Some questions about how British sentries would have raised an alarm

[Dave1346]

I'm working on a graphic novel that involves an attack by German Stoßtruppen who have infiltrated a British trench. 

QUESTION: How would a British sentry have raised an alarm? Would he have called for the Sargent of the Guard? 

QUESTION 2: If a British infantry company found itself under a surprise attack, what specific command would the commanding officer have given? Would it have been, "STAND TO"? How would this order have been conveyed? Would whistles have been used? Would a bugler have been available? 

I have included some excerpts of my work. This work is not intended for use by the public domain and all rights are reserved by yours truly. 

In my graphic novel, a stormtrooper has surprised an inattentive sentry. In an earlier scene (not included here), the sentry was taking a cigarette break. 

After the sentry was knifed, the Germans began infiltrating the trench system with the goal of reaching a rear support area to create havoc. The ensuing havoc would coincide with an artillery bombardment of the front lines that would then be followed with an assault by regular German infantry. 

While infiltrating the trenches, the Germans came across a soldier in a secondary trench. Killing the soldier (not pictured here) caught the attention of a soldier in a nearby dugout.

Although the potential threat from this particular dugout was ended with a grenade, the explosion would have drawn the attention of other sentries. I would appreciate knowing what shout a sentry might have given to raise the alarm and how the commanding officer would have ordered his unit to full alert. 

 

Since I am not an illustrator, I am making this graphic novel using a variety of miniatures that include 1/35th scale plastic soldiers, 1/30th scale cast metal soldiers, and 1/6th scale action figures. All of the miniatures have been hand painted. After taking pictures of these figures, I download them to my computer, edit them as needed, and add them to digital backdrops. 

I still need to do some work with the digital images that have been shared. I think a dusting of stars across the black sky would be  a nice touch. 

I have yet to add any dialogue.

Please note that I am not a professional graphic novelist. I am doing this as a hobby and hope to publish this novel (probably as a Amazon digital work) once I finish within the next year. 

I started this project at the start of last summer. Most of the metal figurines are from King and Country or W. Britain. These come pre-painted and are somewhat expensive. The plastic figures were purchased from a person who has a professional painting business for military miniatures. He currently specializes in 1/35th scale.  For the cost of one metal figurine, I can get anywhere from 3-6 hand painted plastic soldiers. While the miniatures are primarily serving as "support characters", the action figures (by dint of being posable) will be used for most of my main characters (both protagonists and antagonists). 

In the first scene that I shared I digitally modified a plastic figure of a German soldier who was originally armed with a grenade. The unfortunate sentry is actually a 1/6th scale action figure. Using this action figure allowed me to place the sentry in three poses - smoking a cigarette, being surprised a German, and lying dead on the trench floor while other enemy soldiers quietly enter the section that the sentry had been guarding. 

 

 

[JMB1943]

No answers yet…..

Will I take a chance on this? Think I will…….

I will assume that Germans entering the trench occurs at least after dusk, and more probably after dark.

So the sentry does not see them clearly, but hears someone moving about.

The sentry is armed with his rifle, one round in the chamber with a full magazine, and bayonet affixed.

He issues a challenge, and demands the password…..no answers forthcoming….

Possibly repeats the challenge, but more likely fires off 2-3 rounds immediately and screams a warning of Jerries in the trench.

All hell then breaks loose!

Regards,

JMB

[MaureenE]

From Tales from Turkistan-a Scythian's Stories by Stor Lob (Latham Valentine Stewart Blacker) 1924 Archive.org. The Preface states "Nearly all these stories are true: the remainder are made up of episodes which actually happened". Most of the tales originally appeared in Blackwood's Magazine.

See page 9 https://archive.org/details/dli.pahar.2254/page/9/mode/2up for a short account from a listening post.

Maureen

[Dave1346]

Thank you both for your replies. In my graphic novel, the Germans overcame an inattentive sentry and have infiltrated the first line. The shock troops were trained for infiltration and trench warfare. A common mission would have been for them to make their way through the communication trenches to the support area where they could target an enemy headquarters, the ammunition depot, observation balloons, and artillery. Their attack was often a signal for the start of a German artillery barrage that would target the first line of trenches. Under the cover of this barrage, regular German infantry would launch an assault that was timed to hit the trenches immediately after the barrage was lifted. 

In my novel the shock troops encounter an unfortunate soldier who was carrying mess tins of hot tea from the support area.  Although they were able to quietly silence this soldier, the clatter of dropped tins alerted a corporal in a nearby dugout who assumed that the soldier had dropped the tea. When the corporal calls out, the Germans know what the gig is up and one tosses a grenade into the dugout.

