spring 2018 the magazine of the royal corps of signals · 2018-03-29 · 299 signal squadron, 30...
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Spring 2018
The Magazine of The Royal Corps of Signals
Corps Formation: 28th June 1920
Corps Motto: Certa Cito Contents FEATURES
Spring 2018 Volume 72 No: 1
Exercise LIGHTNING STRIKEDeane-Drummond Prize Essay Competition Winners Apprentice of the Year Awards 2017New Year's Honours List 2018Presentation of Legion d'honneurHistory of Signalling in 100 Objects
REGULARS
News from FormationsNews from Training News from Blandford News from Regiments
SPORT/ADVENTURE TRAINING
BasketballExercise DRAGON SORBETExercise TIGER IRONSIDEExercise TIGER DOLOMITIExercise DIAMOND ANNAPURNA GAUNTLET 17Exercise COCKNEY SWIFT PISTEExercise DRAGON SNOW RIDERExercise NORTHERN CHIMERA DIVER
Back Cover: 2 Sig Regt on Exercise KEY WARRIOR COMMUNICATOR
22021628697
48
1316
6870747880828384
Other Units/Troops Lost Comms Royal Signals Association Last PostObituaries
6363889394
2 Exercise LIGHTNING STRIKE
70 Exercise DRAGON SORBET
74 Exercise TIGER
IRONSIDE
22Exercise KEY WARRIOR
COMMUNICATOR
Spring 2018
The Magazine of The Royal Corps of Signals
Front Cover: Exercise LIGHTNING STRIKE
Editor: Amy Petersen [email protected] (preferred for submissions) Mil: 94371 2817 Civ: 01258 482817
SO3 Digital Communication and Publications: Stephanie Hamlett [email protected] Mil: 94371 2818 Civ: 01258 482818
RHQ R SIGNALS, Griffin House, Blandford Camp, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 8RH Articles: Please email submissions in Microsoft Word format, together with related photographs to the e-mail addresses above. Digital images should be in JPEG format, kept separate (and not embedded within the article) and supplied with captions.
Contribution Deadlines: 10 December for publication in the Spring edition. 2 April for publication in the Summer edition. 2 July for publication in the Autumn edition. 2 September for publication in the Winter edition.
© Published by The RSBF Charity royalsignals.org/rsbf/ Printed by Holbrook Printers Ltd, Norway Road, Hilsea,
Portsmouth © Crown Copyright
Subscriptions: All enquiries regarding subscriptions and changes of address should be made to Jess Lawson on Mil: 94371 2428 Civ: 01258 482428 or [email protected]
Last Post: These will be inserted free to all past and present members of the Corps.
Contents: Authors alone are responsible for the content of their articles. The opinions expressed in the articles of this publication are those of the indiv- idual authors and do not necessarily reflect the policy and views, official or otherwise, of the Royal Corps of Signals or the Ministry of Defence. All articles and submissions are published at the discretion of the Editor. This publication may contain official information and should be treated with discretion.
Advertising: All communications regarding commercial advertising should be made direct to [email protected].
Royal Signals Benevolent FundSBFR
Note from the EditorWelcome to the Spring edition of The Wire, it has been a busy time for the Corps; the Apprentice of the Year Awards took place at the end of last year; congratulations to all of the prize-winners and you can see more on page 21. The sun came out for Exercise LIGHTNING STRIKE which took place in February with 135 Officer Cadets from 14 UOTC/DTUS units taking part in the annual exercise (see page 2) and there has been a variety of Adventure Training taking place including diving, skiing and climbing.
For the latest news why not follow our Facebook page. If you already follow the page please be aware that Facebook is introducing changes to your news feed that may reduce the number of posts you see from us, if you would like to continue seeing our our page click on the ‘Following’ drop-down as shown in the picture, then select ‘See First’.We also have a new instagram page which you can follow, (address on right).
Do take note of the new deadline dates below for submissions as The Wire is now being produced quarterly:
Spring issue Summer issue Autumn issue December Issue
Finally, with the Easter holidays rapidly approaching we wish you all a happy and relaxing break with your famillies.
Royal Corps of Signals
@royalcorpssignals
10 December2 April2 July2 September
2018 heralded the 30th iteration of the annual Royal Signals University Officer Training Corps and Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme (UOTC/DTUS) exercise, LIGHTNING STRIKE, which took place at Blandford Camp over the weekend Friday 16 – Sunday 18 February 2018.
The exercise is a chance for the Corps to advertise its diversity, technicality, opportunities and most importantly its officers and soldiers to potential officers who are serving as Reservists at their university units. The exercise has three main phases – the first is the competition which consisted of a 12 stand round-robin of R SIGNALS unit stands designed to represent tasks that the Corps would carry out with a briefing on unit roles. The second phase was the Final Race which was run by the senior Troop Commanders’ Course and this consisted of an assault course over obstacles to deliver a message and was accompanied by a plethora of pyrotechnics. The third phase was a black tie dinner night in the Headquarters’ Officers’ Mess where the cadets experienced a formal dinner and were accompanied by their unit permanent staff and the exercise directing staff from the units represented.
This year approximately 135 Officer Cadets attended and this represented 14 separate UOTC/DTUS units – with the 12 Royal Signals stands and the Final Race Troop Commanders there were over 200 exercising troops with 185 attending the dinner night.
A misty morning soon burned off to reveal fantastic sunshine for the day and unlike last year all the teams seemed to head off in the right direction after being set off by the COS HQ R SIGNALS, Lt Col Al Balsdon. No matter how many times you brief Officer Cadets, how simple the rotation plan is, how clear the map is and how little distance you put
between stands, Officer Cadets will inevitably still end up at the wrong stands at the wrong time and this year was no different with stand ICs scratching their heads trying to work out why an unscheduled team was at their location. Needless to say that the Exercise CP, manned by Capt ‘Sven’ Gronn, Capt Nathan Stevens, SSgt ‘you know I’m actually an ED’ Gaylard and the remainder of his Corps Engagement Team (Cpl Maosa, LCpl Moore and LCpl Gask) managed to keep on top of all the issues and kept the exercise moving.
This year’s stands were provided by 1 Sig Regt, 10 Sig Regt, 14 Sig Regt (EW), 15 (IS) Sig Regt, 16 Sig Regt, 18 (UKSF) Sig Regt, 21 Sig Regt, 22 Sig Regt, 37 Sig Regt, 71 Sig Regt, 216 (PARA) Sig Sqn and 299 (SC) Sig Sqn – the diversity of the Corps was evident for the cadets to see with stands utilising armoured vehicles, special weapons, Gurkha personnel and technical equipment.
Photos by John Fradley, Sgt Stewart and 22 Sig Regt
The dinner night was a great success and Capt Nathan Stevens popped his mess event cherry without any hitches – to not have the Mess Manager ringing us on the Monday morning is a testament to Nathan’s efforts and probably a first. Corps Colonel Reserves, Col Douglas, delivered a speech which summarised the cadet’s efforts and the aim of the exercise before she announced the winners of the 3 separate awards – they were:
The exercise was a great success and is regarded as the best Special to Arms weekend in the Officer Training Corps calendar – the feedback from both R SIGNALS stands and UOTC/DTUS participants was extremely positive. Next year’s exercise is provisionally planned for the weekend 15 – 17 February 2019.
Winners
Best attitude (the missing Speckled Jim) – Northumbria UOTCFinal Race winners – Typhoon SqnOverall Ex LIGHTNING STRIKE winners – Typhoon Sqn
SPRING 2018 3
Exercise ARRCADE FUSION 17 by Capt S Mapplebeck
After summer leave, HQ 1 (UK) Signal Brigade went straight into Ex ARRCADE FUSION 17, a baptism of fire for some considering the large turnover of staff over the summer. This year was slightly different to previous years with it being located on our doorstep at Imjin
Barracks rather than RAF St Mawgan.
The exercise saw significant technical experimentation, to the delight of SO2 Eng Maj Matt ‘Chirpy’ Duff who absorbed this pressure like a sponge. The weekly back briefs to the Brigade Comd Brigadier Griffiths were a spectator sport for the majority of the Brigade staff who watched Maj Duff ride the punches like a champion.
The build began on 18 Sept with 22 Signal Regiment and ARRC Support Battalion setting up fields of tents and a DFAC usually reserved for Cornwall. This exercise saw the ARRC staff being in command of 5 Divisions, a first for the ARRC HQ. It was also the first time the Brigade connected the Corps with its subordinate divisions using the full FMN standards, a huge leap forwards in innovative CIS provision to the ARRC.
The exercise phase was from 4 - 16 Nov and saw the majority of the Brigade staff ‘deploy’ from Costa Coffee (upstairs) to the DFAC (downstairs). ARRC Support Battalion converted the whole Imjin Barracks into a secure deployed HQ site that was strangely reminiscent of RAF St Mawgan.
During the exercise, the Brigade staff were driven hard by the new COS, Maj Simon Smith, who was issuing the Brecon chop over his daily Lync conference to all Brigade staff (despite them all
being in the same tent). We were also visited by a video producer, cleverly disguised as SO2 Ops, Maj Marc ‘Cheery’ Dunbavand who could be seen piloting several drones at once to get the ‘dream shot’ for COMARRC.
Ultimately, the exercise was a success with the technical innovation, such as 4G being utilised as a bearer and 22 Signal Regiment and ARRC Support Battalion performing faultlessly throughout the 2 month period. This saw several members of 22 Signal Regiment and ARRC Support Battalion receive COMARRC coins along with Maj Duff. COMARRC and the Brigade Commander were extremely pleased with the conduct and performance of all Brigade personnel for the duration of the exercise.
News from Formations
Bde Comd Brig P Griffiths
D Comd Col H Jenkins
COS Maj S Smith
DCOS Maj B Creed MBE REME
Maximising Talent - by Capt Ben Swatridge
With significant change to service personnel’s (SP) careers in the short, medium and long term; 1 (UK) Signal Brigade conducted a Maximising Talent Symposium with all ranks from across the Bde OPCOM units. The aim was to understand SP's perspective of Maximising Talent (MxT) and how the Brigade could understand individuals’ strengths and weaknesses and exploit opportunities of the MxT programme. With the introduction of the new retention targets, DCOSMaj Ben Creed , took the opportunity to invite a range of soldiers and officers from 22 Signal Regiment, 299 Signal Squadron, 30 Signal Regiment and ARRC Support Battalion to the Headquarters to gather the opinions of these individuals and highlight ideas to ensure a continuously improving working environment for all those within the Brigade.
The audience were split into smaller working groups to discuss a variety of topics, ranging from retention to training, gathering a healthy debate over the current issues that are present throughout all levels. This discussion enabled a range of data to be gathered and an action plan to be generated, which highlights the trends and the opinions.
