1st Light Scout car Field Park at Ballantrae.

Frog Prince · Jan 9, 2023

Hi John,

This book has been my "go-to" for researching a number of aspects of Tactical Deception during WW2:

SPECIAL WEAPONS AND TYPES OF WARFARE: VISUAL AND SONIC WARFARE Official History Of The Second World War Army - Naval & Military Press

I plan to dig further at the National Archives this spring. The problem is that the more stones you turn over, the more you realise there is still to be discovered !!!

Cheers,

Andrew

Richeldis · Jan 24, 2023

Frog Prince said: ↑

Do mine ears deceive me? Things that go bump in the night…
Hello there. So pleased to find this information re 2LSCC. I have searched on and off many times without result so it's good to have a result finally in my 84th year! My father was in this unit and I also have the photo which appears here; he is the one near front left with his eyes closed. He often wrote verse, anonymously, to mark certain events. There are a couple about the photograph and also about life at Ballantrae. I can post if anyone is interested.
Wizard (of Oz) Warfare

The Second World War was the first conflict where audio recording, storage and rebroadcast technology could be practically applied in support of the Military Deceiver. The Official History of the Second World War commissioned by the UK War Office and published in 1953 describes how this was achieved:

“Sonic warfare consisted of putting over by night to the Enemy listening posts, recordings of sounds of various types of military operations as part of a diversionary plan to draw his attention away from the place or direction of a real thrust. Sonic operations were also on occasion mounted further to the rear to mislead Enemy agents or a civilian population thought to be hostile.”

The kit used to perform sonic deception was what we would now call leading edge and came from the film, radio and telecommunications industries. Personalities from the UK and US entertainment industries would play leading roles in using sound for military purposes.

It will come as no surprise that in 1942 Colonel Dudley Clarke and ‘A’ Force carried out some initial experiments in Sonic Deception in the Western Desert, hiring an Egyptian film company to record various military sound effects that were played back against the Italians and Germans during the battle of Halfaya. However, it was Major Cecil Disney Barlow from the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry who really got UK sonic deception up and running, supported among others by Leslie Norman – Barry Norman’s father – a renowned film editor who later went on to produce ‘the Cruel Sea’ (1953) and direct the film ‘Dunkirk’ (1958).

Barlow’s proposal was that small armoured scout cars manned by hand-picked signallers and RAC drivers would penetrate to within 1,000 yards or so of the enemy and reproduce sounds of tanks, vehicles or automatic weapons. In late 1941 Barlow ran a demonstration of the potential use of sound effects to a party of British senior officers:

“…And then the makeshift lights were turned out and the assembled brass hats were left in total darkness and, for a while, silence. Some of them were beginning to complain that all this was a frightful waste of time, bearing in mind that cigars and brandy were awaiting them at the plush hotel they had just left, when, in the distance, they heard the cough of an engine, then a vehicle backfiring. From the left flank came the roar of an even more powerful engine, soon to be joined by the noise of others and the clatter of tank tracks. It was impossible to tell how powerful the advancing force was but the onlookers turned towards the sounds, straining to catch sight of the attackers, whereupon another, larger, force of heavy tanks advanced towards them from the right, slewing on hard ground, splashing through water, their engines protesting as they crested steep hills.

The assembled officers could see nothing but those who had duly taken note of the terrain could tell roughly where the vehicles were – just there, over to the left – no, over to the right – no, no, directly in front of them.

Suddenly the sounds stopped. Again the night was silent, And then the lights were turned on and the officers discovered that the only military vehicle to be seen was a single Churchill tank that had crept up, unnoticed in the general uproar, behind them.”

And Why Not?, Barry Norman 2003

Based on the success of the demonstration, Major Barlow was authorised to create Camouflage Development and Training Centre (B) in May 1942. He set up shop in Laggan House in a remote part of Ayrshire, which was renamed the Light Scout Car Training Centre a few months later.