The explosion alerts the sentries. As you may know, soldiers were stationed by sections along the trenches. If a unit was a full strength, each section would have included 12 men. Four sections would have made up a platoon. Four platoons would have made up a company. 

General orders specified that one man was to be on sentry go at all times. 

At the sound of an explosion, especially one coming from the British lines (secondary trenches), I think the sentries would have called for the sergeant of the guard. The cries would have awoken the men in each platoon. At his initiative, the sergeant of the guard could have fired a flare gun overhead to illuminate the area while a bugler began sounding  a call to arms. 

 

[stevenbecker]

I surpose Storm Troops could do this, but In the fight we had with them (ALH) that smothered our Troops with artillery and Motars and the assult Troops where covered by many MG's both heavy and light.

The type of raid above is covered (done by)  all troops on both sides on which there are many accounts

Alert are many and veried from horns wistles and gongs to warn our Troops.

You should also include Flares before the bullets start to fly.

Having been under attack at night, there is so much noise and light, that things are confusing after things kick off.

 

[Dave1346]

1 hour ago, stevenbecker said:

Having been under attack at night, there is so much noise and light, that things are confusing after things kick off.

I can only imagine. I suppose a voice call of sentries might have been out of the question depending upon what was happening. The flare makes sense. I call to arms via a bugler might have been the most effective way of ordering the troops to arms even if nobody was quite sure what was happening. I would imagine that it would have been better to be safe than sorry. 

[stevenbecker]

Don't forget there is also a Gas sentry with some form of warning (rattler or old shell casings to bang.

While they maybe one and the same in some trenches, the warning is given quickly and loudly.

the sentry with the wind up waking everyone during the night is possible, but most sentries are more then one on duty, in case the one falls asleep.

One would keep an eye out while the other gives a warning and or fires a flare to see whats out there.

Most sentries are also covering holes/gaps in the wire, for patrols and work parties

 

[FROGSMILE]

On 26/08/2023 at 22:38, Dave1346 said:

I'm working on a graphic novel that involves an attack by German Stoßtruppen who have infiltrated a British trench. 

QUESTION: How would a British sentry have raised an alarm? Would he have called for the Sargent of the Guard? 

QUESTION 2: If a British infantry company found itself under a surprise attack, what specific command would the commanding officer have given? Would it have been, "STAND TO"? How would this order have been conveyed? Would whistles have been used? Would a bugler have been available? 

I have included some excerpts of my work. This work is not intended for use by the public domain and all rights are reserved by yours truly. 

In my graphic novel, a stormtrooper has surprised an inattentive sentry. In an earlier scene (not included here), the sentry was taking a cigarette break. 

After the sentry was knifed, the Germans began infiltrating the trench system with the goal of reaching a rear support area to create havoc. The ensuing havoc would coincide with an artillery bombardment of the front lines that would then be followed with an assault by regular German infantry. 

While infiltrating the trenches, the Germans came across a soldier in a secondary trench. Killing the soldier (not pictured here) caught the attention of a soldier in a nearby dugout.

Although the potential threat from this particular dugout was ended with a grenade, the explosion would have drawn the attention of other sentries. I would appreciate knowing what shout a sentry might have given to raise the alarm and how the commanding officer would have ordered his unit to full alert. 

 

Since I am not an illustrator, I am making this graphic novel using a variety of miniatures that include 1/35th scale plastic soldiers, 1/30th scale cast metal soldiers, and 1/6th scale action figures. All of the miniatures have been hand painted. After taking pictures of these figures, I download them to my computer, edit them as needed, and add them to digital backdrops. 

I still need to do some work with the digital images that have been shared. I think a dusting of stars across the black sky would be  a nice touch. 

I have yet to add any dialogue.

Please note that I am not a professional graphic novelist. I am doing this as a hobby and hope to publish this novel (probably as a Amazon digital work) once I finish within the next year. 

I started this project at the start of last summer. Most of the metal figurines are from King and Country or W. Britain. These come pre-painted and are somewhat expensive. The plastic figures were purchased from a person who has a professional painting business for military miniatures. He currently specializes in 1/35th scale.  For the cost of one metal figurine, I can get anywhere from 3-6 hand painted plastic soldiers. While the miniatures are primarily serving as "support characters", the action figures (by dint of being posable) will be used for most of my main characters (both protagonists and antagonists). 

