_80-year-old-found-rare-d-day-paradummy-and-mistook-it-for-a-scarecrow.jpg "80-year-old found rare D-Day paradummy - and mistook it for a scarecrow from meant museum Video Screenshot Preview")
GalleryPlay Video:
(Note: The default playback of the video is HD VERSION. If your browser is buffering the video slowly, please play the REGULAR MP4 VERSION or Open The Video below for better experience. Thank you!)
⏲ Duration: 0:15
👁 View: 1.2M times
✓ Published: 25-Apr-2024
👁 View: 1.2M times
✓ Published: 25-Apr-2024
Description:
An 80-year-old donated a rare original parachute dummy from D-Day to a museum - after mistaking it for a scarecrow.<br/><br/>Robert Bowley was clearing out his late brother's home when he came across the dummy.<br/><br/>His brother Michael Bowley had been fond of French collectors items and got it while on a trip to Normandy in the 1950s or 1960s.<br/><br/>Robert said he had initially mistaken it for a scarecrow before he passed it along to a museum.<br/><br/>That's when he discovered it was in fact a rare surviving D-Day artefact worth thousands.<br/><br/>The 'scarecrow' was one of several hundred from Operation Bodyguard, part of Operation Overlord, on June 6 1944.<br/><br/>Paradummies, made of hessian cloth, straw and sawdust, were dropped to create fake invasions by allied forces to divert enemy attention from the Normandy landing beaches.<br/><br/>Most of the dummies had a self-destroying mechanism to destroy the evidence - making this surviving dummy rare and valuable.<br/><br/>The paradummy is thought to be worth around £10,000 and one of less than 30 still in existence.<br/><br/>It is now on permanent display in the D-Day exhibition at House on the Hill Toy Museum.<br/><br/>Robert, a retired watchmaker and antique collector from Braintree, Essex, said: \
An 80-year-old donated a rare original parachute dummy from D-Day to a museum - after mistaking it for a scarecrow.<br/><br/>Robert Bowley was clearing out his late brother's home when he came across the dummy.<br/><br/>His brother Michael Bowley had been fond of French collectors items and got it while on a trip to Normandy in the 1950s or 1960s.<br/><br/>Robert said he had initially mistaken it for a scarecrow before he passed it along to a museum.<br/><br/>That's when he discovered it was in fact a rare surviving D-Day artefact worth thousands.<br/><br/>The 'scarecrow' was one of several hundred from Operation Bodyguard, part of Operation Overlord, on June 6 1944.<br/><br/>Paradummies, made of hessian cloth, straw and sawdust, were dropped to create fake invasions by allied forces to divert enemy attention from the Normandy landing beaches.<br/><br/>Most of the dummies had a self-destroying mechanism to destroy the evidence - making this surviving dummy rare and valuable.<br/><br/>The paradummy is thought to be worth around £10,000 and one of less than 30 still in existence.<br/><br/>It is now on permanent display in the D-Day exhibition at House on the Hill Toy Museum.<br/><br/>Robert, a retired watchmaker and antique collector from Braintree, Essex, said: \
Share with your friends:
Whatsapp | Viber | Telegram | Line | SMS
Email | Twitter | Reddit | Tumblr | Pinterest
Related Videos
_highlights-tour-of-the-metropolitan-museum-of-art-the-met.webp "Perfect Little Planet")
_top-3-risks-for-employers-on-world-day-for-safety-amp-health-at-work-sun-april-28.webp "Top 3 Risks , for Employers on World Day , for Safety & Health At Work.<br/>April 28 is World Day for Safety <br/>and Health at Work, a day meant to stress <br/>the importance of workplace safety. .<br/>PR Newswire recently spoke with Alan Price, <br/>the CEO of BrightHR, on the top three risks <br/>in the workplace and tips for employers. .<br/>Risk #1: New and expectant mothers, Identify potential hazards that include <br/>physical, biological, mental and social risks.<br/>Evaluate hazards and take steps to minimize <br/>the risks posed to pregnant workers.<br/>Once you've taken these steps you <br/>must record your findings and share <br/>them with the employee. Then make any <br/>necessary adjustments such as changes <br/>to working environments, shift patterns, <br/>or finding suitable alternative work, Alan Price, CEO of BrightHR, via PRNewsWire.