Luftwaffe Target Dossier, UK 1939.

[Carruthers]

I've always had a passing interest in local history especially if there is a family conection of any sort. Well over twenty years ago I became aware of the US National Archive holding vast numbers of intelligence documents retrieved from Berlin at the end of WW2. There's an RAF station a couple of miles away from here where my grandfather served at the end of WW1 and into the 1920s and it occurred to me that the Archive might hold something of relevance. I sent off an enquiry and they were able to supply copies of the Luftwaffe Target Dossier for the station. The dossier included an aerial reconnaissance image which they copied and provided me with a large print and the negative.

Unfortunately, I don’t speak German but some of the terms used in the documents don’t need much in the way of translation with local airfields and other places of military interest being listed.

Strangely, there is no mention of Chequers, the Prime Minister’s country residence and only 3.5 miles to the SW. During WW2 there was an anti-aircraft battery on the hill above Chequers and a detachment of Coldstream Guards guarded the house and grounds. When I was at junior school, the caretaker (janitor) had been a member of the Coldstream Guards at Chequers. I remember him telling my dad of the night he was on duty and Churchill suddenly appeared out of the darkness and said ’Good evening, Sentry’. The sentry admitted getting the fright of his life but managed to salute and splutter a response. Apparently Churchill walked around the grounds at all hours as an aid to concentration.

Anyway, I hope that there might be something of interest to Dwellars.

RAF Halton mid 1939. (Courtesy US National Archives)


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I couldn't reproduce the exact angle of view in the second image, but I think that it will suffice.


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[xoxoxoBruce]

I would imagine Germany had maps and probably aerial photos of every airstrip in Britain, France, and even the US. They surely(if you don't mind me calling you that) had the complete run down on Chequers.

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

I would imagine Germany had maps and probably aerial photos of every airstrip in Britain, France, and even the US. They surely(if you don't mind me calling you that) had the complete run down on Chequers.

Just having looked at the 1991 letter from the Archive, it says that they hold 1,200,000 German flown aerial photographic prints so, as you say Bruce, they probably had a more than adequate file on Chequers in Berlin.

[xoxoxoBruce]

They evidently were predicting there could be aircraft hiding at every airfield on the island. As it turned out, after the Battle of Britain broke the Axis' air back, there was allied aircraft at every damn place they could use. So by then all the information was moot.

[Carruthers]

Here's the rest...


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The un-named town on the left hand margin of the map is Aylesbury.
Wendover is just off the bottom edge south of Halton.


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[Tom131]

Originally Posted by Carruthers

I sent off an enquiry and they were able to supply copies of the Luftwaffe Target Dossier for the station. The dossier included an aerial reconnaissance image which they copied and provided me with a large print and the negative. [/url]

Hi Carruthers,

I'm currently researching the history No. 238 Squadron (RAF) during the Battle of Britain. The unit was lucky to escape more or less unharmed from heavy German raids against both Middle Wallop and St Eval at different times during the Battle. I would very much like to see what intelligence the Germans held on these airfields and I suspect these files may also be held in the US National Archives. Could you tell me how you went about obtaining these fascinating pictures of Halton?

Thanks

[xoxoxoBruce]

Careful Carruthers, he might be a Nazi agent trying to learn Britain's secrets.

Just kidding ya, Tom131, welcome to the Cellar.

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by Tom131

Hi Carruthers,

I'm currently researching the history No. 238 Squadron (RAF) during the Battle of Britain. The unit was lucky to escape more or less unharmed from heavy German raids against both Middle Wallop and St Eval at different times during the Battle. I would very much like to see what intelligence the Germans held on these airfields and I suspect these files may also be held in the US National Archives. Could you tell me how you went about obtaining these fascinating pictures of Halton?

Thanks

Hallo Tom131, and welcome to The Cellar.

Forgive me for not getting back to you sooner but it's been something of a busy day.

When I made my initial enquiry to the US National Archives back in 1991, I gave an outline of the geographic area I was interested in, and specific locations within that area which included RAF Halton.
The Archive detailed the information it had on the station and how it was filed, ie National Archives Collection of Foreign Records Seized (Record Group 242) Target Dossiers, British Isles: GB1093.
I was invited to place an order for a copy of the aerial photo and copies of the rest of the dossier which I duly did.
It was a rather slow process back then but now much of the material held is catalogued on the US National Archives website.
Contents of Record Group 242 are set out here: National Archives Collection of Foreign Records Seized
Scroll down to '242.9.4 Other air force records' and see the second paragraph. You might have to dig around a bit and use some imaginative search terms, but there's every chance that there is something of use to you.

Back on this side of the Atlantic, are you aware of the collection of aerial photos held by Historic England at their premises in Swindon?
It goes back to the early years of the 20th Century and you may find it worth investigating. The collection holds the entire aerial survey of the country carried out in 1947 by the RAF on behalf of the Ordnance Survey.

I hope that you'll find something of use to you in your research. If I think of anything else I'll post it here or PM you.
If there's anything else I can help you with, please ask and I'll do my best.

Carruthers.

[Tom131]

Originally Posted by Carruthers

Hallo Tom131, and welcome to The Cellar.

Forgive me for not getting back to you sooner but it's been something of a busy day.

When I made my initial enquiry to the US National Archives back in 1991, I gave an outline of the geographic area I was interested in, and specific locations within that area which included RAF Halton.
The Archive detailed the information it had on the station and how it was filed, ie National Archives Collection of Foreign Records Seized (Record Group 242) Target Dossiers, British Isles: GB1093.
I was invited to place an order for a copy of the aerial photo and copies of the rest of the dossier which I duly did.
It was a rather slow process back then but now much of the material held is catalogued on the US National Archives website.
Contents of Record Group 242 are set out here: National Archives Collection of Foreign Records Seized
Scroll down to '242.9.4 Other air force records' and see the second paragraph. You might have to dig around a bit and use some imaginative search terms, but there's every chance that there is something of use to you.

Back on this side of the Atlantic, are you aware of the collection of aerial photos held by Historic England at their premises in Swindon?
It goes back to the early years of the 20th Century and you may find it worth investigating. The collection holds the entire aerial survey of the country carried out in 1947 by the RAF on behalf of the Ordnance Survey.

I hope that you'll find something of use to you in your research. If I think of anything else I'll post it here or PM you.
If there's anything else I can help you with, please ask and I'll do my best.

Carruthers.

Carruthers,

Thanks for your assistance. I've got a great idea where to start now. I was loosely aware that Historic England held an archive, but I must confess that it had never crossed my mind to look there. I'm looking forward to seeing what I can find.

[BigV]

welcome to the cellar Tom131. I hope you stick around and post some more.

[DanaC]

Yeah, welcome, Tom!

Nice to see another military historian around here :P

[xoxoxoBruce]

Curse you, Red Barron!!!