Receivers and Deceivers (Britain at War issue 161)

I moved to Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the summer of 2019 and shortly after my arrival I was introduced to a local veteran called Alan Gibson, a softly-spoken and incredibly welcoming man, who indulged my questions and gave me an interview of daunting length about his service in the Royal Corps of Signals during World War II.

The challenge was that as a signalman, his story wasn’t necessarily very ‘action packed’ although his service placed him at the bombing of Caen, the road to Arnhem, and the winter in the Ardennes, he spent the bulk of those encounters hunched over a wireless set in a reassuring chunky Bedford truck. I personally found the role of a signalman fascinating and I was delighted when Alan demonstrated Q-codes using a Morse key that he had taken from a German armoured vehicle, but I was conscious that this didn’t exactly made for a great hook.

In the end, I decided that the best way to present Alan’s story was from the context of the Allied deception operation Fortitude South, which he had played a small role in as a wireless operator and from there it was easy to move into the minutiae of his role, contrasting that with the considerable achievements of the 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division. Although Alan himself downplays his contributions, he takes enormous pride in the collective experience of the ‘Wessex Wyverns’ and I wanted to emphasise that the role of the Royal Corps of Signals was absolutely vital to this.

The magazine team took their cues from the divisional flash of the 43rd, incorporating the blue and yellow motif, as well as the wyvern insignia into the design. I wish that had been my idea!

Receivers and Deceivers appeared in Britain at War issue 161, priced £4.49. Find out more at shop.keypublishing.com