PARACHUTE DECOYS (DUMMIES).

First used operationally in Sicily, in July 1943. “An Intelligence officer” wrote the CRE, “must be the brains of the establishment.” To his latest ‘brains’ he gave three tasks. First, he was to assist Lieut. Gammon, an officer of 1 Parachute Brigade, in the practical production of an anti-tank grenade made out of plastic high-explosive, on which Gammon was already working. Secondly, he was to produce a prototype dummy parachutist which later would be put into mass production for use as operational decoys. Thirdly, he was to design a device which could be dropped with the dummies and, on landing, would give the impression of intermittent fire. [1]

Experimental work carried out at Syrencote House had been put to practical use when dummy parachutist and simulated rifle fire modules were dropped as a decoy. HQRE Intelligence Officer, Lieut. Green, flew with 114 Squadron, RAF, to drop these dummies over western Sicily. Pilots reported tracer fire and a large number of Verey lights illuminating the parachutes.[2]

[1] & [2] H.Q. ROYAL ENGINEERS, 1 AIRBORNE DIVISION. By D.F. Cooper, OBE. 1995. P P 11 & 26.