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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

SIGNALLING EQUIPMENT


mutley

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Can any forum members provide any information regarding the performance of communication devices (early radio/heliographs/fuller phones etc) used during the war, I am keen to identify the range of these equipments could cover, how many men it took to operate, how long it would take to set up etc. I am particularly interested in communications within tanks and ground to air communications. Any information greatly received, thanks. :)

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Frank Richards's Old Soldier Sahib gives a great deal of information on army signalling as practised in India immediately pre-war. Especially good on heliograph, on standards achieved by skilled signallers etc. See also his Old Soldiers Never Die for the day-to-day struggles in communication during the war ......... again as a signaller.

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Guest Pete Wood

Mutley, for a good introduction on ground to air wireless experiments, you must get hold of a copy of "The Air Defence of Britain 1914-1918" by Christopher Cole and EF Cheesman. It's out of print now, I believe, and not cheap (around £25+), but it's a little gem.

There are about 15 pages dedicated to the wireless - and the political arguments between the army (who were doing most of the experiments) and the navy (who 'owned' the air waves) in 1916 who were convinced that the RFC's interference would block out their signals.

The pilots at 36 Squadron, Cramlington, were the first to test transmitters in UK airspace on 30 May 1916, using a Marconi set operating on 525 metres wavelength with the call sign WXO. The receiver was tuned in advance, so the pilot "merely had to unreel a 150 ft aerial from its drum and switch on."

Easier said than done, me thinks.

Reception was poor but could be heard up to around 20 miles, but a better fitting and sound-proofed helmet was recommended and approved.

There was a dedicated wireless unit at Brooklands. They built a Booklands-type receiver which weighed 32lb, for use with 0.5 kilowatt transmitters. Reception was described as clear by November of 1916. Marconi engineer Lieut JM Furnival was convinced that with more work, he could pick up signals from 30-40 miles etc etc etc.

Get the book. It's worth it.

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Guest Pete Wood

Guy, the chap who runs that website is a nice chap. Fairmile is the publisher of the Tanks at Flers (Trevor Pidgeon), trenchmaps - and he's a Mini Cooper fan too :D:D

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Mutley

Wireless transmission from the air goes back to 1910. In his book: "Wonder Aces of the Air", A.J.Smithers quotes from the Official History of the Royal Air Force; 'During the manoeuvres of 1910 Mr Robert Loraine in a Bristol machine fitted with transmitting apparatus, succeeded in sending wireless messages,from a distance of a quarter of a mile, to a temporary receiving station rigged up at Larkhill.'

Nothing spectacular, but a start.

Garth

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Thanks to all of you who have contributed, especially Geoff, that URL was excellent. Does anyone know anything about Wireless Tanks? I think they may have been used at Cambrai, but don't have any evidence, its just something I remember being told years ago. I would be interested to know if they were used in a semi static role to provide a rebroadcast link for tanks further forward who signalled using a semaphore attachment. My main reason for thinking this is that I would imagine the inside of a tank in those days was both extremely noisy and that the vibrations from the engine/gun recoil would be detrimental to valve driven radios. We still have problems with vibration on modern day equipment in armoured vehicles!! so how they managed is beyond me. Once again thanks to all. :)

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Hi mutley

The Official History records nine Tanks were fitted with wireless for the Battle of Cambrai, but at the moment thats all I can tell you. The problem with the Official History is that it is not indexed, I'll have to do a little reading to see if it mentions more about these wireless Tanks.

Annette

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The problem with the Official History is that it is not indexed

Take no notic of this statement, it was late at night when I looked at OH -_- , I am now fully awake and found it does have an index, after looking at it, it makes no other mention of wireless Tanks other then what I have posted above.

Annette

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Annette, thanks for the information, I have got the Ironclads of Cambrai by Bryan Cooper and will have a look through that to see if I can find anything out. Thanks once again. :)

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That URL also gave an account of signallers uniforms and it surprised me to find out that Burberrys of London manufactured officers uniforms. They are based in Hackney and when I left school many moons ago they were one of the first people I worked for. Amazing....thanks for the URL it is a truly great site.

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