Notebook of Gerard Henderson Cowan - Part 4

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
AWM2019.22.259
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

i Nersaged for Delivery Containing more ter onadds That is leving to be delivered to more than one addressed im The transmitting its would tell lowmany were for transmission and howmary for delivery suppose it has three addresss all are for delivery. In this case three carlon copils would be taken ic as many copies as there are addresses. Each Copy has on it the thee addresses two of these are crossed out on each laving a different address intrca copy
Mersages for Delvery Catt Each Copy has a different consaautive number and are entered up as three separate messages. m ccopy would be enclosun in a At C 378 when sent out for delivery. There would be twee different times to enter in Sent Column on original copy if there was not endugl room sley would entered any whee on tre merage and a ring draw round them. The original would be filed as an out going message m
poles on Dignal rater Tee signal register is kept from midnightetel nidnight. The messagerare kept until midagger and are then led up and rebelled with office number or station call and the date Messages tlaf are transmitted are down with Pattaches to their consecutive this- PD. DD 5 Bets In the Address t the name only or unit is put. Denderd number oo always the same romatter how often the mesege is transmitted Tdentes telptone 3 Voual Dignal riguter for otgoing moae Let thue l rttin C tte 10 ap4 115241 15 vemwee on n 7 rany 10 o17 tmpa7 480s Jrns 1540FS 5845 lien C 6Ea1 GreW RAy ilE 70or pem/ 178 1 psOM CCD 88/29 e 9t6 w te N04 One 10 MEr MVMEYAIOR Ct t tent
tation Dary The station diary is kept by the Signal master at Dignal Office Douel station Surringto e2/2 LMIE eusese Communication opened with 28 10AM 10:15AN Po 10 am "kc &an Osibility between here and 26 bad owing to Smoka Rroon Communication 20 awirely duspended by 2moke 1PM P0 reported sue pension of communication witl LB. 20Y Digs Clark and Oaker nt outwounded 3021 Communicetion with 20recumed
Etablishing and Working a Signal t in the Field TTo obtain communication must have a clear view of all stwo sending to tations wcould be set up near road where th can be eaisly found but not near enough to be effected by the dust and w te A trick should be napper out for a runner in care of had visibility Tafely A Str should never be estab -lished on top of a hill but just below the creat line. The remains of Acroplanes and tanks make good Artillery marks to should be avoided
Establishing and Working A Signal Dluon in the Field tlonalnen Abrays pich a dark corner of possible twar getin the open HShelter Alwayd have stalter for man off duty of none at hand construd Cachgrand tudy the background carfully ro as to know whether to use the blue. or white plag. Ween in bilt whetter to ilse blul or white are the white flag In wing a lamp on a moonlight night a darts ladnground should always &e wisoble
USSAt Dities on a Lnding Teminal OfT Caller At Dander M Anowe Reader The Caller is the y/5 or man ix charge of the book He always slands will his back to the strsending to the Vender always stands according to how the wind is blowing but must always stand square on to the sty he is sending to & The Answer Beader always stands on the opposite side of the Caller to thet which the render is on He always faces the distan str Dutie ofr Flaller The alkes sharge of all
Salbadatie Cont versager landed in at the str so responsible for the sending of a mesage He diclates the mearge word for word to the render &long names and proper houns as well as words which can be spett in several ways such as to sould Elways beghilf at where any Group has to be checked bask Calle would not call next letter word until the corred cleck letter heve been received The will repeat or shall out any gronp about which the sender may be in doubt and which the latter well indisate by saying ift of ell
Cllen Dutis Cost He will tick off each letter word as it is answered so as to keep a check on himself I When he ias given out a grouk which had to be cheaked back he will click the letters as called out by the Answer Reader with the message. He will not inform the atter of the Check letters hemby expect & He wre recount the message wosoon as he has ordered send of merage to be sent MHaving ordered merrage Corectr to be answered by the general answer he will complete the sent Column and silf in the allans date proper shace
Colleduties Contiin &In mersages containing more than fifty words to will make a distinct paise mark after every 5d words Denders Dutes I Golely to send the message and pay attention to his instrudment not the distant str and to make his signals distinaty and in regular time THe well send each word or group as ordered by the Caller of a groupe is not answered (indisated by the knower Beader remaching sitent) he will after a reasonable pause repeat the group without any further order from the Callen

Messages  for Delivery
Containing more than one address
That is having to be delivered
to more than one addressee
The transmitting stn would
tell how many were for
transmission and how many
for delivery                            
Suppose it has three addresses
all are for delivery.
In this case three carbon
copies would be taken i.e.
as many copies as there
are addresses.
Each Copy has on it the three
addresses two of these
are crossed out on each
leaving a different address
to each copy                          

 

Messages for Delivery Contd
Each Copy has a different
consecutive number and
are entered up as three
separate messages.              
Each copy would be enclosed
in a A.F.C 398 when sent
out for delivery. There
would be three different
times to enter in Sent
Column on original
copy. if there was not
enough room they would
be entered any where on
the message and a ring
drawn round them.             
The original would be
filed as an out going
message                              

 

Notes on - Signal register -
The signal register is kept
from midnight until midnight.
The messages are kept until midnight
and are then tied up and labelled
with office number or station call
and the date. - 

----------------------------
Messages that are transmitted are
shown with B attached to their
consecutive nos. this- 7B. 8B 5B etc

-----------------------------------
In the -address to- the name
only or unit is put.

