PANIC STATIONS ORIGIN

PANIC STATIONS
Although it sounds like a phrase used merely for dramatic, often comic, effect ‘panic stations’ dates back to the early 20th Century and was an actual command in the vein of ‘action stations.’ It was usually used as a precursor for the command to ‘abandon ship.’
This can be backed up by a report published in the Times, November 1918 and entitles ‘Behind the Veil’: “Alarm gongs had already sent the guns' crews to their invisible guns and immediately after the explosion 'Panic stations' was ordered, followed in due course by 'Abandon ship'.”