Battle of Malakov, 8 September 1855

And on this day in 1855 near Sevastopol in the Crimean War, the phrase “Synchronize watches” was used in preparation for the first attack coordinated by timepieces.

Note that this allowed for precise coordination of elements out of contact without visual or audiable signals, and by World War I and the advent of wristwatches a sargeant could afford, was a critical enabler for a revolution in military tactics.

ByJohn Biggs

John lives in Brooklyn and has loved watches since he got his first Swatch Irony automatic in 1998. He is the editor of WristWatchReview.

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