The symposium received very positive feedback from the individuals and was an opportunity for them to provide some interesting ideas about ways that both the army and the Royal Signals could improve and change to better meet the demands of the soldiers within it. Watch this space for further developments on this area as the Army looks to improve the options available to the soldiers within it.
Brigade Headquarters
The Brigade has been undergoing the busiest quarter of the annual cycle, with the ARRCADE series of exercises taking place in the autumn,
supporting HQ ARRC in the annual CT6 level exercises; which saw a significant increase in Brigade output over the past few months.
Some key personalities have now changed within the Headquarters, we said farewell to the Brigade Deputy Commander Col J Hill and Chief of Staff
Maj C Dixon, who has been replaced with Col H Jenkins and Maj S Smith respectively; and additional farewells to Capt A Fairclough, Capt N Perkins
and Capt L Conway who have all now left the Brigade Headquarters to move onto pastures new.
DCOS delivering a presentation on Maximising Talent
British Army Masters Rugby - Bermuda
As 2 Signal Group continues to prepare for its disbandment in July 2018, the Group Commander Col J Cooper works his final few months in the Army, and re-subordination orders are produced, there is one issue that continues to baffle everybody – what is an ‘Applications and Data Analytics Signal Regiment’? This could be the most baffling and unexplained phenomena since the Bermuda Triangle. In an act of desperation to get to the bottom of the Apps and Data mystery, 2 Signal Group staff sent WO1 (FofS) Jackson to Bermuda with the Army Masters Rugby Team to investigate.
The Army Masters were in Bermuda to play rugby as part of the annual World Rugby
1 (UK) Signal Brigde G4 Branch held a G4 study day on 9 Nov 2017; during ARRCADE FUSION 17 at Imjin Barracks. The audience was represented by the QMs and QM’s staff from ARRC Support Battalion, 22 Signal Regiment, 30 Signal Regiment and 299 Signal
Squadron. Also invited and represented, was the 32 Signal Regiment QM and his RQMS and the 39 Signal Regiment QM who will be part of the re-subordination and will be OPCOM to the Brigade in 2018.
This was a great opportunity for the G4 branch to explain all the issues and concerns and the way forward for the implementation of initiatives that Army HQ have imposed onto the formations. With topics such as the Annual Assurance Estimate, Logistic and
Equipment Support, lessons identified from Ex NOBLE JUMP, HQ RC presentation on mounting and deployment processes, cumulating with the way forward of Corps war fighting. During the study day, the units had the opportunity to express any G4
concerns to the Brigade, in order to allow for collaborative working.
There was an opportunity to use the “back to basics”, and HQ Regional Command was invited to deliver a presentation to the units on how to move themselves from unit lines to anywhere in the UK, or the world for any operation or exercise. The day was a
success, and we allowed the opportunity to show off to the audience the biggest DFAC since HERRICK/TELIC in Imjin Bks, established for Ex ARRCADE FUSION 17.
Brigade G4 Study Days - by Capt S Viveash
Classic - a rugby tournament contested by eight international teams consisting of current and ex-professional players
(including many former internationals) aged 33 and over. The cup competition was won by the Argentina Pumas who defeated the NZ All Blacks in the final, with the British and Irish Lions lifting the Plate by beating the Springboks in the other final. The Army Masters played against a Bermuda Select team on day 3 of the tournament as a curtain
raiser, notching up a 45-12 win. The army’s final match on finals night was against the same opposition who were
bolstered by players from the Italian, American and Canadian teams who were already out of the competition. A fierce match ensued, but the Army Masters emerged triumphant 38-21.
Away from the World Rugby Classic, the team were kept busy running rugby workshops with children from local schools in conjunction with the Bermuda ‘beyond rugby’ outreach programme.
A highlight of the trip was taking part in the National Act of Remembrance parade on Saturday 11 November alongside hosts, the Royal Bermuda Regiment in the Bermuda capital Hamilton. The parade was followed by lunch with the Governor, war veterans and the Bermuda Regiment – welcome refreshments following a hot
and humid parade in No.1 dress.
The Army Masters held a further ceremony on Remembrance Sunday at the hotel beach which was attended by numerous hotel guests and locals.
From pink sandy beaches with tropical reefs to millennia old crystal caves, all 22 square miles of Bermuda were searched for clues to cracking the Apps and Data mystery.Unfortunately, WO1 (FofS) Jackson returned with nothing but a suntan!
Bde Comd Brig R Carter
COS Lt Col A Lucas
DCOS Maj J Mayne
Sgt Maj WO1 L Oxenham
WO1 (FofS) Jackson and Cpl Balekinasiga from
14 Sig Regt (EW) in front of the National Cenotaph
Remembrance Ceremony at the hotel beach
SPRING 2018 5
Regional Engagement Activity
The last quarter of 2017 has seen 11 Signal and West Midlands Brigade conduct the full range of engagement activity. The 5 Soldiers dance exhibit was a surprising success in Birmingham engaging with audiences that might not normally have contact with the army. The centenary of the battle of Passchendaele enabled over 500 members of the public and local schools to learn about the First World War. The ARMY Engagement Group presented to key local stakeholders and civic dignitaries at an event in Stoke, and the contribution of Employers to the Armed Forces was recognised through the Employer Recognition Scheme awards at the National Memorial Arboretum. Activity involving youth audiences continued with the Military Match Day in Stoke and Exercise MIDLAND LEADER. The highlight of recent months though was the Birmingham Poppy Day which saw service personnel from across the Midlands supporting the RBL appeal.
Exercise ARRCADE FUSION/SENATOR/IRON RSEOLVE 17 – ‘The TRIPLE CROWN’ by Capt Dai Jones
After many months of planning, 7 Signal Group LAND ICS deployed to SPTA for ‘The TRIPLE CROWN’, the pinnacle of collective training events for 2017. The title ‘TRIPLE CROWN’ encapsulated three different exercises: Ex ARRCADE FUSION, Ex SENATOR and Ex IRON RESOLVE which were running both concurrently and consecutively and which saw HQ 3 (UK) Division as both a HICON and a LOCON at the same time……confused? We certainly were! The exercise series started with the normal issue of trying to get the
Group together in one place at the same time, a virtual impossibility on this occasion, we all deployed at different times and to different locations. Capt Dai Jones and WO1 (YofS) Mat Burton found themselves at 3 (UK) Division Forward in Copehill Down with
the remainder of the group: Col Ben Fitch, Maj Pete Stowell, Capt Linz Thorburn, WO1 (FofS) Mick Calam and Cpl Dom Pitts all opting for the pleasure of CAST(S) Gale’s Field at the Division Information Manoeuvre Group (IMG) which is most definitely not to
be referred to as the DIM-G! We did miss two of the characters in the Group; Maj Shaun Wilson and Capt Paul Taylor who had opted for the plush venue of Westdown Camp for Ex LIGHTNING ACE 2 instead.
From their dispersed locations, 7 Group really appreciated the scale of what the supporting Signal Regiments delivered for the exercise, which saw numerous forms of communication in use across SPTA. The deployed Regiments all worked hard to fight for communications throughout the exercise which was characterised by long days (and nights) in the different supported CPs. The
exercise construct itself was challenging and required staff cells and HQs to deliver the injects of a HICON, LOCON or SIDECON for the different deployed elements which included HQ Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, 3 (UK) Division and 101 Logistic Brigade HQ. Many of us found that the main challenge of the exercise was heat (or a lack thereof)! A shortage of winter clothing, contributed to the
general chilliness and Capt Linz Thorburn found himself buying a portable heater, using hand warmers and offering to take a bit of time away to do some recruiting. Despite this, the continuous drive and finger of ping from Maj Pete Stowell and the quick wit of
WO1 (FofS) Mick Calam kept everyone warm and on their toes.
As the days quickly turned into weeks, the mud, rain, cold and wetness did not dampen the mighty 7 Signal Group from continuing to develop its internal processes, creating friendships and enjoying the very best that the CAST(S) outdoor areas had to offer in
November. Although I’m positive everyone loved their quality time on SPTA, there were some definite sighs of relief when 7 Signal Group returned to Donnington. The respite will only be brief! We now have just enough time to get ready for Ex SPECULAR 18
(SPTA again) and WFX 18.4 (USA), the latter offering something decidedly different for 2018.
Pics:Top - Stoke FC Military Match Day.Bottom - Brigadier Carter supporting the RBL appeal.
Brigade Sergeant Major – The first few months
by WO1 (Bde SM) Lee Oxenham
I am passionate about our soldiers and I feel extremely fortunate that I am able to get around the Brigade and meet so many of our talented young men and women. I am determined to visit all of the units in the Brigade as regularly as possible and so far I have been lucky to have visited almost all of them.
Starting in September I was lucky enough to accompany the Brigade Commander on his visits to 37, 39 and 71 Signal Regiments, whilst they were deployed on their Annual Continuation Training. I was thoroughly impressed with the enthusiasm shown by these soldiers, whether it was on the ranges, carrying out MATT training or establishing communications in austere conditions. I left with a very positive feeling about our Reserve Units and their awesome keenness.
Next I was invited up to York by 2 Signal Regiment and saw their preparations for Ex KEY WARRIOR COMMUNICATOR in Warcop. Once again morale was high and I left with a great overview of the hard work 2 Signal Regiment is doing.
The Brigade Commander and I took a trip down to Pirbright to see the Brigade Team in action at the Force Troops Command annual March and Shoot competition (Ex GRIFFIN CHALLENGE). We watched as officers and soldiers from right across the Brigade came together to compete against teams from the other FTC brigades. They produced an amazing effort and finished just outside of the medals by a whisker!
One of the highlights of my time so far has been my involvement with the Armistice Day Service at the National Memorial Arboretum and the Remembrance Day Parade in Birmingham city centre. Both were fantastic events and made all the more special by the contribution of 1 Signal Regiment and 37 Signal Regiment respectively.
Heading down to Salisbury Plain, I visited 3 (UK) Division Signal Regiment as they battled the mud and cold on Ex SENATOR, one of the many exercises in their busy calendar. My first exposure to hilltop rebro sites was a positive one, the Detachment Commander making sure he thrust a bacon sandwich into my hand as he welcomed the Corps RSM and myself into his tent.
A trip to Azimghur Barracks was next, to see 21 Signal Regiment. It was my first visit to Colerne and I was given some excellent briefs from the SNCOs and JNCOs of the Regiment. I was very interested to see the embryonic Corporals Club taking shape, a great initiative being driven forward by some excellent JNCOs, fantastic work.
It’s been an enjoyable start to my time as the Brigade Sergeant Major and I intend to continue to visit as many units and as many soldiers as possible in the coming months, so I look forward to meeting many of you soon.
