Communications at Cambrai

In light of the enormous attention it has generated, one could be forgiven for thinking that there really isn't anything new to be said about the Battle of Cambrai in November 1917. However, there was more to Cambrai than just tanks, church bells and stormtroops. One such neglected element of the battle is communications.

For the most part, history has overlooked the signallers' war, which is somewhat surprising given the significant impact that communications had upon the fighting.

This talk, by Dr Brian Hall of Salford University, casts new light on the Battle of Cambrai by examining it through the lens of the British Army's communications system, arguing that Cambrai provided important lessons with which the British would develop a template for its communications practice in the 'war-winning battles' of the summer and autumn of 1918.