American Poplin

The “powers-that-be” decided to source kit for sonic deception from the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) rather than wait for UK equipment to be designed and manufactured. The medium was to be commercial 35mm sound film and the RCA apparatus was known as POPLIN in British use. This comprised the sound head, exciter lamp supply unit, pre-amplifier, three power amplifiers, two cube speakers and an Onan generator.

The LSCTC fitted POPLIN kits into US White scout cars, which were small, highly mobile and self-supporting. Great care was taken to try and retain the profile of the original vehicles – now known as sonic cars – as the intent was to make them blend in with conventional units. The cube speakers were mounted on a hydraulic frame, so they could be lowered and covered for travel but extended and rotated when needed. Lightweight kit was also later developed for the airborne forces (essentially a jeep and trailer combination), for canoeists and for man pack use in the jungle.

Once up and running, the LSCTC trained and equipped LSC Field Companies and LSC Field Parks for their specialist roles. The Field Companies delivered the tactical sonic effects – simulating the movement and harbouring of infantry and armour; movement of SSVs; movement of landing craft; bridging, bulldozing and other engineer activities - whilst the Field Parks stored the effects library, prepared the necessary sound tracks and provided 1st line support for the sonic cars. Each Field Company had the following ORBAT:

Coy HQ -- x 2 Offrs, x 16 ORs -- x 2 White Command Cars, x 3 3-tonners, x 1 m/c

Ops Tp -- x 1 Offr, x 10 ORs -- x 1 White Command Car, x 4 White Operational (Sonic) Cars, x 1 m/c

Ops Tp -- x 1 Offr, x 10 ORs -- x 1 White Command Car, x 4 White Operational (Sonic) Cars, x 1 m/c

After the volunteers and kit were brought together, No.1 LSC FP and x2 LSC Fd Coys were allotted to South-East Asia, No. 2 LSC FP and x2 LSC Fd Coys to the Mediterranean and No.3 LSC FP and x3 LSC Fd Coys to North West Europe. The Royal Navy also got in on the act by stealing the eighth formed LSC Fd Coy to establish its own Combined Arms Scout Units (COSUs), who performed sonic warfare operations from landing craft and MGBs/MTBs.

Hollywood gets in on the Act

Around the same time as Laggan House was being requisitioned, the Americans were also starting to take an interest in Deception. They established Joint Security Control (JSC), the supervisory board of senior officers that equated to the UK’s London Controlling Section and planned and organised US deception activities. One of those brought in for the technical work was Harold Burris-Meyer, who had developed the cinema stereo system for Walt Disney’s cartoon film ‘Fantasia’. instead of 35mm film, though, the US sonic researchers opted for wire recording using stainless steel wire. A two mile spool of wire could last for 30 minutes of recordings and two spools were fitted in each playback unit.

A number of battle experiments were run at Sandy Hook using requisitioned yachts and fishing boats fitted with USN loudspeakers and the sonic concept was soon deemed to be ‘a runner’. This is where a Hollywood actor by the name of Douglas Fairbanks Junior came into the frame.

Fairbanks Junior was perhaps the George Clooney of his day. The son of a star of the silent movies, Douglas Junior commissioned as a Reserve officer in the United States Navy before Pearl Harbor and in early 1942 got himself drafted and assigned to Lord Mountbatten's Combined Operations HQ in the UK. Lieutenant Fairbanks participated in several British cross-Channel operations and witnessed the creation of the LSCTC and the COSUs at close hand.

When Fairbanks transferred back to the USA to prepare naval forces for the invasion of North Africa, he managed to convince the Chief of Naval Operations to recruit a special naval deception unit. This became the Beach Jumper program – named for its ability to ‘scare the Be-Jesus out of the enemy’. The BJ program was married up with the new Bell Labs wire recording technology, as well as new EW kit such as chaff-firing rockets and radar jammers. Beach Jumper Units 1, 3 and 5 eventually took part in the invasions of Sicily, mainland Italy and Southern France whilst BJU 4 conducted small boat operations in the Adriatic. BJUs also served in the Pacific theatre.

