Early days of the RN Communications Branch

Written by Godfrey Dykes

© RN Communications Branch Museum/Library

  An informal look at the embryonic days of the Royal Navy's COMMUNICATIONS BRANCH. Few words but several pictures. Obviously the BUNTINGS BRANCH [named so as having a direct association with the material 'bunting' which was used to make flags] had been established for over a hundred years, when Captain Jackson RN., and Marconi started the wireless telegraphy revolution in 1898, and these pictures show each of the 'sub' branches doing their own thing. I am writing a page about the RN Warrant Officer 1860-1949, and one of the articles I have researched, refers to the Signal Boatswain, a warrant officer, as the 'admirals servant', he being about the only man of non wardroom rank he consults in his professional role, specifically in exercising or manoeuvring the ships under his command. Thus, at the turn of the century, with a new and untried/untested sub branch about to merge and form the communications branch, it is understandable that the bunting would emerge as the senior man in the branch, and indeed, the senior bunting did become the branch 'regulator' and acted as number two to the communications officer. By the time I left the Service in 1983, the buntings were struggling to justify their existence because technology had increased the importance of the radio side of the branch in employment terms, and the radio senior men had broken the monopoly held by the buntings in other matters like divisional, mess presidents, warrant officer appointments etc. Whilst never written down, the first fifty years of the communications branch was almost as though the buntings were continuing to be executive branch, and the radio side [the sparkers] a quasi technical little brother who played with, or competed against the age old visual signalling techniques, artificially lengthened and strengthened by the many war years where radio silence was the order of the day. It seems strange to me that my memories of the Ganges communications branch instructors [chief petty officer and petty officers], polarised my reactions to authority, erring on the side of caution when dealing with the V/S [visual signalling] branch and feeling at ease with the more civil and approachable W/T [wireless telegraphy] branch. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I realise that most of the officious and grumpy old-type commissioned and special duty officers were ex-buntings, and for some inexplicable reasons, had been blighted by bitterness. OK! Now that is off my chest let's look at a few pictures from those early days.

Note 1: Signor Marconi has a good deal for which to answer. One would not like to commit one's self to a positive opinion on the point, but it is generally accepted as a fact that it is owing to the discovery of the capabilities of wireless telegraphy that the employment of carrier pigeons in the Navy has come to an end. The official recognition of the pigeon, indeed, as an accredited messenger did not extend over very many years. The first cote was established at Whale Island in Portsmouth Harbour. It was the property of the officers connected with that establishment who made it a hobby, and who may be said to have clustered around Commander Lionel Tufnell. The pigeons were used to convey messages from the rifle range on the other side of the harbour; they were sometimes taken for short journeys in destroyers or torpedo boats and then tossed and allowed to find their way home. By and by, the Admiralty took the thing up; cotes were established at Mount Wise, Plymouth, and at Chatham; and Commander Tufnell was appointed to control the pigeon service. This was then organised upon a more official and comprehensive basis. At Whale Island, for example, there were living and sleeping apartments for the birds, and there was also a sick bay. The cote was painted red and white, so as to be easily distinguishable by the birds, which at first did not take at all kindly to flying across salt water; and the greatest care was taken in mating the birds for breeding purposes only those who were thoroughly sound being granted the privilege of occupying one of the two-roomed cots which were set apart for birds who had been allowed to pair. Many of the birds were sent to sea during the manoeuvres, and did good service; and our pictures represent the method of stowing them at sea and of releasing them. All this, however, is now a thing of the past. The decision of the Admiralty has gone forth the cotes have been broken up and the Navy is to trust to wireless telegraphy for the future.

Note 2: It may be that the days of signalling by flags during the day, and with 'winking Jimmies' and other luminous contrivances by night are numbered, and that the future Bluejacket will have to be a trained and expert Marconigraphist in addition to his many other qualifications. But in the meantime the methods in use are simple and practical, and certainly more suited to the daily requirements of a warship than the delicate and rather complex apparatus required in wireless telegraphy. Naval signallers attain marked proficiency both in receiving and transmission, and considerable emulation in the matter prevails in every squadron.

Note 3: The short stationary arm below the others is the 'indicator' which shows from which side the motions of the long arms are to be read. The letter being made at the moment is M; but if it were read the other way it would be S. On the signal-bridge of the 'Renown' two men are taking in and writing down a signal while a third repairs a flag.

