WS10 - Looking for Information and photos

[Joe C]

I'm embarking on a new area of research into the Wireless Set No. 10 and it's use during the Second World War. Outside of some basic info about it being an eight channel microwave system mounted in a trailer, I don't have much else.

I'm interested in any period photos of it being used in NW Europe (a chain of them connected 21st Army Group to the UK), details on where the stations were deployed during the advance (it had a 50 mile range line-of-sight between nodes), and of course any detailed manuals or information on the set itself or the trailer it was mounted in, the vehicle used to tow it, the quantities held by what units.... the list goes on.

If anyone has material they can contribute, it would be much appreciated!

[Ron Pier]

Wireless for the Warrior has about 24 pages on the WS10.
http://www.wftw.nl/volumes.html

Ron

[Joe C]

Thanks! Is that in Volume 1 or 2? I have the compendium and it only has two pages. Period photos are there but I'd like to have them in much higher quality. One of them is on his website but I couldn't locate the others. Does he give references for the photos in the larger volumes?

[Joe C]

The trailers seem to have been called Trailer Beam Wireless. Google helped me find an old thread on the forum that deals with some of the technical info.

http://mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=4939

Would still love to find more operational information.

[Ron Pier]

Originally Posted by Joe C

Thanks! Is that in Volume 1 or 2? I have the compendium and it only has two pages. Period photos are there but I'd like to have them in much higher quality. One of them is on his website but I couldn't locate the others. Does he give references for the photos in the larger volumes?

Sorry! I should have said Vol 2. Unfortunately for me, it has nothing about the 11 set. Do I want to pay for another huge volume, just for the bit I want to read? Ron

[Bruce MacMillan]

Ron, I have scanned my copy of Signals Training, Volume III, WS11 dated 1939. It covers instructions, technical description and maintenance & repair. If it's of any use PM me your email and I'll forward a copy. If you are a member of the Royal Signals site their version is available there.

Bruce

[Bruce MacMillan]

Originally Posted by Joe C

If anyone has material they can contribute, it would be much appreciated!

Joe, I think I have some info on the WS10 somewhere. I'll try and find it and let you know. I believe they were used at Ventor on Isle of Wight and quite close to me ( 3 miles) at St Margarets at Cliffe in Kent.

Bruce

[Joe C]

Bruce, any luck finding material?

[Bruce MacMillan]

Hi Joe,

not much more on the WS10. Here is an Australian publication with a bit on it's introduction & use. It seems it wasn't used much for cross channel voice as cables had been laid by d-day +2. See pages 17 & 18

https://www.americanradiohistory.com...EA-1969-11.pdf

The setup near me (St. Margarets) was a WS26 VHF link, not a WS10.

[Joe C]

Thanks Bruce!

[Mike K]

I believe at least one example was in use by the then PMG ? in the 1950's here in Aust. . I recall Neil Wain of the VMVC telling me about his time setting up WS10 when he was involved with the PMG radio side of things, he also worked at radio Australia's short wave broadcast station at Shepparton. He died some years ago. He said when he was there, the PMG or whatever his particular section was called, was using WW2 Jeeps . He wrote an article for the newsletter which detailed his experiences.

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by Bruce MacMillan

Hi Joe,

not much more on the WS10. Here is an Australian publication with a bit on it's introduction & use. It seems it wasn't used much for cross channel voice as cables had been laid by d-day +2. See pages 17 & 18

https://www.americanradiohistory.com...EA-1969-11.pdf

The setup near me (St. Margarets) was a WS26 VHF link, not a WS10.

I spotted an error " Back pack radio telephones ( walkie talkie?) as used by British forces WW2 . The sets pictured appear to be Aust. made, in Melbourne, 108 sets, not normally issued to British army units ! I guess some license can be granted to the author: were we part of the British army ? . The other pic appears to depict a AWA 101 set in use..

[Bob Carriere]

Viewing/reading that old magazine link was like a walk back in time.....

....1969 seems so far away now.

Bob C.

[Bruce MacMillan]

Originally Posted by Bob Carriere

....1969 seems so far away now.

Bob C.

Ah yes, summer of '69! Summer of love. I kinda remember that far back.

It was in 1969 that I bought my first WS19, still in the wooden crate for $16.

Sigh...