# Gallipoli (Dardanells) Turkey 1915 Photo Reconnaissance, original pictures



## Cookie bomb (Jun 16, 2014)

I recently obtained an envelope with what was descried as WW2 photographs. Yes some were indeed WW2, however 8 of them clearly are not. After some internet research I have identified them as 1915 Gallipoli WW1. I have had them inspected by someone from the photography museum and he confirms them as original. 
Possibly taken by the RNAS from one of their six seaplanes. Flown out from the island of Tenedos. (Eyes of the RAF Roy Conyers Nesbit).
The picture s are Kilitbahir Castle, Hamidiye Tabyasi, Seddulbahir Fort,Chocolate Hill, Ari Burnu and Anzac. I think! 
If anyone knows 1578591 LAC Lambert.F.W.RAF India Command I have another 40 WW2 pictures he or his family could be interested in.
Please buy all means download the pictures for your own research, but not to use for financial gain. I would not like to find copy's on flebay. Enjoy!
























The Anzac one is to large I will scan it again and post it later. Sorry. Done it as follows: 









I have added a stereocard of the Zeppelin works at Friedrichshafen 21/06/1943 just for reference. This type of card was used for training at Bletchley Park.

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## buffnut453 (Jun 16, 2014)

WOW!!! Aren't they fantastic!!! And such good quality too. Can I be your wingman next time you go to "obtain" something?

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## vikingBerserker (Jun 16, 2014)

Those are AWESOME! Thanks for sharing.

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## parsifal (Jun 16, 2014)

They are a great find, but as the resident skeptic, how would they take aerial photos of that quality in 1915. I expect only by balloon, if so, who was operating ballon recce units in the TO in 1915?

One of the things that make me raise this question is the depth of the photography. Some of the images appear as having depth, which suggests that stereoscopic techniques were used. stereoscopy has been around for a while, but really didnt take off in aerial photography until after the war. it is quite possible that it was used, but it would have been cutting edge technology at the time....


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## buffnut453 (Jun 17, 2014)

You need 2 images to create a stereo view. Pics #3 and #4 might have had sufficient overlap to apply stereoscopic techniques but the others are single images and so stereoscopy ain't gonna work. 

According to Wiki (yes, I know!) suggests stereoscopic aerial photography was in use as early as 1912 so I don't see any reason for it not to be used during WWI.

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## Torch (Jun 17, 2014)

Great pics


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## Cookie bomb (Jun 17, 2014)

I am quoting directly from Eyes of The RAF ROY CONERS NESBIT page 48, Air reconnaissance and photography were carried out by the RNAS, which at the outset could muster only six seaplanes of dubious reliability, together with two aeroplanes which flew from the nearby island of Tenedos.
The Curtis JN series was available in 1914, the Royal Aircraft Factory FE2a biplane 1915, the YE7, Vickers Fighting Biplane FB5, The Sapwith Babyfloatplane was available to the RNAS in 1915, and The Caudron Gill. Sorry no air balloons on this trip. 
The size of the pictures are (9cmx11cm) this would fit the wooden vertical A-type camera.
I am no expert, I have just read from a book, however the pictures have been checked by someone from a museum of photography and he says they are the real thing.
The depth of some of them is incredible and definitely not 2D or 3D this came later and did require 2 cameras.
The one of the Seddulbahir Fort must have been taken before the Navy shot it up, it was very badly damaged and now very hard to find on Google earth. 
Thank you for your comments please keep them coming.


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## Cookie bomb (Jun 17, 2014)

buffnut453 said:


> WOW!!! Aren't they fantastic!!! And such good quality too. Can I be your wingman next time you go to "obtain" something?


You are very welcome to be my wingman any time. Lincolnshire is full of this type of thing.


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## Gnomey (Jun 17, 2014)

Great stuff!! Thanks a lot for sharing.

Thought about what your plans are for them?

