Sidney D. Light's WWI Diary, Postcards & Letters, 329th Battery Book Accounts

A series of experiments by the radio detail of the 329th while in Camp Custer, resulted in the construction of an entirely new and original apparatus which might aptly be styled, "a one-man portable radio set."

The radio sets of the allied armies retained a number of cumbersome features, chief of which were the bamboo poles, upon which the aerial is strung, and the necessary ropes and stakes which give the areal stability. The one-man radio set eliminated the poles altogether. An aerial made of brass strips was placed on the top of a derby hat and by means of straps a specially constructed storage battery and a small sending outfit was suspended from the operator’s shoulders and hung at his back. Another set of straps held a receiving apparatus, together with a sending key, directly in front of the operator. Laying a ground wire was a simple matter.

Thus the essentials of a radio station, the aerial, ground wire, receiving and sending features were combined, and the entire outfit weighed but fourteen pounds.

The arrangement as described was completed under the direction of Sergeant Charbineau and in a practical demonstration before Capt. Taylor and Lieut. Sargent, proved highly successful for short range work.

Detroit Electricians and Pont-a-Mousson Power

When the regiment moved into Pont-a-Mousson, no lighting facilities were to be found. Candles were not available and although lamps were plentiful, oil could not be purchased for love or money. It looked like we were up against it.

Upon investigation of the town, however, a small electric power plant was found located on a canal running into the Moselle river. Its power supply had evidently been augmented by some other source, but all connections were broken.

This discovery made, our electricians got busy and put the little plant into working order. Lines were run to the billets and offices, bulbs were secured from Nancy, and we had light.

"The Post-War Pont-a-Mousson Electric Company" was composed principally of two ex-Detroit electricians, Sgt. Frank M. Hydon and Corp. William D. McKellar. Their special duty status endowed them with a privilege, that of giving us light, and they took advantage of it. Without their works night life in Pont-a-Mousson would have been exceedingly dull.