An especially rare and memorable relic, a dummy made in the outline of a parachutist, 500 of which were dropped in the vicinity of Calais in the early morning hours of D-Day, June 6, 1944, in an attempt to convince the German defenders there that an Allied air invasion had commenced at that location. The hope was that such a deception would draw reinforcements away from the Normandy beaches, far to the south. These 'paradummies', called 'Ruperts', proved quite successful in their mission. They were apparently also rigged to ignite upon landing, thus leaving the German defenders even more perplexed as to the location of the 'attackers'. The example here is approx. 36 in. long and constructed of brown Hessian, or burlap. It was normally filled with sand or green waste (in the case of the D-Day drops) and had a bulge at the waist mimicking a parachute. Cord ties are fitted at the ends of the arms and legs, as well as at the top of the head, these all being separate compartments. The front of the dummy bears four brass grommets and a tie to close the four flaps thereat. A period-typed tag is tied to the top cord, reading: 'REF No 15/43 DEVICE CAMOUFLAGE H&S LTD'. There is a small repaired area at the front, perfectly matching the surrounding material, possibly made by the manufacturer or a later owner of this piece. Originates from a 50+ year British collection. An iconic piece so reminiscent of the D-Day invasion.