THREE-CORNERED TELEPHONE TALK

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21256, 30 August 1934, Page 13

THREE-CORNERED TELEPHONE TALK

TO TUB BDITOR CIST TUB I'HJE/jH. Sir.—The article in yout paper dc-j scribing tlic three-cornered telephone! c - nversalion between hockey selectors ii Auckland, Wanganui, and Christ'timrch reminded the writer of another three-cornered telephone conversation which took place under very different conditions a good many years ago Tne writer was warned that the; divisional commander would like to have a final word with his three brigade commanders just before one of our man;- attacks at Passehendaele. This conversation was arranged to take place late at night, and duly took place successfully with the writer "plugged in" to hear if all went well. All luckily did go well till one second lifter the G.O.C. had said "Good-night,'' when the lines "went dis," and remained so for three days before we got them going again. The cables at Passehendaele were supposed to be buried three feet deep as far as advance brigrde headquarters, but owing to the ground having been churned into a swamp, this was often quite impossible of attainment - . Later in the war—March 28, 1018, to be exact—the writer saw a most elaborate three-legged ladder system with two laterals, all burled six feet fend mo3t of it nine feet deep, entirely dislocated for some hours. (Nine feet deep was calculated to be immune (from anything but a direct hit from id nine-inch shell, and probably from *.hat.'i All this may remind one of 'he difficulties that will be experienced I'll the next war, for which most other Imtions seem to be preparing rather Sheartity.— Yours, etc.. SIGNALS. August 20, .193'!.