page_title: German Radio Intelligence Operations during World War II
section_title: Direction finding
hierarchical_section_title: German Radio Intelligence Operations during World War II / Intercept operations during World War II / Africa and Near East (1941–1943) / Direction finding
context_page_description: German Radio Intelligence Operation were signals intelligence operations that were undertaken by German Axis forces in Europe during World War II. In keeping with German signals practice since 1942, the term communication intelligence had been used when intercept units were assigned to observe both enemy radio and wire communication. When the observation of only enemy radio communication was undertaken, the term was radio intelligence. The term intercept service was also used up until 1942.
context_section_description: Direction-finding operations against Africa were organised as follows:
  D/F Network A: Headquarters in Sicily. Stations in Sardinia and Gabes, North Africa. Objective: British First Army.
  D/F Network B: Headquarters in Gabes, North Africa. Stations in Sicily and Crete. Objective: British Eighth Army.
  D/F Network C: Based at Rocca di Papa and Montpeller. Duties: to check D/F operations and to assign missions connected with the analysis of D/F data to networks A and B, or to individual D/F stations. (See Chart 6)
  In the widespread operations of these units under the Commander of Communication Intelligence (Seven), safe and rapid inter-unit communication
  was just as essential to their effective operation as were communication media in general to all using agencies. Because of the nature of the
  theatre of operations, radio communication was of the greatest importance. This was true of communication across water and desert, and also of that in Italy, where wire communication was restricted to the north–south trunk circuit (COML), which was frequently interrupted. Since shortwave transmitters were required for such great distances and since the Army did not possess a sufficient number, the 70-watt short-wave transmitter used by the Navy was considered preferable and accordingly was procured. Its operation is shown in Chart 7. In addition to the communication circuits shown in this chart there were also special radio nets serving in the extensive direction finding system. The Luftwaffe provided the Commander of Communication Intelligence with channels in the microwave (decimetre) circuit between Sicily and Tunis, which was extended southward by an open wire line to the intercept company near Gabès. Similarly the Luftwaffe furnished other channels by lending its radio telephone line between Rome and Sicily to Army communication intelligence. Since the evaluation centres also needed the original texts of radiotelephone and telegraph messages, these were forwarded by the daily Rome-Sicily courier planes and the courier plane which came from Africa every two days.
caption: Chart 7. German Communication Circuits used by Intercept Units in Africa and Near East March 1943.