I've seen queries about the prosign <VE>  (or equally <SN>) come up from time to time.  Now, in the ITU definition of Morse and elsewhere,  <VE> means in all contexts "Understood", but it wasn't always that way everywhere.  Very occasionally, an old timer can be heard lapsing into an earlier usage.  See "Obsolete Morse Code Prosigns" on https://wiki2.org/en/Prosigns_for_Morse_code#cite_note-:4-25 There's a reference to "1937 Royal Navy Signal Card". "VE General call . . . _ . Code re-used for "Message verified" or "Message understood" (see SN above). "
I recently acquired an original, if  battered,  "Signal Card" document from the Royal Navy, dated 1944.

I was first taught by a RN telegraphist who would, absolutely, have been instructed in this way.  In fact, he worked for Port of London at the time I was his student but the same rigorous formality applied to making signals.

I do often use this prosign before the callsign exchange at the start of an over, especially if the other station has mentioned QSB, letting them know their previous message has been received, copied and understood.  It is also accepted before the callsigns, where RR or similar is not.

If you're able to post to the list - or email privately to me - a scan of the RN Signal Card, Darrel, I would be very grateful.  Thanks!

73

Chris