British Warship and other Interesting Radio Callsigns
Extant in the 1930 - 1931 period

Written by Godfrey Dykes

©RN Communications Branch Museum/Library

  It makes sense to say [and to think] that any one who is a devotee of British naval history, knows full well the stories of the second world war, and all the other wars of course.

  They will know all about those splendid ships which fought for the liberty of all against the dreaded Hun, and they can tell you all the facts of every event from sightings, to engagements to the subsequent carnage, destruction and terrible loss of life.

  Some of the ships which fought that war were new when the war started in 1939, but many of them, and perhaps the most famous of them, were built ten years or so before the war and were in commission in the 1930-31 period.

  Before moving to that period, one [but by no means the only one] of the famous ships built between 1931 and 1938 was the Ark Royal, the 3rd ship to bear that name, and the first one of that name to be built as an aircraft carrier. At the start of the first world war in 1914 the navy sourced a merchant ship, converted it into a sea plane carrier and named it Ark Royal [the second of that name]. Her radio callsign was firstly QBNT and she performed well in WW1. By 1919 her callsign had been changed to GQJD at a time when she was describe as a Special Services Vessel. The 1930's version of international callsigns records her as being GEXK. As the 'drums-of-war' sounded for WW2, and the need for a new and purpose built aircraft carrier was obvious, the Special Services Vessel Ark Royal was renamed Pegasus to release the name for the new carrier, completed in 1938, but Pegasus kept her radio callsign. Ark Royal was sunk in the Mediterranean in 1941 with the loss of one life when she was only three years old - a mighty blow to the British. The radio callsign she used in her short life is, at the present, not known to me, but I am researching it - everything was so secret during the war for obvious reasons, and callsigns plus pennant numbers were kept secret.

  Jumping ahead of 1930-31 but staying on the same subject of the Ark Royal and radio callsigns. In 1930-31, there was a British merchantman called the 'URLA' and her radio callsign was G K X S. She was also sunk in the Mediterranean in 1941 by an Italian submarine, but all hands [42 crew] were saved. Thus, the radio callsign GKXS was dead on the sea bed. In the 1950's, they built the fourth ship to bear the name Ark Royal, a mighty aircraft carrier [virtually 50000 tons - over twice the size of the current Ark Royal]. She was given the radio callsign G K X S. resurrected from the sea bed, which has been passed onto ship number five, now, through recent modification, weighing in at about 20500 tons - a baby by comparison to the 1950's ship.

  Back to the 1930-31 period and my theme above in paragraph 2. However, what most of these devotees will not [or do not] know, is the radio callsign of these 1930-31 ships, which, next to the ships name proper, which is of universal interest, and the ships pennant numbers [train spotters {!}], is the next most important identifying icon of the ship and used by all sea farers.

  So, below I have stated some of those famous ships and their radio callsigns. To a radio man, the sound of these haunting letters being tapped on a morse key, adds a new dimension to being a devotee. Listen to the following sound file HOOD SIGHTING BISMARCK.wav. The contents of the file are in my imagination and they are not intended to be of any historical worth. Nevertheless, the callsign G E C V is that of the mighty Hood.

  The message reads "All British Warships, this is the Hood Break Bismarck sighted 074 degrees 25 miles away Break ". In actual fact, although much too much data for a sound file, Hood would have reported four quite separate element on the enemy report, namely WHAT, WHERE, WITHER and WHEN. The report is known as a LOCATING REPORT {an LR} and the first sighting of an enemy unit receives a number i.e. LR1: any amplifying information for that target [for example the enemy changes course and speed] is transmitted as LR1/1 etc. Hood's report might have looked something like this:

BREAK LR1 - 1BB 1CC - 58° 48'N 20° 10'W - 160 - 25 BREAK 1807Z

MEANING - First sighting report - 1 Battleship [Bismarck] 1 Cruiser [Prince Eugen] [she was a Hipper class heavy cruiser] - their geographical position {a figure out of the blue!} which can be stated in several ways [grids, relative to etc] - their course and speed - sighted at 1807 GMT.

Here is the list of others all taken from the 1930 book of Callsigns.

