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World War 1 Audio


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If WBS was around, I'm sure he'd be posting this. I searched and didn't see this mentioned before, but here is a short article which includes a link to audio from October, 1918 of a British artillery unit delivering a gas-shell bombardment. I don't think I have any comment aside from the fact that I found it pretty sobering. Oh, and I'm a bit chagrined at the fact that both my kids have school today, on Veteran's Day - and that just doesn't seem right.

http://www.artsjournal.com/aboutlastnight/2008/11/tt_the_eleventh_day_of_the_ele.html

(I couldn't find a way to post a URL like the old board?)

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I remember finding a sound recording of a bbc reporter in Holland during the Market Garden para drops. It was a really amazing bit of audio, you could hear the German flak firing nearby as the reporter described the scene.

Unfortunately I can no longer locate it. It's not the Edward R Murrow one where he is in the C-47 as the troops go out the door, this reporter was on the ground.

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It sounds incredibly like cheesy and crummy sound effects.

4.5 and 6 inch guns and the guy still inhaled gas? Danger close artillery isn't what it used to be.

Those are all outgoing rounds. You can hear the adjustments being made by the fire direction officer and then the firing commands being issued by the chief of smoke.

The outgoing sounds are well..the sounds shells make. Nothing cheesy or crummy..just the sounds they make.

I find it amazing they were able to capture the audio, especially considering it was in a field environment in 1918.

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No, it wasn't!

NEWARK, OH (AP Newsliar) -- Archaeologists working in south central Ohio have found what may be the earliest audio recording ever discovered. The recording is etched into the surface of a large clay ceremonial burial pot, uncovered near the Newark earthworks, a location that was once the center of the thriving Hopewell culture. The pot has been tentatively dated to about 250 A.D.

Here's more

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Here is a transcript (to the best of my [in] ability) of what the British gunners are saying :

FDO: Battery Action one seven six one “oh” left

CoS: [garbled]

FDO: Elevation two five degrees

CoS: [garbled] two five degrees

FDO: Adjust rounds one oh six two

CoS: Adjust rounds one oh six two

FDO: HE and charge four load and report

CoS: HE charge four [garbled]

Unknown: loaded

FDO: Fire Four!

Boom whizz

Unknown: ready two

FDO: Fire Two!

Boom whizz

CoS: One [garbled]

FDO: Fire One!

Boom whizz

FDO: Battery four, three three degrees

CoS: Battery four, three three degrees gun two

FDO: Fire Three!

Boom whizz

FDO: Fire two!

CoS: Repeat

Boom

FDO: Fire one!

CoS: Fire one

Boom whizz

FDO: Fire three!

CoS: Fire three

Boom whizz

FDO: Number three one half an inch more right… Fire Two!

Boom whizz

FDO: Fire one!

Boom whizz

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What I found curious is that each gun report is doubled. That is, you hear the direct blast and then immediately what I take to be an echo. The interesting thing is that the echo seems to be the louder of the two. I wonder if they were firing from behind a large, substantial building or something.

Michael

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