Flying Officer Constance Babington Smith MBE

This post is dedicated to Flight Officer Constance Babington-Smith,WAAF, the British photo interpreter who. first discovered the V rockets at Peenemunde on imagery. ...

In most World War II operations photographic reconnaissance played a greater or lesser part, but in no other major operation was that part so complete or all embracing as in the battle against the flying bomb. To Photographic Reconnaissance and Intelligence fell the task, first of identifying the weapons with which the Allies had to contend and then of directing the necessary counter measures.
Very early in 1943, ground intelligence indicated that secret experimental work was in hand at Peenemunde. Photographic reconnaissance proved this to be true.

An essential part of the battle for photographic reconnaissance and intelligence was the location of manufacture, supply and storage depots for the flying bombs. As all dumps were situated underground in an effort to escape bombing, ground information generally led to the discovery of such sites. Photographic cover was ceaselessly being searched to prove and disprove such reports. A typical storage site was that at St. Leu D’esserent where old mushroom caves were taken over, enlarged and entrances fortified by steel and concrete doors. Invaluable information was gathered by low flying pilots who took remarkable obliques showing the amount of overhang over tunnels and other technical data necessary for the best bombing results.

As depicted in the very fine British movie production in 1965. Operation Crossbow.

Babington Smith was a pioneer in the craft of
aircraft and photographic interpretation,
greatly expanding the usefulness of analytic
interpretation. One of Babington Smith’s most
celebrated discoveries during World War II
was her identification of an unidentified,
pilotless aircraft at Peenemunde, a major
German army rocket research center on the Baltic coast. Her discovery led to the air campaigns that disrupted
German plans for the mass launch of V1 and V2 rockets against the Allies. In the summer of 1945, after Germany surrendered, she came to the United States and assisted in the war against Japan.
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA),
Washington, D.C., Navy Yard facility, honored Flight Officer
Constance Babington Smith MBE by naming the facility's
Analysis Fusion Cell after her. Standing in front of a World War
II photo of Constance Babington Smith is: (left to right) Air
Commodore Martin R. Hallam RAF, Chief Executive, Defence
Geographic and Imagery Intelligence Agency; Mr. James
Babington Smith, nephew; and Lieutenant General James R.
Clapper,Jr., USAF (Ret.), Director, NGA.
After the end of World War II, Babington Smith never lost her interest or enthusiasm for imagery intelligence.
She worked as a researcher for Life magazine and also wrote Evidence in Camera, originally published as Air
Spy: The Story of Photo Intelligence in World War II.
Constance Babington Smith died July 31, 2000 at 87.
















© Keele University 2004

 

I remember reading about her. Just goes to show that war is not fought just on the battle field.

 

I say! Damned fine observation old chap.

 

Excellent post sir and a remarkable lady indeed!

 

Forgot to say, great work and info.

 

Cheers old bean.
In fact I searched the net for a whole hour for a photo of her to add to the post before giving up.
If anyone could find one I'd gratefully add it.
Tally Ho!

 

Here you go.

 

Nice one VP, I say well done. Also many thanks old bean.
I have added it into the post. Pretty lady what?
Cherio chaps!

 

On topic of photo interpretation the comedic poet Pam Ayres was in RAF and given that job