[ARC5] Example Log Entry: WWII Merchant Marine Signals

[David Stinson]

Here are some excerpts from daily logs.
First from June 6th, 1944 (anyone know that date?).
Ship: Stk. South Mountain (I.D #64)
Travelling Gourock, Scotland to New York.
28 May to 9 June 1944.

NOTES:  
Notations in brackets [ ] are "translation" to plain text.

Signal methods:
"FH"  Flag Hoist
"FL"  Flashing Light
"CL" Colored Lights (hoisted on the flag lanyard at night).
"TBY"  TBY VHF Radio

Time notations:
"T.O.O."  Time notation.  Uncertain, but seems to be 
used only for receptions that are to be relayed-
perhaps "Time Of Observation."  Always followed by:
"T.O.X."  "Time Of Transmission"  Time the signal was 
received or transmitted.

Identification:
"B"  Commodore commanding the convey merchant ships.
"A.S."  All Ships
(52, 64, 71 etc.)  Ships in the convoy were addressed by
a number when in formation, by their radio call signs 
when in port or independent.
"Lion" Escort Commander

Other:
"E" and "I" pre-arraigned Zig-Zag maneuvers>
"Black Pennant" (from escort) Submarine Contact.
Proper names:  Code for distances.
Colors: Code for numbers

One of the codes we need translated is "P.D.L." 

6 June 1944
FROM / TO / T.O.O / T.O.X / SIGNAL / METHOD
---------------------------------------------------------
B / A.S. / - / 0525 /  For the information of all hands.
  The invasion of France started at 0333 this morning. / TBY
B / A.S. / - / 0800 /  Q80 / FH
B / A.S. / 0810 / 0815 / N-ZU [Secure TBY] / FH
52 / A.S. / - / 0810 / FN / FH
B / A.S. / 0820 / 0825 / S275 [Steer 275 Degs] / FH
B / A.S. / - / 1250 / SN / FH
B / A.S. / - / 1315 / Based on maintaining present speed
  ETA of number 51 at Ambrose Light 090230 Queen./ FL
B / A.S. / - / 1330 / WU30-0200 /FH


7 June 1944
FROM / TO / T.O.O / T.O.X / SIGNAL / METHOD
---------------------------------------------------------
71 / 64 / - / 0130 /  64 move ahead six tenths John.
   65 move ahead seven tenths John. (DE63) / TBY
64 / 63 / - / 0130 / Roger.  Wilco.  Out. / TBY
73 / A.S. / 1020 / 1027 / Breakdown balls. / FH
B / A.S. / 1215 / 1220 / WG / FH
Lion / A.S. / - / 1250 / Black Pennant / FH
B / A.S. / - /  1255 / E / FH
B / A.S. / 1256 / 1257 / E / FH
B / A.S. / - /  1305 / I / FH
B / A.S. / - /  1310 /I / FH
B / A.S. / 1321 / 1324 / S267 [Steer 267 degrees] / FH
B / A.S. / - /  1330 / To all ships BT Action stations
   not required but keep an alert lookout. BT 1320
   (P.D.L.) / FL
64 / 63 /  1335 / R DE 65 / FL
Escort / A.S. / 1343 / Black Pennant / FH
B / A.S. / - /  1344 / I / FH
B / A.S. / - /  1352 / E / FH
Escort / A.S. / 1357 / Black Pennant / FH
B / A.S. / - / 1410 /  WU30-0200 / FH