ACTIVITY: Aerial Reconnaissance in World War I. BPM: WWI Sch Activity Pack [11.17]. ACTIVITY: Aerial Reconnaissance in World War I. © IWM (BOX 99-272-4B-27X-1918)

However, planes and satellites haven’t been around for very long. Reconnaissance Today, this is the activity of finding out military information about a place by sending soldiers or aeroplanes there, or by the use of satellites. However, planes and satellites haven’t been around for very long. Before they had aeroplanes, the military used hot air balloons to fly over enemy lines to see what was going on, like in this picture here……................ By the time of World War One, aeroplanes had been around for just a couple of decades, but military commanders were already able to see how useful they could be in observing what was happening over enemy lines.

Like this document here, which is from 1914.  In the early days of aerial reconnaissance, pilots and observers would be in aircraft such as this bi-plane: They would have to draw pictures and write notes about what they had seen. Like this document here, which is from 1914.  The addition of a camera made these observations easier… © IWM (Q 67460) © RAF Museum

This photograph shows a Royal Flying Corps aircraft flying over France in 1916. The camera taking the photograph would have been mounted on an aircraft just like this one, flying high up. The camera was mounted underneath the right hand wing, near the cockpit. This aircraft was good at balancing so the addition of the camera on one side didn’t make it unsteady – the camera was much bigger than we’re used to today! Have a look… © IWM (Q 27633)

These photos show aircrew loading the camera to the aircraft. The camera is fixed to the outside of the aircraft, it wasn’t inside. Notice that the airman is also in an open cockpit – there was no protective canopy to shield him. © IWM (FLM 3582) © IWM (Q3385)

Although this aircraft was well balanced, there was one problem with it – it wasn’t very fast. This meant they could be easily attacked by enemy anti-aircraft guns on the ground below. Aerial Reconnaissance was a very dangerous job, but it helped commanders find out a lot of important information about the enemy’s set up, such as the location of trenches, communication centres, machine guns, supply and ammunition dumps, aerodromes, and troop movements. © IWM (Q 27633)

Activity The next five photos were taken by members of the Royal Flying Corps during World War I. Have a look at them and try to work out what they show you… © IWM (BOX 7008-1216-20K-28O-1917)

1 © IWM (HU74580)

This aerial photo shows the outline of German trenches. Why aren’t they in a straight line? Neither the British or the Germans built their trenches in a straight line – if the enemy had got into their trench then it would have been easier for them to attack everyone straight ahead of them if the trench was straight. German Trenches Here the land is raised, rather than sunk below ground like a trench… …why do you think that might be? It could be that they have built up earth and soil to protect guns or supplies. © IWM HU74580

2 © IWM Q63740

Some examples of British Heavy Artillery guns used during World War I… German Trenches This shows us smoke from a bombardment by British Artillery on German trenches in 1916. What do you think these are? © IWM Q63740

3

This photograph shows the layout of enemy trenches. Trenches would be made up of several lines. The Front Line The Support Line The Reserve Line These lines were all connected so soldiers could travel between them. Connecting trenches. The Front Line would be stocked with machine guns, and would face onto No Man’s Land, with the enemy’s Front Line on the other side. Most of the fighting was done from the Front Line, and the other trenches were used to rest soldiers and hold supplies. Usually, soldiers would spend 8 days on the Front Line, 4 days in a Reserve Trench and 4 days in a rest camp.

4

This photograph shows lots of shell holes which have been left by a bombardment of enemy ammunition. The shell holes are filled with rain water. The weather was another element that soldiers had to face on the front line.

What do you think life must have been like in the trenches? Rainfall affected soldiers on both sides in the trenches. Look at this photo below of a soldier wading through mud in a trench. What do you think life must have been like in the trenches?

Look at the next photo of a town closely and see what you can recognise in that town.

5 Passchendaele 16.06.1917 Houses Church Main High Street Woods Farm Fields © IWM (Q42917)

The next photo shows you that same village, Passchendaele, just three months later in December 1917 after it had been the site of some of the most fierce fighting in World War I. The Battle of Passchendaele, or the third Battle of Ypres, is one of the most well known battles of WWI. It lasted for 101 days. The number of soldiers killed on both sides is not confirmed, but estimated to be well over 200,000 on each side.

What can we identify in the photo now? Passchendaele 02.12.1917 Church Roads What can we identify in the photo now? © IWM (Q42918)

Look at how much damage has been caused to the whole village in just three months.