Devizes wireless station, WWI's GCHQ

[towisuk]

Well almost my last input...

The most important Wireless station in WW1 was a couple of miles to the North of Tetney, with a 100KW spark transmitter Cleethorpes (later call BYB) sent messages to the Naval fleet from the Admiralty as far as the East Mediterranean using Gibraltar as a relay station.

Tom

[Moonraker]

... I did wonder why the masts were not on the highest point...

Back in 2002 I corresponded with a chap at the School of Crystallography at Birkbeck College (who provided the plan I've reproduced above). At first he had been dubious about what sort of signal reception the station would have had because of the hillside. But after a field visit he reckoned that 80 metres or so of four of the masts would have towered above the hill. When had first seen the site from about 6km to the east he realised how, with the ground sloping up to the site, the masts would have been extremely dominant.

See

here

(page 31) for an account of work done at the station in April 1918 by the Australian Imperial Force's Pioneer Training Battalion.

(Right at the end are scans of two tatty postcards showing the battalion's work at CFS Upavon and Lark Hill.)

Come to think of it, the report is quite hard to read it, so here's my transcription, with some at least of the typos being in the original.

DEVIZES WIRELESS STATION: TRANSCRIPT FROM WAR DIARY OF AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE PIONEER TRAINING BATTALION, APRIL 1918 (14/18/10)

PIONEER TRAINING BATTALION. A.I.F.

PROGRESS REPORT OF WORK AT DEVIZES WIRELESS STATION.

The commenced early in November 1917, and it was then estimated that it would take until March 31st 1918, to complete. The estimate included the erection of Huts, Cook House, ablution, Bath House, Latrines etc, laying drainage and water supply pipes, and construction of storage Tanks and Septic Tanks. Since then excavation for, and laying of concrete footpaths have been included in the schedule of work. Ariginally this was to have been done by the Road Board.

The strength of the above party was 20 men and proportion of N.C.O’s, the remaining 30 were to construct half a mile of new road from from the Caone [Calne] Road to the Station. Excepting the initial stage of the job it was seldom that 20 men were employed on the Station. The failure of the Caone Road to stand the heavy traffic xxxxxx made it necessary to practically to rebuild the road for ¾ (three quarter mile) and the withdrawl of the men from the station, for that purpose has delayed progress considerably. In addition there has been occasion by the failure to obtain the material in such sequence as to give a continuous run of work of the same character. Those in charge of works can be absolved from all blame in this respect as ample warning has always been given of any prospective shortage, and everything done to push forward with some section of the work.

The original estimate for completion, exclusive of footways was 6,200 man-days.

This has been carefully revised by an officer of the R.E. and up to date all section of the work have been carried out within the estimate. The length of time varies directly as the number of men employed and assuming that the original estimate was correct and that 80 men have continuously emplopyed in addition to 18 men the time required to complete is : -

6299 = 163 days i.e., 27 weeks from 11th November 1917, to April 22nd 1918.

38

plus xxxxxxx time required xxxxxxxxx for the footpath.

It is evident that work is not behind time, but that not enough men have been employed. The attached weekly report by the RTO [?] officer in charge shows clearly how the work stands. Taking the first item, erection of huts, it will be noticed that the estimate approved by the R.E. was 3,360 man-days. The man-days extended todate are 2977 and 95% of the work is completed. We are therefore about 49 man-days under the estimated time to complete.

It will also be noticed that no decision has yet been arrived at in regard to drainage, garage and water supply, and it is therefore impossible to give a definite estimate of time required to complete.

Signed A. Corin. Lieut.

11th April 1918 C.O. Pioneer Detachment, Devizes.

.

Moonraker

[HeatherC]

Fascinating stuff. The photo that appears in Google images does seem to show a fair-sized installation and even today the track up from the road runs pretty much straight to the site. I suppose I'm actually surprised there aren't more visible building foundations.

[Moonraker]

I understood that a radio interview I recorded on the site back in February with BBC Radio Wiltshire was due to be broadcast this month, but it actually went out in March.

Listen here

When I listened to it, I cringed here and there, especially towards the end when I said the same thing twice, but it was very bleak and windy up on the hillside! At least the sleet held off until an hour later.

Moonraker

[Moonraker]

The only page from the only relative war diary that I can trace. Lieutenant Gill returned to the station to be its commanding officer at the time of the Armistice.

I've never been able to determine the connection with Slough (probably nearby Langley); presumably there was a Royal Engineers base there.

Moonraker

[battiscombe]

MI 1e: was responsible for wireless telegraphy, I believe... which would fit..

[Moonraker]

Of course! Thanks, Battiscombe. Just checked my own notes and there's a reference to Gill being a member of MIIe (sic) "responsible for breaking codes and analysing signals traffic". It should be M1 1e.

