THE ARMISTICE

THE ARMISTICE

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SOURCE:
Marconi plc

PRODUCED:
11 November 1918

This Marconigram sent to the Manager at Marconi House in London from Marshall Foch announcing the signing of the Armistice and marking the end of World War I. The message is marked 'FL' which indicates that the message was transmitted via the Eiffel Tower. The message is dated 11 November 1918 and is marked with the time 5:45 am.

This is accompanied by a message reporting on the signing of the Armistice.

Background notes on wireless mobile communication during WWI:

During WWI, the British Navy was faced with the possibility of action in any of seven seas and set about creating its own world communication network for its scattered fleets. Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Company was contracted to build a dozen stations on widely separated and sometimes isolated sites.

The development of mobile wireless sets was a crucial part of the war effort. As early as 1902 the British War Office had an interest in military portable stations and official tests were undertaken. This resulted in transportable wireless stations being used during British Army manoeuvres in 1903. These sets used demountable umbrella-type antennae, syntonic tuned transmitters and reception by magnetic detectors.

The army wireless installations were carried by horse-drawn wagons. Later Marconi looked at developing transportable sets housed in self-propelled vehicles.