The Siren Board

Hi everyone, I've always been curious about the story behind these sirens, the sound of air-raids in WWII Britain. Do any of you know anything about it? Who commissioned them? Who designed them? What was the thought process behind choosing that particular sound for air-raid warnings? It's one of the eeriest sounds I've ever heard, I found it terrifying as a kid.

I've always wondered whether the psychological angle was considered, and how they decided it was a good idea to have that sound blasting out for miles around rather than a more traditional "alert" kind of sound, or even one of the other similar rising-falling sirens that just produce a relatively tame single tone rather than that unnerving dischord of the Carter 1H.

I don't want to sound like I'm criticising by the way because I'm not. It's history and I didn't have to live through it, I just find it fascinating. They might as well have used recordings of horror-movie violins or something.

junkman wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 26, 2018 10:45 pm

Hi everyone, I've always been curious about the story behind these sirens, the sound of air-raids in WWII Britain. Do any of you know anything about it? Who commissioned them? Who designed them? What was the thought process behind choosing that particular sound for air-raid warnings? It's one of the eeriest sounds I've ever heard, I found it terrifying as a kid.

I've always wondered whether the psychological angle was considered, and how they decided it was a good idea to have that sound blasting out for miles around rather than a more traditional "alert" kind of sound, or even one of the other similar rising-falling sirens that just produce a relatively tame single tone rather than that unnerving dischord of the Carter 1H.

I don't want to sound like I'm criticising by the way because I'm not. It's history and I didn't have to live through it, I just find it fascinating. They might as well have used recordings of horror-movie violins or something.

The War Office (or MoD, I forget which) wanted a good warning medium so the likes of Gent's, Carter and other companies went and pitched their ideas and their "syrens" (as they were called back then) were approved of.
I don't know why you specify the Type 1H -please tell me as I'm interested!- as Gent's of Leicester were, I believe, one of the first if not the first to come up with the idea of the 1 horsepower 10/12 port siren in the thirties. As you probably know they made a more scary tri-tone siren which was 2 horsepower however you don't see many of those around. The warbling note when there was a raid on operates off the same principle most burglar alarms and fire alarms use today -it gets your attention quickly. Having a loud chord being sounded instead of a single note is also known to stand out and get your attention very quickly. We could have used a steady signal instead of a wailing one for an air raid but the wail signal provides a sence of urgency and that danger is incoming. The steady note is more pleasant to hear, still shrill, but easier to listen to and less eerie which is most likely why it was used for our "raiders passed" signal. Besides, these sirens were 2 signal devices as they had no campers or brakes etc. to create a third of fourth signal. That was developed in the early Cold War. Of course, any old sound would have worked but not to the extent as a purpose built warning device would do. We did have a ban during the wars on church bells as they were only to be rung when there was an invasion (which also caused some distress during VE Day in areas of the UK as the bells were rung in celebration but others didn't quite catch the meaning)

Thanks Alfie, I only specify that make/model because I came across a clip of someone testing one. It made THAT famous sound so that's the one I asked about, I know nothing about sirens other than that. I would imagine there was maybe a hodge podge of different types being used around the country at the time? Where do you get your information from?

junkman wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 27, 2018 12:57 pm

Thanks Alfie, I only specify that make/model because I came across a clip of someone testing one. It made THAT famous sound so that's the one I asked about, I know nothing about sirens other than that. I would imagine there was maybe a hodge podge of different types being used around the country at the time? Where do you get your information from?

Oh I just amassed all these things from looking around websites, looking at old adverts, reading war books etc. but I can't put my finger on one reason if you know what I'm saying. Yes there was a hodge podge of different makes and models around the country. I know that most if not all the Pathe images of 30s London siren images are of Gent sirens being installed on rooftops so I think it is safe to assume London was mainly concerned with one make of siren. All you can see nowadays are some Castle Castings sirens which were installed during the Cold War. Inactive of course. During WWII I can only think of two or three companies which were supplying sirens: Gent and Carter. The third was Secomak but they were a sideshow at that time. They got bigger acclaim when they became Klaxon in the early fifties and installed Broadmoor's system which is currently being replaced. Anyway, I digress. After the war you don't hear much of Gent sirens apart from a 1960s film about what to do if the atom bomb drops in which there is a segment which shows a coded Gent siren. Apart from that I have found nothing else. The other companies filled in with their more efficient designs.