The Ghost Army Assembles

Under the direction of the JSC, the US Army was also now looking into the practical application of sonic effects. By February 1944 an Army Experimental Station was up and running at Pine Camp (now Fort Drum). The officer in charge was Colonel Hilton Railey, who had served in the AEF in WW1 and was a respected PR man with extensive contacts in business. Railey immediately grasped the potential of aural effects and threw himself into raising the 3132nd Signal Service Company.

The 3132nd comprised a HQ platoon, three sonic platoons and a chemical platoon. The broadcast equipment was fitted into M3A1 half tracks, converted to fit the speaker unit and playback equipment. When folded down and tarped, the half-tracks were indistinguishable from the many others in use across the US Army. Each M3A1 was also rigged with explosive charges to prevent it falling into the hands of the enemy.

The chemical platoon was originally put in the Coy ORBAT to provide the company with a smoke screening capability but an enthusiastic platoon commander decided to train it to provide a recce and perimeter security force for the ‘heaters’, as they were known.

Once ready for deployment, the 3132nd was sent to England to come under 23rd Special Troops - now more famous as the Ghost Army. The role of the Ghost Army in North West Europe has been covered by a number of books and TV programmes over the years, so I won’t revisit old ground here. There are also a couple of official (and a little creaky) WW2 films about US sonic deception available on Youtube, including this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjathDWC1UA

Suffice to say that sonic effects became a critical part of the overall 23rd Special Troops package.

Sonic (GB) Goes To War

Italy

The sonic cars of No.2 LSC Fd Coy went out to North Africa on Christmas Day 1943 and on from there to Italy, where they were joined by No.2 LSC FP and No.6 LSC Fd Coy. However, the deployment was cursed with bad luck. A complete set of Field Park vehicles and equipment was sunk outside Salerno Harbour and then in February 1944 the OC No.2 LSC Fd Coy was killed and the OC No.6 LSC Fd Coy severely injured during a reconnaissance along the Eighth Army front. Further demonstrations to senior commanders and operational recces were conducted but the sonic units were all sent home in July 1944. A US sonic deception unit did provide support to the British 5th Army before the last spring offensive in 1945.

North West Europe

No.3 LSC Fd Coy was merged with No.1 LSC Fd Coy ahead of OP OVERLORD. Sonic cars operated in Normandy from shortly after D-Day as part of R Force under 21st Army Group, often – but not always – working with visual deception specialists. They also occasionally supported Psychological Warfare units. C Tp of No.3 LSC Fd Coy landed in Normandy on 10th June whilst D Tp went ashore six days later. Coy HQ and the remaining two Tps arrived on 14th July.

Elements of No.3 LSC Fd Coy seems to have been kept busy during the Normandy breakout and beyond:

OP RAINDROP, Le Havre - 11-16 June 1944

OP EPSOM, Caen - 24-26 June 1944

OP HOSTAGE II, (NFDK) Normandy - 16-18 July 1944

OP TROUSERS, (NFDK) Normandy - 11-12 August 1944

Assault across the LEOPOLD CANAL, northern Belgium - 05-06 October 1944

Assault on BLERICK, near Venlo - 01-03 December 1944

OP PLUNDER, Rhine Crossing - 24 March 1945

OP QUICKANGER, Arnhem – 11-13 April 1945

General Ritchie – 12 Corps commander for the BLERICK action – said that:

“There is no doubt at all that the deception measures had a very real effect on the Enemy and undoubtedly led him to believe that the main attack was coming from a direction different from the one it did. This was, I feel quite sure, largely due to the work of the sonic deception unit, and I would be grateful if you could please pass my appreciation on to them.”

South East Asia

No.4 and No.5 LSC Field Companies and No.1 LSC FP were sent out to India in November 1943.

The climate, topography and vegetation in India and Burma all made for a unique set of challenges for sonic deception so Leslie Norman was sent out from the LSCTC to carry out additional experimental work. At one stage he found himself left overnight alone in the jungle on Ramree Island, just off Burma, his Indian Army escorts having misunderstood their orders and buggered off on another task:

“Dad was left with his recording equipment, his field rations, his slit trench - and what the hell do I want a slit trench for, he wondered, uneasily - alone in the middle of the Burmese jungle. To him, every noise - and there was plenty of noise - was either a marauding beast of prey or, even worse, a marauding Japanese soldier.”

