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Information About

Royal Corps Of Signals




The Corps Motto is ''Certa Cito'', which freely translates as ''Swift and Sure''.


HISTORY


In 1870 , 'C' Telegraph Troop, Royal Engineers , was founded under Captain Montague Lambert. The Troop was the first formal professional body of signallers in the British Army and its duty was to provide communications for a field army by means of visual Signalling , mounted orderlies and Telegraph . By 1871 , 'C' Troop had expanded in size from 2 officers and 133 other ranks to 5 officers and 245 other ranks. In 1879 , 'C' Troop first saw action during the Anglo-Zulu War . On 1 May 1884 , 'C' Troop was amalgamated with the 22nd and 34th Companies, Royal Engineers, to form the '''Telegraph Battalion Royal Engineers'''; 'C' Troop formed the 1st Division (Field Force, based at Aldershot ) while the two Royal Engineers companies formed the 2nd Division (Postal and Telegraph, based in London ). Signalling was the responsibility of the Telegraph Battalion until 1908 , when the ''' Royal Engineers Signal Service ''' was formed. As such it provided communications during World War I . It was about this time that Motorcycle Despatch Rider s and Wireless sets were introduced into service.

A Royal Warrant for the creation of a Corps of Signals was signed by the Secretary Of State For War , Winston Churchill , on 28 June 1920 . Six weeks later, King George V conferred the title '''Royal Corps of Signals'''. It was given precedence immediately after the Royal Engineers.

Throughout World War II , members of the Corps served in every theatre of war. By the end of the war the strength of the Corps was 8,518 officers and 142,472 men. In the immediate post-war period, the Corps played a full and active part in numerous campaigns, including Palestine , Malaya and the Korean War . Until the end of the Cold War , the main body of the Corps was deployed with the British Army Of The Rhine confronting the former Communist Bloc forces, providing the British Forces' contribution to NATO with its communications Infrastructure . Today's Corps has now moved into the developing Information Warfare era of the future.


PERSONNEL


Soldiers join the Royal Corps of Signals in one of many trades (open to both men and women), some of which include:

  • Area Systems Operator

  • Electrician Driver

  • Information Systems Engineer

  • Installation Technician

  • Radio Systems Operator

  • Special Operator (Electronic Warfare)

  • Systems Engineering Technician

  • Technical Supply Specialist


All recruits do their basic military training at an Army Training Regiment . Special-to-arm training is carried out with 11 Signal Regiment at Blandford Camp in Dorset .


ROYAL CORPS OF SIGNALS UNITS



Brigades


There are three signal Brigade s and one signal group in the British Army:

  • 1 Signal Brigade (Germany) (7 and 16 Signal Regiments)

  • 2 (National Communications) Signal Brigade (10, 31, 32, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 and 71 Signal Regiments, plus 1, 2 and 81 Signal Squadrons and LIAG)

  • 11 Signal Brigade (2, 14 and 30 Signal Regiments)

  • 12 Signal Group (V) (33, 34 and 35 Sig Regiments)



Regular Army


  • 2 Signal Regiment

  • ---214 Signal Squadron

  • ---219 Signal Squadron

  • ---246 Gurkha Signal Squadron


  • 7 (Allied Rapid Reaction Corps) Signal Regiment

  • ---Headquarters Squadron

  • ---229 Signal Squadron

  • ---231 Signal Squadron

  • ---232 Signal Squadron


  • 10 Signal Regiment

  • ---238 (London) Signal Squadron

  • ---241 Signal Squadron

  • ---242 Signal Squadron

  • ---243 Signal Squadron

  • ---251 (UK Ops) Signal Squadron


  • 14 Signal Regiment (Electronic Warfare)

  • ---Headquarters Squadron

  • ---224 Signal Squadron (Electronic Warfare)

  • ---226 Signal Squadron (Electronic Warfare)

  • ---237 Signal Squadron (Electronic Warfare)

  • ---245 Signal Squadron (Electronic Warfare)


  • 15 Signal Regiment (Northern Ireland)

  • --- Headquarters Squadron

  • ---233 Signal Squadron

  • ---225 Signal Squadron


  • 16 Signal Regiment

  • ---Headquarters Squadron

  • ---230 Signal Squadron

  • ---252 Signal Squadron

  • ---255 Signal Squadron


  • 21 Signal Regiment (Air Support)


  • 30 Signal Regiment

  • ---Support Squadron

  • ---250 Gurkha Signal Squadron

  • ---256 Signal Squadron

  • ---258 Signal Squadron


  • 1 (UK) Armoured Division Headquarters and Signal Regiment

  • ---Headquarters Squadron

  • ---20 Armoured Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (200)

  • ---4 Armoured Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (204)

  • ---7 Armoured Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (207)


  • 3 (UK) Division Headquarters and Signal Regiment

  • ---Headquarters (Somme) Squadron

  • ---202 Signal Squadron

  • ---206 Signal Squadron

  • ---222 Signal Squadron




  • 1 Mechanized Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (205)


  • 19 Mechanized Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (209)


  • 39 Infantry Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (213)


  • 16 (Air Assault) Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (216)


  • 8 Infantry Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (218)


  • 12 Mechanized Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (228)


  • 101 Logistic Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (261)


  • 102 Logistic Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (262)


  • 264 (SAS) Signal Squadron (renamed 18 (UKSF) Signal Regiment in early 2005)


  • 628 Signal Troop (UK DCM(A)) - 1 NATO Signal Battalion (Formally 280 UK Signal Squadron Dec 05)




  • Joint Communications Unit (Falkland Islands)


  • Band of the Royal Corps of Signals


1: Joint Service Signal Unit (Cyprus) is a tri-service unit.


Territorial Army













  • 1 (Royal Buckinghamshire Yeomanry) Signal Squadron (Special Communications) (Volunteers) {Link without Title}





  • 97 (BRITFOR) Signal Squadron (Volunteers)


  • 98 (Balkans) Signal Squadron (Volunteers)




EXTERNAL LINKS