In the first scene that I shared I digitally modified a plastic figure of a German soldier who was originally armed with a grenade. The unfortunate sentry is actually a 1/6th scale action figure. Using this action figure allowed me to place the sentry in three poses - smoking a cigarette, being surprised a German, and lying dead on the trench floor while other enemy soldiers quietly enter the section that the sentry had been guarding. 

 

 

1. Soldiers were taught to repeatedly shout “stand-to” abbreviated from stand-to-your-arms (an order centuries old).  It was then to be passed along the line, soldier-to-soldier as they each turned out, which was generally effective.  For any detachment expressly charged with guarding a specific point, that order was “turn out the guard, guard turn out”.  Repeatedly.  This must seem archaic language to the unfamiliar, but it has remained in usage for a very long time.  The sentries challenge - “halt! - Who goes there” is of a similarly ancient nature and yet remained in use.  I agree with Steve that local orders would also often instruct the use of large suspended shell cases fitted with internal pendulum clangers intended as a gas warning, but often used for alarms too (a variety of clangs).  More widely positioned were hand held wooden rattlers that were made in their thousands for similar purposes, but intended for gas only.

2.  The officers verbal order was also “stand to”.  This might be rendered initially “Staaaand Tooo”, but there was / is no mandatory way to issue the order.

3.  The bugle and trumpet call equivalent of stand to was titled “Alarm”, the British call can be listened to here (note that there are very few notes, but constantly repeated**): http://www.farmersboys.com/MAIN/Bugles_Calls.htm  However, I doubt that buglers would be present, other than at the critical, or vulnerable locations with dedicated detachments (guards) provided on a rota.  A bugler was traditionally provided for these but much less likely by 1918.

4. Tea was not carried in “mess tins” (small tins issued individually as personal eating receptacles), but in either, “urns” (usually cylindrical in an oval shape)) or “dixies” (rectangular) carried in “hay boxes” (insulated containers).  The former were usually carried by an individual man on his back supported by shoulder straps, and the latter by two men like a stretcher, via removable wooden handles.  The outer material was often wood or hessian (loose weave cloth) wrapped, precisely so that it didn’t make a noise if it came into contact with metal (e.g. corrugated iron trench supports) when being negotiated down a duckboarded, congested support trench and forward lines (especially as this was done most commonly at night).

**note that the dismounted and mounted alarm calls were identical, one by bugle and one by trumpet.  Cavalry used trumpet only when dismounted and bugle otherwise as it was easier when controlling a horse.

 

 

Edited 28 August , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[GreyC]

Hi,

here´s a German watch with alarm device.

GreyC

[FROGSMILE]

6 hours ago, GreyC said:

Hi,

here´s a German watch with alarm device.

GreyC

The sound from ‘gong’ style alarms like that carries surprisingly far.

Edited 28 August , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[James A Pratt III]

I have read in one British unit in the early war period for men on sentry duty if they saw or heard something were ordered to call for an NCO. 

Good figures and diorama. I think the trenches may be a bit on the elberate side.

[FROGSMILE]

9 minutes ago, James A Pratt III said:

I have read in one British unit in the early war period for men on sentry duty if they saw or heard something were ordered to call for an NCO. 

Good figures and diorama. I think the trenches may be a bit on the elberate side.

Yes that’s correct if they saw something they were not sure about.  In the event of positive identification of advancing enemy though the standard response drummed into everyone was to cry ‘stand-to’ without any prevarication whatsoever.

Edited 28 August , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[Dave1346]

On 28/08/2023 at 00:37, FROGSMILE said:

1. Soldiers were taught to repeatedly shout “stand-to” abbreviated from stand-to-your-arms (an order centuries old).  It was then to be passed along the line, soldier-to-soldier as they each turned out, which was generally effective.  For any detachment expressly charged with guarding a specific point, that order was “turn out the guard, guard turn out”.  Repeatedly.  This must seem archaic language to the unfamiliar, but it has remained in usage for a very long time.  The sentries challenge - “halt! - Who goes there” is of a similarly ancient nature and yet remained in use.  I agree with Steve that local orders would also often instruct the use of large suspended shell cases fitted with internal pendulum clangers intended as a gas warning, but often used for alarms too (a variety of clangs).  More widely positioned were hand held wooden rattlers that were made in their thousands for similar purposes, but intended for gas only.

2.  The officers verbal order was also “stand to”.  This might be rendered initially “Staaaand Tooo”, but there was / is no mandatory way to issue the order.

