The Wireless Set No. 19 Homepage



Photographic Perspectives
By Dave Lawrence, VA3ORP


This area contains photos involving vintage military gear from all services. Following are descriptions of each photo. Use the buttons below under each photo (scroll down) to progress through the collection. Many thanks to Dave for providing these excellent perspectives!
(I apologize for the distortion in a few of the photos, but this seems to depend upon which browser is used and I have no control of it. MSEI seems to be better than Netscape, at least when I test it on my own machine. However, to see an undistorted version, right click on the photo then select 'view'. - Bob)

19_Set_ORP_CampX (First Photo, seen when 'Start Again' button is clicked.) This was from inside the bell tent during Operation "CAMP-X". This was to mark the 55th anniversary of VE-Day and we used it as an opportunity to do some ground-wave trials.

19_Set_Ant_Meas This was the set-up used for making some of the antenna parameter measurement s for 19 Set antennae. Note the dolly-cart for moving the 19 Set on carriers #23.

19_Set_CBK_1 This was taken at CFB Kingston during the 90th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals in 1993. We were trying to see how much Chris (VE3CBK) looked like the "Wireless Willie" cartoon character.

19_Set_CBK-2 This shows Chris (VE3CBK) operating the W.S. No. 19 Mk III at our Murney Tower display in the summer of 1999. We had the bell tent, radio gear, line equipment and some visual signalling kit. Good picture of the radio...not such a great one of Chris!

19_Set_mobile This was taken at the Ontario Military Vehicle Association drive-in at Oshawa in June 1999. This was our second attempt to operate the 19 Set mobile. This exercise convinced us that operating a 19 Set in CW while driving a car with a manual transmission is not really all that smart! It is not a very tidy installation either...better to put it in the back.

19_Set_ORP_1 This was New Year's Eve 1999/2000. We had a sked starting at 0030Z and, as we were having a formal dinner at just about that time, I was a bit overdressed for operating a 19 Set.

19_Set_RIH_1 This is Alan (VE3RIH) in his "underground communications bunker". As you can see, he is prepared for TVI complaints from the neighbours.

19_Set_RIG_2 This shows Alan (VE3RIH) operating the 19 Set mobile from my old Volkswagen (summer 1997??). This attempt was not a great success but pointed the way to greater things.

19_Set_RIH_3 Here is Alan (VE3RIH) manning the display alongside HMCS Haida during the special event to mark the 75th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve. We had the time signal being received on the 19 Set, had that connected through the Wireless Remote Control Unit to a UC-6 Switchboard and from there to some field telephones. It all worked very well. We also used the heliograph that day (almost blinded a few visitors as it was a sunny day!). Jerry Proc (VE3FAB) is in the left background.

38_Set_ORP_1 This was taken at the CFB Borden Open House a few years ago. It shows the way a W.S. No. 38 was carried. In addition to the set on the operator's left side, there is a battery case (much like a sigs satchel) carried on the back.

48_Set_CBK_1 This "intense" character is Chris (VE3CBK) with a posed shot of him and the W.S. No. 48. This was taken during a few free minutes during the weekend marking the 50th anniversary of VE-Day. He was trying to order a pizza!

48_Set_FtHenry An historically "incorrect" photo showing Chris (VE3CBK) and Dave (VA3ORP) doing a "present arms" while carrying 48 Sets. This was during the "officer of the Day Parade" on the rain soaked parade square at Fort Henry (Kingston, Ontario). One of several "Warriors' Weekends" events that we have done there.

48_Set_ORP_1 The best photo of Dave (VA3ORP) and the 48 Set! This was taken during a weekend event in Perth, Ontario, where we (Chris and Dave) had a static and active display of WWII communications gear. The camera used was about the same vintage as everything else in the picture. Actually, Dave is slightly younger (vintage 1948).

48_Set_ORP_2 Another shot of the 48 Set taken with the old camera. The fellow on the left is Eric Booth, a reenactor from Ottawa.

48_Set_ORP_3 Dave (VA3ORP) out for a stroll along the river in Perth, Ontario, trying hard to keep in contact with Chris (VE3CBK) and his 19 Set.

48_Set_ORP_CBK Two nice 48 Sets and a couple of WWII desperados! Taken in Gananoque, Ontario during the 50th anniversary of VE-Day.

