A FESTIVAL OF CAMOUFLAGE: Summer 2008
This history has never been fully told; join us and uncover this underground story. The Art of Deception uses theatre and visual art to celebrate and discover this Unit's unique history. Come along and take part in this dazzling festival of camouflage.
About the Directorate
In 1940 a quiet provincial Spa town in the Midlands became home to the Camouflage Directorate, a government funded unit that was to research and apply camouflage for military and civilian use. To do this 250 men and women - artists, designers, draughtsmen, photographers and technicians were brought together to form the Camouflage Unit at Leamington Spa. This Unit described as “a group of maniacs” worked in secrecy on camouflage. Based around Spencer Yard and the Old Museum and Art Gallery they created model factories and ships, placing them on an enormous turntable, with suns and moons attached to simulate varying weather and light conditions. This camouflage was then applied to real factories and naval vessels.
Factory Camouflage
One of the main objectives of the Camouflage Directorate was to disguise over 6,000 Category A Factories from aerial bombardment that were crucial to the war effort. The West Midlands was home to many of these factories including Lockheed in Leamington Spa. Using paint, netting and natural camouflage they attempted to obscure these large factories from enemy attack.