Telescope Stand Tripod - Siemens Bros & Co SIG Telescope Mark V Snipers Stand 1914 No 3370.

[Steve Dunhill]

I have the following telescope stand tripod - WW1 Siemens Bros & Co SIG Telescope Mark V Snipers Stand 1914 No 3370 - see photos. Found in a recent house clearance. Please, can someone be kind enough to tell me if it's a WW1 tripod or not since i didn't find the military arrow?

What does the meaning B.S.O.I.C. stands for? Its found on the leather strap.

Thank you for any provided information and help too.

 

[Chasemuseum]

Field visual signalling with flags, heliographs and lamps required the use of telescopes to achieve the maximum viable distances between stations. Initially telescopes were strapped to the tripods of other instruments, later small folding tripods were issued and about the time of the Boer War the first models of these stands were adopted. They clamp onto the standard signalling telescope. This example was manufactured by the UK scientific instrument makers Siemens Brothers, a subsidiary of the German company Siemens-Haske. The 1914 is the year of manufacture. The ink stencil marking on the carry strap is for the unit which owned it at one time. I have trouble reading the initial two letters but the last 3 are OTC - Officer Training Corps. A university based cadet system

Officers' Training Corps - Wikipedia 

[green_acorn]

It would entirely be conjecture, but B.S.O.I.C. may mean Brigade (or Battery, or Battalion) Signal Officer In-Charge.

Note also that it is a Signals telescope as Chasemuseum has mentioned, it is not officially a sniper telescope.  These telescopes stands were also commonly used by commanders to watch battle progress, observation posts behind the front line reporting enemy and friendly troop movement and occasionally, particularly in the Palestine campaign, artillery forward observers adjusting artillery fire.  There are images of King George V using a telescope on such a stand during one of his frequent visits to the Western Front.

Cheers,

Chris

 

[MikB]

5 hours ago, green_acorn said:

...

Note also that it is a Signals telescope as Chasemuseum has mentioned, it is not officially a sniper telescope.  

...

Cheers,

Chris

Most or all 'Telescopes, Signalling' from about Mk.II onwards are marked 'also G.S.' , for General Service, so they could be issued to any unit for any valid purpose.

Hesketh Prichard refers to them in 'Sniping In France' as 'quite good enough' - although it may be that he preferred privately supplied deerstalking telescopes, especially by Ross. Certainly the design of the later Scout Regiment telescope, with its separate case, is closer to the less cumbersome deerstalking style.

[Mark Finneran]

You will also find cut down versions too. Nice example.

Mark