Camouflage history to be probed

The group also helped design camouflage clothing for the Army

Lottery chiefs have given nearly £50,000 to investigate the role of a World War II team which helped camouflage buildings from the enemy.

The camouflage directorate, based in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, helped design disguises for factories, ships, dockyards, power stations and airports.

The group included up to 250 artists, designers and draughtsmen.

They created fake buildings to fool bombers from the sky and divert them from genuine targets.

Camouflage clothing

They also covered rivers and canals with sheeting, to make them supposedly disappear to those flying overhead.

The group also helped design camouflage clothing for the Armed Forces.

The Heritage Lottery Fund money will be used by the Sez-U Community Theatre and the Leamington Studio Artists to document, record and archive the work that was carried out by the camouflage directorate.

Exhibitions, workshops and a play will also be put on to explain some of the research findings.