WW1 portable trench telephone

[HARRY THE MOLE]

Another of my acquisitions which I purchased a while back, but never got around to posting, a 1917 dated portable field telephone 'C' MARK II. These are now extremely rare, and the ones that usually come up for sale are often found in poor condition - but this one is very good. Measuring just 12 X 11 X 6 inches, they weigh almost as much as a Bren gun, the heavy portion of the set being the magneto in the back of the case. Just visible in the fourth picture - which isn't orientated correctly, and apologies for that - is a 1917 dated Galvanometer which was used for checking line currents on field telephones and detonation circuits. Both instruments are extremely well made.

Cheers,
Steve

[Watchdog]

Don't really know why but these have always fascinated me and I have long had an idea to use a pair between my house and shed but that would just be silly.

Like you Steve, I recall using the later 'J' and 'L' sets aka "Tele jay" and "Tele ell" on a regular basis Much more modern but basically the same technology.

Regards

Mark

[BlackCat1982]

I’m just amazed at bits of equipment of this age, so well made given the amount of time that has passed. Great item.

[HARRY THE MOLE]

Hi Mark, believe it or not, our regiment didn't use field telephones. All our communication between gun subs was via the C45 radio. The first time I encountered a field telephone - a Tele 'F' - was in the 'interview' room at Andersonstown RUC station in November 1971.

Cheers,
Steve

[Watchdog]

Hi Mark, believe it or not, our regiment didn't use field telephones. All our communication between gun subs was via the C45 radio. The first time I encountered a field telephone - a Tele 'F' - was in the 'interview' room at Andersonstown RUC station in November 1971.

Cheers,
Steve

That does surprise me Steve, in common with many units we used Tele 'L' in particular on the ranges but specifically we used them in semi-static locations like harbour areas to communicate with Traffic Posts and Pointsmen. At the time more secure and reliable than radio. The real downside was exactly the same as the WWI items and surrounded the laying and recovering of the bloody awful D10 cable which was almost as hard to handle as barbed wire!!

I still fancy a pair just for giggles though.

Regards

Mark

[HARRY THE MOLE]

That does surprise me Steve, in common with many units we used Tele 'L' in particular on the ranges but specifically we used them in semi-static locations like harbour areas to communicate with Traffic Posts and Pointsmen. At the time more secure and reliable than radio. The real downside was exactly the same as the WWI items and surrounded the laying and recovering of the bloody awful D10 cable which was almost as hard to handle as barbed wire!!

I still fancy a pair just for giggles though.

Regards

Mark

Hi Mark, when out on exercise, every gun sub carried a reel of Don 10 with it in case of communication problems. Being in a gun sub, we didn't have the telescopic masts which were often used by HQ Battery. So, being a fully qualified radio op, I had to know how to make up and erect an inverted 'L' antenna for the frequency in use if the mobile antenna used on the ATU No 9 wasn't reaching out far enough. I still have all my notes from my B2 signals course, and field telephones don't even warrant a mention in them.

I will never forget Don 10 wire because of a tragic incident when I was stationed at Napier Barracks in Brackel (near Dortmund) in 1970. A bloke from REME decided to top himself and took himself up into the beams of one of the old hangars used to house Focke-Wulf 190's during the war. He made a noose out of Don 10, attached it to one of the beams after placing it around his neck and let himself slip from the beam. The poor bugger must have changed his mind after he dropped, because there was all boot marks on the ceiling from his desperate struggle to free himself. But Don 10 wire being too thin to grip, he stood no chance. A very tragic incident which I have never forgotten.

Cheers,
Steve