Service notebook of Harold Gordon Cornell - 1917 - Part 18

(3) 
Operator in charge Puff Target Practice 

equipment will take necessary steps to procure 

a light tender and at once to warn other ranks 

as follows:–

2 fatigue men (to be detailed by flight 

commander to act as ground strip orderlies&c.)

1 other wireless operator.

The following equipment is then loaded in to 

the light tender and the tender driver 

supplied with a copy of the map.

FOR ENGLISH BATTERY POSITION.  PERSONNEL.

1 officer

1 wireless opr.

1 orderly.

Complete gear for one receiving station.

Puff control board with cable detonators & pufs

1 block of telegraph forms and pencil.

All equipment must be in position and in 

working order at least 15 minutes before the 

time stated for the aeroplane to leave the g

ground.

The operators at each end will cooperate 

so as to ensure a proper interval of time 

between the firing of the flash and the 

exploding of the puff.

(b) Panneau reading from the air.

Reading panneau from the air at the rate of 

4 words per minute.

Personnel 1 operator to work panneau.

Procedure:– Flight commander will issue 

instructions to senior wireless operator at 

wireless station stating time it is required 

to carry out above practice.

(4)
The pupil will write down the signals as they 

are read and this record will be checked by the 

operator on the pupils return to the ground

The pupil will send down by wireless each 

letter as received.

(c) Ground signals reading from the air.

To send from the air the meaning of 10 out of 

12 artillery code signals placed on the ground.

Personnel:– 1 Ground strip orderly

(detailed by flight commander.)

1 Wireless operator.

Procedure:– Flight commander will instruct operator 

in charge machines to fit the required 

machine for ground signals practice.

The same operator will take charge of receiving 

duties during the practice.

The ground strips will be put out by the 

orderly under the direction of the operator.

BOMB DROPPING PRACTICE.

When it is required to carry out bomb droppig 

practice the flight commander will instruct 

the wireless operatoe in charge machines 

to fit the required machines with the necessary 

wireless equipment.

This operator will tune in the air station 

at the receiving station and then hand the 

telephone receivers to the photographic 

personnel conducting the practice who will carry 

on.

The pupil is instructed to call up the aerodrome

wireless station in the usual way to ensu

ensure that his wireless is working properly 

and this call should be replied to by ground 

signal “K”

The above instructns are issued by direction of 

C.O. 24th Wing R.F.C. Wyton Huntingdon 2/3/17

(5)
WIRELESS SECTION

STANDING ORDERS.

HANDLING OF EXPLOSIVES.

1  Powder puffs detonators and flash powder 

used in connection with artillery practices 

will be stored in the tent set aside for th

the purpose.

Such materials will be stored in sound closed 

packing cases.

2  Severe disciplinary action will be taken in 

the case of anyone who contravenes the order 

as to smoking in the tent referred to
in para 1.

3  The N.C.O. i/c Wireless will impress on all 

ranks concerned in the working of artillery 

practices the necessity for observing strict 

precartion in handling the explosive 

materials referred to in para.1.

any case of disregard of such injunctions 

will be dealt with very severely.

For example;– Such materials during practices 

should be stored in a place at least 30 yds 

from instruments and personnel during the 

practice.

The flash powder should be thrown into the 

brazier from the windward side that is the 

orderly stands with his back to the wind 

and throws the puff in the direction of the 

wind and all personnel and instruments should 

occupy a position on the windward side of this 

device.

Severe disciplinary action will be taken in 

the case of any man found carrying powder puffs 

detonators flash puffs about his person.

(6)
(4)  Powder puffs will be punctured with the 

special wooden piercer provided for the 

purpose. On no account will any metal 

instrument be employed for this purpose.

(5)  All ranks are warned against using or 

allowing to be used any of the materials 

referred to above for any purpose other 

than that for which the materials are 

intended.

2nd Lt.

E.O. Wireless Etc

Spittlegate Grantham.

(7)

Wireless training of officers.

Instructions for conduct of picture target 

practice.

The practice will consist of:–

ARTILLERY OBSERVATION

MAP READING.

EQUIPNENT EQUIPMENT:–

1 Picture target scale 1 inch to 100 yds laid 

out horizontally.               6667X

2 squared service maps      1         describing 

                                               20,000

the area on the picture.

1 movable minature 4 gun battery fitted with 

electric lights and a key for the battery 

commander to fire the guns.

1 set of ground strips in minature.

1 observers seat fixed at a convenient height 

overlooking the picture target.

1 key safety plug and aerial winch for observer.

1 B.C. post (seat and desk).

1 set telephone receivers for wireless operatorg

1 pointer with white bead to show “bursts”

1 pointed with flash light to show “gun flashes.”

ARTILLERY OBSERVATION AND MAP READING.

PERSONNEL:–

(a)  Artillery observation

1 instructor

1 observer

1 battery commander

1 strip orderly

1 battery wireless operator.

