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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Power Buzzer


Hedley Malloch

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I am reading an account of a night raid by a Canadian unit on German lines. It says that the unit carried a 'power buzzer', but they do not say what it was or how it worked. It seems to have been some sort of communications device. Does anyone have any information about this device?

Many thanks in advance.

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Hedley

In my Gt Uncle's diary he mentions being tested on the buzzer here (13th Jan)

He was an RE signaller and I always assumed the buzzer was used to reproduce sound for reading morse messages. Presumably it had a battery hence the 'power' bit.

Cheers

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The power buzzer was a communication device that relied on transmission of signals through the ground - a process known as earth induction telegraphy. It was designed to obviate the need for cables. This reduced reliance on a fallible (in times of bombardment) connection, as well as reducing the opportunity for Germans to intercept the messages.

You can read a detailed account, accompanied by a photograph here:

http://www.fairmile.fsbusiness.co.uk/power.htm

Robert

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Robert and Rasta,

Problem solved. Thank you very much for those very helpful replies.

Regards

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