SHIP	RADIO CALLSIGN		SHIP	RADIO CALLSIGN
BENBOW	GEBJ		CENTURION	GEBL
COLOSSUS	GEBN		CONQUEROR	GEBQ
EMPEROR OF INDIA	GEBR		IRON DUKE	GEBV
KING GEORGE V	GEBW		K8 [Submarine]	GLAD
MALAYA	GEBX		QUEEN ELIZABETH	GECF
RAMILLIES	GECJ		RESOLUTION	GECK
REVENGE	GECL		ROYAL OAK	GECM
ROYAL SOVEREIGN	GECN		SUBMARINE 01	GMAS
FROBISHER	GECP		HERMES	GECQ
VALIANT	GECS		VICTORIA AND ALBERT [Royal Yacht]	GFUR
WARSPITE	GECT		HOOD	GECV
LION	GECW		RENOWN	GECZ
REPULSE	GEDB		COURAGEOUS	GEDK
GLORIOUS	GEDM		ARK ROYAL	GEXK
SUPERB	GLEF		NELSON	GMAN
RODNEY	GMAP		BARHAM	GEBF
....and although not a "big hitter" what about this! The type of ship we would all have liked to have served in HMS FLAT CALM callsign GFBV
If you had a relative on any BRITISH SHIP - WAR or MERCHANTMAN - in the 1930-31 period, say plus and minus 15 years, and you want to know the ships callsign, send me an email.

OTHER RADIO CALLSIGNS OF THE 1930-1931 PERIOD

  Here I continue to show callsigns of interest of non British warships, British merchantmen, commercial radio stations, military radio stations, famous historical events, non British merchantmen.

