Sequence of Events
I know that history is often re-written as new material comes to light, but I think the BBC programme got the sequences of events wrong when the programme described the 'discovery' of Peenemunde in 1943. Unfortunately as I am not in the UK I can't check with I-Player. Through a variety of HUMINT and other sources, SIS (and through Dr Jones), the Air Staff, were aware that something was going on at Peenemunde before the PRU Spitfire happend to take photographs of the airfield 'on spec', as claimed last night. Again, Jones' book (op cit) pp 332-348 describes his version of the sequence of events, stating that the first tasked PRU sortie took place on 22 Apr 43, by which time there were very strong suspiscions that something was going on there.
This was after Duncan Sandys was appointed to lead the investigation of the NAZI missile programme. Jones also refers to the misidentification of the V-1 facilites as 'sewage sludge pumps' - which was referred to in the programme, but attributed to the post-war volunteers now working in Edinburgh. Certainly, to me the three circular features do look like secondary sedimentation and aeration tanks (demonstrating my detailed knowledge of such things!). Perhaps it was not by chance that post war, Duncan Sandys became so obsessed with an All Missile Air Force, resulting in his report and massive cut-backs in aircraft development from - and reduction of the RAF - from 1958 onwards.
One thing I do not like in these sorts of programmes and modern 'time team' type recreations is the pretend ignorance and pretend discoveries of the present-day participants. The ' look, I think we've found a V1 site' when they are looking at a PRU summary of a...V1 site.
Last edited by Whenurhappy; 16th May 2011 at 11:16.