The Griffin Challenge Team at the finish post
The Bde Comd chats to the soldiers of 1 Sig Regt, who supported the
Armistice Event at the NMA
SPRING 2018 7
March and Shoot Competition – by Cpl Ashcroft, RE
The March and Shoot competition is the final part of ATC(P) Commanding Officer’s competition. It is held in November and is the culmination of a years’ worth of sporting events. Teams consisted of 10 personnel from varying cap badges and ranks from all
three training Regiments. This year 2 ATR’s team had 3 members from 1 (Fowler) Squadron.
The competition itself consisted of an in-depth kit inspection, eight mile loaded march, a demanding obstacle course, first aid and military knowledge stand, an 800m casualty evacuation and finally an operational advance to contact section shoot with all competitors carrying 15kg and weapons. The team was selected based on fitness level, shooting ability and overall military
knowledge. A five week training plan was put in place prior to the competition with weekly fitness assessments consisting of a two mile speed march.
Competition day saw the team get off to a strong start and this continued until suddenly disaster struck. Cpl Ndunda initially suffered from a stint of cramp but soon returned to form. The team continued and completed the eight mile march in good time.
During the obstacle course with a twist (going over the top of the monkey bars) the team continued with their strong drive to win. Overall we were the fastest team over the obstacle course with only one member of the team falling in the water over the rope swing. The shooting phase involved an advance to contact from 500m to 100m. The team conducted fire and manoeuvre as a
section firing ten rounds at each firing point.
Overall it was a strong performance from the 2 ATR team, the results were due to be announced at the ATC(P) Christmas Lunch in late Dec 17. Once again, 1 (Fowler) Squadron has lived up to its reputation of being a physically fit and robust Squadron.
News from Training1 (FOWLER) SQUADRON, 2 ARMY TRAINING REGIMENT ARMY TRAINING CENTRE (ATC) PIRBRIGHT
OC Maj S Devenish SSM WO2 S Ware
Exercise MARVIN HAGLER by Sgt Martin, R SIGNALS
23 Oct 17 marked the start of Ex MARVIN HAGLER, a three-week Royal Signals boxing camp hosted by 2 Signal Regiment. Due to the nature of the boxing camp a select few were chosen to represent the Royal Signals, Sgt Martin of 1 Fowler Sqn being one of these. The main effort of this camp was to not only learn and improve on previous skills but also to sharpen and hone them with the grand finale, boxing against an experienced and competitive RLC team.
Week one saw the team getting settled into their new surroundings with regular morning runs building on fitness and helping with weight management. Afternoon sessions were dedicated solely for technical work in the gym masterminded by Head Coach SSgt Al Mousley. The second week was where the intensity levels and competitiveness cranked up a notch with sprint work mixed into steady state runs and afternoon sessions involving bag work, technical spars and open sparring sessions. Week three started with disappointing news for the team, finding out
that the boxing show had been cancelled due to the RLC being unable to field a team. Nevertheless the team cracked on with the same unwavering fighting spirit that they turned up with at the start of camp. The training this week built upon previous weeks and intensified further with the addition of top of the range polar heart rate monitors. The highlight of the week came when SSgt Al Mousley organised a training session at the VIP Boxing Gym, Manchester. This gym has trained elite professional boxers such as Carl Frampton, Martin Murray and Rocky Fielding to name a few, all under the watchful eye of Trainer and Coach Jamie Moore (Ex British, European and Commonwealth Light Middleweight Champion).
Although the hard work and dedication put into this boxing camp did not culminate in what was sure to be a great night of boxing it will not harm the team looking to the future with the Corps Championships not far away followed by the Army Boxing Championships. A special thank you must be given to 2 Signal Regiment for hosting the team and who providing such great facilities, notably the boxing gym which has been developed by SSgt Mousley.Sgt Martin and the Royal Signals Boxing team
Cook, Townsend and Waters Troops by Capt Andrew, R SIGNALS
8 Dec 17 saw 1 (Fowler) Squadron Pass Off the 109 recruits from Cook, Townsend and Waters Troop to their Phase 2 training establishments and eventually onto the Field Army.
It had not been an easy 14 weeks for these three troops who were a very young intake, with some recruits at the beginning of the course reconsidering if the British Army was a career for them. However, some excellent coaching and mentoring from the training teams, particularly the talented Section Commanders ensured that recruits passing off were fully prepared and committed to the career ahead of them. The recruits had been blessed with good weather throughout the course with barely a drop of rain on exercise or any of the range days. This was not the case during Exercise FINAL FLING where the cold hit, the recruits did incredibly well during these challenging conditions to complete Fighting Patrols, Ambushes, Section Attacks and Ground Sign Awareness serials throughout the week.
Finally week 14, Pass Off week arrived. It was another very cold week, this time with the addition of some rain. As a result everyone marched off from the final dress rehearsal looking like a drowned rat. Finally the day was here and proud parents started to arrive. The Inspecting Officer was Brigadier Keating, Deputy Commander Joint Helicopter Command. Half way through the parade the heavens opened and as well as freezing winds those on parade were met with snow. Thankfully only a few hats were lost from those on parade. Cpl Laval-Chesterton, Royal Signals, was presented the award for “Best Section” a highly competitive competition between nine talented and competitive section commanders. The final lap of honour came and finally 109 soldiers and permanent staff could get inside to warm their fingers and toes.
Army Servicewomen’s Network Conference 2017 by Cpl Staley, AGC(SPS)
To Engage, Inspire and Empower all servicewomen, the Army Servicewomen’s Network (ASN) was launched in Jun 15 and is run by a small yet dedicated group of volunteers. The network provides a forum to discuss key issues faced by servicewomen today, to share ideas and inspirational stories, to signpost relevant information and to influence army culture and policy with a view to progress.
On 12 Oct 17 the ASN held its 3rd annual conference run at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst with 500 personnel across the army in attendance, this year it was under the theme of celebrating 100 years of Women in the Army. Lt Col Sarah Pringle-Smith opened up the conference following a number of guest speakers starting with Dr Alastair Massie from the National Army Museum. Dr Massie discussed the 100 years of progress of servicewomen in the army looking at how they first supported efforts during the wars to where they are today, on the cusp of being able to join the Infantry as officers and soldiers. Following this, was a role model panel, 8 servicewomen from LCpl to Lt Col had been highlighted as role models and were invited to be part of the everyday inspirational role model panel. Being selected as a role model can be a daunting prospect, for some it suggests an expectation of perfection, the risk of being put on a precarious pedestal or the possibility of being seen as arrogant. However this was absolutely not the case these women were all incredibly brave, honest and open about their experiences in the army.
The afternoon session saw an update from Army Employment Branch informing us of policy updates, including Women in Ground Close Combat. This was followed by the Keynote speaker Karen Pierce CMG, Director General Political, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Karen was incredibly informative and briefed on her career, including successes and failures. She briefed on how she has made her career work alongside having a family and demonstrated that as a woman it really is possible to do everything you want and be successful at it all. These are the positive messages that we are able to communicate to our own recruits and inform them of the support networks available to them.
Troop Ambush being conducted
during Ex FINAL FLING
Section Attack being conducted during Ex FINAL FLING
Troops deploying on Ex FINAL FLING
SPRING 2018 9
11th (RSS) SIGNAL REGIMENT BLANDFORD
11th SIGNAL REGIMENT
CO Lt Col CL Jardine RSM WO1 R Savage
2 (CATTERICK) SQUADRON
OC Maj P Carpenter SSM WO2 J Wignall
3 (HARROGATE) SQUADRON
OC Maj D Rees-Galey SSM WO2 C Deal
4 (MILITARY TRAINING) SQUADRON
OC Maj GLM Dunn SSM WO2 Loynes
5 (MARESFIELD) SQUADRON
OC Maj J Budding SSM WO2 Smith
Exercise HARROGATE FOLLY 2017
On Friday 29 September 2017, 3 (Harrogate) Squadron of 11 (Royal School of Signals) Signal Regiment deployed to Salisbury Plain Training Area for a three-day military skills training package, on the notorious biannual Ex HARROGATE FOLLY. With a strength of three platoons, plus various members of directing staff (DS), the exercise involved theory lessons as well as a number of practical serials including section attacks, recces and battlefield casualty drills. The brief was that we were to hold the area until relieved on Sunday. We were to find and disrupt the enemy whilst holding key territory. During this time, we were to learn how to be a 2IC of a section in preparation for our upcoming PNCO courses.
After a 2km insertion tab to our area of operations, 3 Squadron took control of our Forward Operating Base (FOB), Baden Down Farm. When we arrived, we had a briefing from our SSgt and OC to explain the site layout and how the exercise was to be ran. Straight into harbour drills occupying the buildings of the FOB, clearance patrols and manning of stag positions, we quickly asserted our dominance on the area. The rest of Friday evening was spent learning the dispositions of surrounding enemy positions with a series of night time patrols.
On Saturday, we started the day on a patrol into enemy territory. This soon turned into our first real test as a newly formed section as we heard the sound of an explosion followed by screams. As we approached the situation we found two casualties. We followed our Battlefield Casualty Drills training (BCD) and carried out our first CASEVAC successfully under the command of a fresh 2IC. After this initial serial, we embarked on a series of section attacks, each under a different 2IC. With each section attack our communication and efficiency improved. This experience was proving to be invaluable. Later that day we received a visit from the CO and RSM who delivered much needed morale in light of unfavourable weather conditions. The British weather decided we weren’t training hard enough so the rain came (if it isn’t raining it isn’t training, but if it is snowing we aren’t going). Soon after, our harbour location was compromised leading to a very frantic re-bombing of magazines due to our resupply only just being cached whilst returning appropriate fire to the enemy. Once the enemy had withdrawn and the call of stand down heard we conducted patrolling action and then we returned to normal routine.
This involved a valuable lesson about recce patrols which I found to be very informative and interesting.
The final attack took place on Sunday and was a platoon level assault culminating in a challenging stretcher run. This
began with a tab into enemy territory and with 1 Section leading the assault. Once 1 Section had performed fire and movement then run through the enemy position, 2 Section pushed through to lead the charge whilst 1 Section checked the “bodies”. This process was also repeated by 3 Section. After this was complete we went into all round defence as a platoon and awaited further orders. Soon there was a bang and the next scenario began. In this scenario each section commander had become a casualty following an IED blast - the chilling “2IC take over” was heard. Speed and aggression was required for the CASEVAC as the 2IC’s took control to remove the casualties from the danger area. With tourniquets applied and with all casualties safely extracted our well-rehearsed battlefield casualty drills came into effect. Once all three sections from Battleaxe Troop had completed this task there was a shout of “Stop, Stop, Stop” from the DS followed by a sigh of relief from the troops. Wet, muddy and
exhausted from giving the exercise 100% yet still with smiles on their
faces.
The final brief from the DS of
good points and work on points
was quick and painless. All that
was left was to tab back to the
extraction point
for a final photograph of everyone who took part and a coach ride home, did I just call Blandford home?!! Morale was definitely high as we felt that not only had we succeeded in our objective and learnt valuable lessons but we had also completed the exercise with professionalism, aggression and a winning attitude.
