THE DESERT WIRELESS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 14 August 1917, Page 2

THE DESERT WIRELESS.

WORK IN MESOPPOTAMIA. How the wireless is worked in conjunction with the cavalry in Mesopotamia is described in a letter by a New Zealander with the section. "A wireless troop," he states, "consists of three packs sets, which are controlled by a waggon set of 1.5 kilowatt. The waggon is with general headquarters. The packs go out with the cavalry, and are attached to the general wishes to communicate with headquarters, he hands the message to one of the pack sets, which erects a station (this takes about seven minutes) and sends the work to G.H.Q., at the same time taking anything G.H.Q., may have for the i cavalry _ On completion of the work, the j pack set dismantles and gallops, after the column, which may by this time be several miles ahead, and may have dropped another pack set on the road in the. meantime, which will go through the same performance. As the range of these pack sets is practically perfect up to 35 or 40 miles, you can see what a great want supply in cavalry, reconnaissance.

"We are also in touch with the Russian stations, and at night, when the atmospherics are not troublesome, can hear stations in the Mediterranean and Eed Sea. It looks as if we are going to have a bad spin in this camp this summer. We are on the edge of the desert, and some of the fellows go to the hospital with fever of some sort every week. No trees or plants, here; only dust, and myriads of insects, and unbearable heat. I reckon a man that can last a summer here has done his bit, and a little over. There is no honour and glory to be £ot, and nothing to see to compensate for the diabolical conditions and when I tell you that of 66 men who came here a year ago only 20 are still fit for duty in this country, and of that 20 only about three have not had a spell in hospital, and can draw your conclusions."