Artillerie Messtruppen
 
In the 1978 issue of Kaiserzeit Vol VII Winter Number 4, there appeared an article by my friend Chip Minx on the Artillerie Messtruppen. This article has been quoted many times, but few have this issue of Kaiserzeit. With Chip's kind permission, I have reproduced it here for all to enjoy and benefit from.
 
The Artillery Survey Service

By: Charles "Chip" Minx

At the beginning of the war target spotting and observation depended solely on the artillery observer on the ground or in balloons. As the war stagnated into static positional combat, it became necessary to precisely determine targets and to record them in survey plot charts. Therefore, a survey plotting detachment was formed for each artillery group. Survey procedure developed so rapidly that by September 29th, 1915 the established detachments were named Artillery Survey Sections (Art.-Messtrupps) numbers 1 to 63. Later, the Artillery Survey Sections increased in number to 177 units and on November 8, 1917 the designation, Flash Spotting Section (Lichtmesstrupps) was introduced to differentiate them from the Sound Ranging Sections (Schallmesstrupps), which has been created earlier on February 1,1916 and whose number has grown to 129 units. Both the sound ranging and the flash spotting sections tended to be generally called artillery survey sections. These combined observation groups strength was about six officers and 100 men.

Mast periscopes (Mastfernrohr*) were used in several applications for surveying and therefore were established as a separate section on June 12, 1916. These sections were gradually expanded to number 224 units, each consisting of one N.C.O. and four men. The improved performance of the artillery survey sections eventually rendered them unnecessary. Therefore on January 21, 1918 they were disbanded.

During 1916 the airplane was put into the service of the artillery as Artillery Flight Detachments (Art.-Flieger-Abt.). The common goal of both types of artillery survey sections was to organize the gathering of the basic information needed for accurate fire on enemy artillery and other targets. Their primary source of information for the precise location of targets came from spotting for individual artillery pieces, from surveillance of enemy movements and from sifting through artillery search results reported by flyers, balloon crews, artillery observers and the infantry. Surveys were normally based on the simultaneous location of the same target by three or four differently situated survey posts and from the combination of these individual reports by a headquarters/evaluations station in the rear area. Continuous maintenance of the telephone network between the survey posts and the evaluation station was essential and if this telephone contact was knocked out, the wireless and signal lamp equipment were used as temporary substitutes. Artillery survey sections were divided among the army groups and divisions. Where feasible, each division could be allotted one flash spotting section and one sound ranging section at the same time. The sections did not go along when the divisions were transferred or relieved, but rather continued their activities permanently in the sector. Within the division they were directly subordinate to the commanding artillery officer and when possible, the headquarters of the survey section was combined with that of the artillery.

A close cooperation existed between the survey section and the flying and airship detachments, which provided reconnaissance, photographic surveys and communication. Divisional survey sections also had close contact with the mapping detachment, so that known targets would quickly appear on the maps.


Flash spotters (LM) base their survey methods on simultaneous fixes on the gun flashes of the enemy cannon from posts that are from one to three kilometers distance from one another. They make note of a large number of land marks in their observation zones, drawing upon earlier plottings and fixed designations. These landmarks are coordinated with sector surveys for easier location. Besides enemy artillery, the flash spotters have to plot other targets for possible future use. So, for example, they plot trench mortars from the glare of the flash, searchlights from their being switched on, blast furnaces by their flickering glare and troop encampments by bivouc fire and smoke.

The Sound Ranging Sections (SM), as their name implies, made use of the shock waves of the enemy's cannon fire. The nature of sound transmission made them unsuitable in certain situations, like in misty weather, in high mountain ranges and in heavy bombardments. In situations where there was no visible muzzle flash or shell burst, the sound ranging sections could measure the interval of the sound vibrations. They could locate the enemy battery and also identify the type and the caliber of the gun being fired. Very simply, the sound locator traces the sound of the muzzle blast to the target.

The troops of the survey sections wore the uniform of the foot artillery. Their only distinction being the unit abbreviation added to their shoulder straps and boards. (Illust.) The enlisted straps depicted here are all model 1915. Officer's shoulder boards had the same insignia in gilt metal. Bavarian survey sections wore the same shoulder straps only minus the crossed grenades, as was their custom.

Reference Cron, Hermann, Die Organisation Des Deutschen Heeres im Weltkrieg, Vol. 5; E.S. Mittler u. Sohn, Berlin, 1923. * The mast periscope was a single lens, with a special mast wagon and a permanently attached periscope. The mast is made from telescoping steel tubes that are raised by means of a winch and brought into position to a full height of 25 meters.
Artillerie Messtruppen M1915 Issued Shoulder Straps
From left to right:
  • AM - Artillerie-Meßformationen
  • LM - Lichtmeßtruppe (Light measuring) for flash counterbattery fire
  • SM - Schallmeßung (Sound measuring) for "bang" counterbattery fire
  • Bavarian LM - a very rare Bavarian Lichtmeßtruppe