Notebook of Gerard Henderson Cowan - Part 6

Calling up Stations  
Unknown Stn Could
preparative until answered
by Gen Ans from Unknown

Stn. ZC would then send.

RU and unknown stn would

acknowledge this and 

send their call - say PC -

ZC would acknowledge

PC by Gen Ans PC then sends

G. this is acknowledge and

ZC carries on with the the

message

[*(A) Number of words (B) initial check (C) Use of WB & WA and Repeat Signal*]

Checking a Message

When obtaining corrections
for the number of words

figures are answered by

the General Answer

The initial check is the first

letter or figure of every group

In checking by the initial

check each letter or check

is answered by Gen. Ans.

In checking all micellaneous

signs are sent. In the case of

a full stop All three as are

sent. When the word missed

is arrived at you send G

instead of the Gen Ans. the sending

station then spells out the whole

of the word. If receiving Station

still wishes them to continue spelling

they keep answering by G if not

they answer with Gen Ans and continue

checking. When receiving Stn is quite satisfied

message is correct they will chip in and

send Message Correct signal

Office Organisation

Good office organisation

is essential to good communications

I Signal Master should

endeavour  to obtain the

best possible conditions for

his men to work under

II Signal Master or I/C should must keep

a duty roster so that the

duties are evenly divided

each man getting his fair 

share

III  All operators, linesman

etc must be fully trained

IV  Only men actually on

duty should be allowed

in the Signal Office. The

Signal Clerks table should 

be just inside the doorway

if possible so that men

coming and going with

Office Organisation
messages will not interfere

with the operators

V  All lines to be labelled

lead neatly into the office

and labelled just inside and

outside, they must also be

labelled every 50 or 100 yds

VI  Linesmen must always

be ready to go out at a

moments notice to

repair any lines that are U/S.

VII Living quarters must be

as close as possible to the

office so that any additional

signallers may be

called out as occassion may

require at short notice

VIII  If possible all lines

must be duplicated so

if one becomes D/S it is

still possible to communicate

through another route

Office organisation Contd

IX Linemen must know

the exact arrangements

made with lines men from

far office and what test 

he is to make to locate

the fault

X  Operators must inform

the Signal master immediately

of any break in

the communications

having first tested his telephone

to make sure it

is in working order

XI  The signal office should

be as close to Headquarters

as possible

Transmitting Verbally over telephone

Communication should

always be obtained by

the buzzer in following

manner. First send

your station call three

times followed by the

call of the Station you

are sending to. They

answer by Gen Ans and

their call.

Having obtained communications

you continue

with the telephone.

You first state length of

message.

Prefix & Code time etc
 the receiving Stn repeating

back as you proceed.

Where there are figures

you say figures coming

(120) one hundred and twenty

one two ought

Transmitting Verbally over telephone

When the message is finished

you say "End of Message"

If there are any mistakes

the receiving Stn will

ask for them at the end of

the message.

Everything Correct they repeat

the whole of the message

back. The sending stn

making no interruptions

unless there is a mistake

When they have finished

the sending stn gives

message correct

The Duties of a Dispatch Rider

Are to convey written or

verbal messages between

the Hdqrs to which he is

attached and any point

within the area of operations

Individual duties of a DR

Acknowledge

The D.R. will obtain an

acknowledgment for all

messages delivered by him

receiving instructions as

to the nature of acknowledgment

required before

starting. This acknowledgment

usually takes the

form of the receipted

envelope (AFC398)

Specific

Unless specific orders to the

contary have been given

him a D.R. will work from

Duties of a DR Contd

Signal Office to Signal office

In the case of units e.g.

Reg'ts or Btn's the Signal

office will be represented

by the Adjt or the Signal

Sergt.

Before starting, a DR will

check the numbers of the

messages handed to him,

and will receive instructions,

as to the signal office

to which he is to go, the

route he is to follow,

what action he is to take

if he does not find the

addressee at the place

indicated, where he is

to return to, the pace

he is to travel at and

any information available

that my be of use to him

Duties of a DR Contd

as to the whereabouts of

our own or hostile troops

Starting

A DR should therefore, before

starting commit his route

to memory, noting from

the map any particular

place which he must

pass. Valuable time is

lost by constant halts

to look at the map.

It will often save time

to instruct the DR to

make detours to avoid

columns of troops or

transport, or to secure

a good road

Mental

Both while going and returning

he should make mental

notes of the troops met