An artilleryman's dependence on telephones survived the war

Alex recalls his father's account of a grandfather who served in artillery and was gassed during World War I. He thinks the service involved very heavy guns, while remaining uncertain about the exact assignment. The family story explains the grandfather's later insistence on telephones throughout his house through their importance for directing wartime fire. Rapid communication meant being able to answer requests and help troops at the front. That preference also passed to his father, who welcomed early mobile phones.