And Why Not?, Barry Norman 2003

The experience clearly stayed with Norman, because it became the background story (the "MacGuffin") for his 1961 film "The Long and the Short and the Tall", which starred Richard Todd, Richard Harris, Laurence Harvey, David McCallum and Ronald Fraser.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z0bDV69g34

By October 1944 the British LSC sonic capability had been merged with an Indian Army brigade to form D Force, which then contributed to operations in Arakan in spring 1945. Most of the sonic effects were delivered by jeep-mule kits fitted to small motor launches.

Conclusions

Having read into this subject for a while now, it becomes clear that UK and US deception capabilities - and in particular sonic deception - were given the very highest levels of security classification. This meant that operational and tactical commanders were often not aware that the tactical deception capabilities existed, let alone how best to employ them. Mistakes were also made, where deception units were used draw enemy attention, only for a genuine Friendly unit to then move up and occupy the same sector of the front and suffer casualties as a result.

Post 1945 the role of sonic deception became established in the ORBATs of both UK and US forces. The Beachjumpers continue to exist in modified form today within the US Navy, whilst 77X has inherited an extensive sonic effects library built up by 15 POG over many years. In the meantime, broadcast technology has also come on leaps and bounds though an adversary can also see in and through the dark much better than ever before.

Even though night vision capability has become considerably more sophisticated I think there is still a place for sonic deception in the 21st century. As I said in a previous article, the human ear is the easiest sense to deceive with things that go bump in the night.

AJP
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Frog Prince · Jan 25, 2023

Hi Richard,

Am very pleased that you found my ramblings of some help. I'd definitely be very interested in your dad's writings that you mention.

Cheers,

Andrew

Richeldis · Jan 29, 2023

John58th said: ↑

View attachment 345148 Hi Frog Prince
Sorry this is a late reply/comment on your post of Aug 2022, which I have just seen since you replied to my post of Sept 2021, but that's research for you. In late 2021 I obtained my fathers army records, and copies of the War Diaries of 2 Light Scout Car Company, both of which have allowed me to put together quite a comprehensive details of my fathers journey through WW2, from BEF, Dunkirk, Home Front, 2LSC and Italy. In your paragraph "American Poplin" you give the ORBAT for a Field Coy. I enclose a photo of just such a company, which I believe was taken at Lagan/Ballantrae/Colmonell late 1943.

The following text reference the photo is my own conjecture of its origin - "One other photograph in my father’s possession is not dated. However, there is strong evidence to suggest that it is of the members of 2 Light Scout Car Company, possibly at Ballantrae. As previously stated, my father was on the X(i)-List at that point, and on close examination of the photograph it is clear that there are various cap badges, berets, insignia and uniform being worn by those present. It was common that new or small specialist units were comprised of personnel from various branches and regiments of the Army, all of whom would usually retain their regular unit dress and uniform insignia, and all of whom would most probably be placed in the X(i) List. In addition, I believe the soldier sitting third from the right on the first row, and the soldier first from the right on the second row, are the same two seen with my father and one other in the photograph on page 51 which was taken in Italy in April 1944. And, the final point is the number of personnel in the photo. There are 46 persons present; 5 officers, identified by pips on their shoulder and wearing a tie, leaving 41 others, that can be identified as a mixture of Senior Non-Commissioned Officers and Other Ranks, a total of 46 personnel.

The War Diary for 2 Light Scout Car Company states that on the 31 December 1943 while in Algiers the company strength, was, 5 Officers, 1 Warrant Officer, 37 Other Ranks, 2 Other Ranks in transit with MT Ship, 1 left in UK; giving a total of 46 personnel.

This evidence therefore strongly suggests that the photo is of 2 Light Scout Car Company, and that it was most probably taken at Ballantrae sometime in November or December 1943 just prior to the unit embarking for Italy. My father is 2nd from the right, 3rd row back."