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NAME	RADIO CALLSIGN	SUBJECT
Airship R100	GFAAV (five letter AIR callsign)	Historic Events
Airship R101	GFAAW (five letter AIR callsign)	"
AURORA (AVRORA)	RAKP	The Rusian battleship (it looks more like a small destroyer) which fired the first shot at the Winter Palace in Leningrad to start the Russian Revolution in 1917. She is moored in the river Neva, the wide river which runs through the centre of St Petersburg (the second new name for Leningrad after Petrograd) on the opposite bank to the Winter Palace, and she is still in commission (June 2004) kept in a well painted and well polished immaculate condition. She is berthed alongside and in full and close up view for all to see. Opposite her, on the other side of the road, is the Naval College.
GRAF ZEPPELIN	DENNE (five letter AIR callsign)	"
EMDEN (German)	DMEM	Foreign Warships (with famous or "funny" names or callsigns). *Note: None of the famous WW2 German ships had been built by this time. However, I have ascertained from the Bismarck's forum, courtesy of Ulrich Rudofsky, the following information: "The Morse code call letters, i.e. Internation call letters? were: BS - Bismarck HP - Hipper LW - Lutzow GU - Gneisenau PE - Pelikan PG - Prinz Eugen SC - Scheer SH - Scharnhorst TP - Tirpitz GS - Admiral Graf Spee BL - Blucher (Source: Übliche Kurzbezeichnung von Schiffen durch den Morseanruf [Commonly used short designation of ships for Morse hailing], in Paul Schmalenbach's "Schwerer Kreuzer Prinz Eugen")" Morse hailing in this case means flashing light.
PRATT (Chile)	CAPT	"
BRETAGNE (French)	FAHB	The wonderful book 'Deadly Stroke' by Warren Tute, tells of the story of ORAN, a port on the North African Coast. After France fell to the Germans, Germany occupied the northern section of the country and put the Vichy French (collaborators) in charge in the South of the country. Thus the whole country was governed by Axis power forces. The French Fleet sailed from their various ports South to Oran which was a well established French Navy base. Fearing that through the Vichy French, the Germans would get the French Fleet to add to its Fleet, the Allied powers gave the French Fleet Commander an ultimatum: either come over to the Allies side, or risk being sunk, by the Royal Navy, whilst inside Oran. The French refused to surrender to the Allies, and so the Royal Navy turned on the French Fleet and virtually destroyed it killing thousands of men, in, what the French would say, cold blood. One of the protagonists at that destruction was our Battle Cruiser HMS HOOD with her 15-inch guns. One of her 15-inch shells exploded the after magazine of the French Battleship F.S.BRETAGNE which caught fire and sank within minutes killing 950 French sailors. This became a grim "pre-run" of what was to befall Hood herself just ten months later.
ACTEÒN (French)	FACT	"
CENTAURE (French)	FACE	"
ORCADE (French)	FADE	"
REDOUBTABLE (French)	FARM	"
GEORGES LEYGUES (French)	FART	"
RESISTANTE (French)	FAST	"
BRANT (USA)	NAFF	"
UNDAUNTED (USA)	NERD	"
HOGAN (USA)	NEXT	"
All German Warships	DEUT	General callsign for All German Warship Stations (same as GBXZ for RN warships.
LESBAIN	GJXK	British Merchantman
GOTHIC	GBYZ	"
DORICSTAR	GCVQ	"
MAURETANIA	GLRX	"
ACQUITANIA	GLRZ	"
GANGES	GQZM	"
Letter plus a 3 or 4 digit number e.g. S4413	All 5 letter callsigns beginning with the letters GEZ	Royal Air Force Flying Boats
Portsmouth HORSEA	GYC/GYD	Naval Radio Station
BERMUDA Dockyard	GYG	Naval Radio Station
ROSYTH	GYH	Naval Radio Station
Portsmouth HORSEA	GYJ	Naval Radio Station
FORT BLOCKHOUSE	GYQ	Naval Radio Station
STONECUTTERS	GYP and GZO	Naval Radio Station
Portsmouth CULVERCLIFF	GYM	Naval Radio Station
PORTLAND Dockyard	GYR	Naval Radio Station
GIBRALTAR	GYU and GYW	Naval Radio Station
CASTILLE	GYX	Naval Radio Station
ST ANGELO	GYY	Naval Radio Station
RINELLA	GYZ	Naval Radio Station
MATARA	GZP	Naval Radio Station
ADEN	GZQ	Naval Radio Station
PORTSMOUTH Signal School	GZU	Naval Radio Station
PORTSMOUTH Dockyard	GZW	Naval Radio Station
Plymouth MOUNT WISE	GZX	Naval Radio Station
CHATHAM NORE	GZY	Naval Radio Station
HONG KONG Dockyard	GZN	Naval Radio Station
CARDINGTON Royal Airship Works	GEC	Other military organisations
