Operation Crossbow

The National Collection of Aerial Photography

Much of the aerial photography featured in Operation Crossbow was discovered through the research of Allan Williams, Curator of The National Collection of Aerial Photography, part of RCAHMS (Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland). Based in Edinburgh, the Collection is one of world’s largest and most significant archives of historical aerial photography. Holding more than ten million declassified reconnaissance images taken by the RAF and the US Air Force during the Second World War, it provides a unique perspective on key moments in world history. Thousands of aerial photographs uncovered during this research, including many featured in the documentary, are available to view on The National Collection of Aerial Photography website.

One of the most common applications of the imagery today is for location of unexploded bombs in mainland Europe – in particular Germany, Austria, The Netherlands, and Italy - where they remain a danger to construction work. The Collection is increasingly used by people with an interest in tracing where their relatives were involved in and affected by military action.

The Collection is a living memorial to the military personnel involved, in particular to the many reconnaissance pilots and aircrew who lost their lives.

Pictured: Major Chris Halsall and Wing Commander Mike Mockford examine some of the aerial photographs held in the collection using stereoscopes, the same method used by the Interpreters at RAF Medmenham.

BBC News Magazine - How 3D glasses helped defeat Hitler

RAF Medmenham on the BBC History site

Find out more about the history of RAF Medmenham and the vital role it played in the Allied victory.

Hitler's V-weapons on the BBC History site

Find out more about the deadly 'Vengeance Weapons' and how they could have altered the course of World War Two.

The women of RAF Medmenham

Christine Halsall is the Biographer of the Medmenham Collection; she is currently writing a book about the role of women at Medmenham entitled Women of Intelligence, to be published by The History Press in May 2012.

“RAF Medmenham was the headquarters of wartime Photographic Intelligence, and one of the first truly joint service units where Army, Navy and Air Force personnel, both men and women, from Britain and the Allied countries worked together to provide Intelligence from air photography. By the end of the war, more than half of the total workforce at Medmenham were women serving with the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS), the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) and the US Women’s Army Corps (WAC). Although men and women were interchangeable on a one-to-one basis, women only received two thirds of a man's pay - a practice universal throughout the women's services, just as it was in civilian employment at that time.

The women Photographic Interpreters (PIs) came from diverse backgrounds - artists, geographers, archaeologists and historians - were among those recruited and they used their skills of analysis and deduction to produce secret intelligence reports on every aspect of enemy activity. These were used in the planning of all future Allied operations. Women PIs worked on an equal footing with their male counterparts at RAF Medmenham - some headed specialist sections with men and women from different services and countries responsible to them. Whoever was most capable to do a particular job, whether male or female, got the job. As one woman PI said, " I was never aware of a glass ceiling at Medmenham". Both the first ever woman professor to be appointed at either Cambridge or Oxford Universities and a daughter of the Prime Minister were PIs at RAF Medmenham.

The photographic processing and plotting sections and the libraries were all largely staffed by women, in addition to the communications and clerical services.”

Pictured: Myra Collyer