Note 4: It is not easy to overrate the importance of the part which is played by the signal staff on board a man-of-war. It constitutes the ears and the voice of each vessel, and is the means of conveying commands or reports of the most momentous as well as of the most trivial import, from an invitation to dinner with the admiral to an order to engage the enemy. There are, of course, various means and codes by which messages are conveyed, each being adapted to different circumstances; and at each of our principal Naval depots there are always classes under efficient instruction in this important subject. These two illustrations were taken at the Naval Barracks at Devonport.

Note 5: The pupils are arranged in pairs, after having mastered the signification of the various positions of the wooden arms, and one man reads off the signal made by the instructor, while the other writes it on the slate. It is easy enough to learn the semaphore - every letter, etc., is indicated by one or both arms, in positions which follow a regular sequence, and are readily recollected; but to 'take in' a signal rapidly requires considerable practice, and, no doubt, some of the pupils will be non-plussed if the signal is made quickly, more especially if some of the signs are employed which have more than one signification. S and Z, for instance, are represented by one combination, U, V, and W by another, I and J by a third, and Q and X by a fourth. It is easy to concoct a sentence which includes some of these letters, and reduces the beginner to a despairing condition, thought to a practised hand it presents no difficulty. Semaphore signals can very readily be made with the arms, when no proper wooden apparatus is available; and it is not uncommon occurrence to see a seaman or officer standing up in the stern sheets of a boat and waving his arms about in an apparently insane fashion, which however, conveys a perfectly intelligible meaning to the signalman on board the ship. The semaphore is used for what may be termed 'conversational' signalling, and is in very constant use in the squadron. The hours of instruction being over, we find the men packing up in the second picture, and rolling up flags into those neat little bundles, which are secured in a cunning fashion, so that they can be hoisted in that form and suddenly liberated by a sharp pull on the halliards; and woe to the signalman if the flags will not 'break'! Flags are, of course, the oldest medium of communication, and are invariably used for evolutionary, routine, and similar classes of signals. With the letters of the alphabet, and a complete set of numerals, an immense number of combinations can be made, varied by distinguishing pendants, and the men have plenty to learn in this class. The hoisting of flags, though it may appear a simple matter, has also its points and difficulties and it is interesting to note how an expert signalman will run up a string of flags in a few seconds, and have them all blowing out clear, while a tyro will get them hopelessly entangled. The fifth illustration depicts the use of a very pretty method of signalling, more adapted, perhaps, for other climes than ours where the sun is frequently obscured. The heliograph is nothing else than a small circular mirror, so mounted that it can be caused, by a motion of the finger, to flash the sun's rays on a given point in the distance. The well=known Morse code, composed of various combinations of dots and dashes, lends itself readily to this mode of communication, and it can be used at great distances; a short flash being a dot, and a long one a dash. The heliograph has rendered invaluable services in modern warfare, notably in the Frontier wars in India.

Note 6: The group here shown comprises the signal staff of the cruiser 'Retribution' the senior officer's ship of the squadron serving off the South East Coast of America. The Signal Service in the Royal Navy is recruited directly from the training ships, where boys likely to prove suitable, are in the first place specially set aside for special training. On being drafted at the end of the training ship course to sea-going ships, the boys are rated as 'signal boys' and instead of, as with the other boys, rising to become A.B.'s, continue in the signals department throughout their term of service, becoming 'qualified signalmen,' 'Yeoman of Signals' etc., up to 'Chief Yeoman of Signals.'

Note 7: The training in signalling given to our Bluejackets is the most perfect in the world. Their quickness and intelligence in this branch of their duties is marvellous and would astonish the landsman. The signalling flags are seen in their rack on the left and the seaman by the searchlight is working the semaphore. Our men at Taku could keep constant touch and communication with the Fleet by semaphore.

Note 8: This illustration shows the officers of the 'Defiance'. Captain Jackson, in command, is the officer seated to the left of the centre, and may be distinguished by being the only one with gold lace on the peak of his cap. The officer on his right is Lieutenant Orpen, the first lieutenant. Those seated on the deck in front are all Warrant Officers, with the exception of the one on the right, who is the head schoolmaster.

  The following two files give an insight to the training, examination, duties and pay of the Signalman and Telegraphists. The second pdf file contains a Wages Table taken from the 1880 Navy List which shows the pay for a Chief Yeoman.

1905 Syllabus for Signalman and Telegraphist
Various snippets re Signalman and Telegraphist