Runner (war)
Encyclopedia
A runner was a soldier responsible for passing on messages between fronts during war. This was arguably the most dangerous job of all, since these soldiers obviously had to leave the safety of a trench, bunker or any other kind of shelter in order to move from one front to the other. One example is World War I
, which was dominated by trench warfare. This necessitated lots of runners. Passing messages between the trenches was not possible without climbing up to ground level and running towards the other trench. While on the ground, the soldier was completely exposed to enemy lookouts, and it was commonplace for runners to die before reaching their destination. For the same reason, communication between fronts was very difficult during World War I, and the officers could not be sure that a message has reached its recipient unless the runner actually managed to return.
The introduction of radio
made runners obsolete during the first half of the 20th century. By 1939, when World War II
broke out, radio and telephone had replaced runners completely.
Adolf Hitler
was a runner for the German army during World War I, and he was wounded twice. Runners were often decorated for bravery, and Hitler was no exception, receiving both second class and first class Iron Cross
during the war.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, which was dominated by trench warfare. This necessitated lots of runners. Passing messages between the trenches was not possible without climbing up to ground level and running towards the other trench. While on the ground, the soldier was completely exposed to enemy lookouts, and it was commonplace for runners to die before reaching their destination. For the same reason, communication between fronts was very difficult during World War I, and the officers could not be sure that a message has reached its recipient unless the runner actually managed to return.
The introduction of radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
made runners obsolete during the first half of the 20th century. By 1939, when World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
broke out, radio and telephone had replaced runners completely.
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
was a runner for the German army during World War I, and he was wounded twice. Runners were often decorated for bravery, and Hitler was no exception, receiving both second class and first class Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
during the war.