Signalling section

[Skipman]

Am researching Pte 265474 William Clogg 1/6th Black Watch KIA 1/6/1917. A newspaper report says he was in " The signalling section "

Am looking for some general information on the duties of a signalling section, or any lnks to, or recommendations of books/websites etc.

Cheers Mike

[Guest]

Would I be right in thinking, a Black Watch signalling section, would not be part of, or, attached to the RE signals?

Mike

[Ron Clifton]

Hello Mick

Unit signallers, as in your case, were involved in signalling within the unit itself. Each battalion had a signaller-sergeant and sixteen signallers including a corporal. They mainly used visual signalling (lamps and semaphore) and cable (using Morse) where it could be laid and maintained. They were not part of the RE, although they would interact with the sections of the divisional signal company, which handled communications with brigade and div HQs. The RE sections also provided training and other support to unit sections.

Field Service Regulations Part I, and the Field Service Pocket Book I think, contain more clarification. There are also references in Major R E Priestley's The Signal Service (France) which I believe is available online.

When a battalion attacked, as on 1 July, each company was followed by three signallers - one in the middle and one on each flank - laying cable which could be used to establish communications from the captured trenches back to battalion HQ. There were three so that at least one would "get through".

Ron

[truthergw]

Mike. The author of " Old Soldiers never die ", Frank Richards, was a signaller. Some good descriptions of a signaller's war in the book.

[Guest]

Excellent Tom. That's on my list now.

Cheers Mike

[Guest]

Thank you too Ron. You have a way of telling a great deal, in a few words.

Cheers Mike

[Guest]

Cheers Ron The Signal Service

Mike

[Muerrisch]

Battalion signallers were an elite group, picked for intelligence, very highly trained [try learning Morse send/receive at their 'pass' speeds!] and treated pretty well in peace and war. Also in war, a great deal of courage was required, because, never mind 'over the top' cables and lines needed to be kept in repair. In peace, a good battalion had more or less a complete 'spare' set of signallers, trained to 'pass' standard. The signallers were tested as a team and as individuals every year.

Add heliograph to the lists above, particularly in the outposts of Empire.

[Guest]

Great stuff! Would these Bn Signallers have used pigeons?

Have been told by an ex Signals man, that there was a pay bracket, for a " Loftsman "

Cheers mike

[Ron Clifton]

Mike

The pigeon service was run by the RE, so "Loftsman" was probably a Sapper pay grade. But units in the trenches had pigeons with them, and no doubt the infantry signallers looked after them.

Priestley makes the point that men had to be trained not to treat the pigeons as pets, giving them titbits etc, as this made the birds less willing to leave the trenches when released. They were also told not to release male anmd female birds together, as they tended not to go straight home!

Pigeons were also used by tank crews to report their progress.

To amplify what Grumpy says, being a unit signaller, especially in the artillery, could be a very dangerous job, involving going out into no man's land, or on the surface just behind the front line, during the night to identify and repair breaks in the cable. I know of one bombardier in the RFA who won the Distinguished Conduct Medal for this kind of work.

Ron

[Guest]

Diolch yn fawr Grumpy

Thanks again Ron, very interesting.

Cheers Mike

[PhilB]

When a battalion attacked, as on 1 July, each company was followed by three signallers - one in the middle and one on each flank - laying cable which could be used to establish communications from the captured trenches back to battalion HQ. There were three so that at least one would "get through".

Ron

How was the command of the Battalion arranged to accommodate the fact that communication could be through any, none or all, of three possibly widely separated lines?

[squirrel]

This soldier was attached to the Brigade Signal Section from his battalion:

"The York and Lancaster Regiment attached Signal Section

No.16396 Private Harold Barker

For bravery and devotion to duty on June 15th and 16th 1918.

During the intense enemy barrage he worked continuously on a main

telephone line which had been cut to pieces. His companion was killed

while working but Private Barker carried on mending the line unaided

until another man was sent to help him. The second man was killed while

mending the line with him but Private Barker put the line through alone.

Upon his return he immediately volunteered to go out through a barrage

to mend another line, although he had had nothing to eat for over fifteen hours.

Private Barker showed throughout absolute disregard of danger and a devotion

to duty hardly to be surpassed.

Awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for the above.

H. Jordon

Brigadier General

Commanding 70th Infantry Brigade

28th June 1918"

Outstanding bravery seems to have a been a requirement of Signallers also.

[Ron Clifton]

QUOTE (Phil_B @ Jan 20 2010, 10:13 PM)

How was the command of the Battalion arranged to accommodate the fact that communication could be through any, none or all, of three possibly widely separated lines?

Phil

Although the forward ends of the cable might be separated, the rear ends were concentrated at company HQ. The Coy Cdr could therefore get some feedbacxk on the progress of the attack and whether and where support was needed. It was not intended for the forward passage of orders, although in suitable circumstances it might be used for that too.

Ron

[shaymen]

Mike

This old thread may be of some use, personal diary of a signaller

 

Glyn

[Guest]

Excellent Glyn, thanks very much for that.

Cheers Mike