3.  The bugle and trumpet call equivalent of stand to was titled “Alarm”, the British call can be listened to here (note that there are very few notes, but constantly repeated**): http://www.farmersboys.com/MAIN/Bugles_Calls.htm  However, I doubt that buglers would be present, other than at the critical, or vulnerable locations with dedicated detachments (guards) provided on a rota.  A bugler was traditionally provided for these but much less likely by 1918.

4. Tea was not carried in “mess tins” (small tins issued individually as personal eating receptacles), but in either, “urns” (usually cylindrical in an oval shape)) or “dixies” (rectangular) carried in “hay boxes” (insulated containers).  The former were usually carried by an individual man on his back supported by shoulder straps, and the latter by two men like a stretcher, via removable wooden handles.  The outer material was often wood or hessian (loose weave cloth) wrapped, precisely so that it didn’t make a noise if it came into contact with metal (e.g. corrugated iron trench supports) when being negotiated down a duckboarded, congested support trench and forward lines (especially as this was done most commonly at night).

**note that the dismounted and mounted alarm calls were identical, one by bugle and one by trumpet.  Cavalry used trumpet only when dismounted and bugle otherwise as it was easier when controlling a horse.

 

 

Thank you for your reply. I knew the proper term wasn't "mess tin" but I had no idea what the proper term was for this container. It had latches to secure the lid. An example may be seen in the picture below. 

Your points 1-4 were well taken and make a lot of sense. Thanks also for the picture of the wooden rattlers. All of this information will really help. 

 

 

Edited 30 August , 2023 by Dave1346

[FROGSMILE]

4 hours ago, Dave1346 said:

Thank you for your reply. I knew the proper term wasn't "mess tin" but I had no idea what the proper term was for this container. It had latches to secure the lid. An example may be seen in the picture below. 

Your points 1-4 were well taken and make a lot of sense. Thanks also for the picture of the wooden rattlers. All of this information will really help. 

 

 

I’m glad to help and wish you well with your project.

Men in a dugout guarding a section of trench would usually be from the same unit, so if a sentry is wearing a kilt, so should they all.  Conveying a sense of uniform in your images is important if you want your readers to grasp the events as within a military setting.

In a muddy trench kilts were routinely covered with a khaki cotton apron, else they soon became absolutely plastered, weighed down with mud, and truly a nightmare to try and brush clean, even when allowed to dry.

Dugouts were generally very cramped and to give that correct impression your trench wall in the dugout behind the NCO and sleeping men should be lower.  Anklets (canvas gaiters) on the two reclining men with bent knees, were a feature of WW2 and puttees were largely universal for the infantry.

Your artwork is clever but would be improved if you could show the men as quite mud splattered and dusty/dirty looking.  Although daily shaving was expected and routinely carried out, other than in extremis (the sign of a good and disciplined unit), it was incredibly difficult to keep uniform, web equipment, helmet and boots pristine looking.  I’m not sure if that’s possible with your digital artwork, but it would add authenticity to the look of your frames.

Edited 30 August , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[Dave1346]

 

All excellent points FROGSMILE. Thank you! I suppose I will now have to grunge up the Germans particularly since they just crawled through no man's land.

That was a good catch regarding the anklets.  I replaced the anklets in this picture. I also added some rats. 

 

 

 

 

Edited 1 September , 2023 by Dave1346

[FROGSMILE]

7 hours ago, Dave1346 said:

 

All excellent points FROGSMILE. Thank you! I suppose I will now have to grunge up the Germans particularly since they just crawled through no man's land.

That was a good catch regarding the anklets.  I replaced the anklets in this picture. I also added some rats. 

 

 

 

 

That’s much better now.  For perfection your trench wall behind the seated sergeant still needs to be lower to convey the sense of a ‘dugout’ (the clues in the word) rather than a cavern, although I realise you’d have to move, or reduce in size your speech bubble.  The left side of the frame makes it look like it’s been dug by a JCB and out of proportion to his body. 

Edited 1 September , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[Dave1346]

26 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

That’s much better now.  For perfection your trench wall behind the seated sergeant still needs to be lower to convey the sense of a ‘dugout’ (the clues in the word) rather than a cavern, although I realise you’d have to move, or reduce in size your speech bubble.  The left side of the frame makes it look like it’s been dug by a JCB and out of proportion to his body. 

While adjusting the speech bubble would not be a problem, the thing about that dugout image is that I used the image of an actual dugout that has long since been sealed off due to public safety concerns. I am not clear on who made this dugout since the source did not include this information. I noticed that while one wall appeared to be concrete, the floor was dirt. This makes me wonder if this particular dugout belonged to the Allies instead of the Central Powers. 