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## buffnut453 (Jun 17, 2014)

Cookie bomb said:


> I am quoting directly from Eyes of The RAF ROY CONERS NESBIT page 48, Air reconnaissance and photography were carried out by the RNAS, which at the outset could muster only six seaplanes of dubious reliability, together with two aeroplanes which flew from the nearby island of Tenedos.
> The Curtis JN series was available in 1914, the Royal Aircraft Factory FE2a biplane 1915, the YE7, Vickers Fighting Biplane FB5, The Sapwith Babyfloatplane was available to the RNAS in 1915, and The Caudron Gill. Sorry no air balloons on this trip.
> The size of the pictures are (9cmx11cm) this would fit the wooden vertical A-type camera.
> I am no expert, I have just read from a book, however the pictures have been checked by someone from a museum of photography and he says they are the real thing.
> ...



I would suggest Pics #3 and #4 are almost certainly a stereo pair. They were taken at the same time of day (note the shadows just to photo south of the triangular fort). Use of imagery pairs like this to view in 3D was a well-known 19th century parlour pasttime but, as noted previously, teh same techniques had been applied to aerial imagery from 1912 onwards. Great, GREAT imagery...as an old-school photo interpreter, this stuff is just fantastic to my eyes!!


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## buffnut453 (Jun 17, 2014)

Cookie bomb said:


> You are very welcome to be my wingman any time. Lincolnshire is full of this type of thing.



Yeah...alas moving to Virginia over-extended my commute to your neck of the woods.


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## parsifal (Jun 17, 2014)

Im not disputing that they are legitimate, but the use of 3d photography only 3 years after its invention, on a secondary front of the war, is amazing and worth noting. It also does not invalidate the opinion that this type of photographic representation was rare until after the war. How many 3d photos of WWI have you seen. id venture a guess and say, like myself, not many


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## buffnut453 (Jun 17, 2014)

Parsifal, stereoscopy had been known since the 19th century - it was well-tried parlour entertainment, indeed hand-held or larger sterescopic viewers were the TVs of the mid/late Victorian era. Check out this link for stereo images from the American Civil War. Applying steroscopic techniques to aerial photography is hardly "inventing" the capability. 

I'm struggling with your use of the term "3D photo" by which I presume you mean anaglyphs. That technique is not used for intelligence work because it requires additional processing of the imagery and takes longer to derive intelligence, whereas stereoscopy can be applied to any suitably-overlapping pair of 2D images. Stereoscopy is merely the aligning of 2 images (a stereo pair) such that the human eye is fooled into perceiving a 3D view. It's not the creation of some new image, merely a human perception of 2 existing 2D images. As already observed, pics #3 and #4 above look like a stereo pair to me.


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## parsifal (Jun 18, 2014)

> Parsifal, stereoscopy had been known since the 19th century - it was well-tried parlour entertainment, indeed hand-held or larger sterescopic viewers were the TVs of the mid/late Victorian era. Check out this link for stereo images from the American Civil War. Applying steroscopic techniques to aerial photography is hardly "inventing" the capability.



I agree and knew that steroscopic photogrpahy had been around for a while, but as a form of military intell, it was very new. The British air services did not form the first heavier than air recon units until 1913, and lagged very badly in terms of the cameras they were usiing. The following article suggest that sterscopic capability was not available to the British (and americans) until after 1917.

Aerial reconnaissance in World War I - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

So while it was far from being "invented", it was definately a new technique particulalry for the british. we are back where we started. Is it plausible for the British to be able to take these photos with the technology and expertise they possessed with less than a years existence for their recon arms? 



> I'm struggling with your use of the term "3D photo" by which I presume you mean anaglyphs. That technique is not used for intelligence work because it requires additional processing of the imagery and takes longer to derive intelligence, whereas stereoscopy can be applied to any suitably-overlapping pair of 2D images.



And therein lies the problem. The British dont seem to have the necessary technology and/or expertise, to do that, at least as a militarily efficient exercise, until after 1917. Im missing something here....obviously they did take this sequence, and one has to assume they were taken during the p[lanning stages of the operation (1914) but other sources are saying they dont posses that capability until later in the war. 



> Stereoscopy is merely the aligning of 2 images (a stereo pair) such that the human eye is fooled into perceiving a 3D view. It's not the creation of some new image, merely a human perception of 2 existing 2D images. As already observed, pics #3 and #4 above look like a stereo pair to me.



you still need the ability to take the photos in a specific sequaence and spacing, which the British dont seem to have possessed until later in the war.