With a promotion cadre soon approaching for the Phase 2s taking part, Ex HARROGATE FOLLY was a fantastic refresher of military skills and all those who engaged with the exercise undoubtedly will be in good stead for transitioning to Lance Corporals and beyond. This builds on previous knowledge to form a great foundation for passing PNCO as it allows recruits to make mistakes when no one is marking or scoring us. It’s an invaluable tool that we can use to assess our progress and prepare for the challenges ahead.
T-Panel
On 11 Oct 17 the Secretary of State for Education, Justine Greening, announced the creation of T-Levels as part of a package of flagship reforms designed to ensure that young people benefit from high quality technical education that meets the expectations of modern employers. In order to ensure the T-Levels fit the needs to the modern workplace, members of the commercial and public sectors were selected to produce the course content.
FofS (IS) Denman has been appointed to represent the military alongside other experienced industry professionals from the likes of IBM, Fujitsu, BCS and CompTIA. FofS(IS) Denman will sit on the Digital (IT Support and Services) Panel which has been tasked to create the curriculum in the areas of IT Installation, Network Engineering, Cyber Security, and IT Business Management.
The aim of the panels is to create qualifications and training that will equip students with the technical knowledge and practical skills necessary to enter directly into skilled employment or further education. The panels will sit once a month for the next year ready to submit their products for approval by the Department for Education in Sep 18.
SPRING 2018 11
Judo – by Sig McGuckin
I took up Judo shortly after my 18th birthday when the sport was offered on the Regimental Sports for All Parade. I had taken part as a child, reaching the orange belt grade, and was good enough to compete in Northern Ireland. Unfortunately, due to the lack of Judo coaches in this style I knew meant that I would stop competing. I did not compete for a further six years.
I decided to take the opportunity to practice Judo three times a week in Blandford Camp and found myself really enjoying the sport again, thanks to the efforts of the coach Len Hawkins. Len Hawkins is a great coach for both beginners and those with more experience and he has given me the drive
Royal Signals Squash Championship 2017 by Cpl Wilson
11 (Royal School of Signals) Signal Regiment arrived at 22 Signal Regiment ready to compete in this year’s Royal Signals Squash Championship. For some of us, this was our first squash competition and we were apprehensive, we did not know what to expect in terms of squash skill levels. However, Sig Silva-Jones was our youngest player at 17 and was excited to get started. There were various categories, ranging from the over 40’s, Open, Novice and Inter Unit Teams. Sig Keogh was first to play his match and was very nervous, as he had never been in a squash tournament before. For the rest of us, it was our opportunity to scout the competition and judge what we were up against.
Cpl Wilson, Capt Owens, LCpl Kaucha and Sig Siddha won their first matches, getting through to the next round. As the day wore on Cpl Wilson and Sig Siddha were knocked out from the Novice table, with Capt Owens and LCpl Kaucha leading the way towards the quarter-finals. With the quarter-finals arrival, the skill levels and competition really heated up. Capt Owens and LCpl Kaucha fought hard in their matches, both winning and progressing to the semi-finals. To have two players in the semi-finals was fantastic, we just needed one more win to make the finals. LCpl Kaucha was first up to play Lt Maclachlan from 22 Signal Regiment. On a tie break of 2-2 and looking like they had been in a round with Mike Tyson, it was going to be an entertaining watch to the end. LCpl Kaucha gave it his all, however Lt Maclachlan won the match after a gruesome game of squash. LCpl Kaucha can hold his head up high as this was his first tournament, getting so far was a great achievement.
Capt Owens was our last hope of winning the Novice Tournament, hopefully bringing the trophy home to 11 (RSS) Signal Regiment and was playing against Lt James from 22 Signal Regiment. With both men going toe to toe it was playing into a fantastic game of squash. Capt Owens dug
deep into his reserves as the game was very back and forth and was fascinating to watch. Lt James was on top of his game and managed to squeeze the win into the finals. It was going to be an all-out 22 Signal Regiment final. Lt James won the final 3-1 against Lt MacLachlan which was a fantastic game to watch.
Later that day the Open Tournament was about to kick off. Representing 11 (RSS) Signal Regiment we had Maj Carpenter, our no.1 player. Watching the competition and the level of squash the Royal Signals had was unbelievable. The Open Tournament was on another level. Maj Carpenter started the competition in fantastic shape winning his first and second
match, progressing into the semi-finals where he would face Maj Hartley. Maj Carpenter and Maj Hartley were toe to toe, fighting for each shot, playing down the channels trying to take advantage of a drop shot. The amount of pace and accuracy in the match was unbelievable. In the end experience paid off, Maj Carpenter was beaten 3-0 by Maj Hartley.The squash tournament had reached evening, most of the players were running on fumes but it was time for the Inter-Unit Competition. We were broken down into A and B teams, our A Team went all out, securing the final against 22 Signal Regiment, our arch rivals who had knocked us out in the Novice tournament. It was time for pay back, we had to seize the initiative and win our
matches to win the Inter-Unit tournament. LCpl Kaucha was on top of his game, winning point after point, Lt James was struggling with the pace of the game. LCpl Kaucha wanted this win more, securing an impressive win against the Novice tournament winner. 11 (RSS) Signal Regiment were going home with an Inter-Unit squash winner’s trophy, testament to the effort the team had put into the tournament.
What a fantastic tournament 22 Sig Regt hosted, the experience and level of squash was second to none. For the majority of the 11 (RSS) Signal Regiment Novice players, it was a fantastic opportunity to experience the level of squash that the Royal Signals has to offer and gave us an insight to the levels we could achieve.
and determination to come back to him whenever I return to Blandford in the future.
In September 2017 I was given the opportunity to attend the Army Judo Championships and was good enough to win gold overall. Through this I was selected to represent the Army at
the Inter Services Judo Competition in the under 73kg category. During this competition I competed against four other fighters from the RAF and the Royal Navy, thankfully I did not lose any of my bouts and won another gold medal.
With my good start in Army Judo so far, I plan to continue representing the Army and train even harder to reach the higher standards, hopefully to allow me to compete internationally in the future.
Army Rose Bowl Winners 2017 - by Sgt Mark
On Monday 4 December, Blandford Garrison Support Unit (BGSU) MT Road Safety Team was invited to Army HQ, Andover to be awarded the Army Rose Bowl by Deputy Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant General Pope CBE. This highly contested award is presented to the Garrison/unit whom in the opinion of the board have contributed the most to road safety. The award is a much sought after accolade and to be considered, units must submit evidence of contributions made throughout the year.
The team, headed by WO2 (MTO) Paul Corkill has spent the last 12 months improving road safety around Blandford Garrison. This has been achieved by implementing many initiatives and education in terms of road safety including speed checks and vehicle stops around the Garrison with the
News from BlandfordBLANDFORD GARRISON SUPPORT UNIT
CO Lt Col P Williams GSM WO1 (GSM) A Williams
assistance of the Garrison MOD Police, PC Ian Titley. Sig Al Tree also found this an ideal opportunity to get his hands on the radar speed gun. The message was also put across with the help of Blandford Garrison BFBS Radio, who sponsor the Blandford Garrison Road Safety Team. School children from Downlands School spoke in person to those individuals stopped for speeding and read out a prepared paragraph which proved very hard hitting.
An old army recruitment trailer was found by the MTO and transformed with the help of LCpl Shane Kennett and LCpl Kailash, into a road safety trailer used to spread the message around the Garrison. WO2 (MTO) Paul Corkill and Sgt Chris Mark also visited local schools to speak to the children about road and cycle safety.
The year culminated with the Christmas drink driving presentation which was produced in the form of a play, written and produced by WO2 (MTO) Corkill with SSgt Kishan Ale looking after backstage with the help of Cpl Shaun Allen and Sig Debbie Richardson. The story focused on the impact caused by one person’s selfish decision and the journey from pub to grave. The whole play, which used Phase 2 and 3 soldiers from across the Garrison, was televised by Forces TV and received much praise.
Overall, the year has been a great success in terms of road safety for the Garrison which is reflected in its statistics. The team now plans to achieve the same success next year with yet more road safety initiatives on the horizon. The MTO and his team would like to thank BFBS and all others who support the initiatives around Blandford Garrison.
WO2 (MTO) Corkill and members of the Blandford Garrison Road Safety Team and trailer
WO2 (MTO) Corkill and team receiving the Army Rose Bowl, from Lt Gen Pope CBE
SPRING 2018 13
The following year in 2003 he was posted to Germany with the Scots Guards and the Pipes and Drums took up their new role of Regimental Medical Assistants and Armoured Vehicle Drivers, all the time juggling both infantry and musical roles, then in late 2004 he deployed on Operations to Iraq on Op TELIC.
Between 2002 and 2007, he attended his drumming courses at the Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming to gain the musical qualifications in drumming and enhance his ability and knowledge.
In 2007 he was posted to the Regimental Support Team in Edinburgh to recruit future Scots Guardsmen and also promote the Pipes and Drums to bring in a new generation of Pipers and Drummers.
In 2009 he was posted back to the Battalion now based in Catterick Garrison,North Yorkshire. The Pipes and Drums Platoon were now in the process of converting to a new role as Infantry Assault Pioneers.
In 2010 he was posted back to Edinburgh, this time to become one of two Drumming Instructors at the prestigious Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming to instruct drummers from all Regimental and Corps Pipes and Drums across the Army.
In 2012 he was posted back to the Scots Guards in Catterick, this time he was appointed Drum Sgt and took the lead in the development of the Drum Corps to build, and enhance the numbers and ability to be able to conduct future upcoming engagements. During his time as a Drummer he has been all over the world performing at high profile events and visited many countries including Canada, America, Africa, Russia, Italy, France, Bermuda, Colombia and many more. Other events closer to home include numerous Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo’s, the Queen’s Birthday Parade, the Household Division Beating Retreat, the Commonwealth Games and has been involved in the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.
Drum Major Robert G McCutcheon, Scots Guards
Drum Major McCutcheon wanted to be a Drummer in Her Majesty’s
Foot Guards from a very young age whilst growing up in
Girvan, a small town on the South West coast of Scotland.
He joined the Army at the young age of 16, in January 2001 completing his training at the Army Foundation College Harrogate and the
Infantry Training Centre Catterick. On Completion he
joined the Scots Guards in Wellington Barracks, London in
2002 to become a Drummer within the Scots Guards Pipes and Drums.
Pipe President Col J Cooper late R SignalsCorps Pipe Major WO2 (PM) S BellCorps Drum Major Sgt (DM) McCutcheon
The Drum Corps goes from Strength to Strength
Development of the Pipes and Drums of the Royal Corps of Signals continues with the posting in of Sgt (DM) McCutcheon from the Scots Guards to 22 Signal Regiment at Stafford, and he will be
focused on recruiting, training and mentoring the drumming elements of the Pipes and Drums. The Corps are very fortunate to benefit from such a
vastly experienced individual, as his bio demonstrates.
