# A A A A A A



## Worldspan (Jan 2, 2012)

Paul Braxton’s comment in the thread, “Head Office to Ships (Direct QSO?)” got me thinking. 

_“Even more memorable would be the little ritual of flashing up a distant light on the horizon with the Aldis, late at night. Getting a reply, setting up another QSO and then out of range again. That was often almost a ghostly sort of thing to do. Spooky, might be a better word. Getting the third mate motivated to get the Aldis out and set up, then leaning on the bridge wing dodger, levelling the sights and "A A A" sequences, waiting to see if that distant pinpoint would go through the same game, get his lamp ready and respond with a "T".”
_
I can’t remember whether we practised with an Aldis at Norwood Tech during my PMG but later, at the end of the AEO course at RAF Hullavington, I joined the rest of my course for lamp-signalling practice. We had to double up with someone who wrote down the letters as they were called out. Then a “T” was sent to acknowledge receipt. But was it sent at the end of a word or after an individual letter? In any event, the activity was not taken very seriously. All of us were destined for the V-Force – not much chance of using an Aldis from a Vulcan. However, I later met chaps who’d been on Sunderlands who’d used Aldis to communicate with ships.

In the 1950s, I remember a report in the Eastbourne Gazette about a hotelier who’d used a lamp during ‘Navy Week’ to QSO HMS Superb and invite the officers for drinks. I saved my pocket money and bought an ex-army signal lamp that wasn’t much use. For a start, there was no one to practise with – some boys were in the scouts but they’d only learnt semaphore. My Dad was not much help: he’d been a signaller in WW1 but had used Morse (wig-wag) to communicate using a flag. Another problem was that the filament took ages to cool down and also consumed a vast amount of current from the dry battery.

So how about the use of Aldis in the MN? I presume this was the responsibility of the deck officers but how proficient were they? Did the R/O ever have to use Aldis? Old newsreels show lights from warships rattling away at high speed – were these operators telegraphists or specialised lamp signallers? I believe such lamps were permanently on and that the Morse was created by means of a shutter. Could the MN keep up with them? Is lamp signalling used by the MN to this day?

And did anyone ever communicate with a Sunderland via radio or Aldis? The STR 18 Tx/Rx in the V-bombers had no MF capability but I know the TR 1154/1155 equipment in the old flying boats went down to MF.

W


----------



## johnvvc (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted the following in the 'What Ship?' thread a couple of weeks ago...

Always used to like working ships on the Aldis lamp.

After the last watch (I was R/O) I'd go next door to have a cuppa and go out onto the wing of the bridge and if I saw a ship I'd call her on the lamp and have a chat.

On one occasion I was called to the bridge to see if I could make any sense out of some flashing from a small ship a distance away. The weather in mid-Atlantic was atrocious, it was broad daylight and she was disappearing almost completely into toughs. After flashing 'VHF' many times I eventually got her on Channel 16. Long long time ago but I seem to remember she was the Hanne Tholstrup. She was looking for a weather report which we supplied. We kept in touch for a while and we relayed regular weather reports to her until we eventually lost touch and she became just a memory...

I just found a picture of the Hanne Tholstrup on Photoship - now I wonder if that's the one...

Happy days.


----------



## Paul Braxton (Jul 21, 2005)

Back to you, Worldspan. (That was an ancient Marconi transmitter, wasn't it?)

Nice to know you were daydreaming about the sea whilst oiling up some furniture! I do the same here when out and about on our 'ranch', pulling weeds, burning same, planting trees, etc.

As for your queries re the Aldis, if I remember correctly, the lamps we had were shuttered, that is the bulb was on permanently. I can still remember the satisfying clack, clack as the trigger was depressed. It was always nice to watch the beam from the thing extending outwards across the water, getting it accurately lined up on your target was quite easy. Am very glad I never inadvertently glanced at the bulb while on. It must have had some power.

The 'T' was, I believe, sent at the end of a word when correctly received. If you didn't get it properly you simply waited until they re-sent the particular word. That's how I remember it.

