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Long Wood Decoy

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Remains of entrance wall, 2010, Fox
Remains of entrance wall

Records indicate that a World War II Starfish decoy site was located south of Glasgow, on the moors to the east of Eaglesham. Part of the . Site number SF13e. Known as Long Wood, or possibly Eaglesham.

The site has been described from RAF aerial photographs taken in 1945, which showed clusters of fire baskets, and fire break trenches located across the general area. This means the decoy would have been a QF, or fire decoy. The photographs have also been reported to show a structure to the south at NS 5412 5184, which may have been the decoy control bunker. The aerial photographs showed three groups of fire baskets, which would have been packed with pitch and fuel soaked materials, in the areas of NS 5412 5247, NS 5405 5229, and NS 5408 5237.

A further report has suggested the existence of a possible military installation at the same location. Although described as a World War II anti-aircraft battery, none of the known batteries lie near the location. Aerial imagery of sufficient resolution to show such a facility is available, however there is no visible evidence of such a site to be found.

Site visit

Escape hatch in roof, 2010, Fox
Escape hatch in roof

A site visit was carried out during 2010 but no evidence relating to the fire decoys was found. The area had suffered significant levels of dumping of demolition and other debris, and the after effects following the construction of a gas pipeline in the area. There was no evidence to support the story regarding an anti-aircraft battery anywhere in the area.

Remains found on the hill to the east of the gas plant were positively identified as the those of a decoy control bunker, with parts of both the sloping entrance wall and the roof - complete with escape hatch - being clearly identified. It should be noted that the roof had been overturned when the bunker was demolished, so the section with the hatch opening visible was actually the interior, or underside, of the bunker roof. The remaining section of entrance wall was still in situ, as was a small section of the corner wall of the bunker, making it clear that this was the actual site of the bunker, and not debris which had been moved. The remains showed that this had been a two room bunker, complete with engine room.

Although the control bunker was located some distance away from the furthest fire basket said to be located near the wood, its location provided a good view of all the fire basket areas it would have controlled.

Concrete hut base, 2010, Fox
Concrete hut base

Adjacent to the remains of the control bunker debris was a concrete hut base, which has not been noted in other reports.

External links

Related Canmore/RCAHMS and ScotlandsPlaces (SP) entries:-

 

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Aerial views


Map

  • ⚠ (:gma-point lat=55.7429025 lon=-4.3272684 link='Long Wood Decoy NS 540 524' :)
  • ⚠ (:gma-point ⚠ (:llVgm NS54125247 :) link='Fire basket area a' :)
  • ⚠ (:gma-point ⚠ (:llVgm NS54055229 :) link='Fire basket area b' :)
  • ⚠ (:gma-point ⚠ (:llVgm NS54085237 :) link='Fire basket area c' :)
  • ⚠ (:gma-point lat=55.7379928 lon=-4.3251210 link='Long Wood control bunker' :)

⚠ (:gma-map view=hybrid:)

⚠ [[!World War II]] ⚠ [[!Clyde AA Defences]] ⚠ [[!Starfish Decoy]] ⚠ (:WPCategoriesList:)

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