reconnaissance

May

14

1942

The LRDG experiment with bombing vehicles

Three Long Range Desert Group 30-cwt Chevrolet trucks, surrounded by desert.

The patrol carried 45 gallon drums for blocking the road; and in the hope of creating the impression of a stretch of road under repair two long poles were to be put across the drums, and two red lamps were hung on them with the notice “Achtung! Strassenbau”. The truck was left 150 yards from the road with the driver and two machine-gunners. Two other ranks armed with a Tommy gun, a rifle and some hand grenades were in position 50 yards from the road. These two parties were to give covering fire.

Jun

7

1941

German forces mass in the east of Poland

A German motorised column on the Russian front, June 1941.

Because of unusually heavy military traffic, all civilian movement was halted for several hours. You can see many different types of troops. … The situation is the same as during a war when large fighting units begin to move.

Dec

16

1940

RAF bombing raid starts fires burning in Mannheim

Aerial image of effects of bombing on Mannheim

‘the sole objective was the industrial centre of Mannheim on which 108 tons of highexplosive and over 13,000 incendiary bombs were dropped. Countless fires were started and aircraft which arrived late in the night reported that many blocks in the Western and South-Eastern areas were ablaze. Aircraft visited the town on the two following nights and reported many fires still burning after the previous attacks, and smoke hanging over the town.’

Dec

9

1940

British attack Italians in the Desert

Bren-gun-carriers advancing across Desert

We have attacked in the Western Desert. This is not an offensive and I do not think you ought to describe it as an offensive as yet. You might call it an important raid. The attack was made early this morning and I had word an hour ago that the first of the Italian camps has fallen. I cannot tell you at this moment how far we are going to go— it depends on what supplies and provisions we capture and what petrol we are able to find.

Dec

6

1940

RAF assault Italian Forces in Libya

RAF reconnaissance photo interpretation showing ships on fire and sinking in Bengazi Harbour in Italian occupied Libya.

As British and Empire troops in Egypt were told to prepare for the ’2nd Training Exercise’, the RAF mounted sustained attacks on the Italian forces in Libya and Egypt. They achieved the main objective of preventing the Italian Air Force from mounting reconnaissance flights over Egypt that would discover the build up of troops.

Mar

8

1940

Air Reconnaissance over the Western Front

The Fairey Battle fighter bomber

British Movietone News from 8th March 1940 showing early Air Reconnaissance techniques using Fairy Battle aircraft escorted by Hurricanes.