The navigators were nominally in charge of the Aldis and I would always ask if I could set it up and use it, whenever the occasion arose. As far as my experience went, the mates were usually pretty poor with the system. That is they were usually quite reluctant to use it. Whether it could be said that they were often too busy to do so, or whether it was just a pain for them to do so, I don't know. Most of the third mates and second mates I sailed with certainly didn't really want to get involved and I quickly found out that their morse wasn't really up to it. There often seemed to be some embarrassment over this, though it didn't bother me. I always found myself translating the light in my head into sound. That made it a doddle, although when I first started using the light I found it incredibly difficult to receive morse that way until I cottoned on to the above trick.

Incidentally, I see you went to Norwood! So did I, class of '67/'69. Had a great time there and although I failed my 'cabin' exam first time around through too much time fiddling about with other things and lack of confidence with the fault finding, I did obviously pass it second time around and really enjoyed the extra time I presumably must have spent at the college. There are a few other ex Norwoodians on here, but the place seems to be keeping quite a low profile in the threads. Were Danielson and Mayoh there in your time? R. D. Tritton and Mr. Baxter the morse lecturer? I did the BOT radar exam afterwards and really, really enjoyed that 8 week course under Doug Tear with the Hermes/Raymarc radars.

All the best and keep up the good work (and reminiscing, of course).

Incidentally, there was definitely no question of any Aldis training at college. You just picked it up when at sea if you were interested.

Paul


----------



## holland25 (Nov 21, 2007)

On my first trip as a solo R/O we spent some time at anchor off Beira at what was then Portuguese East Africa. The pilot boat used to signal using an Aldis, giving estimates for when it would be our turn to go in. I really aggravated the mate by reading the light and calling out from the W/T office porthole, which was by the bridge wing port side. I was probably a cocky teenager. I never had any formal training but became quite good at it. It was however on all the ships I was on a preserve of the deck officers.


----------



## Naytikos (Oct 20, 2008)

I never met a 'mate' of any rank or nationality who could use an aldis lamp. Places I particular remember using it were: passing the Lloyds signal station at Gibraltar; approaching Genova, where the pilots seemed to be stationed in a tall stone tower; approaching Marmagao where the pilots had an office on the headland at the South side of the estuary; and Durban/Port Natal. In fact the latter had just got VHF in 1967 but only had ch16 and so got sharp comments from Durban Radio whenever they tried to use it; hence they were still using aldis.

I remember two types, one with a mirror which tilted up and down: one had to be careful aiming it so that there was a distinct horizontal beam when the trigger was pressed. The other had louvres which opened and closed.

Niarchos had a fleet of nine 45K dwt bulk carriers all of which had a large searchlight mounted on the monkey island with louvres and a handle on the side to operate them. If really enthusiastic one could light up the wheelhouse of a passing ship and make like a R.N. yeoman in the movies.


----------



## slick (Mar 31, 2006)

As a Mate in the days pre VHF the use of the ALDIS was the only means of breaking up long Watches.
Indeed I have in the loft a couple of my sight books which in the back I have recorded the names of ships so called or answered.
You could tell it was a dying "craft" (1960's) when you called a ship, and back came V _H _ F. by light.
Several Captains I was with positively encouraged the use of the lamp...


Yours aye,

slick


----------



## woodend (Nov 23, 2009)

Always enjoyed lamp signalling from when I first learned Morse in the Sea Scouts. Couple of funny stories that happened in the late 50's, early 60's. Great night approaching USA about 100 miles out when AA AA was received from skywards ahead of us. No noise, no lights, so I really wondered what God wanted so I answered. Turned out to be a USCG 'blimp' (airship) wanting to know the usual. Obviously on patrol for something.
Then on a night off Sinu Point, West Africa with thick harmattan I called up a passing ship and asked 'have you seen the light?' Stupid question ... and back came the speedy reply 'yes I am getting out next trip'. It was the 'Van heemskerk', a Dutchman with a sense of humour, I will always remember![=P]


----------



## TOM ALEXANDER (Dec 24, 2008)

Cadet on HMS Worcester - had regular practise on a morse light -- only difference, if I remember rightly was that it was an an/off arrangement operated by a key in the circuit. We got to be quite proficient so no worries about using an Aldis. Needed that and semaphore to pass for 2nd. mates. And then there was a knowledge of international code to top it off. I think most of the ships I was on had both Aldis and 10 inch shuttered searchlights.


