November 2018

General in the First World War One hundred years ago, on 11 November 1918, the last shots were fired on the Western Front as the First World War drew to a close. With the signing of the Armistice, so came to a conclusion an era of rapidly developing technology, not least in the realm of telecommunications.

The use of the telegraph for Office Rifles), and won battle military command and control honours at Festubert, Vimy was first seen in the Crimean Ridge, Ypres, Bourlon Wood, War (1854 – 1856) and had Bullecourt, Passchendaele and revolutionised the face of Villers. warfare by the time of the Boer At the beginning of the war, the War (1899 – 1902). The Signals Service was primarily a extensive use of telegrams by telegraphic service, and it had commanders to co-ordinate to quickly adapt its function to battle strategy and by the press the growth of the telephone and to inform politicians and the requirements of trench civilians at home, had brought warfare. Initially in 1914, the the importance of civilian telephone was pressed communications to the forefront into front line service, faring of military thinking – a fact badly in the damp, muddy accentuated by the explosive conditions. Later developments Army field telegraph unit during the and swift beginnings of the First First World War. included the field magneto World War in August 1914. (TCB 417/E50892) telephone for voice The General Post Office (GPO) transmission and buzzer made an important contribution telephones for Morse; the to the British defence and Telephone D Mark 3 became military programmes. The the standard army telephone Signals Service of the Royal and the ‘Fullerphone’ made Engineers was recruited heavily buzzer signals secure in 1915. from GPO Staff, growing from The decision was made early in around 6,000 men in 1914 to the war to destroy the German upward of 70,000 by 1918. The communication network, which Army Post Office Corps and the was more efficient worldwide Field Telegraph Company were than the British system. In co- constituted as companies of operation with the GPO, XXIV Corps, later the 8th (City German cables passing of London) Battalion, the through the Channel were cut London Regiment (the Post on the 5th August 1914, and

General Post Office Telecommunications in the First World War Page 1 of 2 Discover more about BT’s astonishing heritage at www.bt.com/btdigitalarchives and www.bt.com/history

naval forces later destroyed By November 1918, Great join the armed forces, including German wireless stations in the Britain possessed the most 12,000 men who fought in the colonies. Despite German advanced air defence scheme . Almost attempts to destroy British in the world, the first of its kind 13,000 men from the GPO cables, the cable system was which relied heavily on the Engineering Department joined maintained intact throughout communications network up, nearly 51% of the whole the war. provided by the GPO. The Department, mostly serving in service was invaluable and an the Signals Service. On the Home Front, the influential factor in the outcome principal role of the GPO was of the war. to provide telephone and telegraph communications to Other GPO war work included support to support UK air improved ground to air defence.. communications, submarine hunting research and GPO telephone links were interception of enemy signals, directly established between to list only a very few areas the the Royal Flying Corps, the GPO worked on. Group of WAAC signallers in France Admiralty, anti-aircraft batteries (Telegraph and Telephone Journal and the police, following the The GPO was also involved in Vol 4, 1918) first air raids on London. Local charitable acts contributing to Hundreds of GPO women also GPO engineers were a vital link the war effort, including enlisted to the Womens Army in the area warning scheme; supplying a free telephone Auxiliary Corps (WAAC), many when responsibility for air service for institutions such as of whom served near the defence was passed to the War the Red Cross, and the Western Front as “signallers” - Office in 1917, GPO engineers providing Electrophone telegraphists and telephonists . laid telephone lines linking entertainment facilities in listening posts at local military hospitals. Essential positions within the operations centres to London GPO vacated by men of military All of this GPO work for the war Air Defence Area HQ and to service age were filled by effort was largely achieved in individual airfields. pensioners and some roles by the absence of over 75,000 women for the first time, GPO employees who had left to creating a much changed pattern of social employment. Tragically, 8.858 of the GPO people who had joined up never returned home, and we remember their sacrifice on this the centenary of the end of the First World War. Learn more about our GPO colleagues who gave their lives at www.bt.com/lestweforget. For a full account of all the work that BT and predecessor the GPO Engineering Department carried out for the war effort, read the 1919 report of the GPO Engineer in Chief Sir Wireless telegraph operator using a Morse key in a shell hole. William Slingo online. (Post (TCB 417/E36705) 30/4304A https://tinyurl.com/yafa7hvy)

General Post Office telecommunications in the First World War Page 2 of 2 Discover more about BT’s astonishing heritage at www.bt.com/btdigitalarchives and www.bt.com/history