AIR MINISTRY LONDON	GFA/GFB/GFJ/GFN	Other miliatry organisations
ADEN RAF	GFQ	Other miliatry organisations
BAGHDAD RAF	GFV/GHB/GHC	Other miliatry organisations
ISMAILIA RAF	GFX/GFY/GHK/GFI	Other miliatry organisations
CALAFRANA RAF	GFZ/GHA	Other miliatry organisations
WHITEHALL	GYA	Other miliatry organisations
SELETAR	GYL/GYS	Other miliatry organisations
COVE Royal Aircraft Establishment	GFT	Other miliatry organisations
SINGAPORE RAF	GEO	Other miliatry organisations
AMBALA RAF	GFW	Other miliatry organisations
RUGBY	GBA/GBC/GBQ/GBR/GBS/GBT/GBU/GBW/GBX/GBP	Commercial Station
GRIMSBY	GBH/GBI	Commercial Station
BODMIN	GBJ/GBK	Commercial Station
OXFORD	GBL/GBN/GBO/GBY/GBZ/GBM	Commercial Station
TOBERMORY	GCA	Commercial Station
LOCHBOISDALE	GCB	Commercial Station
CULLERCOATS	GGC	Commercial Station
VALENTIA	GCK	Commercial Station
CASQUETS LIGHTHOUSE	GCM	Commercial Station
DUNGENESS LIGHTHOUSE	GDM	Commercial Station
CROYDON	GED	Commercial Station
CROYDON AIRPORT	GFK/GFB	Commercial Station
LYMPNE	GEG	Commercial Station
PULHAM	GEP	Commercial Station
RENFREW	GER	Commercial Station
STANMORE BENTLEY PRIORY	GFC	Commercial Station
ANDOVER	GFD	Commercial Station
CALSHOT	GFL	Commercial Station
ORFORDNESS	GFP	Commercial Station
UXBRIDGE	GFU	Commercial Station
SOUTH BISHOP LIGHTHOUSE	GGB	Commercial Station
ROUND ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE	GGG	Commercial Station
SKERRIES	GGK	Commercial Station
BAR LIGHTSHIP	GGM	Commercial Station
NORTH RONALDSHAY	GKH	Commercial Station
SANDAY	GKJ	Commercial Station
DOLLIS HILL	GKP/GKQ/GKS	Commercial Station
PORTISHEAD	GKT/GKU	Commercial Station
HUMBER	GKZ	Commercial Station
ONGAR	GLA/GLB/GLO/GLP/GLQ/GLS	Commercial Station
CARNARVON	GLC/GLJ/MUU	Commercial Station
LANDS END	GLD	Commercial Station
DORCHESTER	GLG/GLH/GLK/GLL/GLM/GLW/GLX/GLY	Commercial Station
SEAFORTH	GLV	Commercial Station
GUERNSEY HARBOUR	GMC	Commercial Station
ALDERNEY	GMF	Commercial Station
GUERNSEY	GMG	Commercial Station
JERSEY HARBOUR	GMJ	Commercial Station
NORTH FORELAND	GNF	Commercial Station
NITON	GNI	Commercial Station
NEWHAVEN	GNV	Commercial Station
PORT PATRICK	GPK	Commercial Station
PARKESTON QUAY	GPQ	Commercial Station
FISHGUARD	GRL	Commercial Station
RATHLIN ISLAND	GRN	Commercial Station
BALLYCASTLE ANTRIM	GSL	Commercial Station
START POINT LIGHTHOUSE	GSM	Commercial Station
STONEHAVEN	GSW	Commercial Station
FOLKESTONE HARBOUR	GUR	Commercial Station
CLEETHORPES	GYB/GYE/GZZ	Commercial Station
PEMBROKE	GYF	Commercial Station
PORTLAND BILL	GYN	Commercial Station
DEVIL POINT PLYMOUTH	GYP	Commercial Station
NORTH LUNDY LIGHTHOUSE	GGJ	Commercial Station
BUTT OF LEWIS LIGHTHOUSE	MBG	Commercial Station
CROMER LIGHTHOUSE	MMC	Commercial Station
NORTH FORELAND LIGHTHOUSE	MMF	Commercial Station
SPURN LIGHTSHIP	MMH	Commercial Station
KINNAIRD HEAD	MMK	Commercial Station
SULE KERRY LIGHTHOUSE	MSG	Commercial Station
MULL OF CANTYRE {note their spelling!}	GGC	Commercial Station
GENERAL MACHADO [Portugal]	CRAB	Foreign Merchant ships with 'funny' names and or callsigns
LOURENCO MARQUES POLANA [Portugal]	CRAP	"
WATUSSI [German]	DAFT	"
CAP ARCONA [German]	DDEA	This was Germany's 'smartest' and fastest liner. She was sunk by the RAF just days from the end of WW2 with the near total loss of her passenger. As the callsign NEARLY suggests, all were DEAD. Her passengers - concentration camp prisoners, all 5000 of them!
BUSSARD [German]	DAIS	Foreign Merchant ships with 'funny' names and or callsigns
TIRPITZ [German]	DDIZ	but a humble merchant packet of the 1920's not the battleship of the mid to late 1930's [note in the same period there was no Bismarck]
CABO CERVERA [Spain]	EACH	Foreign Merchant ships with 'funny' names and or callsigns
FELIX FRAISSINET [French]	FOOD	"
LINE CAMPANELLA [Italy]	IBET	"
PALESTINA [Italy]	ICAN	"
WATERTOWN [USA]	KING	"
EXCELLENCY [USA]	KISS	"
PEGASUS [Sweden]	SHUN	"
MARÉCHAL [MARSHAL] FOCH	FOCH	- The French equivalent to our Field Marshal Haig in WW1 [French]
BIRKA [Sweden]	SHIT	Foreign Merchant ships with 'funny' names and or callsigns
BALAKLAVA [Sweden]	SHAT	"
VENEZUELA [Sweden]	SHOT	"
SUECIA [Sweden]	SENT	"
In the 1930-31 period the letter 'm' had been authorised for the use by the British, but only 7 callsigns were assigned and all of them 3 letter shore station calls.