Aerial Reconnaissance in World War Two Gallery

A WAAF section officer examines reconaissance photos

Photo interpretation

This photograph shows first phase photo interpretation being carried out on reconnaissance photographs by a WAAF section officer. As shown, a stereoscope was used to examine two consecutive photographs of the same object, to achieve a three-dimensional effect. This helped the photo interpreters to more readily detect and recognise enemy equipment, defence systems and camouflage.

The work was important, in that the interpreters' findings had a direct effect on the course of the war, but the work itself entailed a monotonous search through thousands of photographs. Those involved in the task felt, however, that the total of the small findings, or the occasional big one, more than compensated for the concentrated effort that was involved.