Nazgul on the Western Front?

[ericwebb]

Browsing through Ernst Junger's 'Storm of Steel' recently [as one does!] I was struck by a description he gives of a British aircraft signalling, presumably to the ground, by means of a horn. It struck me that Tolkien, who certainly uses what seems very likely to be Western Front imagery elsewhere in Lord of the Rings, might have been thinking of this when he had his flying Nazgul [the Ringwraiths] communicate with each other by screaming.

Whether or not, can anyone shed light on the signalling by horn? I have not come across this before.

Good wishes all, and as we are nearly there now, Happy Christmas!

Eric Webb

[Trenchman]

Hi Eric,

Using horns and klaxons was a routine business both on the ground and in the air. Communication on the battlefield during the Great War was an 'uncertain' business at the best of times whether on the ground or in the air. Observation aircraft (vital for artillery spotting and reconnaisance) routinely faced rain, mist, smoke, dust, cloud cover, etc., which made visual signalling ineffective. Dropping messages could be a fairly dodgy business too. So they used sound as well, including the magnificently named 'Strombos Horn'.

I admire your imagination but I can't really imagine a BE2 as a Nazgul even if I screw my eyes up!

Cheers

Rob

[Martin Brown]

I'm sure there was a thread on here somewhere recently that said JRR had been chased by Uhlans at some point and this was the origin of the dark riders. Nevertheless you have answered a question about communication that we were only musing over a couple of days ago!

Cheers

M