Fields of Deception

About Fields of Deception

During the Second World War a secret department was formed at Britain’s Air Ministry to co-ordinate a strategy to defeat German bombing by deception. With the help of leading technicians from the film industry, ingeniously designed decoy airfields, towns and military bases were built throughout the island. This campaign of illusion, masterminded by the charismatic Colonel John Fisher Turner, did more to protect Britain’s forces and civilians from the Nazi threat than, at the time, they were allowed to know.

This is the first detailed study of Britain’s bombing decoys, both at war, through their design, locations and operations, and at peace, through their fragmentary survival as enigmatic features in today’s landscape. It draws upon a wealth of new research into wartime documents, and includes detailed maps and data showing the patterns of decoy sites across the country. The first book in the Monuments of War series, compiled in support of English Heritage’s initiatives to study and preserve Britain’s wartime remains, Fields of Deception explores the history and the legacy of one of the least-known aspects of Britain at war.

The Author

Colin Dobinson

Dr Colin Dobinson is a freelance historian who studied archaeology at the universities of York & Cambridge.

Reviews

'Fields of Deception deals with a specialised aspect of military history and will appeal to those interested in air warfare or the defence of Britain during the 20th Century. It is well written, accessible and uses clear diagrams throughout.'

Vincent Gardiner