From what I have read, the Germans used a lot of concrete. It is my understanding that the German trenches were both deeper and more strongly built than the British. 

Pictured below is my interpretation of a large German bunker. While I don't know what this particular bunker was used for, I found this picture as an empty moldering concrete room that I digitally restored. Included among the debris of this room was what might have been bedframes for bunk beds. This room had an overhead electrical light, duct connections for what had been a stove, and a ventilation shaft. 

The construction seems reminiscent of what I have seen of the Belgian fortifications that the Germans smashed using heavy siege guns.

[FROGSMILE]

13 hours ago, Dave1346 said:

While adjusting the speech bubble would not be a problem, the thing about that dugout image is that I used the image of an actual dugout that has long since been sealed off due to public safety concerns. I am not clear on who made this dugout since the source did not include this information. I noticed that while one wall appeared to be concrete, the floor was dirt. This makes me wonder if this particular dugout belonged to the Allies instead of the Central Powers. 

From what I have read, the Germans used a lot of concrete. It is my understanding that the German trenches were both deeper and more strongly built than the British. 

Pictured below is my interpretation of a large German bunker. While I don't know what this particular bunker was used for, I found this picture as an empty moldering concrete room that I digitally restored. Included among the debris of this room was what might have been bedframes for bunk beds. This room had an overhead electrical light, duct connections for what had been a stove, and a ventilation shaft. 

The construction seems reminiscent of what I have seen of the Belgian fortifications that the Germans smashed using heavy siege guns.

The German bunker you’ve portrayed is very good and I understand your intent, but that type of bunker was dug down very deep (as much as 40-feet) and often with more than one flight of steps.  What you seem to want to show in your British scene is a dugout with its entrance set into the trench wall, as otherwise the sergeant wouldn’t ‘hear’ a thing let alone a dropped dixie.  Even then there was usually a heavy gas curtain over the entrance, doubled with a second curtain to keep the light inside.  It’s a matter of making your storyline add up, with a little more logic, as I imagine that these graphic novels are mainly for adolescents and young adults rather than children?

Have you heard of “Charlie’s War”?  If you’re interested in WW1 on a long term basis I recommend that you have a look at it.  It’s a comic but in book form and published in recent memory that focuses on ww1 and a young British soldier, Charlie.  It won several awards and if I recall correctly the artist was a man who when young had been an illustrator for DC Thompson** British staples like Victor, Hornet, Hotspur and War Picture Library.  I think you would find it both, inspiring and informative in regard to your digital work.

**the British equivalent of DC Comics and Marvel Comics for British boys (especially) and girls.

Edited 1 September , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[Dave1346]

On 01/09/2023 at 02:24, FROGSMILE said:

Have you heard of “Charlie’s War”?  If you’re interested in WW1 on a long term basis I recommend that you have a look at it.  It’s a comic but in book form and published in recent memory that focuses on ww1 and a young British soldier, Charlie.  It won several awards and if I recall correctly the artist was a man who when young had been an illustrator for DC Thompson** British staples like Victor, Hornet, Hotspur and War Picture Library.  I think you would find it both, inspiring and informative in regard to your digital work.

**the British equivalent of DC Comics and Marvel Comics for British boys (especially) and girls.

I'm not familiar with this but thank you for the suggestion. 

Based upon your suggestions, here is my revision of the British dugout. After adding stairs and lowering the ceiling, I decided to darken the dugout but added a kerosene lamp (and the lighting that was provided) as a visual contrast. 

I really appreciate all of your suggestions. They have been most helpful. 

After having created the image of the British NCO firing off a flare gun, I created this image last night as a way of showing readers more of an overhead view of the trench system. 

 

Edited 2 September , 2023 by Dave1346

[FROGSMILE]

1 hour ago, Dave1346 said:

I'm not familiar with this but thank you for the suggestion. 

Based upon your suggestions, here is my revision of the British dugout. After adding stairs and lowering the ceiling, I decided to darken the dugout but added a kerosene lamp (and the lighting that was provided) as a visual contrast. 

I really appreciate all of your suggestions. They have been most helpful. 

After having created the image of the British NCO firing off a flare gun, I created this image last night as a way of showing readers more of an overhead view of the trench system. 

 

That is perfect and far more realistic, well done.  I think that you have captured the atmospherics very well now.

As I can see that you enjoy constructing these graphic novels I strongly recommend that you seek out the Charlie’s War books.  They really deserved the awards achieved and will I think be an inspiration for you.

They (three volumes) are usually available via the public library system, and might even be found on eBay.

Edited 2 September , 2023 by FROGSMILE