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## parsifal (Jun 18, 2014)

whilst Im having some difficulty accepting that it was within the technical means of the british air service to provide such images, perhaps it wasnt the british at all that took the photos. France in 1914 had the most advanced recon elements in their air force, though they were overtaken quite early by the Germans later on. Its more plausible that these images are of French origin, though i dont have any information as to aircraft deployments for the French


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## Cookie bomb (Jun 18, 2014)

parsifal said:


> whilst Im having some difficulty accepting that it was within the technical means of the british air service to provide such images, perhaps it wasnt the british at all that took the photos. France in 1914 had the most advanced recon elements in their air force, though they were overtaken quite early by the Germans later on. Its more plausible that these images are of French origin, though i dont have any information as to aircraft deployments for the French



I don't know if this helps, the photographs were posted in 1961 from the RAF India Command W110. The numbering and place names are on the back in English.

*I have added the last picture above* (Anzac) with a ww2 stereocard. Please look.


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## Cookie bomb (Jun 18, 2014)

Gnomey said:


> Great stuff!! Thanks a lot for sharing.
> 
> Thought about what your plans are for them?



I am not certain what to do with them as yet. I have sent the scans to The Gallipoli Association and as yet had no reply regarding the actual images. I have joined their forum so I can post them for all the members, however the forum has a glitch that will not let anyone add a new post. Under repair apparently.


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## nuuumannn (Jun 18, 2014)

On the images and their clarity. I've examined glass plate negatives from the Great War and looked at prints made from them and I have no reason not to believe that these were made by British aircraft as you claim, Cookie bomb. The British certainly did have the ability to produce images with such great clarity during the Great War and did so frequently throughout the war. Aerial recon evolved relatively quickly and the results were ground breaking, certainly over the Western Front, where the RFC and RNAS had a strong and capable reconnaissance presence. I've seen many prints from archival collections taken during the Great War, some of the trenches and the clarity of them match these easily.

Of interest on the RNAS use of seaplanes for recon during the Dardanelles Campaign, a number of Royal Navy seaplane carrying aircraft were present during the campaign, including the seaplane carrier HMS Ark Royal and the seaplane tender HMS Ben-My-Chree, which carried Short 184 torpedo carriers, of which famously sunk Turkish steamers on three separate occasions, the first time torpedoes were fired from aircraft, including one fired from the surface of the water when the aircraft's engine suffered failure and the pilot had to alight on the water. Ben-My-Chree also carried Sopwith Schneider seaplanes. Ark Royal was off the coast of Gallipoli providing support for the ANZAC beachhead on 25 April (ANZAC Day in Australia and New Zealand) by using her seaplanes for spotting Turkish artillery batteries.

The monitors of the Abercrombie Class, fitted with twin 14 in gun turrets were the very first naval vessels designed from the outset on the drawing board fitted with equipment for operating aircraft, hangars, cranes, workshops etc, whereas all other seaplane tenders, including the Ark Royal that was built on the hull of a freighter, were converted from their previous roles. Of the class of four ships, Abercrombie, Raglan and Roberts were sent to the Dardanelles and off the coast of Gallipoli for fire support and their aircraft, which had to be lowered away from the ship before the main armament could go into action, provided aerial spotting and reconnaissance. Both HM Ships Raglan and Roberts operated Short 184s during their careers, but Roberts had also a Short 166 and Sopwith Schneider at different times.

The Briutish also had the tethered balloon ships Hector and Manica off Gallipoli also.

It's also worth noting that No.3 Sqn RNAS was present over the Dardanelles and Gallipoli during that time, operating a mixed bag of land planes flying from Tenedos. This was the former Eastchurch Aeroplane Squadron led by Sqn Cdr Charles Rumney Samson. These aircraft carried out reconnaissance and bombing operations during the campaign, but were hampered by failing technology. Types included B.E.2cs, a Farman 20 and 27, a Maurice Farman Shorthorns, Sopwith Tabloids and Nieuport single seaters, to name a few.

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## Wildcat (Jun 19, 2014)

Maybe this doco will shed some light on this matter?

_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe8fxpu5fDI_

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## parsifal (Jun 19, 2014)

it sure does. thanks Andy. that is even different from the official history i might point out


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## buffnut453 (Jun 19, 2014)

parsifal said:


> I agree and knew that steroscopic photogrpahy had been around for a while, but as a form of military intell, it was very new. The British air services did not form the first heavier than air recon units until 1913, and lagged very badly in terms of the cameras they were usiing. The following article suggest that sterscopic capability was not available to the British (and americans) until after 1917.
> 
> Aerial reconnaissance in World War I - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> 
> ...



