SOME NOTES ON ARTILLERY COMMUNICATIONS.

2/Lieut. B.C. Felgate.

Reference:- Field Artillery Training, 1914.

Section 149.  Especially paras. 3. 4 & 5.

Section 185.  “Communication between brigade and battery commanders should be established immediately on coming into action, and it is the duty of battery commanders to see that it is so established.  The adjutant is responsible for organising the communications between the brigade observing station and the other points.”

            Other points include battery positions.

            It may frequently happen in enclosed country that the brigade telephonist may be quite close to the battery but owing to lack of cable or insufficient information as to their exact position, he may not be within sight of the guns or O.P.  Probably then a few steps round a corner or a wood in the direction of the brigade headquarters would discover him.  B.C’s should instruct their operators to be on the look-out for the brigade cable and make every effort to get into touch with the Telephone Cart at the earliest possible moment.

Section 201.  An alteration is here necessary in that Semaphore signalling had been officially abolished but may be used regimentally if so desired.  It of course involves a greater risk of exposure to the enemy than the Morse flag used judiciously.

Para. 5.  All Artillery signallers are trained in these abbreviations but it will be seen that to ensure efficiency and speed in the reception of orders, it is of the utmost importance that officers should be thoroughly acquainted with them so that no delay shall arise by the telephonist having to translate and receive his messages at the same time which in most cases would be an impossibility.  It will be readily understood that it takes much less time to send P.F.D. on a buzzer or by voice than to write “Put flag on Director”, so that should the operator be obliged to do this, he would lose the following signals.  Officers should invariably use the authorised abbreviations so that these may be thoroughly understood by everyone.

Sections 246 & 247.

Para 2.  The training of battery signallers has now been raised to a much higher standard than “Semaphore, telephone and buzzer”.

            As observing stations are now placed frequently at a considerable distance from the battery and where the country is much enclosed, a very much greater number of men than four may be necessary.  Should the line have to be extended as to involve the use of “one man” stations (always to be avoided if anyhow possible) the orders must be sent in very small groups at a time as obviously the men cannot write down or send on when reading a distant station.  The “one man” transmitting station then becomes “chiked” and the message is sent on either incorrectly or the first part is forgotten.  An order then should be given and the next station receiving should be watched until he has got that order away to his receiving station when he can turn his attention once more to the O.P. station and take another order.  It should be remembered that the minimum number of men at a visual transmitting station should not be less than three whenever possible to ensure satisfactory and speedy working.  According to War Establishments part VIII”, this would provide 6 transmitting stations of 3 men, 2 men at O.P. and one man and an officer at the battery.  The officer could write down his orders as the signaller calls them out.  Circumstances under which so many stations would be necessary are hardly conceivable.  In enclosed country the battery position is subservient to the O.P.  With telephone communication no difficulty would arise.

Message Forms.  A.F.B. 2121, 2122 and 2123.

It is of the utmost importance that all Officers should make themselves acquainted with the nature and uses of these different forms.  It may frequently be necessary for Artillery Officers to make use of the Divisional or Infantry Brigade Signal Services when the rules laid down for the use of these forms should be closely adhered to, to ensure prompt despatch and receipt of messages.

German Code.

            It is also important that Officers should know as much of the German Code as is possible at present.  The following are some of their more important signals.  The German morse code is the same as our own with the following exceptions and additions:-

                        a   .-.-              o –. (our G)               ch —-

                        e ..-..                u ..—

            full stop III (;) -.-.-.     (,) .-.-.-                        (:) —…

Column – RD (Run together)                     Messages understood – SN (run together)

Call signal – KA    -do-                                Wait = AS = .-…

Answer – K                                                    End of message – AR

Acknowledge – RRR  -do-                          Roman Numerals – ROM

The following prefixes are especially important:-

KR   means a War message.

SSD     “         Urgent Military.

SS       “         State of Military message.

A         “         Telegraph message.

D          “        Urgent private.

Also the following special signals:-

AV (run together) – Advance.

H.L. (two separate letters) – Halt.

From firing line to rear:-

G.V. –  Increase elevation.

M.U. – Ammunition required.

S.M. – Are we going to charge.

From rear to firing line:-

M.U. – Ammunition coming.

S.M. – Assault to take place.