GERMANY
TOWN PLANS
No. 1
G.S.G.S. Misc. 80
GEOGRAPHICAL SECTION, GENERAL STAFF
WAR OFFICE, London, 1943
An original, WW2 M.I.4 (Military Intelligence 4, Geographical Section) War Office Intelligence manual. A restricted document, this was No. 80 in the ‘Miscellaneous’ series and was produced in December 1943. It includes a detailed series of town plans covering the major towns and cities of Germany. The Germany Town Plans series was used by British and US intelligence departments, including A.I. 12. (Air Intelligence 12), an Air Ministry Intelligence unit dedicated to liasing with and providing intelligence for the USAF (United State Army Air Foce) operating in North Western Europe. Germany Town Plans would no doubt have been of considerable importance in the selection and identification of bombing raid targets.
M.I.4. : Most of the maps used by British land and air forces in the Second World War were made by the Geographical Section, General Staff (GSGS, also known as M.I.4), operating under the Director of Military Operations and Intelligence. GSGS 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 GSGS was to supply maps to the forces, collect data on foreign survey networks, provide training, and prepare survey data for Expeditionary Force mobilisation. GSGS was organised into small sections, each of which specialised in maps of a particular region.
G.S.G.S. ‘Misc.’ Maps: The earliest maps in the numerical sequence of GSGS ‘Misc' maps date from 1943. These maps are of particular interest because they were often produced in support of imminent operations, or for the planning of future operations. It is likely that the Germany Town Plans were produced in preparation for the operations in Germany that would follow the D-Day landings. The earliest numbered ‘MIsc’ maps appeared in support of the allied landings in Sicily and Italy in 1943.
Condition:
In good condition. The card cover is in good condition, with general signs of use, and a mark at the top left edge near the spine. The stapled binding is good and secure. The text and maps are in very good condition.
Published: 1943
Brown card cover with black titling
Illustrated with town plans, maps, and coloured plates
Dimensions: 150mm x 200mm
Pages: 152
