Signal Stations

First World War Audio Archive

Signal Stations

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Transcript

There was a bunch of us signallers sent over to France from

Soldiers on a ship.

England. But we didn’t go straight to the front line or we didn’t

Train passing by.

go direct to any battalion, we went to this signalling pool.

Soldiers marching with rifles slung or on their shoulders.

And, while there, we took further training or we were kept in

Signaler using Morse Code.

training. And then we waited until we were called for.

Lineman laying field line from a 1/4 mile reel.

Well, I suppose it would depend upon what casualties they got in

Soldiers gathered by a medic post.

the signalling section of the front line. And all that I can recall about it was, there was so many signallers for this unit,

Soldier getting ready to release a homing pigeon from the trenches.

so many signallers for that unit. And I was sent up for the 46th,

Commanders looking at a map, instructing the Lineman where they will lay the line.

that’s all that I remember about it. I found the signal work interesting and I liked being a signaller, but when I got in the

Soldiers walking in and out of a ditch.

front line, we had to... if we were making an advance, as they

Soldiers crossing a field.

Other Soldiers fixing their bayonets on thier rifles.

Soldiers in a trench getting ready for an attack.

usually were trying to do in the last two or three months when I

Soldiers carefully crossing terrain.

was there, we as the signallers, followed up the troops,

Injured Soldier being carried on a stretcher.

the infantrymen that were ahead of us. We followed them up and

More Soldiers crossing open terrain, as explosions happen over thier heads.

Lineman laying line during battle.

reeled out the double insulated wire, you see, as we went along.

Two Soldiers running in the background while others are kneeling in the foreground.

And when we reached our objective, our job was to move in some room somewhere and set up a signal station, contact back to headquarters. And we’d be like setting up a company

Soldier talking on a telephone.

station up on the front line and we’d have connection

Artillery crew being instructed to continue firing by Soldier with bull horn, as another talks on a field phone.

with the battalion headquarters behind us.

Description

Mr. MacKay describes being selected from a pool of signalmen to join the 46th Battalion, and then describes his responsibilities during an infantry advance.

Donald Finlay MacKay

Donald MacKay was born in Indian Head, Saskatchewan, on April 2, 1897. His father was a pre-Riel homesteader, but Mr. MacKay chose to teach, at age 17, in a one room school. In March 1917, he enlisted in the 249th Battalion at Regina, Saskatchewan. He was sent to Valcartier, Quebec, where he qualified for air force service, but opted to stay in the army. Mr. MacKay was ready to ship out to England, but an epidemic on board saw him quarantined at Camp Aldershot, Nova Scotia. There he took officer training, qualifying as Sergeant. Once assigned to the 46th Battalion, Mr. MacKay served as a Signaller, primarily at Valenciennes. There is no record of his post-service experience. At the time of his interview, Mr. MacKay lived in Wolsely, Saskatchewan.

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