<br/>Once you've taken these steps you <br/>must record your findings and share <br/>them with the employee. Then make any <br/>necessary adjustments such as changes <br/>to working environments, shift patterns, <br/>or finding suitable alternative work, Alan Price, CEO of BrightHR, via PRNewsWire.<br/>Risk #2: Slipping, tripping or falling, According to Price, identifying <br/>potential hazards is the first step.<br/>Software that records potential hazards <br/>can reduce accidents and offer an <br/>accurate record to avoid disputes or claims.<br/>Risk #3: Fire Hazards, When it comes to the risk of fire, Price <br/>suggests following procedures, conducting risk <br/>assessments and maintaining accurate records.<br/>If an accident happens and you haven't <br/>done everything possible to prevent it, <br/>then you could be liable. If in doubt, seek <br/>advice to ensure safety and compliance, Alan Price, CEO of BrightHR, via PRNewsWire.<br/>As an employer it is your legal duty to <br/>do everything in your power to prevent <br/>employees from getting hurt at work. <br/>Not only to protect staff from <br/>injury but also to avoid penalties, <br/>failed inspections, and damage <br/>to your company's reputation, Alan Price, CEO of BrightHR, via PRNewsWire")
_space-rock-slammed-into-moon-the-explosion-was-seen-from-japan.webp "Daichi Fujii from the Hiratsuka City Museum in Japan captured a meteor impact the moon with multiple telescopes. <br/><br/>Credit: Daichi Fujii (Hiratsuka City Museum) | edited by Space.com's Steve Spaleta<br/>Music: Shifting Angles by Experia / courtesy of Epidemic Sound")
_south-australian-museum-restructure-on-hold-as-state-government-launches-rapid-review.webp "The government has intervened in a controversial plan to re-structure the South Australia Museum, putting the process on hold, while a ‘rapid review’ is undertaken. Earlier this year, the Museum’s management launched what it called a ‘re-imagining’, pledging to transform the ageing galleries into ‘a contemporary experience’. But the proposal changes have received a huge public outcry, with claims the reforms to the research division will cause the institution to ‘wither and die’.")
⏲ 3:58 👁 465K
_space-rock-slammed-into-moon-the-explosion-was-seen-from-japan.webp "Daichi Fujii from the Hiratsuka City Museum in Japan captured a meteor impact the moon with multiple telescopes.<br/><br/>Credit: Daichi Fujii (Hiratsuka City Museum) | edited by Space.com's Steve Spaleta<br/>Music: Shifting Angles by Experia / courtesy of Epidemic Sound")
_banksy-universe-exhibit-not-authorized-by-banksy-says-metropolitan-museum-manila.webp "The Metropolitan Museum of Manila confirms its upcoming Banksy Universe exhibit is ‘not authorized or endorsed’ by the graffiti artist himself. The museum says the exhibit will feature over a hundred of Banksy’s works.<br/><br/>Full story: https://www.rappler.com/life-and-style/arts-culture/metropolitan-museum-manila-statement-banksy-universe-exhibit-bonifacio-global-city/")
_space-rock-slammed-into-moon-the-explosion-was-seen-from-japan.webp "Daichi Fujii from the Hiratsuka City Museum in Japan captured a meteor impact the moon with multiple telescopes. <br/><br/>Credit: Daichi Fujii (Hiratsuka City Museum) | edited by Space.com's Steve Spaleta<br/>Music: Shifting Angles by Experia / courtesy of Epidemic Sound")
_spears-stolen-by-captain-cook-returned-to-australia.webp "The “Gweagal spears” stolen in 1770 by Captain Cook and his crew were returned to the La Perouse Aboriginal Community including direct descendants of the Gweagal.")
_highlights-tour-of-the-metropolitan-museum-of-art-the-met.jpg)
_top-3-risks-for-employers-on-world-day-for-safety-amp-health-at-work-sun-april-28.jpg)
_space-rock-slammed-into-moon-the-explosion-was-seen-from-japan.jpg)
_south-australian-museum-restructure-on-hold-as-state-government-launches-rapid-review.jpg)
_space-rock-slammed-into-moon-the-explosion-was-seen-from-japan.jpg)
_banksy-universe-exhibit-not-authorized-by-banksy-says-metropolitan-museum-manila.jpg)
_space-rock-slammed-into-moon-the-explosion-was-seen-from-japan.jpg)
_spears-stolen-by-captain-cook-returned-to-australia.jpg)
![[+]](/images/menu.gif){kind=small}