The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-08-15
aGNAL. CORPS OF RICHMOND GOES
INTO CAMP AT FORT MYER "WEDNESDAY
REGULAR ARMY OFFICERS
WILL GIVE INSTRUCTIONS
Organization Has Complete and Mod
ern Wire and Wireless Outfits and
Members Are Proacsent In Other
Methods

next two weeks. The equipment of
the corps. UP to the standard prescrib-
ed by the army. will be given its first
thorough testing and the men Of the
corps'wiil be greatly benefited by the
FIRST actual contact with conditions in
a strange field
The Signal Corps Of Richmond.
type d. field company, consisting OF
wire and wireless platoon will leave
Richmond on wednesday morning at
s:s5 for Alexandria, where they will
detrain for Fort Myer. where nine
days and nights Will be spent
The organization will be fitted out
with regular United States cavalry
mounts. and will he under instruction
Of regular army officers The wire
and wireless methods of communica-
ton in the field will be established by
the two branches Of the corpA and
each Will be given work 70 its ca
pacfty.
WIN Meet New Conditions.
The wire platoon will lay. or set up,
wires fer telephone and Geographic
communication against such obstacles
as may be presented IN the field. En-
tirely new conditions will have TO be
met and the experience TO be gained
by the local wire signal men will be
OF great value to them In their future
work.
The wireless branch will establish
and maintain at different points and
with varying radu the wireless sets of
the corps. and q greater range will be
given the outfit of the organiEa ton.
one OF the most up-to-date equip
ments IN the signal service of the
regular army.
The wire platoon is equipped with
carts each having capacity for ten
va,ts aa 10 ~strA VA al
for the quick establishment. under
any conditions. favorable or unfavor
able. OF either telephone or telegraph
communication. Each OF the carts In
drawn by four horses. enabling the
outflt to get over ground at good
speed, either In laying or recovering
lines. Each cart is handled by two
men. while the other men OF the sec
tion ride on horses behind the carts.
These are linemen. operators, mes
sengers and horse tenders.
Experiment. With Motorcycles.
The wireless platoon of the corps
has in its equipment two complete
fieId wireless sets, each having a send
ing and receiving radius OF seventy
FIVE miles For the carrying of each
set, packed and when not in opera
Oh. four mules are required. The
Richmond corps is at this time ex-
pGTtfHRnttnE WIN motorcycles.
speedier. TO take the place Of the pack
iaules, and the experiments are being
worked out nicetly. a real test of the
value of the motor will be given dur
ing the next two weeks,
y The working out of the experiment
in the field will he watched with much
Interest by the regular army officers
who will be at the For Myer camp.
and on the degree of success attained
under the various conditions that will
be imposed by the army men will de-
pend the recommendations in the
future for the packing and transport
ing of the sets in the field.
Versatility a Requirement.
In addition to the wire and wireless
methods OF communications the
stgnalmen are proficient in the more
familiar wig-wagging or flag signal
ing signaling with arms or soma
phores heliographing and signaling
with bombs. The heiiograph requires
great skill. being a method Of flashing
messages with a mirror arrangement
that can be used at a distance az great
as forty miles. At night q gas lantern
In used The helifiraph and lantern
messages are flashed in the regular
telegraph code.
Signal men must be versatile; they
must have ability to be in position
FULLY equipped with efficient men and
material, TO carry out the orders OF
4 the commanding officer and to main
tain, uninterruptedly. such communi.
cation. either by electricity or visual
signaling, or both, without regard to
change of headquarters. as Will keep
the commander continuously informed
4 ~. 10 the progress of the action. fne
position of his troops, hospital trains
nd SiDply dpna TT mentE.
Need Technical Training.
TO meet the first requirement the
Signal Corps must have men technical
y " trained In time OF peace. and 1t must
also be prepared to cover long dis
tance as quickly as cavalry and to
overcome all difficulties and obstacles
or the route, and still keep In touch
with such subordinate commanders az
orders require. To meet the second
I REQUIREMENT the personnel must
understand thoroughly ali classes oil
HlKnaiing; must know how to repair
The necessary material. and must be
prepared to meet, tacticaiiy. the sniIt-
lng requirements of the battlefield and
I the strategical condition OF the oc-
cupied territory.
The recruit In the Signal Corps must
+h@ alert Membership in
{ ne Richmond command will develop
reliance of men of all grades.
On account of the varied conditions
that arise Ia handling Signal Corps
troops, no hard and fast rules can be
I laid down to cover all contingencies.
and, as consequence. much In left to
the energy and ingenuity of the Of
4 ncers and noncommissloned officers.
Prepared For Emergencies.
The instruction. therefore. is con-
B ducted with a view OF drilling the per-
0onnel thoroughly in it's habitual
Nnt1es and In affording the officers and
men practice and experience in dealing
4 Nth situations and difficulties apt to
nxise in q campaign.
In November, 1919. Adjutant Gen
|%&raa w. w Sale authorized the or
4 Gnntxation of the Signal Corps in Viz
Il Ktnls Frank 8. Plat and Earle Lutz.
18th with considerable militia exper-
lence, were assigned 10 organization
York Owing to lack OF armorial ia
Utilities. the work of getting the re-
N fruits was one OF difficulty. and II was
not until May, 1914. that the company
Ssas mustered into service. The corps
4As given quarters in the Richmond
arrays Armory.
Company Mustered In.
The company was mustered in with
M&ne oflieer. First Lieutenant Earle