BAB

BAB: Initials of "Bab Code." The name of a confidential Army Telephone Code Book brought out in 1916. It contained groups of figures representing technical phrases. Being somewhat complicated, occasional confusion resulted through hasty or inadvertent misreading of the figures. On one occasion, it was told, an officer meaning to telephone the numerals "46778652," signifying "Extra Rum Required," hastily telephoned instead "46798654," signifying "Enemy about to attack." The book was sometimes spoken of as "the Adjutant's nightmare." It was small and easily mislaid, also, every other day, the authorities made perplexing alterations of code-numbers and additions.