Artillery signalling

[Histoire]

Hello

I've references related to artillery signals training. Mostly they are 'obvious'

Buzzer - flash spotting system

Flags - semaphore

Lamp - Begbie or others

Though one is not - 'Disc' . Could this be a Heliograph, perhaps..?

Thanks

[Chasemuseum]

This contemporary drawing shows a small selection of the signalling equipment used in the Great War by the BEF. The term Disc is being applied to two entirely different devices, the signalling shutter made of fabric and able to be rolled up. also a small paddle about the size of a ping pong bat that is hinged and spring loaded so that it can be held up and opened and closed. The survival rate of both of these devices is very poor.

an example of the signal shutter.

 

Cheers

Ross

 

 

 

 

[Histoire]

Nice, thank you.

I've seen a frame as well - looks like a small square wooden window shutter.

Do you a source for that picture please?

Best

[Chasemuseum]

 

The wooden shutter signalling device began life as a fixed installation signalling device for shore based stations to communicate with ships. The extract below is from the 1887 signalling manual but also appears in the earlier editions going back to 1876. The description below shows a shutter 2.4m x 2.4m.  By the time of the 1907 signals training manual, all references to signalling shutters are removed as the technology is obsolete. They do not appear again in the signal manuals (or at least the ones I have copies of). They are then "invented" again during WW1 by Major Cobb. THe wooden example is at the Royal Signals Museum at Blandford UK and the card is at the museum with their example of the roll-up fabric shutter.

Cheers

Ross

Timber shutter in use on the Western Front (picture taken from another post of GWF

 

Wooden signal shutter in the WW1 "communications bunker" display at RSM Blandford. There is no information card for this item.

 

RSM Blandford, information card for the fabric shutter in the early visual signalling display case

 

 

 

 

[Chasemuseum]

10 hours ago, Histoire said:

Do you a source for that picture please?

I have had the scanned image of the WW1 signalling equipment for a long time. Unfortunately I have forgotten which of the WW1 magazines it came from. I was not the one who did the original scan, it was emailed to me and I lost all of my old emails twice, with transfers between computer upgrades. I still do not know how to efficiently save emails to my remote back-up drive, so I am always at risk of losing most of my email history when lightning storms occur.

The fabric signalling shutter is in the Chase Museum collection and is currently in the cupboard beside me. The WW1 collection also includes Begbie lamps, Mk I electric lamp, Lucas short and long distance electric lamps, 3-inch, 5-inch & 10-inch heliographs, telegraph equipment, field telephones, batteries, and a very small amount of wireless material (we are desperately seeking WW1 wireless gear)

Cheers

Ross

 

[Chasemuseum]

 

From the 1876 Manual of Instruction. The scan is a bit clearer than for the 1887 Manual of Instruction. Not a lot of change in the material.

[MikeMeech]

On 17/11/2021 at 21:36, Histoire said:

Hello

I've references related to artillery signals training. Mostly they are 'obvious'

Buzzer - flash spotting system

Flags - semaphore

Lamp - Begbie or others

Though one is not - 'Disc' . Could this be a Heliograph, perhaps..?

Thanks

Hi

Sometimes mentioned in documents is the DIETZ Signalling Disc, part of 1907 Patent bellow:

Mike