----------



## expats (Mar 9, 2013)

In the mid 60s there seemed a lot of action on the Aldis....I remember often getting called out on the 8-10 by the 3rd mate to reply to ships....To me, at least, it always seemed more 'personal' than the VHF....

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned the famous story about the Artic Convoy where the escort signalled to the circling 'Dornier', "Please go round the other way; you're making me dizzy"....and they did...


----------



## Binnacle (Jul 22, 2005)

Early 50s on 8-12 watch in the Red sea, ships all around us, coming and going , a RN cruiser seemed to be calling us up on his signal lamp, why me ?, I tried to ignore her, but they were most persistent. Got the Aldis lamp and answered her "what ship" query. Unfortunately the OM appeared on the bridge just as I was sending a reply tp her "where bound ?" query. "It's a man-o-war, get Sparks" I immediately put down the lamp and headed for the wireless room, Jack Duggan didn't look too chuffed but followed me out to the bridge wing, He had obviously never used an Aldis before so I showed him where the trigger was. I didn't know how Jack was doing but there was much flashing from the cruiser which by now was away abaft the beam. I then noticed the cruiser had ceased flashing and had raised a flag hoist so I rushed to the chartroom to get the Signal Book. It was If I remember correctly ? a two flag signal "RV". "where bound". I suggested to the OM that I would hoist the reply but he declined saying "we started with the lamp and we'll finish with the lamp". Third mates didn't argue with Old Paddy si I decided then it was a convenient time to put a few cross bearings on the chart and left him and Sparks to it. When I was up on the monkey island I noticed the cruiser hadn't given up but was still flashing. They would not have been impressed by our signalling standards. JD advised me that the next time the OM instructed me to get his services on the Aldis I was to tell him where to stick it.


----------



## Farmer John (Feb 22, 2012)

Binnacle said:


> JD advised me that the next time the OM instructed me to get his services on the Aldis I was to tell him where to stick it.


I think I would have suggested the message would come better from him!


----------



## P.Arnold (Apr 11, 2013)

*Aldis Comms*

I was on the Lagos Palm northbound, on the bridge, with the 3rd mate, who had proved to be good on the Aldis lamp, when we were 'hailed' by a vessel of the Grey Funnel Line.

The usual comms ensued, Where bound? Where from? both being answered by the 3rd mate.

The next question must have been received by this 3rd mate on numerous occasions, having been with Palm Line for sometime.

Where are the monkeys?. Reference to our funnel colours.
Quick as a flash, no pun intended.

Joined the RN

Signalling seemed to cease almost immediately.

...................................
Oh happy days.
Still getting older, getting wiser? court is out on that one


----------



## expats (Mar 9, 2013)

P.Arnold said:


> I was on the Lagos Palm northbound, on the bridge, with the 3rd mate, who had proved to be good on the Aldis lamp, when we were 'hailed' by a vessel of the Grey Funnel Line.
> 
> The usual comms ensued, Where bound? Where from? both being answered by the 3rd mate.
> 
> ...



We always referred to the "Rampant Spider" as our funnel marking....