All you need to create a stereo pair is the ability to take 2 pictures a certain time distance apart which takes some maths, worked out during pre-flight planning based on aircraft speed and forecast winds, and a stopwatch...oh, and a camera capable of taking multiple frames. All of that was available in early 1915. Per this article in the Daily Telegraph, Lt Charles Darley of 3 Sqn RFC pioneered the creation of photo mosaics around March 1915 which uses the same technology as the collection of stereo pairs.


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## Cookie bomb (Jun 19, 2014)

Thanks for the link. I suspect this could answer all the questions. 
I am unable to find the full video, the ones for sale will not play in the uk. Has anyone found the full film I am bursting to view the rest.


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## nuuumannn (Jul 25, 2014)

Having done a little research, the third and fourth images that Cookie Bomb supplied above show Kilitbahir Castle, the three lobed fortifications with the triangular centre and Namazgah Fort, the large fortification complex next to it. They are located just across the Sea of Marmara in the Dardanelles from the city of Canakkale. I'm looking for more locations from the images.

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## Cookie bomb (Jul 25, 2014)

I have the same pictures on the Gallipoli forum, you may want to visit. 

http://forum.gallipoli-association.org/forum_posts.asp?TID=2424&title=photoreconnaissance-pictures


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## stona (Jul 26, 2014)

Since the object of the third photograph, the fortress Sedd el Bahr Kale (Seddulbahir) known to the British as 'Fort No.3', and dominating the Eastern end of V Beach, was wiped of the face of the earth by the Royal Navy in 1915, I'm pretty confident those are contemporary photographs.
Cheers
Steve

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## nuuumannn (Jul 28, 2014)

More info on the photo recon aspects of the campaign. Having just read Cookie Bomb's link and the posts below by Ian-in-Istanbul, since the fifth photo down is at Cape Helles, the image was most certainly taken by one of the aircraft of 3 Sqn RNAS, which arrived in the region in late March 1915, which carried out a large coverage of the invasion beaches and defences both before, during and after the invasion on the 25th April. 3 Sqn was tasked with spotting gun fire from naval vessels over Cape Helles, whilst Ark's aircraft were covering the ANZAC landings further up the coast. According to R.D. Layman, who has written much on the aerial aspects of the campaign, most of the photo recon before the invasion was carried out by Flt Lt C.H. Butler using his own German made camera. A later camera was acquired from a French squadron that arrived at a later date. Butler is credited with taking some 700 photos by the end of June and the images contributed greatly to the invasion maps and disposition of the enemy trenches. By the end of the campaign, the entire straits had been photographed from the air, according to Layman.

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## parsifal (Jul 28, 2014)

This link may be of interest in the development of aerial photography technique for the US forces during the war. 

http://www.asprs.org/a/publications/pers/2008journal/january/2008_jan_77-93.pdf

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## Cookie bomb (Aug 1, 2014)

Gnomey said:


> Great stuff!! Thanks a lot for sharing.
> 
> Thought about what your plans are for them?



I am not sure, what would you recommend?


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## nuuumannn (Aug 5, 2014)

Trevor, I have to ask, do you have the original glass plate negatives or prints? If you have the negatives, I'd suggest putting them in the care of a professional conservator. You can preserve your prints by placing them in an album or mounting them and again, you can seek advice on the best way to do this.


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## Cookie bomb (Aug 9, 2014)

I have mounted them on card with non stick photo corners and then put them inside (copy safe) glass clear pockets. All contain no chemicals to harm photographs, allegedly.
They are in a normal binder in a fairly dark constant 20 degree room. 
Keeping them in an envelope with other photos since 1960 appears not to have done any harm. In the long term, should I give them to a museum of similar to look after them? 
I still don't know if I have something rare or dozens of RAF personnel have a desk draw full. 
The 8th picture 'ANZAK' is Gully Ravine. Thank you Ian for your detailed research.


