Galen Reich
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galen.reich.me.uk
Galen Reich
@galen.reich.me.uk
9.4K followers 370 following 43 posts
Bellingcat | Ex-BBC R&D & Panorama | PhD in Electrical Engineering | He/Him
🌐 https://galen.reich.me.uk
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galen.reich.me.uk
It's go time! Every month, @merelzoet.bsky.social and I bring together five open source research challenges!

👉 challenge.bellingcat.com 👈

After several specialist themed challenges, we're back to our roots with traditional geolocations.

Can you track down our holiday snaps? 📸🏝️
Cartoon aerial image of a blue swimming pool and an orange inflatable in the shape of the Bellingcat logo. Text reads: bellingcat Open Source Challenge
September 2, 2025 at 2:22 PM
galen.reich.me.uk
The camp was liberated in May 1945 and, while waiting for formal evacuation, a memorial edition of the camp newspaper was printed.

"With the redemption of a continent, our exile is ended"

"Wine, not blood, flowed through the streets. We got drunk."
Final edition of the Barth Hard Times newspaper dated Saturday May 5th 1945. With the headline "Russky Come!" Features include: - Relieved! - Braithwaite finds Uncle Joe Back page of the Barth Hard Times: "Life and death of a German Town" Features include: - Tense moments while allies take control - Conference with the Kommandant - Where are the Russians? - Toasts are drunk - Quaking Barth burghers bow before reds - Let 'em eat cake - A house of cards
July 10, 2025 at 5:55 PM
galen.reich.me.uk
He told stories of his time in Stalag Luft 1, the prisoner of war camp to which he was transferred.

And the map he drew in case he ever escaped and needed to navigate through the countryside.
Photo of Doug Reich with a torn uniform taken by German forces after his crash. His RAF service number overlays the photo "133108". Stalag Luft 1 identification tag with prisoner number "4619"
July 10, 2025 at 5:55 PM
galen.reich.me.uk
Then a postcard arrived, littered with stamps.

DEAREST FOLKS, PLEASE DONT WORRY I'M OK AND UNHARMED.

He had survived. Concussed. Bruised. But alive.
Front face of postcard from the Kriegsgefangenenpost (prisoner of war post), it has 4 stamps and is marked as "Air Mail". Postcard dated July 14, 1944 reads: DEAREST FOLKS, PLEASE DONT WORRY I'M OK AND UNHARMED. THE RED CROSS IS DOING VERY WELL. BELIEVE ME THINGS ARE ALRIGHT I CAN STILL HAVE A DAMN GOOD LAUGH AND I AM QUITE HAPPY. DO NOT WRITE TO ME HERE AS THIS IS ONLY A TRANSIENT CAMP. I WILL WRITE YOU WHEN I GET A PERMANENT ADDRESS. LOTS OF LOVE Douglas
July 10, 2025 at 5:55 PM
galen.reich.me.uk
Letters of sympathy and regret arrived in the following weeks from 2 Squadron and the Air Ministry.

I can't imagine how it must have felt to receive such letters.
Letter from 2 Squadron dated 17th June which reads: Dear Mr. Reich, Before you recieve this letter you will have received my telegram informing you that your son has very unfortunately been reported missing from operations over France. I am more sorry than I can say to be the writer of such news, and the whole Squadron together with his many friends in other Squadrons join with me in sending their profoundest sympathy. Details of the actual operation were, that Doug was leading a Section of an offensive mission and after successfully attacking his target his aircraft was seen to hit the water in a river. We all hope that this may not have been as serious as it seems and that he may be safe and come back to us in the near future. Doug has always been a first class pilot thoroughly reliable and extremely keen in all his operations. He will be very much missed also in mess life for his high spirits and cheerfulness. Should we hear any further news I will let you knoe at once. Yours very sincerely, (signed) M.J. Gray, Squadron Leader No.2 Squadron. Letter from the Air Ministry dated 28 June 1944, which reads: Sir, I am commanded by the Air Council to express to you their great regret on learning that your son, Flying Officer Gouglas Gordon Reich, Royal Air Force, is missing as the result of air operations on 15th June, 1944. On that day your son set out in a Mustang, thogether with another aircraft to sink three ferry boats in the River Seine, near Caudebec. As he was attacking the second boat he turned his aircraft sharply to evade the anti-aircraft fire, and it then crashed into the river. No trace of your son was afterwards seen. Enquiries are being made through the International Red Cross COmmittee and any further information received will be at once communicated to you. The Air Council desire me to convey to you their sympathy in your great anxiety. I am, Sir, Your obedient Serbant, J A Smith (signed)
July 10, 2025 at 5:55 PM
galen.reich.me.uk
On 15 June 1944, William Wallace Reich, received a telegram.

