Constance Babington Smith

Constance Babington Smith MBE, FRSL (15 October 1912 – 31 July 2000) was a British journalist and writer, but is probably best known for her wartime work in imagery intelligence.

[9] The photographic interpretation work concentrated on ships but her expertise with aeroplanes led to her being asked in early 1941 to set up an aircraft recognition section.

A colleague there, Ursula Powys-Lybbe, later wrote that "Babs had sufficient strength of character, an extraordinary singleness of purpose together with total dedication to the task, mixed in with a modicum of determination necessary to be able to assume sole command of the new section"[1] The unit moved from London in after multiple bombings and she served with the Central Interpretation Unit (CIU) at RAF Medmenham, Buckinghamshire, reaching the rank of Flight Officer.

Serving alongside was her brother, Bernard Babington Smith (1905-1993), who was also a photo interpreter (PI) at Medmenham and head of the Night Photograph Section.

[7][8][1] In 1942 she made an uncredited appearance in the Air Ministry feature film Target for Tonight, along with her fellow Medmenham colleague, Sqn Ldr Peter Riddell, and was Mentioned in Dispatches for her work.

[10] Working on the interpretation of aerial reconnaissance photographs, Constance was credited with the discovery of the V1 at Peenemünde, Germany, making the initial identification in the summer of 1943 with full confirmation in December 1943.

She challenged the preconceptions and initial dismissal of her interpretation of 'ski sites' by the Industry section at Medmenham and worked to prove that they were in fact launch ramps for the V1.