Wartime blackout measures failed to stop the River Thames from reflecting full-moon light, creating a bright guide to central London for enemy bombers. The government commissioned the Department of Miscellaneous Weapons Development, a team of scientists and military officers, to find ways to reduce water reflectivity. Previous experiments had suggested covering water surfaces with coal dust. Trials in 1936 found loose coal dust too light and prone to drifting. Studies at the Fuel Research Station in Greenwich showed that coating coal dust with fuel oil made it less susceptible to wind and improved spreading when poured onto water. Environmental consequences were not prioritized during wartime.
If you walked along the Thames in Spring 1941, you would have seen something remarkable - the government was trying to hide the Thames. It's wartime, and although the city's lights are blacked out to make it harder for enemy bombers to find targets, the River Thames insists on glowing brightly under the light of the full moon. It was a shining arrow pointing directly at central London, and the government wants something done about it.
So, in January 1941, they were tasked with doing something to stop water from reflecting moonlight. Not just in London, but for all ports and docks that could benefit from being less obvious to bombers at night. They were fortunate that there was an idea which had been tested in the past, which looked promising, and that was to cover the water with coal dust.
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