The American Expeditionary Forces "Engineer Field Notes" manual (September 1918) contains a section called "Engineer Field Notes No.23/ Field Fortification No.9/ Camouflage". In this section one can read about general aspects of camouflage (definition, means of detection, location of military works, execution of camouflage, dummy positions) and principles of camouflage (form, shadow, texture, colors, tracks, artillery positions, machine gun positions, observation posts, trenches and accessory works, gas projectors, camps cantonements and bivouacs, "chinese attacks").
These parts of the section attracted my interest: "44.Chinese Attacks. Silhouette figures can be used to make dummy attacks for drawing the enemy's fire. They may be used to cause the enemy to disclose his machine gun positions, to man his parapets, or in conjunction with a real attack to draw a part of the enemy's fire. The essential features of the success of a "Chinese Attack" are that the silhouettes have a realistic outline, and that they are operated skillfully. The figures are placed a few yards in front of the front line trench, and are operated from the trench by wires. Considerable practice in operating of these figures is necessary. The figures should be raised behind a thin smoke screen."
Then: "45. The Camouflage Service supplies the following material:" (a list of 21 items follows, for example Wire netting, Fish nets for machine guns, Garlands, Wire and rope for supporting material...) At the end of the list are "Helmet covers. Snipers' suits, with rifle covers. Dummy heads. False shell holes. Silhouettes for dummy attacks. Camouflage cover for periscope (made to order)."
Then: "46. In order to obtain camouflage service, a request for a camouflage officer should be sent to the division engineer. This officer will reconnoitre the proposed site of the work, and give the officer in charge a memorandum order for the necessary materials. This order will be filled upon presentation to the engineer dump for camouflage material.
47. In general, requests for camouflage material (except when obtained as stated in paragraph 44) should state what is to be camouflaged, and where this object is located, with a description of the surroundings, rather than what material is needed."
I would like to create a diorama of such an engineer dump for camouflage material (or part of it). I think it would be nice to have "men" making dummy heads with papier maché or wooden silhouette figures and other ranks putting the ordered items onto a lorry.
Unfortunately I wasn't able to find any informations like plans, descriptions and photographs about such places or dumps so far . What I have are photographs of dummy heads displayed in the Royal Engineers Museum at Rochester (UK),
