activity, and to this day some still believe what they were told was "the truth".

I can only surmise that it was like the Cherry Cob Sands Decoy on the Humber, with lights angled downwards, pointing at a water surface, with the lights arranged in the shape of the actual dock edge. Cherry Cob Sands on the Humber was a similar arrangement, and was what really got me started here. It was also featured in a TV documentary whereby it was re-created.

This post: Cherry Cob Sands Decoy describes the Cherry Cob Sands decoy.

I've always been puzzled as to the actual location of the decoy for Garston Docks, which was built on Burton Marsh. Contemporary reports describe, poles, wires and electric lights. Speaking to a local chap, he described where the decoy was actually located on Burton Marsh.

Using the "Archeology by Photoshop" technique, I took a Google Earth picture of Garston Docks, cut it out, and pasted it onto a Google Earth picture of Burton Marsh, where I thought it should go.

Putting it at the same scale and orientation, gives an exact fit as to where I was told that it was, corresponding to various bunkers, feeding canals, and water ponds etc.

This shows Garston Docks:

[Linked Image]

This Shows Burton Marsh, at the same scale and orientation:

[Linked Image]

And, this shows where I understand that the Garston Dock Decoy was positioned, superimposed on Burton Marsh:

[Linked Image]

And a few pics of the location:

Control Bunker, this contained generators and control equipment. It also had a light anti-aircraft gun alongside. It still exists, perched on the edge of the estuary bank, near the entrance roadway to the (ex) Decca Navigator Site:

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

Walkway back to the Control Bunker in the estuary bank:

[Linked Image]

There was a water supply canal to feed the reflecting ponds - it cuts a non-natural course across the marsh, and cuts across existing features, i.e. here cutting across an existing gutter:

[Linked Image]

Garmin GPS tracks around the same bridge:

[Linked Image]

Ponds for reflecting lights, the electric lights would have been above, pointing downwards, and arranged in the outline shape of Garston Docks:

[Linked Image]


Google Ads
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,924
Forum Addict
Offline
Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,924
Great info and excellent pics mate.thumbsup

Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 14,492
Likes: 31
Wiki Master
Offline
Wiki Master
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 14,492
Likes: 31
This really is superb stuff - most of us are looking on land, not realising the history around our coast as well - fantastic!


We don't do charity in Germany, we pay taxes. Charity is a failure of governments' responsibilities - Henning Wehn

https://ddue.uk
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,868
Forum Veteran
Offline
Forum Veteran
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,868
Thanks for posting that. Most interesting.


Carpe diem.
_
_jase_
Unregistered
_jase_
Unregistered
_
Originally Posted by diggingdeeper
This really is superb stuff - most of us are looking on land, not realising the history around our coast as well - fantastic!



withthatvery interesting. thanks thumbsup

Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,875
Forum Master
Offline
Forum Master
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,875
amazin stuff and i like the way you us pics aswell to back up ya info great work dude yipee

Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 243
w10694 Offline OP
Addict
OP Offline
Addict
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 243
A couple of pics:

[Linked Image]

General layout of the decoy areas on Burton Marsh

[Linked Image]

Shows the Garston Docks railway marshaling yard area of the decoy, with "access" tracks, small railway for transport, and the areas where the grass has been scraped away and canvas pegged over (or corrugated iron) laid over to look like trains & wagons.

Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,781
Forum Addict
Offline
Forum Addict
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,781
Excellent stuff!

Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,515
Forum Addict
Offline
Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,515
Great and interesting story. Thanks.


See you in cyberspace!

Moderated by  Mod 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Random Wirral Images

Click to View Topic.
Newest Topics
Looking For Info On Stone Water Fountain
by Erainn - 20th May 2025 2:03pm
Phoenix Bungalows
by bert1 - 17th May 2025 11:23am
Brackenwood Lane
by Longnails - 15th May 2025 12:25pm
Witches Circle Bidston Hill
by Beaty59 - 14th May 2025 7:43pm
Work Adjacent to West Float
by Excoriator - 10th May 2025 6:13pm
For Sale & Free
Jorvik mt11 trike
by Dilly - 27th Oct 2024 3:49pm
Member Spotlight
diggingdeeper
diggingdeeper
Wirral
Posts: 14,492
Joined: July 2008
Today's Birthdays
There are no members with birthdays on this day.
New Wirral Info
Work Adjacent to West Float
by Excoriator - 10th May 2025 6:13pm
Unexpected development
by Excoriator - 23rd Apr 2025 4:45pm
Fire inHamilton Square station
by Excoriator - 11th Apr 2025 4:55pm
News : New Topics
Brackenwood Lane
by Longnails - 15th May 2025 12:25pm
Are our local councillors all insane?
by Excoriator - 20th Mar 2025 10:32am
New Ferry regeneration
by Excoriator - 16th Mar 2025 4:22pm
More Bins
by diggingdeeper - 19th Jul 2024 11:05am
Wallasey woman arrested following knifing incident
by _jase_ - 8th Sep 2010 4:02pm
New Enthusiast Forums
Witches Circle Bidston Hill
by Beaty59 - 14th May 2025 7:43pm
ooh Top of the pops
by GaryFromWirral - 10th May 2025 10:15am
My House is Haunted Series
by Longnails - 3rd May 2025 2:36pm
Physio advice please
by Longnails - 3rd May 2025 2:25pm
Popular Topics(Views)
10,362,011 CW Chat room thread
5,609,689 WIKI WALK CHAT
4,437,886 Spotted!
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5