Later, in your paragraph "Italy" You quite correctly sum up 2LSCs time in Italy, "frustrating" is a word my father used. The War Diaries give details of the death and injuries to the two OCs, and illustrate the attempts to move on from this incident. Incidentally, they also contain letters whereby HQs were trying to disband, or at least make use of 2LSC personnel for "other duties" such as maintenance and guard duties. I would be interested in the source/reference to your information on the loss of equipment at Salerno, there may be a hint to this in the war diaries, but no detail.
Anyway, thanks for your very interesting article,
John H
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Richeldis · Jan 29, 2023

Frog Prince said: ↑

Hi Richard,

Am very pleased that you found my ramblings of some help. I'd definitely be very interested in your dad's writings that you mention.

Cheers,

Andrew
Click to expand...

there is another bit of verse about the same photo but a bit more lighthearted. Richeldis

Richeldis · Feb 4, 2023

John58th said: ↑

View attachment 345148 Hi Frog Prince
Sorry this is a late reply/comment on your post of Aug 2022, which I have just seen since you replied to my post of Sept 2021, but that's research for you. In late 2021 I obtained my fathers army records, and copies of the War Diaries of 2 Light Scout Car Company, both of which have allowed me to put together quite a comprehensive details of my fathers journey through WW2, from BEF, Dunkirk, Home Front, 2LSC and Italy. In your paragraph "American Poplin" you give the ORBAT for a Field Coy. I enclose a photo of just such a company, which I believe was taken at Lagan/Ballantrae/Colmonell late 1943.

The following text reference the photo is my own conjecture of its origin - "One other photograph in my father’s possession is not dated. However, there is strong evidence to suggest that it is of the members of 2 Light Scout Car Company, possibly at Ballantrae. As previously stated, my father was on the X(i)-List at that point, and on close examination of the photograph it is clear that there are various cap badges, berets, insignia and uniform being worn by those present. It was common that new or small specialist units were comprised of personnel from various branches and regiments of the Army, all of whom would usually retain their regular unit dress and uniform insignia, and all of whom would most probably be placed in the X(i) List. In addition, I believe the soldier sitting third from the right on the first row, and the soldier first from the right on the second row, are the same two seen with my father and one other in the photograph on page 51 which was taken in Italy in April 1944. And, the final point is the number of personnel in the photo. There are 46 persons present; 5 officers, identified by pips on their shoulder and wearing a tie, leaving 41 others, that can be identified as a mixture of Senior Non-Commissioned Officers and Other Ranks, a total of 46 personnel.

The War Diary for 2 Light Scout Car Company states that on the 31 December 1943 while in Algiers the company strength, was, 5 Officers, 1 Warrant Officer, 37 Other Ranks, 2 Other Ranks in transit with MT Ship, 1 left in UK; giving a total of 46 personnel.

This evidence therefore strongly suggests that the photo is of 2 Light Scout Car Company, and that it was most probably taken at Ballantrae sometime in November or December 1943 just prior to the unit embarking for Italy. My father is 2nd from the right, 3rd row back."

Later, in your paragraph "Italy" You quite correctly sum up 2LSCs time in Italy, "frustrating" is a word my father used. The War Diaries give details of the death and injuries to the two OCs, and illustrate the attempts to move on from this incident. Incidentally, they also contain letters whereby HQs were trying to disband, or at least make use of 2LSC personnel for "other duties" such as maintenance and guard duties. I would be interested in the source/reference to your information on the loss of equipment at Salerno, there may be a hint to this in the war diaries, but no detail.
Anyway, thanks for your very interesting article,
John H
Click to expand...

Hi John,

I am new to "posting" and following "threads" so I hope this is the correct way to reply to you.
I also have the photo and my Dad is the one at the front left with eyes closed. My only information re 2LSCC is from the verse he wrote, anonymously, and pinned up for all to see. Subject matter was related to incidents and events that had some impact on the Company and so they are quite revealing. I could attach if you are interested but I'm not sure how to do that.I,m 83 and not very au fait with tech. Richeldis

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1st Light Scout car Field Park at Ballantrae.

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1st Light Scout car Field Park at Ballantrae.

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