-----------------------------
Senders number is always the same
no matter how often the message
is transmitted

-------------------------
 T denotes telephone. S Visual 
 

Signal register for outgoing messages
Kept thus

                         

 

Signal register for outgoing messages 

Unit

10 Bgde

Place

BraySomme

      

Station call

ZA

  

Date

27/12/18

  

corasec alive

number

Senders

number

time of

reception in signal

office

 Address TO  

DR

Name

DK

Departure

Time of

arrival

 Remarks
1 K3 1 AM Capt Bge T -   1.15AM Sgt S.H.
2 D14 3 AM 10th Btn T -   3.20AM Pte H.C.C.
3 H17 11 AM 12 Btn T -   4.10AM A.D.F.
4B B3 7 AM Lieut [[?]] S -   1.5 A.M. F.J.
5B H5 2 PM Lieut James S -   8.35PM C.H.L.
6 F21 9 PM 16th Btn T -   9.25PM L.R.E.
7B V7 10 PM 27th Btn S -   10.16PM J.A.J.
8B L9 10.15 PM 44th Btn T -   10.20PM C.C.D.
9 E6 10 PM 2nd Bde T -   10.50PM M.D.L.
10 Z19 11 PM 6th Bde DR

Pte

Jones

 11.15 PM 11.45PM D.H.C.

C.A. Artef Lieut
 

 

Station Diary

The station diary is kept by the 

Signal master at - Signal Office

I/C                    "         "     Visual Station   
 

Durrington 25/12/17

TIME REMARKS
10 AM Communication opened with ZB
10.15 AM              "                      "             "     PB
10.30 AM              "                      "             "     KC
11 AM

Visibility between here 

and ZB bad owing to 

smoke.
12 noon

Communication to

ZB Entirely suspended 

by smoke
1 PM

PB reported suspension

of communication with

ZB
2 PM

Sigs Clark and Baker

sent out wounded
3PM

Communication with 

ZB resumed
 

Establishing and working a Signal

Stn in the Field

I To obtain communication

must have a clear view

of all stns sending to

Stations should be set

up near a road where

they can be easily found

but not near enough

to be effected by the

dust and row etc

A track should be mapped

out for a runner in

case of bad visibility
II Safety

A Stn - should never be established

on top of a hill

but just below the crest line.

The remains of aeroplanes

and tanks make good

Artillery marks so should

be avoided.

 

Establishing and Working 

a Signal Stn in the Field

III Concealment

Always pick a dark corner if

possible. Never get in the open

IV Shelter

Always have shelter for men off

duty if none at hand construct

it

V Background

Study the background

carefully so as to know

whether to use the blue

or white flag. When in doubt

whether to use blue or

white, use the white flag.

In using a lamp on

a moonlight night

a dark background 

should always be 

used if possible                 

 

VISUAL

Duties on a Sending Terminal

Bf-I Caller

II Sender

III Answer Reader            

I The caller is the I/C or man

in charge of the book

He always stands with his 

back to the stn sending to

II The sender always stands

according to how the wind

is blowing - but must always

stand square on to the stn

he is sending to                  

II The Answer Reader

always stands  on the opposite

side of the Caller to that

which the sender is on

He always faces the distant

stn                                     

Duties of -

I Caller

I He takes charge of all

 

Callers Duties Contd -            

messages handed in at that

stn. Is responsible for the

sending of a message.

He dictates the message

word for word to the sender

II Long names and proper

nouns as well as words

which can be spelt in

several ways such as TO

should always be spelt

III Where any Group has

to be checked back, Caller

would not call next letter

word until the correct

check letters have been 

received                       

IV He will repeat or spell

out any group about

which the sender may be

in doubt and which the 

letter will indicate by

saying "after" or "spell"            

 

Callers Duties Contd -             

V He will tick off each letter

word as it is answered so as

to keep a check on himself

VI When he has given out a

group which has to be

checked back he will check

the letters as called out

by the Answer Reader

with the message.

He will not inform the 

latter of the check letters

he may expect.              

VII He will recount the

message as soon as he

has ordered "end of message"

to be sent.                           

VIII Having ordered "message

correct" to be answered by

the general answer he will

complete the Sent Column

and fill in the Call and date

in proper space

 

Callers Duties Contd -           

IX In messages containing

more than fifty words he

will make a distinct pause

mark after every 50 words.

Senders Duties

I Solely to send the message

and pay attention to his

instrument not the distant

stn and to make his

signals distinctly and in 

regular time                  

II He will send each word or

group as ordered by the

Caller. If a group is

not answered (indicated by

the Answer Reader remaining

silent) he will after a

reasonable pause repeat

the group without any

further order from the 

Caller

 

 
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