----------



## gwzm (Nov 7, 2005)

Used the Aldis lamp a few times to pass the time in the evening after the last watch to chat to passing ships during a long passage. I got called to the bridge a few times to take berthing instructions from Colombo port control as VHF was still relatively uncommon in the early/mid 60s. Grey Funnel ships couldn't understand why it took a little while for us to reply when they called us on the light at warp speed when they had a cast of thousands on their bridge and it took a little time for me to respond to the call: "Sparks bridge".
We seemed to have two types of lamp - one where the trigger moved a mirror and the other where the trigger operated a sleeve which obscured the bulb. Neither was particularly fast compared to the Grey Funnel projectors with louvre slats in front of the lens.
Happy days


----------



## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

On the sawmill berth at Sapele, the RO had a busy time. On the Lokoja Palm, in between the 'coast station' watch, running any messages to the agent, cargo tallying, and other things, I was roped in to signal across the wharf to help train someone shoreside. An aldis is very, very bright from short range, even in the daytime. My reward though, was to accompany the Old Man to the White Mans club. I found out later that this was 'brownie points' for him as I was introduced as the RO and subsequently asked to 'send the wife some flowers please Sparks' by club members in return for a the price of an SLT to Interflora - and of course, a 'drink' for me !

David
+


----------



## Worldspan (Jan 2, 2012)

Thanks for the replies about the use of Aldis. So no wonder I can't remember any training at Norwood Tech if it didn't form part of the PMG. 

Regarding Paul's question about Danielson and Mayoh: the former was Head of Department and interviewed me. I'd been in the Signals Section in the CCF at school and remember the interview going quite well. Unfortunately, Mayoh was not one of my tutors but I knew of him and he stood in a few times when Mr Nicolson, our course tutor, was away. What I liked about Mayoh was that he didn't just concentrate on theory but also got us using the soldering iron and the AVO. I believe he'd been in industry. I don't remember the other names apart from a Mr Ellerington; there was also a Scot (Macfadden?) who took the MOTCA radar course that followed the 1st PMG; also an older man, CT Holmes. I remember Macfadden describing the Andrea Doria / Stockholm incident as a 'radar-assisted collision'. And yes, the Worldspan was a Marconi QRO beast that was driven by an Oceanspan. There was some discussion about this in a previous thread.

M


----------



## Nigel Fisher (Sep 22, 2010)

Hi, I remember being put on the shake by the 2nd Mate at about 1am during a trip eastwards across the Great Australian Bight in 1971 to respond to a ship that was calling us on "the light." Following the call and reply protocols the other vessel indicated that it was an Australian Navy submarine (can't remember the name but it was an "O boat." The "sub" indicated that it wanted to conduct signalling exercises with us (oh joy oh rupture). I managed to conclude these exercises within a half hour or so but turned in thinking many unkind thoughts about our 2nd mate!


----------



## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

Nigel, maybe it was HMAS Otway, now in drydock in Holbrook, NSW, about 1000 km from the sea.

John

PS or the other one in Sydney Maritime Museum (forget the name for the moment)


----------



## NoR (Mar 24, 2008)

TOM ALEXANDER said:


> Cadet on HMS Worcester - had regular practise on a morse light -- only difference, if I remember rightly was that it was an an/off arrangement operated by a key in the circuit. We got to be quite proficient so no worries about using an Aldis. Needed that and semaphore to pass for 2nd. mates. And then there was a knowledge of international code to top it off. I think most of the ships I was on had both Aldis and 10 inch shuttered searchlights.


There were two of these keyed lights set up on the main deck of the Worcester so that we could practice signalling to each other. There was also a signals team (crossed flags badge) who would call up ships as they passed.


----------



## Nigel Fisher (Sep 22, 2010)

trotterdotpom said:


> Nigel, maybe it was HMAS Otway, now in drydock in Holbrook, NSW, about 1000 km from the sea.
> 
> John
> 
> PS or the other one in Sydney Maritime Museum (forget the name for the moment)


Wished it had been 1000km inland on that night!!


----------



## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

That's the way the artichokes, Nigel. Welcome to SN by the way.

John T


----------



## Nigel Fisher (Sep 22, 2010)

trotterdotpom said:


> That's the way the artichokes, Nigel. Welcome to SN by the way.
> 
> John T


Sure does. Thanks John. We have an 'O' boat over here in Fremantle as well


----------

