'Military Lessons of the Arab Rebellion in Palestine 1936' [‎59v] (123/294)

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were too heavy to mount in a lorry. The 10-inch projectors were run
off portable generators mounted in the same vehicles, but their beam,
being designed for signalling purposes, v/as too narrow except as a means
of enabling the pom-pom gunner to pick up his target. The^beam was of
no use as a means of spotting, and the light was Uoually switched off
when the pom-pom v/as firing.
Towards the end of July a company of the 1st A.A. Bn. R.B. arrived
in Palestine, and their lights were used with great success in the new
role of horizontal rather than vertical illumination. ine organization
and employment of the company for this purpose is described in the follow
ing chapter. For ground purposes the effective beam of the light was
found to be as far as 8 to 10 miles, and it v/as possible to expose for
periods up to 45 minutes without overheating the lorry engine v/hich
generated” the light. At first the lights were dismounted and used in
the same manner as for anti-aircraft purposes, though naturally v/ithout
the sound locator detachments, but later alterations were made v/hich
enabled them to be operated from the lorries without off-loading projec
tors. This proved to be a great asset since the "mobile" light could
expose from a number of different points during the night, thereby en
abling it to co-operate well v/ith moving troops and, by keeping the
enemy constantly on the qui-vive , afforded at the same time added pro
tection to the light and its crew. Although it could not operate on the
move, it was only the matter of a few seconds before the light could be
exposed after halting. Certain modifications in procedure required
when running searchlights stripped as "mobile units" are given in
Appendix XIII.
Wireless
SIGNAL EQUIPMENT
No. 1 sets had inadequate range, since up to 20 miles v/as found to
be required. Fairly reliable results up to this range could only be
obtained by substituting an open wire aerial adjusted to wave length,
which v/as slov/er to erect. By substituting 8-cv/t. trucks for the Morris
tv/o-seaters, overloading of the vehicles was avoided and enough room was
available for operating the sets and carrying the technical and personal
equipment. oome means of carrying the set in pack was found to be
essential, and suitable gear was devised which could be made v/ithin the
unit. Samples of this are shown in photographs No. 18 to 23. The set
with pack and saddle however weighed some 200 lbs. which v/as a heavy
a donk i t > / / dn consequence, when troops were moving rapidly in
the vV / T sei: w °uld often lag behind and not be immediately
available for the transmission of an urgent message.
q set gave good communication up to 30 miles or more when
U v.T" n ^-i- ° 4 -u b * aerdad ms ^ s kut the frequency band covered proved unsuit-
a ° -rf counG1 J a - r -d considerable atmospheric interference was experi'
‘ jXp j rm + e l ? tS were made with a »C"~ S et fitted up in a fa-evrt.
result "An 0 to onJl U* 17 cora P ailies on Patrol, and this gave good
e ‘ niie “> Provided operations were not extended over a
period requiring more than two operators.
Daylight Signalling lamns
ward for clUyAgUAsUooAtA 1 "' 11 ^ v ' ooden box '" as awk '
devised bv the 9ml jv, -- 1 * y * a l^ e unative method of carrying v/as
« ~—*«■ -
io described in Appendix XIV.