On 19 March 2015 he was appointed the prestigious role as Drum Major of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards, a lifelong dream which had now became true.
During his position as Drum Major of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards he runs the Pipes and Drums which includes the career
management and development of the platoon in both infantry and musical capabilities travelling all over the world. He has been involved in the Virginia International Tattoo 2013/14/15 and Senior Drum Major 2016/17 which is still a position he holds for the foreseeable future. He also participated in the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo as Drum Major.
In January 2016 he deployed the Pipes and Drums to America along with Her Majesty’s Band of the Royal Marines Scotland, on a prestigious two month concert tour around North America. On
return from the tour he had the honour of leading the Pipes and Drums into the Forecourt of Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh for Her Majesty the Queen's visit to Scotland. Later the same year he also deployed the Pipes and Drums to Colombia to develop the Colombian Navy Pipers and Drummers and had the honour to lead the Colombian Navy on their National Independence Day parade through the streets of Bogota with the Pipes and Drums.
In 2017 he was involved in a number of high profile engagements, the first was in May with the Scots Guards Presentation of New Colours from Her Majesty the Queen, where he led the Regimental Band, Pipes and Drums, F Company and the 1st Battalion Scots Guards into the gardens of Buckingham Palace for their presentation. The next was in June where he led the Massed Pipes and Drums of the Household Division for the annual musical spectacular Beating Retreat on Horse Guards.
Finally the pinacle of any Guards Division Drum Major, he was selected as one of the five Household Division Drum Majors for the 2017 Queen’s Birthday Parade. This was the last parade as he handed over the reins of the Scots Guards Drum Major on 1 July 2017.
In August 2017 he was appointed the role of Drum Major for the Corps Pipes and Drums of the Royal Signals. To be given the opportunity to enhance and develop another Pipes and Drums within the army is a great honour and he is looking forward to the future.
The Pipes and Drums are always recruiting experienced and learner pipers, drummers and highland dancers, both Regular and Reserve. Further details are available by contacting:
Email: [email protected]: 07976 177667Facebook: via the official Royal Corps of Signals page
SPRING 2018 15
Midlands Cross Country League by LCpl Ryder, 201 Sig Sqn Sqn
1 Signal Regiment have endured a very successful start to the cross country season. In the first four league races we find ourselves well in contention in both the male and female categories.
The first race of the season saw us travel to Merville Barracks, Colchester. A long three hour drive there and even longer six hour drive back thanks to LCpl Scott’s excellent driving and navigation skills. The race consisted of six laps of Abbey Field which saw three male athletes Capt Lane, LCpl Matthews and LCpl Ryder all finishing in the top 15. The female team having similar success with SSgt Holmes and Cpl Milady finishing 7th and 13th. Also competing this week saw Sig Biro, WO2 Sabiston, LCpl Ellis and LCpl Scott all finishing competitively.
League race 2 was hosted by 30 Signal Regiment. The male team was strengthened with the inclusion of Maj Peace, LCpl Taylor and SSgt Carter and the female team with Lt Mulderrig and Maj Ballard. This strengthening was strongly supported with both teams having four top 20 finishers. Maj Peace finished 2nd place and LCpl Taylor was just behind in 3rd. In the female category we saw Lt Mulderrig also getting a podium place with a 2nd. In her first race of the season Maj Ballard finished an impressive 7th, one place behind SSgt Holmes in 6th. Also competing in his first race was SSgt Carter who finished in an equally impressive 16th place just behind LCpl Ryder in 14th. Cpl Milady was the 8th member of the team to finish within the top 20. Also finishing equally as well this week was Sig Biro, WO2 Sabiston and LCpl Ellis with 28th, 37th and 73rd respectively.
Two weeks on we then had another long journey to Wimbish for league race 3 which on this occasion was hosted by 101 Engineer Regiment. The remarkable story this week was the female teams result with Lt Mulderrig, LCpl Royals, SSgt Holmes and Maj Ballard finishing 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th of the six athletes competing. Cpl Milady and WO2 Sabiston also seeing great improvements on positions both finishing inside the top 15. Unfortunately the male team didn’t score as there were only four
male finishers, however individually LCpl Taylor on his second attempt of the season, finished in front of Maj Peace, both with fantastic results placing 2nd and 4th, LCpl Ryder finishing 18th and in his first race Cfn Clarke finished 25th.
22 November saw 1 Signal Regiment host league race 4 and the Individual and Team League Championships. As a team we had great success, winning awards for the female team finishing runners up overall and Lt Mulderrig finishing 3rd place. LCpl Taylor just missed out on a podium finish finishing in an impressive 4th overall. In a very strong field and horrid conditions every member of the cross country team performed outstandingly.
Exercise KESWICK RUNNER by LCpl Taylor, Sp Sqn
Once a year in October, for the past 31 years the Corps holds a Cross Country/ Running Training Camp for one week led by experienced coaches within the Corps and RAPTCI. This exercise is called KESWICK RUNNER. The camp is tailored for all abilities, from soldiers at army and Corps level to soldiers looking to improve their 10k or PFA time. The week starts with a 5k time trial and depending on what time you finish in you are placed into one of three groups for the week. From day one to day five we are training. This training is not just long plods in the countryside.
SMART training (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time orientated) is more than that
1st SIGNAL REGIMENT
CO Lt Col EJ Davies RSM WO1 D Corcoran
200 SIGNAL SQUADRON
OC Maj Pearce SSM WO2 Denham
201 SIGNAL SQUADRON
OC Maj Scaife SSM WO2 Sabiston
211 SIGNAL SQUADRON
OC Maj Ballard SSM WO2 Cleghorn
SUPPORT SQUADRON
OC Maj Middleton SSM WO2 R Gibson
1st SIGNAL REGIMENTSTAFFORD
Sport
The Ex KESWICK RUNNER prize giving, Lt Mulderrig won 1st place female
Group 2 endurance run
and even myself, who though I knew a great deal being in the army team, still learned a lot from my fellow coaches.
Each day consisted of two PT sessions, a theory lesson and briefs. Each practical session was different and taught us different methods of training from types of intervals, circuits and longer runs that are specific to our ability and what we wanted to achieve without wasting time on junk runs. One key thing we learned is our lack of muscular endurance training to strengthen our muscles as athletes. The theory lessons ranged from dieting as an athlete with specific types of foods, different to your average dieting lecture, to a personalised programme using the SMART principal.
At the end of the week the exercise participants raced a 10k distance up on the Peak District in Keswick in Cumbria. The winners of each category are awarded a trophy which has their name engraved onto it which then sits in Blandford RHQ. Regardless of whether you’re the best or not, everybody ends the week stronger and faster than they started and I fully recommend this camp to any soldier who wants to stay fit and healthy throughout their career and injury free.
Exercise GAUNTLET VENTURE by Sig Pollock and LCpl Sowerby, 200 Sig Sqn
On Monday 17 July, 17 members of 200 Signal Squadron took off on what was to be a fun-filled week of Adventurous Training (AT), in Anglesey, Wales. The remainder of the Squadron swapped places with the first rotation on the following Monday. The activities on offer were hill-walking led by Sgt Husband and Cpl Milady, mountain biking led by Lt Eveleigh, Cpl Eyre and Cpl Evans and gorge scrambling led by a civilian instructor.
The mountain biking took place in Coed y Brenin, with a few cheeky downhill routes - LCpl Sowerby found this out the hard way when taking a tumble! With a few scuffs and scrapes he managed to carry on and challenge himself further. All participants managed to complete the basic skills course which then enabled them to feel confident when they had to overcome obstacles along the routes.
The hill walking saw two different routes, Tryfan and ‘Devils Kitchen’. Both mountains were located within the Snowdonia region with Tryfan topping 918m. For one member of the Squadron, LCpl Matthews, he managed to mentally overcome his fear of heights and reach the summit, something he was not expecting to do. The weather was glorious for both Tuesday’s; however, both Wednesdays saw torrential rain and gusts of up 50mph!
The main event and the activity most members of the Squadron were looking forward to was the gorge scrambling. The river adventure took place within the waterfalls of Betws y Coed and involved everyone getting completely soaked!
Adventurous Training
Pics from top to bottom:
• How many soldiers can you fit on one rock?• Lt Mulderrig and 200 SSM WO2 Denham enjoying a day out of the offices!• The team getting stuck into Gorge Scrambling!• To top off the week, the Sqn managed to cook up a tasty BBQ.• Cpl Evans demonstrating perfect technique.• Hill walking when the heavens opened up!
SPRING 2018 17
Exercise RHINO ADVENTURER by Sig C Thoburn, Sp Sqn
Support Squadron deployed on AT to Totley Camp which is based near Sheffield. During the week kayaking, mountain biking, rock climbing and hill walking were the activities that had been organised and everyone was split into three groups, I was in group two.
On the first day we were on kayaking, instructed by SSgt Reid which was based on a lake with a one hour drive away from Totley Camp. During the day we were taught the basic techniques of how to kayak until we were all a little bit more comfortable before we were taught capsize and rescue drills. Luckily for myself, I was the one person who didn’t capsize, until the rest of the lads decided otherwise and ensured that I went for a swim.
On the second day our group drove to a mountain biking site ran by Sgt Bailey, this for myself was probably the most enjoyable day out of the four activities. It was easily the most physically demanding but one I will never forget for a different reason, LCpl Martin flying off his bike into a tree at speed not once but twice. He wasn’t physically hurt but his pride took a large dent as everyone else had a great laugh about it.
The third day was probably my least favourite as I’ve never been a fan of rock climbing personally. However Cpl Skipper, who was running the event, wasn’t letting anyone get away without doing it and after all AT is all about getting placed “out of your comfort zone”. We ended up climbing
four or five different routes up the cliff, I succeeded on doing four of them but not once did I enjoy it. One part that I will remember is when one of the lads was abseiling and the rope got caught under him and he was hanging upside down, something I am glad never happened to me.
Day four I found was a lot more enjoyable than I anticipated, a twelve mile walk over the hills with the lads taking in some amazing sites along the way, we were taking turns using navigation techniques to track how far we were walking and the correct direction. Along the route, conveniently, there was a little refreshment stop, which of course made for a well-earned stop before making our merry way back to camp.
Mount Everest by Sgt Rai ,SHQ, 211 Sig Sqn
The realisation of a dream and lifelong ambition for myself, Sgt Rai of 211 Signal Squadron came last year. I stood on the summit of Mt Everest waving the 1 Signal Regimental flag in pride.
He made history by being part of the first serving British Gurkha soldier team to summit Mt Everest. This once in a lifetime opportunity was organised in order to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Gurkhas’ loyalty to the crown and began several months back with an arduous selection package. I was selected as the sole R SIGNALS soldier to be part of the 2017 British Gurkha team and this is the account of my journey to the top of the world.