The duties of strip orderly and wireless operator 

can be combined in the duty of battery 

commander.

In addition wireless operatorsw with telephone 

receivers for the squadron and central wireless 

stations may be added.

(8)
(b) Map reading

1 instructor

1 observer.

CONDUCT OF AN ARTILLERY PRACTICE.

The practices are to be carried out on identically 

the same lines as a shoot would be on 

active service. For example; in a prearranged 

shoot against a hostile battery position 

The observer and the battery commander first 

discuss the shoot but once the observer has 

taken his seat the instructor allows no more 

discussion except by the regular method viz:– 

The observer by wireless and the battery 

commander by means of ground strips.

On directions from the instructor to commence 

the practice the observer calls up his 

squadron to test his wireless the n having 

verified his target he proceeds to call up his 

battery when the battery wireless operator 

“tunes in”.

The observer having sent the signal “G” 

the B.C. fires whereupon the instructor 

indicates the burst with the pointer with the 

white bead and the observer sends down 

the corrections accordingly.

Whilst the shoot is actually in progress all 

the instructor has to do is to indicate 

the position of “bursts” but at the end of 

the shoot he summarises any mistakes made and 

discusses the shoot in general on such points 

as for instance SENDING? LAYING OUT OF STRIPS 

SCALE OF DISTANCES ON THE GROUND. TIMES OF 

FLIGHT. DIFFERENCE TYPES OF GUNS HOWITZERS ETC

The pointer fitted with a flash light is for 

the instructor to indicate the position of 

active hostile batteries only and whether the

(9)
observer adopts the zone call method or calls 

up a particular battery the pro same procedure 

is adopted.

MAP READING.

Experience has proved that however 

well an artillery observer or contact patrol 

observer has learnt his work too much attention 

cannot be paid to map reading.

With definite landmarks such as cross roads woods 

and buildings there is little difficulty but 

in open country and country cut up and intersected 

with trenches the greatest care and 

attention is demanded of the observer. 

To instil care and attention into an observer 

much can be done on the picture target.

The instructor indicates points by means of th

pointer with a flash light and the observer 

sends down the co-ordinates by wireless.

Wireless section

24th Wing

(10)
Station instructions.

issued by officer i/c Wireless

24th Wing R.F.C.

March 27th 1917.

(11)
Standing Orxders wireless section.

Harlaxton and Spittlegate stations

24th Wing R.F.C.

Instruction for wireless operator i/c Machine

The operator i/c machines is responsible for 

the fitting of wireless equipment in aeroplane

He will carry out a Minute inspection of all 

wireless fittings in machines daily.

Particular attention will be paid to the following:– 

1  Safety Plug To see that it fits securely.

2  Fairlead Keep free from oil and dirt.

3  Petrol resisting tubing.

To see that this is securely fitted and is 

intact. To see that metal bush at top 

of the I.R. tubing is completely insulated 

by the tubing from the winch fitting.

4  Keys To see that the keys are adjusted 

properly and that the contacts are clean.

5. Connections:- To see that all connections a

are electrically perfect and that all 

terminal ends are neatly bound up.

6  Winch:- To see that the aerial winch and b

brake work freely and efficiently.

7  Aerial:- After every flight to see that the 

aerial is intact The wire will be run out 

cleaned from oil and carefully inspected for 

kinks. I the event of faults being located 

a new aerial will be at once fitted and the 

old wire returned to wireless stores.

In the event of breakage the aerial measurement
will be checked and if necessary the 

aerial renewed and the broken aerial returned 

to wireless stores.

(12)
STERLING TRANSMITTER.

The sterling set should be adjusted to give 

good service in the air from 3 to 4 hours.

It is essential to have the Spark Gap and the 

trembler properly adjusted.

Previous to and after every flight the operator 

i/c machines will test the sterling set in use 

paying particular attention to the screw and 

attention to spring of make and break.

He will carefully examine clean, true up, and 

adjust contacts of make and break.

He will pay very close attention to the spark 

gap. This will be carefully cleaned and adjusted 

to give a sound even spark

Cleaning is done with finest emery cloth inserted 

between gap and moved gently laterally.

Correct Parallel adjustment after cleaning is 

essential On no pretext whatever will a 

transmitter be left in a machine when it is 

not intended to be used for wireless practices.

When a transmitter is not actually required to 

be used it will be kept in the wireless hut .

ACCUMULATOSE

ACCUMULATORS The operator i/c machines is 

responsible for the care and maintenance of 

accumulators  After every second flight 

the cells in used will be carefully tested.

All cells needing charging will be put on charge 

each evening immediately practices are finished.

TESTING INSTALLATION IN MACHINES. The operator 

i/c machines will visit the flight sheds every 

evening when it has become dark taking with him 

an electric hand lamp  Every machine fitted for 

wireless will be tested with the transmitted 

fitted as for practice in the dark.