I am looking for a photograph to illustrate the work of wartime signallers erecting aerials in trees. As done all around the Home Forces areas for the Special Duties Branch Radio Stations of Auxiliary Units. Small 3 man Teams of Royal Signals signalman serviced the secret radio stations - maintaining radios, batteries, erecting aerials hidden in tall trees. Can anyone help please?
Trusting my memory here, so don't shoot me down, but I seem to remember that in Sicily, when both transmission and reception was poor (because of wet conditions) we used to have to set up "end-fed" aerials that were slung from tree to tree. Again, because of local conditions, we were obliged to use morse instead of R-toc. Will some kind member confirm this ? Ron
To improve signal strength it is quite likely that an end fed 'long wire' would be thrown up a tree. Often using the vehicle or a wire laid on the ground as a counterpoise (earth). Apart from modern digital modes now available, CW will always give the better chance of being heard. Note though that the OP question was in regard to clandestine installations for Churchill's 'Auxiliary' units, not for normal military purposes.
Standard practice on the two Chindit operations to throw a long wire up a tree. As Ron says, this was due to the weather, atmospherics and the terrain encountered.
Just did what I should have done in the first place Did a search on GOOGLE for "endfed aerial Ron Goldstein" and found this posting I'd made on the now defunct BBC site BBC - WW2 People's War - A Driver/Op in Light Ack Ack Way down the bottom I see that I'd discussed the matter......... Ron
Thanks guys - I guess I'd always thought that signallers were always trained to be monkeys and climb trees. So what the Royal Signal guys in the Special Duties Branch of Auxiliary Units did was even more remarkable than I first thought. To explain a little further: In July 1940 when we stood alone awaiting the Nazis to invade, Colonel Colin McVean Gubbins was instructed to form a British Resistance Organisation. In all the coastal counties from Cornwall to Kent, up the East coast right up into Scotland small 8 man teams of civilians were formed into resistance cells (about 30 per County) and operating from well hidden underground Operational Bases were to come out at night and slow down the invaders advance by attacking communications, stores, fuel dumps, aircraft etc. Unbeknown to them the Special Duties Branch was set up to gather intelligence. This consisted of civilian 'spys' placed in the same coastal counties gathering information on invaders and reporting by way of coded notes left in secret places. These notes were picked up again by civilians operating 'Outstation' radios. Hidden in pulpits, chicken huts etc and the message transmitted to Instations located inland in unoccupied areas close to Army Headquarters. Instations were manned by regulars - Royal Sigs/ATS operating from huts inititially then in underground hides. Radio's along with aerials were set up and maintained by 3 man teams from Royal Signals. The aerials had to be hidden and high. The trees had to have branches pointing in the right direction to get a good signal. Regular repair and maintainance had to be done without attracting attention. The Teams were very efficient and must have become good at climbing trees. I am trying to find an illustration to show this aspect of their work. You can learn more from our website: www.staybehinds.com - look under 'Special Duties Branch' I attach a picture of a typical tree as it is now - the cable would have been well hidden in a slit but is a scar now.
I know this is not what your after Bala. But I came across this image this morning on my travels. I have placed it here in case someone comes along looking for such an image one day soon.
