Complex sentence: A follow-up airstrike was planned for the next night based on the pessimistic assessments of the aircrews, but it was cancelled due to bad weather and reconnaissance photos taken by the RAF that showed three battleships with their decks awash and surrounded by pools of oil.
Split into simpler sentences: A follow-up airstrike was planned for the next night based on the pessimistic assessments of the aircrews, but it was cancelled due to bad weather. Reconnaissance photos taken by the RAF, showed three battleships with their decks awash and surrounded by pools of oil.