Sgt Bailey leading the way through difficult
terrain on the mountain biking
Scrambling on the indoor climbing wall
A brilliant week of AT for Support Squadron!
The journey to Mt Everest for me began with a flight into one of the most dangerous airports in the world, Lukla, known for its rather short and very steep runway. Once we had safely touched down we made our way to Everest Base Camp (EBC) to start our acclimatization and preparation training.
The climb itself was broken down into different sections, with each section moving from camp to camp increasing in altitude and difficulty. Unfortunately our team got off to a slow start, the route to Camp 1 through the Khumbu Icefall, renown for being one of the most dangerous parts of the climb, was impassable. This meant that we had to wait for the brave icefall doctors to come and clear a route through. When we finally reached Camp 1 it was a harsh reminder of unsuccessful previous attempts, which I was a part of in 2015. The team were stranded for two days following the devastating 2015 Nepal earthquake and avalanche on Mt Everest. That avalanche not only halted my 2015 team’s attempt to summit but destroyed our route back to safety. However this year I could tell it would be different.
We finished our first round of acclimatization by reaching Camp 3, 7200m. The next morning we had the daunting task of descending back down to Camp 2 to recover the body of the legendary Swiss climber; Ueli Steck, following the tragic accident on the Hornbein route on the western ridge of Everest, where Steck had lost his life. To recover the body was a great honour to us and we were very proud of being able to recover his body to his family. The route back down to EBC marked the end of our acclimatization training and meant that we were ready to attempt to summit the mountain.
The team left the Everest Base Camp in a bid to summit the tallest mountain in the world. After days of physically and mentally demanding climbing, overcoming snow blindness, the cold and fatigue we managed to reach our goal. Three days later the team made history by putting three serving British Gurkhas on the summit. The following day I joined them and the team successfully put another ten serving British Gurkhas on the summit of Mt Everest. We were not only the first British Gurkhas to summit Mt Everest but were also the first team to stand on the summit from the South side (Nepal) that season.
This extraordinary adventure helped me a lot in my personal growth. It made me realise that a dream will remain a dream unless you take action and a small step will make a huge difference in the long run. It has also opened my eyes to enjoying the ordinary things in life and appreciating the love and support as well as valuing our dear ones. This feat has awakened the adventurer in me and also boosted my confidence. It was a complete package for officers and soldiers in the British forces to enhance their leadership, fitness, self-reliance, initiative, courage and teamwork in a high altitude, challenging, harsh environment.
Pye Green Food Bank by LCpl Sowerby, 200 Sig Sqn, Charlie Troop
On 5 December 2017, Charlie Troop from 200 Signal Squadron volunteered to help out the families in need by providing them with boxes full of food so they would not go hungry over the Christmas period.
The day started with a brief from one of the volunteers, Dennis. He explained to us why he gives up his property to house the food given by various donations and what happens with it. After the brief, we were split down into two teams.
The first team was tasked with taking the donated food from a pile (pictured below) and then checking the expiry date, which they then labelled. That team involved the following people; LCpl Wardle, LCpl Rodden and LCpl Gorman.
The second team which involved the following people; SSgt Holmes, LCpl Sowerby and LCpl Thornton put together boxes and packed them with the following items:
• Cereal• Milk• Vegetable Tins x 3• Fruit• Soup• Tea/Coffee• Biscuits• Chocolate• Christmas Item• Baked Beans• Potatoes• Fish x 2• Meat x 2
Finally, I feel very privileged to have been part of the team, also to be the only representing Royal Signals soldier in this historic expedition. I would like to thank the British Army for providing such an opportunity, my team for their outstanding teamwork, my friends and family for believing in me and last but not least 1 Signal Regiment for their continuous support.
Community Engagement
SPRING 2018 19
Throughout the duration of the day we packed 200 boxes of food which was just over 2.7 tonnes (pictured below).
We all had a great time and bonded over one common goal which was helping families in need over the Christmas period. It really highlighted the fact that we need to do more to help the less fortunate.
1 Signal Regiment does Christmas day
On 13 Dec 17 1 Signal Regiment celebrated Christmas day! The day began with a Regimental cross brief, each Squadron giving a 10 minute presentation on their success throughout the year!
Following this the Regiment was bussed down to the city centre to St Mary’s church for some carol singing, mulled wine and mince pies! After a successful morning it was back to Beacon Barracks to serve the junior soldiers Christmas dinner!
Once dinner was served we moved into The Knot for some live music and games.
The day was a brilliant success where the whole Regiment came together to celebrate Christmas! It is days like this one where you realise what strong bonds you have formed over the years with your fellow soldiers. LCpl Gorman
LCpl McDonald, Cpl Owen, Sig Anderson and LCpl McDonald, the 'Bravo Troop Massive'
Deane-Drummond Prize Essay Competition WinnersIn early 2017 the following question was posed to all serving Regular and Reserve R SIGNALS officers and soldiers (including QG SIGNALS) for The Royal Signals Institution (RSI) sponsored annual Deane-Drummond Prize Essay Competition.
‘In an era of ever increasing technological complexity, how should the R SIGNALS define, employ and remunerate ‘specialists’?’
Over 50 entries were received across the two Signal Brigades, R SIGNALS units and the wider Corps. Following the initial round of adjudication by a marking panel, consisting of R SIGNALS Lieutenant Colonels, the top 10 essays went forward for final consideration by the Corps Colonel and a number of R SIGNALS Colonels. The top 10 essays were submitted by a range of ranks including Warrant Officer Class 2, Warrant Officer Class 1, Lieutenants, DE and LE Captains.
The prize winners for the 2017 Deane-Drummond Prize Essay Competition are:
1st prize of £1000 - Lt Alexander Sanderson 2nd prize of £500 - Lt Hattie Griffith 3rd prize of £250 - WO1 (YofS) Toby Dudley
The winning essay will be published in the Summer edition of the RSI magazine. A special thank you goes out to Lt Col Sally Arthurton, Lt Col Pete Brunton, Lt Col Alex Hutton, Lt Col Stuart Scott and Lt Col Ben White for giving up their spare time by volunteering to mark the essay submissions and for providing feedback to the candidates on their essays. The topic for the 2018 Deane-Drummond Essay Competition will be released in a Royal Signals Information Note in the first quarter of 2018.
Royal Signals Apprentice of the Year Awards 2017
On Tuesday 12 December the Royal Corps of Signals celebrated and recognised the achievements of their soldier apprentices.
Every soldier that joins the Royal Corps of Signals is encouraged to undertake a civilian recognised apprenticeship that is aligned to one of their six principal career employment or trade groups, this has resulted in over 6000 individuals signing up to the scheme.
The best apprentice in each group was invited to an event that celebrated and recognised their achievements, awarding certificates, cash prizes and trophies. They are supported in these schemes by their mentors from The Colleges’ Partnership Ltd, The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport as well as their own Unit Chain of Command.
This year’s awards event was attended by Brigadier Richard Bennett MVO (Commandant DCTT).
2017's prize-winners:
Electronic Warfare Operator Career Employment Group: Lance Corporal JW Sidwell, 14 Signal Regiment (EW). Prize presented by Colonel Jason Gunning, Corps Colonel Royal Signals.
Operator Career Employment Group: Lance Corporal NM White, 10 Signal Regiment. Prize presented by Colonel Andy Percival, Commandant of DSCIS.
Electrician Career Employment Group: Signaller K Pun, 22 Signal Regiment. Prize presented by Lieutenant Colonel Catherine Jardine, Commanding Officer 11 (RSS) Signal Regiment.
Logistician Career Employment Group: Signaller GAS Smart, 3 (UK) Division Signal Regiment. Prize presented by Harald Hanley, Regional Manager of the CILT.
Installation Technician Career Employment Group: Lance Corporal DM Brack,10 Signal Regiment. Prize presented by Lt Col Alan Balsdon, COS HQ R SIGNALS (Designated Officer for the Corps Apprenticeship Scheme).
Engineering Career Employment Group: Lance Corporal BN Gomes, 10 Signal Regiment. Prize presented by John Savage, Chairman of local IET Forum.
Out of these six winners, Lance Corporal NM White from 10 Signal Regiment was selected for the overall top Apprentice of the Year across the Corps, winning the prize of a Silver Falcon statuette which he and his unit hold for a year, and a replica bronze copy which is his to keep.
Apprentice of the year LCpl NM White, 10 Sig Regt, is presented with the BAE Silver Falcon Trophy by Mr Richard Norman,
BAE Systems (left) and Brig Richard Bennett, Comdt DCTT (right)
The prize winners from L to R: LCpl DM Brack, 10 Sig Regt, Sig GAS Smart, 3 (UK) Div, LCpl NM White, 10 Sig Regt, LCpl BN Gomes, 10 Sig Regt, Sig K Pun, 22 Sig Regt and
LCpl JW Sidwell, 14 Sig Regt
This award is sponsored by BAE Systems and the RSI is grateful for their continued support and the presence of Richard Norman and David Duggan at the ceremony.
Exercise KEY WARRIOR COMMUNICATORby LCpl Jones, Phoenix Tp
On 14 Nov 17 2 Signal Regiment deployed on Ex KEY WARRIOR COMMUNICATOR, the Regiment’s annual exercise. The exercise would be split into three different training packages; a four day RSOI package in Wathgill, followed by a three day LFTT package, and concluding with a four day communication phase in Otterburn.
The RSOI package at Wathgill started with the deployed personnel being split down into eleven sections, with a mixture of experience from the four Squadrons. I was placed in the ‘mighty’ Nine Section which would be my section throughout the Reception, Staging and Onward Integration (RSOI) and Live Fire Tactical Training (LFTT) packages. Over the next four days we completed a wide range of theory and practical lessons covering section attacks, harbour area drills, CPERS and CASEVAC drills and a brilliant bayonet range. As well as brushing up on our military skills there were communication lessons in preparation for the communication phase. Throughout the productive and hugely enjoyable four days, the sections showed good teamwork and a high level of determination. It was now time to pack up and move further north to Otterburn to start the next phase of the exercise.
The LFTT started on Fri 18 Nov on Otterburn ranges. The temperature was noticeably cooler but remained dry throughout. The LFTT started off with the transition to live firing, moving on to individual and pair’s fire and manoeuvre, honing our infantry battle skills. Light Machine Gun (LMG) and General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) familiarisation shoots were conducted to introduce personnel to the other support weapon systems within the Regiment. This phase of training was arduous but enjoyable.
