Aerial Photos - Warneton Area, 1917 - Do they exist ? Help requested ....

[smclaren]

Hi Everyone

I'm trying to find on-line aerial photographs of the area between Warneton/Plugstreet/Messines for mid to late 1917.

After trying a few of the usual on-line resources, I'm struggling to find what I am after. Found plenty of Messines ... but none further to the South East.

I was wondering (hoping) if a GWF expert on aerial photographs could assist locate them?

So the trench map area is known as 28SW and the grid square is 11. 

Following is the area of interest in Trench Map form ... first a wider shot showing the broader area (Messines, Plugstreet Wood, Warneton) followed by a close up grid square 11 which is the target area (closer to Warneton).

I would really appreciate any assistance here to help push my research along.

Thanks as always to the great GWF members.

Steve

Edited 26 May , 2023 by smclaren
Added info

[AOK4]

Basically, there should be plenty of aerial pics available via the IWM. Unfortunately, it's not easy to order them apparently. First, they need to give you copies of the index cards for the relevant squares and then you should order copies blindly. Most pics are only available on the original glass plates I believe and they must make copies according to what you order.

However, last time I tried to inquire at the IWM, the person (or AI bot?) replied that what I asked, was not possible.

You could also try to contact the In Flanders Fields Museum in Ieper, I believe they have started a kind of mirror collection of what is available at the IWM (I'm not sure about aerial pics though).

Have you already tried https://www.luchtfoto1914-1918.be ?

Jan

[smclaren]

Thanks Jan, for all that info. 

I will try all of those great suggestions you've made.

No ... I haven't tried  https://www.luchtfoto1914-1918.be  .... I hope they have an English version  ?

Thanks

Steve

[AOK4]

13 minutes ago, smclaren said:

Thanks Jan, for all that info. 

I will try all of those great suggestions you've made.

No ... I haven't tried  https://www.luchtfoto1914-1918.be  .... I hope they have an English version  ?

Thanks

Steve

Have you tried it? Then you would know that they have (we in Flanders usually have websites that are also for an international audience, in multiple languages, usually the three languages of our country and English).

Jan

 

[AOK4]

Just as an extra, I am not completely happy with the quality of the pictures on the website though. They should have done a little bit more work on the pictures (scanning at higher resolution, some extra fumbling with the contrast and colours etc). Especially the pictures from the Belgian Army Museum are horrible (they scan the pics at 150 dpi and put their watermark on it).

I hope they add pictures over time and improve the quality of them.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

1 hour ago, smclaren said:

I hope they have an English version  ?

Yes they do.

[WhiteStarLine]

While this is actually a Feb 1918 one, sometimes the features are still close enough to be useful.  Courtesy IWM (Mosaic Australian Corps Battery Area, Centre Divisional Sector).

[smclaren]

Thanks @AOK4 Jan for the suggestion. 

It is exactly what I was hoping for. The Geocortex Viewer is amazing. They should promote it more.

Thanks again for your help.

Thanks also WhiteStarLine. 

Steve

[AOK4]

6 hours ago, smclaren said:

It is exactly what I was hoping for. The Geocortex Viewer is amazing. They should promote it more.

 

I agree that it should be promoted more, but it should also be improved by adding more pics and getting better quality pics. I for one have been providing them with some (German) pics, but I don't see those online unfortunately.