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## Cookie bomb (Mar 14, 2015)

*Rightly or wrongly I have decided to part with these pictures, currently they are with Bonhams in New York and destine for their October auction.*


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## Radio Active (Jan 29, 2019)

Cookie bomb said:


> I recently obtained an envelope with what was descried as WW2 photographs. Yes some were indeed WW2, however 8 of them clearly are not. After some internet research I have identified them as 1915 Gallipoli WW1. I have had them inspected by someone from the photography museum and he confirms them as original.
> Possibly taken by the RNAS from one of their six seaplanes. Flown out from the island of Tenedos. (Eyes of the RAF Roy Conyers Nesbit).
> The picture s are Kilitbahir Castle, Hamidiye Tabyasi, Seddulbahir Fort,Chocolate Hill, Ari Burnu and Anzac. I think!
> If anyone knows 1578591 LAC Lambert.F.W.RAF India Command I have another 40 WW2 pictures he or his family could be interested in.
> ...


Hi
I have three of these stereocards,Friedrichshafen,Essen and Cologne and am wondering where I may find more.I have recently acquired an Air Ministry Type D folding viewer and would dearly love to get some more cards to demonstrate the use of these to some likeminded friends of mine.I watched a BBC programme called Operation Crossbow which showed how they were taken by specially kitted out Spitfires and then how they were viewed and analysed on the ground using the very same viewer as the one I have and also much larger ones.Any suggestions where I may find other views of this type?
Cheers Malcolm


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## Radio Active (Jan 29, 2019)

Radio Active said:


> Hi
> I have three of these stereocards,Friedrichshafen,Essen and Cologne and am wondering where I may find more.I have recently acquired an Air Ministry Type D folding viewer and would dearly love to get some more cards to demonstrate the use of these to some likeminded friends of mine.I watched a BBC programme called Operation Crossbow which showed how they were taken by specially kitted out Spitfires and then how they were viewed and analysed on the ground using the very same viewer as the one I have and also much larger ones.Any suggestions where I may find other views of this type?


Cheers..Malcolm


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## Cookie bomb (Jan 29, 2019)

Radio Active said:


> Hi
> I have three of these stereocards,Friedrichshafen,Essen and Cologne and am wondering where I may find more.I have recently acquired an Air Ministry Type D folding viewer and would dearly love to get some more cards to demonstrate the use of these to some likeminded friends of mine.I watched a BBC programme called Operation Crossbow which showed how they were taken by specially kitted out Spitfires and then how they were viewed and analysed on the ground using the very same viewer as the one I have and also much larger ones.Any suggestions where I may find other views of this type?
> Cheers Malcolm


Hi Thay are very difficult to find now, a friend who used to work for a photography museum in London said "I have heard about these cards, however this is the first time I have ever seen any" I did see 2 on ebay a long time back and they fetched over £50 each, never seen any since. RAF Scampton have a wooden stereo viewer in their museum with a complete set. Well worth a visit, you do have to book in advance. Try and get a day when the Red Arrows are practicing, before they move. 
Back to the stereo cards, I do have some more and a large Spitfire camera in it's box with all the parts. The Galipalli pictures sold at Bonhams I suspect they went to Australia. 
You can make your own, just copy a reconacense photograph so you have two the same, position them correctly and 3D will appear. Not quite as good as the original 3D camera ones but pretty impressive. Look again at operation crossbow, they are using separate pictures. The stereo cards were for training purposes.

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## Radio Active (Jan 29, 2019)

Cookie bomb said:


> Hi Thay are very difficult to find now, a friend who used to work for a photography museum in London said "I have heard about these cards, however this is the first time I have ever seen any" I did see 2 on ebay a long time back and they fetched over £50 each, never seen any since. RAF Scampton have a wooden stereo viewer in their museum with a complete set. Well worth a visit, you do have to book in advance. Try and get a day when the Red Arrows are practicing, before they move.
> Back to the stereo cards, I do have some more and a large Spitfire camera in it's box with all the parts. The Galipalli pictures sold at Bonhams I suspect they went to Australia.
> You can make your own, just copy a reconacense photograph so you have two the same, position them correctly and 3D will appear. Not quite as good as the original 3D camera ones but pretty impressive. Look again at operation crossbow, they are using separate pictures. The stereo cards were for training purposes.


Thanks for the info and I will have a go at what you suggest as well as keeping a weather eye open for any more.I will also try and re visit Operation Crossbow!!

Cheers


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