On the final communication phase of the exercise we were moved back to our respective Squadrons within our own areas of responsibility. It is fair to say Otterburn saved the weather for this part of the exercise as it never stopped raining, with the worst of the weather naturally occurring when we were setting up or tearing down. This however did
2nd SIGNAL REGIMENT
CO Lt Col CJ Lewin MBE RSM WO1 J McMahon
214 SIGNAL SQUADRON
OC Maj D Whitworth SSM WO2 J Sheehan
219 SIGNAL SQUADRON
OC Maj Z Haines SSM WO2 S Wood
246 SIGNAL SQUADRON
OC Maj T Skinner SSM WO2 R Rai
SUPPORT SQUADRON
OC Maj J Lawer SSM WO2 C Chilvers
Commanding Officers’ Foreword
The speed with which this year has passed is quite unnerving and the term ‘busy’ is now commonplace in everyone’s daily greetings. Never has it been more important that we ensure that our busy is ‘good busy’ and that our basics and readiness are up to speed. Taking time to go out together as a Regiment on Exercise KEY WARRIOR COMMUNICATOR 17 has been brilliant. Officers and soldiers alike have got to know each other, have created memories, have new stories to tell and above all have up skilled without the pressure of staff to support. Our focus as a Light Brigade Signal Regiment has sharpened and we are really excited about heading to Norway in October 2018 in support of 4 Infantry Brigade. 2 Signal Regiment Jimmy’s continue to seek out ways of keeping the ‘white space’ colourful through recruiting activity, STEM engagement, in house leadership development and more Adventure Training. I would like to thank our families for their continued and unwavering support and finally a special thanks from me for the Regiment’s strength and togetherness in dealing with the very sad passing of Capt Carl Magin (AGC SPS), our RAO, who died unexpectedly in September. Sorely missed.
York
not stop each Squadron hitting their training objectives. This phase allowed the Squadron to go back to basics, brushing up on our trade and communication skills, which will improve our overall performance for 2018’s taskings.
At the end of the final phase after the CO’s final address, we were treated to a well-deserved beer and gorgeous curry, which was provided to us by the chefs who had catered for us with excellent food throughout. It was appreciated by all.
Ex KEY WARRIOR COMMUNICATOR was a hugely enjoyable and challenging exercise, which brought the best out of the Regiment. It’s now time to turn the kit around and look forward to the challenges and adventures that the Regiment will offer in 2018.
Remembrance Sunday 2017 by Lt Green, OpsO 214 Sig Sqn
After another exciting yet busy period, the Regiment geared up for its annual contribution to the York Remembrance celebrations.
On Sunday 12 November, led by the York Railway Institute Band, personnel from 214 Signal Squadron, along with RAF, Navy and Army Reserve personnel from across the city marched from Clifford’s Tower to the Memorial Gardens, accompanied by veterans, cadets and civilian organisations, including Scouts, Guides and St John Ambulance.
At the Memorial Garden, there was an Act of Remembrance and to mark the two-minute silence the Minute Gun was fired followed by the sounding of the Last Post. The Minute Gun fired again and was followed by the sounding of ‘Reveille’, and following the wreath laying ceremony, a short service of remembrance recognised all those that gave the ultimate sacrifice.
Once the service was completed, the parade then marched back towards Clifford’s tower, and then onward to York Minster to join the rest of 2 Signal Regiment for the Remembrance Service in York Minster.
This service is always a great event. The Minster was packed with the officers and soldiers of 2 Signal Regiment, 1 UK Division HQ and the various minor units hosted within York Garrison, their friends and family and our honoured guests from the city of York.
Following the service, the Regiment went back to Imphal Barracks where there was a meal and a chance for soldiers to have a meet and greet with the veterans. It was yet again another fantastic festival of remembrance in a city that 2 Signal Regiment are proud to be a part of.
Having recently returned from a three month Nepali language course in Nepal, I jumped at the opportunity to return to the country and be part of 2018’s Gurkha soldier selection.
On 28 November I flew into Kathmandu and then straight to Dharan in the East of Nepal. I was about to spend three weeks working in the centre of the historical hub of British Gurkhas Dharan (BGD), now a much smaller camp, whose main purpose is the annual selection phase of potential recruits from the East of Nepal.
Regional selection began on 30 Nov and would run for the following 17 days where we would see over 3000 potential recruits (PRs) enter the gates of BGD. Our working day would start at 0530hrs, occasionally 0430hrs if we were on gate duty. For the PRs, their day started with a medical examination, the first hurdle of selection. Following this they would receive a brief from the DRO, Maj Devall RGR, the head of Gurkha recruiting. He would once again emphasise the point of selection being free, fair and transparent. Straight after the brief the recruits would begin the 800m run, which they would have to complete in under 2 mins 42 to pass. If successful the PRs would sit two education tests,
45 mins maths and 20 mins English. As an Interviewing Officer our responsibilities included marking all the papers, which were then double marked by the Education Officer from the Language Development Wing, Catterick.
On passing the education tests, the PRs proceeded to further physical tests, 12 heaves and 70 sit ups in two minutes as a minimum. Many recruits completed upwards of 17 heaves and sit-ups knowing that selection is a high stakes competition.
On completion of the physical tests the PRs moved onto the most nerve wracking phase of selection, the interview phase.
The PRs would sit through a 5-10 min English interview conducted by the British Officers, which was my main responsibility, and a further 15-20 min interview with a Gurkha Officer. During these interviews, their English and character suitability were assessed and scored. Many recruits have been to Training Academies (TAs), establishments set up posing
to help PRs find success at selection. The TAs aim to prepare the PRs by teaching them prepared answers to questions. Therefore, it was our job to think of imaginative questions that would encourage original answers from the PRs in order to get the best impression of their suitability for Gurkha soldier training. The interview is an extremely important phase of selection, during which both
Recruiting in Nepal
by Lt Hawkins, OC Sek Kong Tp
Canadian Armed Forces Shooting Annual Concentration 2017
Over the period of 24 Jul to 21 Sep 17 two members of 2 Signal Regiment competed in the Canadian Armed Forces Shooting Annual Concentration 2017 (CAFSAC17). Having previously achieved success at the Army Operational Shooting Competition they attended training as part of the British Army Combat Shooting Team (BACST) before deploying to this international event.
Lt Sanderson and LCpl Amar spent the first 3 weeks of training at the Land Warfare Centre, Warminster. They immediately set about reaching the standard required to achieve success internationally. The majority of the time was spent in the usual manner confirming points of aim over varying distances and in different positions. This was then tested under pressure of time constraints and with pre-fatigue by running through the matches as they would be in Canada. In the UK the challenge was to try and replicate match conditions as they would be overseas, a difficult task given the non-standard nature of UK ranges. Nonetheless, before long it was time to deploy to Connaught Ranges, Canada.
The BACST team arrived in country on 29 Aug and spent the first first days bedding in and again confirming points of aim. The surprise for most members of the team was the well-kept and linear nature of the Canadian Ranges - much to the delight of the SASC management team! Most firing members found that the shooting doctrine proved entirely applicable on these ranges and apart from the near constant thunderstorms quality training was had all round. By the time the competition arrived the BACST team was raring to go. The first match was fairly close quarters involving deliberate and rapid shoots at moving targets from 200m before running down to 100m for the follow up engagement.
The next few days flew by and were punctuated by team matches. Highlights of these matches included the CASEVAC match in which a dummy is extracted back 200m before a number of obstacles are negotiated with ammunition containers as burdens. This phase is a timed best effort and immediately rolls into a rapid shoot from 200m. Here the higher standard of fitness amongst the BACST found the other teams wanting. This was mirrored on the March and Shoot and Team Section Attack matches but the overall emphasis was always physical effort as a means to add pressure and realism. Also of note and unique to international competitions were the dynamic ranges. These ranges meant that firers can shoot through 270 degrees with primary and secondary weapons and involved clearing through mock buildings. New for CAFSAC 17 was a range which involved motion tracking turrets returning fire with “simunition” – more than a few members fell afoul of these robots!
Overall CAFSAC was a success for the BACST and great training value was had by all. Lt Sanderson and LCpl Amar now return to unit in the hopes of spreading the training value amongst their peers and hopefully coaching a successful 2 Signal Regiment shooting team in future engagements.
interviewers aim to get the best understanding of the motivation and drive of the PRs in order to recruit the best possible soldiers into the Brigade of Gurkhas. 864 PRs were interviewed, but only the top 270 of these would proceed to Central Selection, held in January 2018 at British Gurkhas Pokhara camp.
My three weeks as part of the selection team were extremely interesting, challenging but highly rewarding. Having witnessed the selection process each and every Gurkha soldier must pass in order to proceed to central selection I now have a better appreciation of the intensely competitive and arduous nature of the process of becoming a Gurkha in the British Army.
by Lt Sanderson
Staff College Land Component Brief Oct 17
Staff College Land Component Brief (SCLCB) is an annual three-day event that is put on to display 3 (UK) Division’s deep, rear and close capabilities. It is designed to demonstrate land manoeuvre capabilities to reassure NATO allies and deter potential adversaries.
There were many stands displayed at SCLCB, covering Deep Ops, Sustain and C2. As part of the C2 element, 202 Signal Squadron deployed a troop onto Old Carter Barracks with the task of building a Forward Headquarters. This Headquarters consisted of a Future Ops, Current Ops and Briefing cell, as well as the NER.
The build was relatively quick, due to the reduction in services provided and the size of the Headquarters. It was down to Overloon Troop to carry out the infrastructure within the HQ and conduct the engineering of the Magpie node and palletised Falcon det within the NER.
The services that were provided were put in place to give the Staff Officers an understanding of some of the capabilities a Divisional Headquarters has to offer. This included a mission secret working environment and a Lync conference back to the Iron Divisions Operation Centre in Bulford.
Once the build was complete, Overloon Troop helped to coordinate the briefs that were taking place within the cells as well as assisting with Lync video calls. Over the three days hundreds of serving personnel from different countries passed through the HQ, overall it was excellent exposure to what the army can provide.
The Army Clay Target Shooting Club Championships
The ATSC Championships were held at Barbury Shooting School, near Swindon, over 10-11 September. The event provided 100 challenging targets to hit over 12 stands. There was no shortage of volunteers and OC 202 Signal Squadron, Maj Lewis Matthews, entered six individuals into the competition. The practise day ensured that the DSR shooters were well warmed up, with LCpl Hehir, LCpl Keates and Sig Brown all ‘zeroed in’.
The competition day saw over 90 shooters descending on Barbury to battle it out. Weather conditions were good, with a light wind and only the one shower. Unfortunately for those at the practise day the stands were changed to ensure everyone had a fair start – so much for practise makes perfect!
LCpl Hehir and LCpl Keates were teamed up with Lt Mike Shrubb (OC Waterloo Troop), whilst Maj Matthews took
Cpl ‘Trev’ Nelson and Sig Brown around the course. The standard of shooting from across the DSR competitors was high, with several straights (all targets hit on a stand) in both squads. The high tower ‘birds’ were a particular joy, a lot of shooters gulping as they watched them whiz overhead and ‘escape’!
The highlight for the new shooters was the flush after the competition finished. 70 targets fired out from multiple traps at different times! With five shooters on the line there weren’t many targets that got through.