Borden_ORP_BDB Dave (VA3ORP) and Bob (VE3BDB) manning the display during the CFB Borden Open House in the summer of 1999. This was a special display of "light blue" telecom gear to mark the 75th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force. The set on the table between Dave & Bob is the RCAF AT1/AR2 General Purpose set. The Morse code display in front got a lot of attention from the younger visitors. Anyone who has been to Borden in the summer knows why we had our tunics off!

carrier.jpg This is the "proper" way to move a W.S. No. 19! Note the "A" set antenna on the right rear corner. The Universal Carrier was restored by Mr. Bruce Parker (presently living in Iqualuit, Nunivit - formerly NWT). Bruce used the carrier to "remove" Colonel Gerry Coady from the parade square at the end of his Change of Command Parade at CFB Kingston (28 July 1993). The Colonel was VERY surprised!

DDay_1 To mark the 50th anniversary of D-Day, the Museum of Applied Military History staged a mock invasion of the beach at Gananoque, Ontario. The battle scene had 30 reenactors in Canadian kit coming out of a landing craft while 20 Germans tried to defend the beach. Again, the Canadians were victorious! Although it might look like a W.S. No. 48 on the operator's back, it was actually an AN/PRC-77 that was being used to coordinate the attack. In the centre of the landing craft we have Chris (VE3CBK) and Dave (VA3ORP).

DDay_2 A 3rd Div RCCS Signaller ready for the invasion!

LSDSR_CBK Chris (VE3CBK) demonstrating the LSDSR (Lamp, Signalling, Daylight, Short-Range) as part of the display at Murney Tower, Kingston Ontario.

Oshawa_Ant_1 Bruce (VA3BBW) checks out the 34 foot mast that was being used for ground-wave trials (10 June 2000). Note the base insulator and the method of putting the 19 Set partly in the trunk and partly in the back seat. The split seat in the Saturn is great for this!. The antenna lead is very short with this configuration yet you can still reach all the controls. Obviously the operator sits in the rear passenger seat.

Oshawa_Ant_2 An overall shot of the "temporary base station" from where ground-wave trials were being conducted at Oshawa, Ontario, 10 June 2000.

Perth_ORP An overall shot of the display of WWII infantry signalling gear that Chris (VE3CBK) and Dave (VA3ORP) mounted at Perth, Ontario. Left-to-right we have the W.S. No. 19, D Mk V field telephone, UC-6 field switchboard, signalling lamp, W.S. No. 48 and 2-foot flag for visual.

Pipes_CBK_1 Chris (VE3CBK) with the famous Scotish signalling device - bagpipes! This was taken at the end of an evening cruise of the Thousand Islands - D-Day 50th anniversary.

Pipes_CBK_2 Chris (VE3CBK) warming up the pipes at Fort Henry, Kingston Ontario. It was an interesting form of QRM while Dave (VA3ORP) was trying to zero-beat a 19 Set!

VE_Day_CBK Chris (VE3CBK) rides "shotgun" while the linemen get the field phones working. Taken during the VE Day 50th anniversary battle scene in Gananoque, Ontario.

VE_Day_CBK_Carr Chris (VE3CBK) in the back of Bruce Parker's Universal Carrier. It didn't take Chris too long to figure out that riding was better than marching! His W.S. No. 48 has been stowed in the carrier.

VE_Day_ORP Two signallers standby while the surrender is arranged (50th anniversary of VE Day, Gananoque, Ontario). The lineman on the left (Richard Parks) was a lineman for Bell Canada in this day job. The 21st Army Group patch on his tunic belonged to his father who had been a lineman in the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals. On the right, Dave (VA3ORP) is wondering how he will straighten the antenna elements and just how wet his W.S. 48 is inside! Again, when you bring all the right kit to the picnic, you don't get any TVI complaints!

VE_Day_Surr The final surrender during the VE Day 50th anniversary. Note that there are three signallers supervising - Dave (VA3ORP) on the left with the slightly soggy W.S.48, Richard Parks, lineman in the centre and Chris (VE3CBK) on the right. Somehow Richard has no weapon and Chris has a W.S.48, Lee-Enfield rifle and a STEN sub-machine gun. No wonder he is not moving!

BDB_&_key Bob (VE3BDB) tries to get his leg high enough to secure the key for the W.S. No. 48. Theresa (xyl of Dave, VA3ORP) dressed in uniform of Canadian Wormens' Army Corps sees more humour in the situation than Bob does. Photo taken at the display for 55th anniversary of VE Day at Camp-X (spy school) near Oshawa, Ontario.

BROWN_01.JPG and BROWN_02.JPG These pictures are of an unusual "signalling device" (aka Bren Gun) that we had on display this summer during our cruise on the Victory ship, the SS John W Brown. As you can see, it can be used for signalling to either ground troops and the navy (fixed lines mount) or for signalling to aircraft (anti-aircraft mount). Range is about 2,000 yards and it is guaranteed to get someone's attention...especially when firing tracer bullets!



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