ASSESSING THREATS
This image illustrates a German battalionstrength defensive position near the French village of Galmanche, north of Caen. The photo was taken by aircraft of 39 RCAF Reconnaissance Wing, and the ground check notations were made by the Air Photo Interpretation Section of 59th British Division in preparation for Operation Charnwood, the attack on Caen on July 8, 1944. The notations show the wealth of information that an experienced interpreter can glean from an aerial photo. Among other details noted are dug-in tanks, mortar positions, trenches and the positions of friendly troops. Photo interpreters did not rely strictly upon one photo but would have based their assessments on comparisons between older and newer photos to find changes, pilot observations, and intelligence supplied by ground forces.