Telegraph force
Telegraph troops were used to build and disrupt telegraph systems during the war . The telegraph force, which was set up in Prussia from 1830 within the New Prussian engineer battalions , became a separate branch of service in 1899 , the later intelligence force . Their modern successors are the telecommunication troops and the electronic warfare . Various systems of optical telegraphy were precursors .
Historical development in European armies
- The German Empire and France had no telegraph troops in peacetime until the end of the 19th century.
- During peacetime Great Britain had a telegraph battalion in two divisions (departments), one of which was always ready for war, complete and equipped, while the other was assigned to the state telegraph administration .
- Italy had three telegraph departments, each comprised of two companies and belonging to the 3rd Genieregiment.
- The Austro-Hungarian army had a railroad and telegraph regiment with two battalions of four companies each ;
- Russia owned 17 war (field) telegraph parks, which were subordinate to the sapper brigades .
- Belgium , the Netherlands , Romania , Sweden , Spain , etc. each had a telegraph company during peacetime.
German Empire
Prussian telegraph battalions
Telegraph Battalion No. 1
It was under the Guard Corps . The peace location was Berlin ( barracks area Am Treptower Park ). A royal Saxon detachment formed the 3rd (royal Saxon) company and partly belonged to the 4th company and a Württemberg detachment provided parts of the 2nd and 4th companies. Foundation day was March 25, 1899.
The battalion was also responsible for the cavalry telegraph school.
Telegraph Battalion No. 2
It was under the III. Army Corps or the 1st inspection of the telegraph troops. Peace locations were Frankfurt an der Oder and Cottbus . Foundation day was March 25, 1899.
Telegraph Battalion No. 3
It was under the 8th Army Corps and the 2nd inspection of the telegraph troops. Year of construction was 1899; Peace locations were the former Boelcke barracks in Coblenz and, since 1914, Darmstadt too .
Telegraph Battalion No. 4
The battalion, set up on October 1, 1907, was under the XIV Army Corps and the 2nd inspection of the telegraph troops. Peace locations were Karlsruhe and Freiburg .
Telegraph Battalion No. 5
The battalion, which was set up on October 1, 1912, was under the VII Army Corps and the 1st inspection of the telegraph troops. The place of peace was Danzig .
Telegraph Battalion No. 6
It was erected in 1913 and the garrison was Hanover .
Saxon Telegraph Battalion
Telegraph Battalion No. 7
It was subject to the 1st inspection by the telegraph troops. Zeithain was the place of peace .
Bavarian telegraph battalions
1st Telegraph Battalion
It was erected in 1901 and the garrison was Munich .
2nd Telegraph Battalion
It was set up in 1912 and the garrison was Munich.
Use in the First World War
At the beginning of the First World War , additional intelligence units were set up from the nine telegraph battalions and eight fortress telephone companies belonging to the transport troops. Due to the tactical changes in warfare to a positional war, from 1915 all telegraph departments were renamed into army telephone departments and were divided into operating departments for the existing telephone operation and construction departments for the repair service and the construction of new connections.
In trench warfare, the wire connections often failed due to continued barrage from the enemy. That is why carrier pigeons and reporting dogs were often used in the front area . In addition, special light signal departments were set up. The light signal troops, equipped with mirror-heliograph and electrical flashing lights were later indicators squads renamed.