The Kentuckian., 1919-04-23
Photographers in British Air Serv.
ice Had Important Part
in War.
WERE AWKWARD At FIRST
"spy Dropping" Another Feature Of
Work of Aviation Section DeveI-
oped Toward End Of War
Much information Gained.


the British air force camera men
played to perfection in the war the
part of the spy in the enemy's camp.
A month or so after our first very
attenuated and ill-equipped flying
squadron had gone over to France
with the "Old Contemptibles," an OBJ
server flying one sunny day over the
enemy lines took with him much
cherished pocket camera and exposed
some films over the enehy's ground be-
meath him.
He wanted them only to send home
to his people as souvenirs. When they
were developed he found they formed
an excellent pictorial map Of the
Boche front lines.
Then It was that Lieutenant Colonel
Moore-Brabazon the 'father" and or
ganlzer of the Photographic section of
the Royal Air force, realized the enor-
nous possibilities OF air photographs
as an aid to the intelligence staff.
He began to agitate for permission
to carry on the work Of photographing
the German activities from the air.
The early experiments turning out to
be of first-rate value, Colonel Moore
Brabazon was sent home to start or
ganizing a Photographic branch of the
flying corps.
Gradually Improved.
And so the army spying service went
on improving month by month.
AS the work of the flying arm Of the
service extended ashore and afloat so
did the work of the air spies extend.
They photographed U-boats resting on
the bed of the Adriatlc and Mediter-
ranean; they pictured the oil patches
on the seas which betOken the sudden
end Of submarine.
To dodge successfully the Hun flyers
and the ever-present "Archie," the
pilots had lnvaribly to fly at fairly
high altitudes-rnrely at less than 10,-
600 feet, and always on a zigzag
course.
The "mosains," as they were called
picture maps pieced together some
thing like jlgsaw puzzle--were made
from thousands of pictures taken with
a lens pointing vertically toward the
ground. IN
"A brigade intelligence officer. having
got complete set of prints, taken an
hour before. sat down to deduce, Sher-
lock Holmes like, a lengthy indictment
Of the Huns overnight activities.
Signs of an impending attack on a
big scale usually could be deduced by
the plainly apparent newly made roads
for tanks and by the masslng of men
In large numbers In support trenches
and on roads leading from back area !
billets.
One of the most enterprislng meth
DDS Of aerial intelligence was the drop
ping of spies in the Hun lines and
picking them up after they had COM
oleted their work. In this way much
Information Of vital Importance was
gained.
These secret service agents were
Mostly Frenchmen who knew the coun-
ny thoroughly and had a full inside
knowledge Of the Hun military organi-
;ation.
II there were any signs Of activity
n any particular sector Of the line
bout which the high command was
nxious, one Of these agents was de-
allied to report to headquarters for in
tructions. Here he was also supplied
With the necessary papers, and was
hen sent by car to certain aerodrome.
Used Special Machine.
At this aerodrome was a specially
INSTRUCTED machine. The pilot was
sually well-known Birmingham mo-
Or cyclist racer, who specialized in
his particular work. He was bril- {
antly successful at what was un-
oubtedly very risky game. TIis eff
Orts were rewarded by many decora- {
IONS, and he is still flying. {
The spy having reported to his pilot, t
etails would be arranged between /
hem, and frequently there was a re- G
earsal in the form of a flight over G
he spot where he was to land. Some c
mes the work would be undertaken q
Y day, but If the weather was favor d
BILE, 1t was mostly done by night. h
The spy would get into his basket
eat, so constructed that he could cas-
y slip OFF; the engine would be thor
1ghly tested, and they would get into 4
le air. a
They would make straight for the +
ppointed spot, needless of all search . .
ghts and shells, and would then land. !,
he landing spot was a go6d-sized fleld a a
ith an even surface. y
At an appointed time two or three 4
lys later, earlier IL necessary, the = :,
achine would return to the same spot =
i'd pick up the man again. Some l
mes, If his investigations were Of =. =
lrtlcularly lengthy nature, he would = =
turn to our lines by another means. =