Rye Harbour Image Library

Picture No:	391
Courtesy of:	Barry Yates
Year:	2014

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Stanton Shelter

A little way from the village, just north of Camber Castle lies a little concrete hut with a history...
During World War II there was a decoy bombing site near Camber Castle. It was built in July 1942 as a Temporary Starfish site No.78 in response to the Luftwaffe's Baedeker Raids, to deflect enemy bombing from the town and harbour of Rye.
The Starfish decoy operated by lighting a series of controlled fires during an air raid to replicate an urban area targeted by bombs.
This small concrete building with the curved roof is a Stanton Shelter that formed the operations room and provided the decoy crew with shelter. The wall with three holes in is the remains of the generator building.
In May 1943 it was changed to a 'QL' decoy site No.651 as part of the D-Day deception plan Fortitude South in preparation for the invasion of Normandy. It was abandoned in February 1945.

Picture Added on 17 December 2014.

Comments

There used to be a larger prefab shed on site that housed all the equipment. This is where my grandfather was stationed through out the war lighting the fires and building decoy tanks and planes. He said it could be very hairy during a raid as you sat right bang in the middle with bombs dropping around you. He was there the day a doodle bug flew overhead and straight into Hackings farm killing Mr Hacking.
Added by on 18 December 2014.