Signallers

On arrival in France in August 1916, Roberts journeyed through Rouen and Poperinghe to the supply column of the 51st Brigade RFA. Here, he attended a course on signalling before advancing to join the stationed batteries near Vimy Ridge.Roberts describes his experiences in 'Memories of the War to end War 1914-1918', p9: 'We new arrivals paid our first visit to the trenches in the company of some more experienced signallers on an inspection and repair tour of our telephone wires. As we struggled carrying our phone equipment through a narrow communication trench, we got held up by some wounded on stretchers being brought down from the front line.'