Deacon Henry, SASS #53503L Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 Very rare D-day "paradummy" found after 73 years - in Liverpool loft Paradummies looked like real soldiers to hoodwink Nazi troops into diverting resources elsewhere 33SHARES 1COMMENT BYLUKE TRAYNOR 19:00, 5 JUN 2017 NEWS A "paradummy", to be auctioned after lying 73 years undiscovered in a Liverpool loft (Photo: partridge auctions) 33SHARES 1 Get Daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe A FAKE parachute used to hoodwink the Germans and divert their attention away from the D-Day Landings has been found - in a Liverpool attic. The very rare “paradummy” was deployed as a military deception device, imitating a real paratroop drop and causing the Nazis to mistakenly relocate firepower during the Second World War. The dummies were one third human size and had small arms, legs and heads. READ MORE WW2 veteran presented with medal after it was wrongly delivered to Costco They were made out of hessian cloth, and were filled up with sand to make them drop to the ground quicker. Nicknamed “Ruperts”, they were dropped in four locations over Normandy at about the same time thousands of Allied airmen landed in the correct drop-zones on the night of June 5, 1944. Six SAS soldiers were dropped alongside the puppets and played recordings of loud battle noises in order to divert the Nazi troops from the real invasion. They were designed to explode and burst into flames when they hit the ground. Now, 73 years later, a paradummy has turned up in a Merseyside loft. Ruth Garner, valuer at Adam Partridge auctions of Liverpool, told the ECHO: “It was found in a former Army man’s house, and his father and grandfather were also in the Army. Extracts from a letter sent from the World War One trenches to an Everton family, whose two sons were stationed on the front line. (Photo: partridge auctions) READ MORE War heroes honoured with lost medals at Merseyside ceremony “It’s quite rare for them to be found now - I can recall one being auctioned by Christie’s or Bonhams around ten years ago. “They are only 30 inches high, but from the ground, looking up into the sky, it looks like a human parachute dropping down.” Partridge Auctions, based in Liverpool, will put the paradummy under the hammer on Wednesday, with a guide price of between £700-1,000. Ms Garner added: “We have high hopes for it, and there’s been lots of interest registered in the paradummy already.” Other items up for sale are rare World War One medals, belonging to two brothers from Everton, and a postcard sent home to Liverpool from the front. One of the brothers was awarded a bravery medal, while the other got a “distinguished conduct” honour. The auction lot comes with paperwork, that includes the award announcement in the London Gazette, on October 1, 1918, and field diary extracts. READ MORE Suicidal soldier who hoarded urine had life changed by mystery burglar The “paradummy” deception, known as “Operation Titanic” was a success, although four of the six SAS men who dropped with the dummies were captured. The RAF dropped them from Stirling, Hudson and Halifax aircraft and the operation was portrayed in the film The Longest Day. Experts think the Merseyside paradummy was never deployed in France and was instead used in a training exercise back home. Also called “Oscars” by American soldiers, they were used to lure enemy troops into staged ambushes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 I was called a paradummy on a few occasions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calvin N. Hobbes, 17218 Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 I resemble that remark... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.