Bombing Practice Marker Arrow - Port St. Mary, Isle of Man
Posted by: 
Mike_bjm
N 54° 04.090 W 004° 44.205
30U E 386348 N 5992500
A World War II bombing practice marker arrow near to Mona's Queen III Anchor Memorial, in Port St. Mary (Purt le Moirrey)
Waymark Code: WMX600
Location: Isle of Man
Date Posted: 12/02/2017
Views: 3
A World War II bombing practice marker arrow near to the Mona's Queen III Anchor Memorial in Port St. Mary (Purt le Moirrey). (
visit link)
The arrow was used by pilots of the Fleet Air Arm based at HMS Urley (now Ronaldsway Airport) between June 1945 and December 1945. The arrow was used 'as a lead-in marker to find a target just offshore.
The arrow which is made of concrete with a slot down the middle, which is today filled with stones, is approximately 65ft long and 6ft wide and its alignment is SSW.
During the War the slot would have contained lights which would have allowed night-time bombing practice.
The bombing target would have been shaped like a submarine conning tower. The target would have been made of wood and mounted on a triangular shaped raft located approximately half a mile off the point.
The Fairey Barracuda aircraft based as HMS Urley would have dropped smoke bombs on the target during daylight. At night a flare would have been dropped first to illuminate the target which would have been followed up with bombs.
Two observation posts, one near to the arrow and the other to the South West at Kione y Ghoggan would have been manned by plotters who would have marked the impacts of the bombs or torpedoes.
Source: Information Board near to the arrow erected by the Purt le Moirrey Board of Commissioners.
Source: (
visit link)