Signals in the navy are messages transmitted by flag hoists, semaphore, flashing light, radio telephony and wireless telegraph. The term message is therefore often interchangeable with signal. The following list of signals/messages are a good illustration for showing communication in a convoy. The list was provided by Harry Wexler of Deux Montagnes, Quebec, who was serving in the destroyer Saguenay when he was volunteered by the Engineer Officer to type it for a Sackville officer. The convoy converned is ON115, the time is 2 and 3 August, and the ships involved are the destroyers Hamilton and Witch (RN) , and the corvettes Sackville, Louisburg and Agassiz.
GLOSSARY
A/S anti-submarine
D/C depth charge
Easter Witch
FONF Flag Officer Newfoundland
Parrot radar contact
Raspberry illuminate with starshell
R/T radio telephony
TOD time of despatch
TOR time of receipt
V from
V/S visual signalling
W/T wireless telegraphy
Z Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
Louisburg from Sackville | suspicious object 207 degrees 7 miles | 1435Z/2 (R/T) |
Louisburg v Sackville | No further sighting investigating | 1451Z/2 (R/T) |
Sackville v Louisburg | If no contact return in 15 minutes | (no time of origin) (R/T) |
Louisburg v Sackville | Shall I stay on port beam | 1840Z/2 (V/S) |
Louisburg v Sackville | My 1840Z. Request reply | 2001Z/2 (V/S) |
Sackville v Louisburg | Remain on bow until Witch returns | 2006Z/2 (V/S) |
Hamilton v Sackville | I am passing over contact now | 2032Z/2 (V/S) |
Sackville v Louisburg | If Witch does not return before dark assume position K in N.E. 2. Course will be altered to 260 at 2340Z and to 240 at 2355Z | 2040 (V/S) |
Hamilton v Sackville | I picked up another ships transmission but no other ship nearby | 2040 (V/S) |
Sackville v Hamilton | Have you reported to Easter by R/T | TOR 2041 (V/S) |
Hamilton v Sackville | No | TOD 2042 (V/S) |
Hamilton v Sackville | Will continue this course for 1000 yards | 2046 (V/S) |
Hamilton v Sackville | Will turn 70 degrees to starboard | TOD 2050 (V/S) |
Hamilton v Sackville | If no contact on this run intend breaking off | TOD 2058 (V/S) |
Easter v Sackville | Dropped two patterns on contact. Contact now lost | 2115Z/2 (R/T) |
Easter v Sackville | I am rejoining | 2135 (R/T) |
Witch v Sackville | What is my nite station | (R/T) |
Sackville v Witch | Port bow | 0045Z/3 (R/T) |
Escort v Witch | Operation Raspberry | TOR 0110Z/3 (R/T) |
Escort v Commodore | Parrot. Submarine was on port bow | TOR 0114Z/3 (R/T) |
Escort v Commodore | Second Parrot | 0121Z/3 (R/T) |
Escort v Witch | Have sighted U-boat or torpedoed ship | 0142Z/3 (R/T) |
Witch v Sackville | Sackville believes survivors in sight | 0148Z/3 (R/T) |
Witch v Agassiz | Alongside torpedoed ship no sign of U-boat | 0149Z/3 (R/T) |
Agassiz v Sackville | Do you want our assistance | 0200Z (R/T) |
Sackville v Agassiz | Thanks but another ship is assisting us | 0205Z (R/T) |
Witch v Sackville | Am attacking submarine that was sighted | 0250Z (R/T) |
Witch v Sackville | Consider submarine sunk am still investigating | 0309Z/3 (R/T) |
Witch v Sackville | Request permission to search for submarine wreckage and investigate salvability of torpedoed tanker nearby | 0345Z (R/T) |
Sackville v Hamilton | Am taking torpedoed tanker in two | 0413Z/3 (R/T) |
v Hamilton | About 35 survivors am standing by until daybreak | 0450Z (R/T) |
Hamilton v Sackville | One submarine nearby | 0503Z (R/T) |
Hamilton v Sackville | We have made no first sighting report on either submarine | 0520Z/3 (R/T) |
Witch v Sackville | Swept area no contact | 0615Z (R/T) |
Sackville v Witch | Rejoin convoy | 0625Z/3 (R/T) |
Witch v Sackville | 2 merchant ships afloat request A/S protection for salvage work as submarine sighted on the surface within one mile | 0707Z/3 (R/T) |
Sackville v Witch | Your 0707Z/3 approved | 0727Z/3 (R/T) |
Witch repeat Sackville v Agassiz | Am under way with tanker GS Waldon in tow. Expect work up to 3 knots by noon | 0729Z/3 (R/T) |
Sackville v Agassiz | Suggest you provide A/S protection for us | 0753Z/3 (R/T) |
Witch v Sackville | Your 0727. Am screening Agassiz and tanker | 0805Z/3 (R/T) |
Witch v Sackville | My 0805 speed 4 knots one merchant ship still afloat 045 48N 047 20W OFR 3 days at 13 knots no reserve 12 depth charges left | 0823Z/3 |
FONF v Sackville | Am screening Agassiz with tow. Consider Empire Selwyn (Belgian Soldier) salvable but not Loch Katrine. Position at 1130Z/3 45 50N 47 30W. I have 2 days fuel left | 1335Z/3 (W/T) |
CFS v Sackville | 1 submarine position 45 56N 47 46W | 1500Z/3 (W/T) |
FONF v Sackville | My 1500Z/3. At 1503Z/3 in dense fog U-26 crossed bows. Missed ramming but hit him beam on with 4 inch H.E. at point blank range at base of conning tower. Fired D/Cs probably little effect. Agassiz slipped tow and both searched for 2 hours without result. Agassiz sucuring tow now | 1718Z/3 (W/T) |
Note U-26 could not be the attacking U-boat mentioned for it was sunk in June 1940. Scoring hits, however, were U-552, 553 and 607.
Serving in the four-stacker Hamilton at this time was Tel Doug Chapman of Bancroft, ON. He was with the ship until Aug 1943 when she became a training ship at Cornwallis. Tel Chapman was then drafted to the frigate Dunver.
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