154 SB wireless contact for observation shooting with N° 6 Squadron

[marc coene]

Hello,

Please see the added part of page out of the diary of 154 Siege Battery, a 9.2" Howitzer Battery.

There is described that September 1917, 154 Siege Battery carries out their daily plane shoots. this was in the region Voormezele nearby Ypres.

The plane observer checked out which and where German Batteries were firing. The plane flow back to 154 SB and sent down the information by wireless.

Which way did they sent that information?

When the guns were loaded this was communicated with the plane by ground strips. Why this could not be done also by wireless?

in the attached file there is described that the plane shooting was done around 3 o'clock at night. Could they then use the ground strips for cmmunication with the plane as it was that time still dark?

Somebody knows the exact expanaltion of the letters. I sawaerial photos of our farm with the letters K and other ones with the letter L? How big were the ground strips about?

If somebody knows more about this please let me know. Thanks for the info.

kind regards,

Marc

[MikeMeech]

Hi Marc

The document that details all this information is the S.S. 131 'Co-operation of Aircraft with Artillery', the actual edition that matches your text will be the the December 1916 that was reprited with ammedments in August 1917(some relevant pages attached).

The cloth strips used on the ground would be 12 feet by 1 foot (the French used similar. Signal lamps could also be used for sending messages to the aircraft in Morse (also from the aircraft as well with an aircraft lamp).

Wireless was generally one way, from the aircraft using Morse. However, at the beginning of 1918 'Corps' squadrons started to be equipped with 2 Bristol Fighters each (to supplement their RE.8s or FK.8s. These were to be used with long-range heavy guns and had both transmitting and receiving sets so they could stay near the target for spotting and still receive messages from the battery concerned.

The procedures for 'night shooting' with air co-operation on a moonless night was first carried out by Capt. R A Archer in BE.2E '7059'. Although it appears he only dropped Parachute Flares and some small bombs in support of a raid by 14th Australian Brigade (night of 30th Sept./1st Oct. 1916) to keep down hostile artillery fire. He believed that if he had known the country better: "I could probably have pinpointed the batteries by the light of the flares if they continued to fire after I had dropped them." (TNA, AIR1/918/204/5/878). other experiments were done later in the war I believe, although I am not sure how 'common' it would have been.

I hope that helps.

Mike

[ianjonesncl]

Marc

In addition to Mike's excellent response this may be of interest:

Air Observation of Artillery

Ian

[marc coene]

Hi Marc

The document that details all this information is the S.S. 131 'Co-operation of Aircraft with Artillery', the actual edition that matches your text will be the the December 1916 that was reprited with ammedments in August 1917(some relevant pages attached).

The cloth strips used on the ground would be 12 feet by 1 foot (the French used similar. Signal lamps could also be used for sending messages to the aircraft in Morse (also from the aircraft as well with an aircraft lamp).

Wireless was generally one way, from the aircraft using Morse. However, at the beginning of 1918 'Corps' squadrons started to be equipped with 2 Bristol Fighters each (to supplement their RE.8s or FK.8s. These were to be used with long-range heavy guns and had both transmitting and receiving sets so they could stay near the target for spotting and still receive messages from the battery concerned.

The procedures for 'night shooting' with air co-operation on a moonless night was first carried out by Capt. R A Archer in BE.2E '7059'. Although it appears he only dropped Parachute Flares and some small bombs in support of a raid by 14th Australian Brigade (night of 30th Sept./1st Oct. 1916) to keep down hostile artillery fire. He believed that if he had known the country better: "I could probably have pinpointed the batteries by the light of the flares if they continued to fire after I had dropped them." (TNA, AIR1/918/204/5/878). other experiments were done later in the war I believe, although I am not sure how 'common' it would have been.

I hope that helps.

Mike

Hi Mike, thanks a lot for your info, this makes a lot clear. Kind regards, Marc

[marc coene]

Marc

In addition to Mike's excellent response this may be of interest:

Air Observation of Artillery

Ian

Hi Ian, thanks, the mentioned link was also very interesting to learn more about the way they worked. Kind regards, Marc