Moonraker

[Terry_Reeves]

I can confirm MI 1e was concerned with wireless telegraphy. The following were members of the section at the War Office in June 1918:

Major A Simpson CMG RE - GSO3

Capt PJ Edmonds RE - attached

Cant HL Stringer RE

Cant JF Tuohy General list

Lt H Matthews RE

Lt NH Swinstead RE

Lt RN Stokes RFA (SR)

Lt JLG Elliot General List

Lt RV Gracey Royal Irish Rifles

Attached for duty GHQ ( I ) Great Britain:

Capt TH Whitehead Suffolk Regt

Capt CCN Wallich RFA

Lt JLA Bailey-Churchill Middlesex Regt

TR

[Moonraker]

Now and then I forlornly search the Web to see there's anything about fresh the wireless station and have just found this 1914 Star on an old eBay listing:

 

WW1 1914 STAR MEDAL NORTH'D FUS WOUNDED COMMISSIONED RE DEVIZES WIRELESS

 

The vendor says that the recipient, Egmont Gordon Hake (sic, actually Gordon Egmont Hake), commanded the "station and Y Coy signal company". Presumably because it's an old listing "View Image" didn't load for me, though "View Page" did.

 

Moonraker

[Brigantian]

Moonraker

Presumably you have seen it, but in 2015 English Heritage produced a report on First World War Wireless Stations – a good read for anyone interested in this subject.

Regards

Mark  

[Moonraker]

Yes, Mark, a good, comprehensive overview, and long overdue.

 

I'm still looking for photos of the one near Devizes, and have just a few from a private source - one can be found via Google Images. Understandably photography would have been forbidden during the war, but the structures survived for ten years after that.

 

Moonraker

[quemerford]

From T1/11954 (note date, which indicates a proposal as early as 1912):

 

 

Edited 12 February , 2017 by quemerford

[Moonraker]

The latest of my forlorn Web searches to see if there's anything new about Devizes Wireless Station produced this from

 

the GCHQ website.

 

Some useful information about M.I.1 (e) .

 

Moonraker

[QUEX]

On 20/11/2017 at 13:06, Moonraker said:

The latest of my forlorn Web searches to see if there's anything new about Devizes Wireless Station produced this from

 

the GCHQ website.

 

Some useful information about M.I.1 (e) .

 

Moonraker

 

The National Army Museum holds two photograph albums compiled by Capt Hugh Pocock RE, including some photographs of Devizes from his time there - the accession numbers are 1987-07-12 and 1987-07-13.

[Moonraker]

Thank you, Quex, and welcome to the Forum.

 

I've added the two files to my "things to research" - it's been a while since I did that!

 

Moonraker

[QUEX]

On ‎26‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 22:04, Moonraker said:

Thank you, Quex, and welcome to the Forum.

 

I've added the two files to my "things to research" - it's been a while since I did that!

 

Moonraker

You're welcome ...

 

There were actually two related activities at Devizes:

 

1. The wireless intercept site established by Simpson in 1915, initially known as Army Wireless Station, Devizes but by 1918 known as Wireless Observation Group, Home in line with the W.O.G. nomenclature used in overseas theatres.  You can find establishments in WO24/918 (No 1099/64) and WO24/926 (No 1811).

(incidentally Simpson is the 'Major Amplifier' of Gill's Wire, Wireless, etc )

 

2. The Wireless Training Centre, Devizes which existed for a few months in 1918 - there's an establishment in WO24/924 (No 160/31).  For most of the war the army used 'mainstream' RE communicators from the  Telegraphist (Wireless Operator) trade as intercept operators.  The formation of W.O.G. resulted in an increased requirement for intercept operators, as explained in WO162/6:

 

‘A School was opened at Devizes in May 1918, as a temporary measure, in order to give intensive training to wireless operators for the newly formed Wireless Observation Groups.  The School was closed in November 1918, when this particular training was amalgamated with that of the Wireless Operators at Fenny Stratford, and the initial number of specially trained men had been provided.  The Intelligence Wireless Operator, as he had been called, then ceased to exist as a separate trade.'

 

 

Edited 7 January , 2018 by QUEX

[leibregiment]

On 01/02/2017 at 20:38, Moonraker said:

Now and then I forlornly search the Web to see there's anything about fresh the wireless station and have just found this 1914 Star on an old eBay listing:

 

WW1 1914 STAR MEDAL NORTH'D FUS WOUNDED COMMISSIONED RE DEVIZES WIRELESS

 

The vendor says that the recipient, Egmont Gordon Hake (sic, actually Gordon Egmont Hake), commanded the "station and Y Coy signal company". Presumably because it's an old listing "View Image" didn't load for me, though "View Page" did.

