NOTES ON G.S.G.S.
MAPS OF GERMANY,
Denmark and Central Europe
March 1944
WAR OFFICE / G.S.G.S., London, 1944
A very rare 1944 edition of the War Office publication Notes on G.S.G.S. Maps of Germany, Denmark and Central Europe, marked ‘Secret’, and published just before D-Day and the invasion of Europe. It includes detailed information relating to the maps produced by the Geographical Section of the General Staff (G.S.G.S.) during WW2. The main volume includes numerous coloured maps and charts, along with information on the main G.S.G.S. map series, special maps, communications maps, Air Maps, notes on German maps, Austrian maps, Czech maps, Polish maps, Danish maps, air photo coverage, grid zones and boundaries, foreign grids, etc. There are also appendices covering conventional signs, indexes, etc. In a pocket at the rear there are two very large folding index maps and five additional Gazetteer volumes covering Western Germany, Eastern Germany, Denmark, Austria, Czechoslovakia and Western Poland. This handbook would have been an invaluable reference work during the build up to D-Day and the allied advance into Germany.
G.S.G.S (M.I.4.): was a department of the British Directorate of Military Intelligence, and was part of the War Office. It was responsible for mapping, aerial reconnaissance, and interpretation. The unit had evolved rapidly during WW2, including several changes of name. Most of the maps used by British land and air forces in the Second World War were made by the Geographical Section, General Staff (G.S.G.S., also known as M.I.4), operating under the Director of Military Operations and Intelligence. G.S.G.S. senior staff were usually Royal Engineer officers with surveying qualifications, although there were a few Royal Artillery or infantry officers. The rest of the staff were civil technical assistants and clerks, together with some RE other ranks. In peace-time, the role of G.S.G.S. was to supply maps to the forces, collect data on foreign survey networks, provide training, and prepare survey data for Expeditionary Force mobilisation. G.S.G.S. was organised into small sections, each of which specialised in maps of a particular region. These maps were often produced in support of imminent operations, or for the planning of future operations.
In 1936 G.S.G.S. began to map north-eastern France and Belgium at 1:50,000, though some of this work was allocated to Ordnance Survey. The Directorate’s role during the war was to supply maps to the armed forces. The War Office Map Library, which was also part of M.I.4, acquired maps and cartographic intelligence data. In September 1939, M.I.4 moved to Cheltenham. In late 1940, the Map Depot moved to Alperton in west London and remained there throughout the war. This resulted in fragmentation of functions and records. M.I.4 at Cheltenham had limited accommodation so new accommodation for M.I.4 / G.S.G.S. was acquired at Eastcote in north-west London. A Distribution Section was set up to handle the supply of maps to overseas expeditions. The Map Section at the Air Ministry was also under the technical supervision of M.I.4 officers.
Condition:
In very good condition. The illustrated boards are in very good condition, with some minor wear to the edges and corners, and some marks. The binding is good and secure. The text is in very good condition. The maps and charts are in very good condition. The large folding maps and five Gazetteer volumes in the pocket at the rear are in very good condition.
Published: 1944
Illustrated boards, with 5 appendix volumes
and 2 folding maps in pocket at rear
Illustrated with fold-out coloured maps, charts and other maps
Dimensions: 210mm x 335mm
Pages: 420 (inc. 5 separate appendix volumes in pocket at rear)
