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. |
NAME | RADIOCALLSIGN | 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 - BismarckHP - HipperLW - LutzowGU - GneisenauPE - PelikanPG - Prinz EugenSC - ScheerSH - ScharnhorstTP - TirpitzGS - Admiral Graf SpeeBL - 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 numbere.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. |