"Regret to inform you that your son F/O Douglas Gordon Reich is missing as a result of air operations"

This time, he hadn't returned.
Telegram envelope consisting of brown paper. It reads: ON HIS MAJESTY'S SERVICE W. W. Reich Esq., "The Lyndon", 1, Cavendish Road, WORSLEY, Lancs. AIR MINISTRY If undelivered, return to the Officer Commanding, Royal Air Force at the place shown in the Postmark of origin. R.A.F. Form 2002.C. For use only on letter packets not exceeding 10" x 5" in size. A stamp in the upper right contains a crown and reads "OFFICIAL PAID" Inside the telegram reads "Regret to inform you that your son F/O Douglas Gordon Reich is missing as a result of air operations" The telegram continues on a second page: "on 15th Jun 44 letter follows pending receipt of written notification from the air ministry no information should be given to the press any further information will be communicated to you immediately adjutant 2 Squadron"
July 10, 2025 at 5:55 PM
galen.reich.me.uk
He was made an Officer at the end of his training and returned to Europe to fly P-51 Mustangs with 2 Squadron.

He would relish telling us about the time he landed at an unfinished airstrip with a cockpit full of bread.
Photograph of Doug Reich in a P-51 Mustang flying over France. Grey octagonal WW2 RAF dog tag. The tag reads: OFFCR 133108 C.E REICH. D.G. 4D
July 10, 2025 at 5:55 PM
galen.reich.me.uk
On one memorable training flight, his engine caught fire.

Intent on bailing with his instructor, they retracted the cockpit and prepared to jump.

Only at the last moment did he spot a fault with his parachute and was forced to return to the cockpit to crash land in a nearby farm field!
Photograph of Doug Reich and his instructor standing on the wing of the crash landed plane in a farm field in Canada.
July 10, 2025 at 5:55 PM
galen.reich.me.uk
This WW2 map was drawn by my grandpa, Doug Reich, while in a Nazi prisoner-of-war camp ✍️

Here's his story 👇
A hand-drawn WW2 map of a german coastal area on creased yellowing paper. The map marks the routes of train tracks and the locations of towns and other points of interest. Photograph of Doug Reich as a young man in uniform, smiling at the camera after completing his training and earning his wings.
July 10, 2025 at 5:55 PM
galen.reich.me.uk
The latest Bellingcat Challenge has just landed! Get ready to dive into the murky world of money, art, and relics 🪙🎨🗿

➡️ challenge.bellingcat.com ⬅️

A huge thanks to @arca-artcrime.bsky.social for creating these amazing educational challenges! 🙌
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June 2, 2025 at 2:15 PM
galen.reich.me.uk
The source could be MLAT which triangulates Mode S data from multiple receivers rather than ADS-B data which uses GPS.

This example vehicle in Greece uses MLAT and its position is only accurate to within about 18.5km.

You can watch it jump around on the map!

globe.adsbexchange.com?icao=46f216
Screenshot of ADS-B Exchange showing an unknown ground vehicle with a erratic movement history. Arrows point to the "Source: MLAT" label by the vehicle and a measurement of accuracy which reads "EPU ≥ 18.5 km".
May 8, 2025 at 9:46 AM
galen.reich.me.uk
What a week! Take a breather from it all with the Bellingcat challenge and get lost among multicoloured satellite images!

🧩👉 challenge.bellingcat.com

If you get stuck, you can always join our Discord server for advice from our amazing community!

🆘👉 discord.gg/bellingcat
March 7, 2025 at 11:45 AM
galen.reich.me.uk
‪The Bellingcat challenge is back (and set by me this week)!

👉 challenge.bellingcat.com 👈

This week's challenge uses satellite images taken with Landsat 8 - but the colours aren't always 'normal'... 🛰️

Can you complete them? 🔍
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March 4, 2025 at 10:38 AM
galen.reich.me.uk
Finding relevant high resolution SAR imagery from Umbra's Open Data Program can be tricky 🛰️

With this new @bellingcat.com project you can browse all the currently available data in Google Earth📍🌏

github.com/bellingcat/u...
February 13, 2025 at 4:10 PM
galen.reich.me.uk
If you're looking for something to occupy your brain between napping and leftovers, the Bellingcat challenge is ready for you! ✨

Twenty open source challenges await at challenge.bellingcat.com 👀

It's been a lot of fun building the site and pulling the challenges together, I hope you enjoy them!
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December 28, 2024 at 2:40 PM
galen.reich.me.uk
It's Friday! And the second week of Bellingcat open source research challenges are fully unlocked 🔓

Try them out now 👇
challenge.bellingcat.com
December 13, 2024 at 12:53 PM
galen.reich.me.uk
Challenge unlocked!🔓 If you've not tried them yet, the first batch of @bellingcat.com challenges are unlocked!

Try them here 👇
challenge.bellingcat.com
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December 6, 2024 at 10:49 AM
galen.reich.me.uk
Do you want to work with @bellingcat.com to develop open source research tools? ✨

Our Tech Fellowship is open now! 👇

www.bellingcat.com/bellingcat-t...

(I can't promise you'll look as diligent as the model in this image, but I can promise we'll review your application 📃👀)
A asian woman with yellow headphones and a red checkered shirt. She is diligently coding at a standing desk which is next to windows with a city view.
November 24, 2024 at 3:05 PM