 

Moonraker

 

1914 Star and Bar to Gordon Egmont Hake, (aka Egmond Gordon) L/Cpl 1st Bn Northumberland Fusiliers, Commissioned Y” Army corps signals Company and Wireless Intelligence Egypt

Born 11 May 1884 Brentford, Middlesex, England
Prep school from the age of six in Fulham
1901 went to school at King Edward VI Grammar school

His father Alfred Egmont Hake, author was a friend of General Gordon and edited his Khartoum diary he named his son “Gordon” after the General.

Joined the army in 30 March 1903 2nd Bn Northumberland Fusiliers (Mounted Infantry) at the age of 17, as “G E Hake” 
Private (1st Class Signaler) 
1907 Desertion/Absent (26 May 1907) arrested by Civil police, returned to regiment, tried by District Court Marshal, convicted of Desertion, 113 days detention, same day charges dismissed return to duty??

Transferred to the reserve 8 August 1911 
From leaving the army in 1911 he worked for Marconi International Marine, Marconi House the Strand as a wireless inspecting engineer.

Re-joined on the out-break of war 1st Bn Northumberland Fusiliers as L/Cpl signaler, during the retreat from Mons he was wounded (Gun Shot Wound) and  presumed missing, on line of march (9th September 1914). Most likely during the crossing of the Marne at Nanteuil-sur-Marne, but made it back to his regiment

Returning to the UK due to his wounds he transferred as a Private Royal Engineers (signals) on the  23 January 1915, serving at the Wireless Training Centre, St Martins Gate, Norfolk. He was Commissioned into the Royal Engineers (Signals) on the 33 August 1915 commanding Devizes (Hampshire) wireless station.
Returned to France serving with the 22nd Corps Signals and “Y” Army corps signals Company RE, (Interception of enemy signals) In October 1917 he went on to serve with "Wireless Intelligence" in Egypt. he left the Army in 1920

Address “The Leyland’s” Wells, Norfolk

Wife Joanna married Tynemouth, 9 January 1915
Mother P Hake 
Died 1930 aged 46

Re EGMONT GORDON HAKE, Deceased. Pursuant to the Trustee Act, 1925. A LL persons having claims against the estate of Egmont Gordon Hake, late of 10, Oxford-terrace, Hyde Park, in the county of London, who died on the 27th day of June, 1930, intestate, and letters of administration to whose estate were granted by the Principal Probate Registry on the 14th day of July, 1930, to Joanna Hake, of 10, Oxford-terrace, Hyde Park aforesaid, are required to send particulars thereof, in writing, to the undersigned, on or before the 18th day of September next, after which date the administrator will proceed to distribute the assets, having regard only to the claims of which she shall then have had notice.—Dated this 15th day of July, 1930.

[Moonraker]

Thanks for all those details. Interesting that an ex-deserter in peacetime "made good" in war.

 

Moonraker

[Moonraker]

On Friday I returned to the site of the wireless station. Just as I put my rucksack down on one of the remaining concrete slabs, I got a text message from a friend - the one who had taken these photos back in 2002:

 

The  roof on the one remaining building fell in several years ago, though there's another hut  some distance away in the middle of a field. I can't recall seeing on Friday the piece  of chain that I'm tugging.

 

Then I trotted down to Shepherds Shore where the Wansdyke crosses the A361. There were occasional army camps there, including those of the Western Counties Infantry Brigade in 1891, the Royal Wiltshire Imperial Yeomanry in 1908 and the Army Service Corps in 1915, this last possibly being involved with the conversion of the civilian Marconi station into a military one.

 

Moonraker

[Moonraker]

I came across a couple of aerial photos of the site taken in 1923 and listed on the website of Historic England, who were happy send me photocopies for £4 including VAT and p & p. (In 1923 the site was still active and was run by the General Post Office.) A bonus was four more photos taken by the RAF in 1946, showing far fewer buildings. "We copied these by mistake as well so are free of charge."

 

Moonraker

[Moonraker]

Article in Experimental Wireless, 1924

 

(Scroll to page 247.)

 

I guess that the photos show Post Office equipment rather than that used by the army during the war. But the sketch plan shows the layout of buildings and there's a rare photo of the masts and buildings.

[Moonraker]

Photograph taken this morning:

I didn't make a scientific search of the site,  but when I got home I  looked at previous photos of 2002 that I've posted which show stones that I didn't notice today. But there was more undergrowth today than then.

[Morganshill]

Researching Devizes Radio Station this forum has lots of really useful information. Have you produced an article or paper on the site?

[Moonraker]

It's something that I've vaguely thought of - I have quite a lot of info about it, much of which is given in shortened form in this thread.

Early last year another GWF member was contemplating doing a survey of the site - I'll contact him to see if this went ahead.

(At the risk of going off-topic, I also have several pre-WWI postcards of yeomanry camps at Shepherds Shore, down on the Beckhampton-Devizes road, though I have trouble reconciling the buildings then with those today.)

 

[Morganshill]

Thanks for the info. Is there a way of contacting you privately via the forum as I'm part of a small group of specialists with an interest in the site.