Page 228 - The Secret War in the Italian front in WWI (1915-1918)

THE SECRET WAR ON THE ITALIAN FRONT IN WWI (1915 – 1918)

10.6 THE DEVELOPMENT OF TELEPHONE EAVESDROPPING

TelePhone InTercePTIon Tools

After the first tests in 1915, the necessity arose to tentatively adapt the position and length of the
intercepting wires to usually unknown characteristics of the enemy circuits. Therefore, several
lines with earth sockets as close as possible to enemy trenches were installed, to search for enemy
conversations. Then, the available intercepting wires were explored selecting the one that provided
the best listening quality .
75
The structure of a typical interception
network is outlined in picture 10.12,
showing a telephone interception
station behind the Italian lines and
many wires terminating with earth
sockets (t t … t ) near the enemy
n
1, 2,
trenches. The greatest difficulty in
realising such a network was usually
found in installing and connecting
earth sockets, which often required
actions to be conducted by intrepid
telegraphists.
After an early phase in which each Italian 10.12 Outline of a telephone interception station
army implemented its own networks
independently, the Information Office
managed to make the sevice more
homogenous and gave it the name
of I.T., Intercettazioni Telefoniche
(Telephone Interception Service).
However, not all Headquarters
were convinced of the usefulness
of that innovation, therefore, in
Marchetti’s words: “the misoneism
and scepticism still prevailing in some
Intelligence Offices of the armies were
contributing to delay improvement of
the organisation which could actually 10.13 Diagram of a first telephone interception equipment
be completed by early 1916” .
76
The work of specialist teams in the armies allowed continuous refinement of technical means and
operational methods. Colonel Guasco and Lieutenant Carletti set up a laboratory called ‘Telephone
interception office’ within the 24 Telegraphic Company, 2 Army, devoted to equipment design
th
nd
and manufacturing, interception techniques refinement, dissemination of rules for protection
against enemy listening and training of technical personnel assigned to the service .
77

75 Ground sockets were copper plates or nets, or even just a bayonet poked into the ground. Intercepted current peaks when
the intercepting wire is parallel to the intercepted circuit.
76 O. Marchetti, op. cit. p. 89.
77 G. Guasco. Le intercettazioni telefoniche, op. cit.; A. Carletti op. cit.

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