Italy/Sicily. C. 1943-06. A RAF reconnaissance Spitfire took photographs of a naval and aerial ...

Italy/Sicily. C. 1943-06. A RAF reconnaissance Spitfire took photographs of a naval and aerial combat in the Straits of Messina. At the time these photographs were the sole source of information available. From examinations of the photographs, position and times calculated from shadows, and from the concentric circles round the various points of disturbance, photographic interpretation experts formed theories and drew conclusions which were proved to be almost exactly correct when the crew of the British submarine concerned in the engagement were able to make their report. Three photographs are those on which the interpretation experts works, and this is the story they tell: In this photo No. 1 the course of an enemy (Italian) ship is apparent (A) a second tract (B-C) crosses the first and there is an explosion at this point (D). This second tract was presumed to have been made by torpedoes from one of our own submarines. When the submarines crew report was received, this was proved to be correct. Torpedoes hit the Italian ship and caused the explosion (D) whilst others missed the target and continued on the track (C). After the explosion the Italian ship continued in a circle and then blew up.