Scores were high with Sig Brown and LCpl Keates putting in a strong 68 and 67/100 respectively. Somehow, ricochets were mentioned afterwards, Maj Matthews took Runner Up in his class with a 78. All in an all a great couple of days shooting in a relaxed and friendly environment. Clay target shooting is a growing sport in the Corps with many R SIGNALS now shooting for the Army Team.
OC Lt Col JC Barber RSM WO1 K Mills
SCLB HQ
Sig Brown on the Rabbit
The Flush - LCpl Keates nailing the high target
On a brisk Saturday morning at the Somme centre, Newtownards, members of 225 Signal Squadron took part in the first 38 (Irish) Brigade Mud Runner event. Similar to a typical Tough Mudder, it was a six mile route made up of deep mud, steep hills and multiple obstacles. A number of the obstacles were challenging, including the “down and dirty crawl” in which participants had to crawl under a cam net spread over a 20m pool of mud, and the final obstacle, a container full of ice cold water with mine tape across the top, forcing runners to fully submerge their bodies prior to the last 200m spirit across the finish line.
We entered two teams of four with the first team being made up of myself, Cpl Baines, LCpl Kent and 2Lt Yardley. The team completed the event in 1 hour 8 mins with an overall finish of 9th out of 40 teams. The second team was made up of Capt (2IC) Robinson, Sgt Sunderland, Sgt Johnston and LCpl Tucker. In addition to the two teams we had two individual runners. Sgt Chauhan who ran an impressive time of 58 mins and not far behind Lt Johnston who came in with a time of 1 hour 7 mins.
After the event the team were awarded with t-shirts and a BBQ to enjoy with the rest of the competitors. A successful and well organised event, 225 Signal Squadron will be looking forward to competing again next year.
In November a number of soldiers from 251 Signal Squadron attended the Parachute Foundation Training at Netheravon. We arrived on the Monday excited to begin our ground training and then to jump.
The first day consisted of lessons on how to adopt the correct position when exiting the aircraft and in the air as well as reserve drills in case of any malfunction with our parachutes. The second day we did some quick refresher training in the morning and then waited for the weather to clear for our first jump. Finally the low lying clouds cleared and we were given the all good to jump, we all donned our parachutes, altimeters and helmets and prepared ourselves for our first jump. The plane climbed to 4000ft where the door was opened and the first two people exited the plane. We all jumped without any hesitation although everyone was nervous. The first few seconds were the best as we experienced a bit of free fall before our parachutes were opened by the static line. Once the parachute had deployed we carried out checks and then headed over to the holding area before we began our descent. Everyone’s descents went well with everyone able to land on their feet.
Despite some cloudy weather we jumped twice more during the week and we all came away with a huge sense of achievement.
241 Signal Squadron, Wildenrath Tp (K Tp) hierarchy decided to swim a marathon for CLIC Sargent, who support, care for and provide help for young children with cancer and their families. This charity is close to the Squadron’s hearts as a few members have been in the unfortunate situation of needing help, and CLIC Sargent were there at their time of need.
To best achieve this monumental challenge 12 mixed ability swimmers were selected, split down into teams of three, each swimming 30 mins in one innings. Each swimmer had a personal target to contribute 194 lengths of an 18m pool. The total number of lengths worked out was 2,328, with a target time of six hours. Everyone was looking very strong and comfortable throughout the whole challenge, with the average swimmer managing around 50 lengths. They completed the challenge with an incredible 52 minutes to spare and raised around £800 for CLIC Sargent.
38 (Irish) Brigade Mud Runner - by LCpl Proctor
Parachuting - by Sig Dawson
Charity Swimathon - by Cpl Milton
Final cold bath at the end of the run!
Champions elect
Parachutes all ready to be checked
Ground training
The look of relief after surviving the jump!
Cpl Dorius’ unique diving technique
SPRING 2018 27
by Cpl Swain, LCpl Hart and LCpl Pickering, 223 Sig Sqn (EW)
As part of the bilateral arrangement with the Australian Army, 14 Signal Regiment (EW) were invited out to 7 Signal Regiment (EW), Toowoomba, Queensland to participate in Exercise RAVENS CYBER. The exercise consisted of an EW capability phase which was preceded by the ‘Raven’s Cup’, an endurance race against 7 Signal Regiment (EW).
The Raven’s Cup spanned 108km and was run concurrently to the Caduceus Cup, the same event whereby all Signals Units in the Australian Army competed. The race was (fortunately) a 10-man relay event, whereby each runner completed three laps of a 2.2 mile course. In our naturally competitive nature, we assembled a team of nine of 14 Signal Regiment’s finest runners and LCpl Gidney.
The race started at 0630hrs and to the benefit of us all the weather was overcast and quite cool which reminded us of home. We started the event with our best runner LCpl ‘Bloodlust’ Baldwin taking the reins, who put in a solid shift setting us up for the remainder of the race.
After a third of the distance was run and each man had done one lap; we found ourselves in a very comfortable position in contention for the Raven’s Cup and if we were eligible for the Caduceus Cup we would have been in second place overall. It was around this time that WO2 ‘14 Sig Regt (EW) duty Aussie’ Pleszkun, who wasn’t even running, got ideas of a forfeit for the slowest runner – a dress that he “just happened to have lying around”. If at this point any of the runners hadn’t been putting their best foot forward, they suddenly found a new motivation.
At 1030hrs two thirds of the distance had been covered. Our team found themselves cemented in second place out of all of the teams and had lapped some of the teams including our competition in the Raven’s Cup. However, the weather was changing against our unacclimatised, yet finely tuned athletic bodies, and becoming quite hot. This was great for the spectators;
HaverfordwestCO Lt Col King RSM WO1 (RSM) Stedman
RAVENS CYBERExercise
Pics:
1. LCpl 'does it look like I know what I’m doing?' Sloan2. Cpl Ineson in full swing3. Capt 'leading from the front/back' Miskelly4. The Winning Ravens Cup Team5. Cpl 'natural mother' Wragg getting to grips with lunchtime6. Ex RAVENS CYBER Remembrance Service
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not so much for the travelling Brits from the coast of Wales. Also the competition for the slowest runner was heating up as LCpl ‘Snail’s pace’ Kelly put in a shameful 15.20 minute lap – maybe LCpl ‘Genuine Midget’ Gidney could be spared?
The race for us finished at 1300hrs with us coming in second place overall behind the Defence Force School of Signals (DFSS), who were worthy winners and had a team of elite runners. Regardless, we had won the Raven’s Cup! Our competition 7 Signal Regiment (EW) finished 6th place in the Caduceus Cup…maybe next year boys?
The exercise phase of our stay began with Unit and Squadron briefs, which were then followed by capability demonstrations and practical exercises. Some, more than others enjoyed the practical elements, with LCpl ‘Man Pack’ Sloan getting very excited about the man pack EW equipment.
The highlight of our exercise phase was being able to access the Protected Mobility Electronic Warfare Vehicles, a 7 Signal Regiment (EW) take on our Bushmasters. These had HF-UHF capabilities and were able to take on six pax, a driver, co-driver and four operators/analysts in the rear all protected by the V-shaped hull underneath.
Other features included an automatically deployable screw mechanism mast, external cameras and the rarest of commodities and most importantly, air conditioning.
It was a fantastic opportunity to visit the Australian Army and experience their kit and equipment and learn their best practice. Future opportunities include Exercise STORMFORCE, a multi-national exercise showcasing some of the latest technology that is available on the battlefield and the skills required to operate them. Hopefully we’ll be invited back…?
During our downtime, we were lucky to have the opportunity to see and visit some beautiful sights. On one trip, a small group of us spent the afternoon at Crow’s Nest National Park, known for its rugged landscape and multiple lookouts. We finally found (after Lt ‘2nd fastest runner’ Lovett’s navigation) lots of hidden waterfalls and viewpoints which provided uninterrupted views across the park. The highlight of the afternoon was at Koonin Lookout which gave us a birds-eye view over Crow’s Nest Creek, the Valley of Diamonds (so-called because of the mineral feldspar which glistens in the sunlight) and the distant rolling hills.
A few days later we visited the Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation and Education Association – a non- profit organisation based in Murphy’s Creek responsible for the care and rescue of Australian wildlife as well as providing education about such wildlife in the community. Whilst at the centre, we saw a wide
range of Australian wildlife such as koalas, emus, birds of prey and lizards. Cpl ‘Motherly’ Wragg was the lucky one to be chosen to feed a newborn baby joey; much to the jealousy of the rest of the group! Overall, an enjoyable afternoon was had by all and we left in awe of the hard work and dedication put into the centre.
Over the weekend, we had an opportunity to visit the Gold Coast where we were able to explore the sights and, most importantly, work on our tans (less LCpl ‘sun cream is a marinade’ Atkinson) on the golden beach of Surfers Paradise. We were also able to pay our respects at the Surfers Paradise Remembrance Service. All in all it was a fantastic experience and it is recommended that it is the model for all future 14 Signal Regiment (EW) exercises.
Going for Judo Goldby Cpl Hawkes, 223 Sig Sqn (EW)
On 22 Oct 17 I made a recent return to the competitive judo circuit after a lengthy period of rehabilitation from a hip injury. With only a few months back of intensive, full time, judo training and a tailored strength and conditioning programme, I was naturally nervous about competing again, although excited to get back into a competitive mind frame. Furthermore, my coaching team and I had decided to enter me into a new weight category to see how I fought, having every faith this big step would pay off for me.
Looking at the entry list I could see that it had the potential to be a very difficult day. Fighters within the top five in Britain were competing, as well as European and international level medallists. However, I could not let it play on my mind, deciding to remain focussed and win one fight at a time; after all, I had trained and had prepared the best I could.
The first fight was against the top ranked fighter of the category; a very successful European and international level fighter from the British squad. Therefore, I knew I had to bring my strongest fight; and it proved too strong for her, winning the fight in just over a minute with an impressive throw, and being awarded the highest score of ippon.
Winning my first fight gave me a massive boost of confidence, going on to win the rest of my fights with ippon scores to claim the gold medal. My coaching team and I couldn’t have been happier and we are now looking forward to more intense training for the British Senior championships where I am very excited to represent the Army and hope to continue my success with another golden performance.
LCpl Hawkes takes the gold!
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SPRING 2018 29
From 20 Oct - 10 Nov 17 a training team, consisting of four pax from 245 Signal Squadron, deployed to Muscat, Oman as a three week Electronic Warfare Short Term Training Team (STTT). By way of a background, the Sultan of Oman’s Armed Forces (SAF) are preparing for Exercise SAIF SAREEA 3 (Ex SS3) in Q4 18 and have identified a number of capability gaps. Amongst them is the requirement to form and train their Joint Task Force Headquarters (JTFHQ) and develop an integrated ISTAR capability. Similarly, there is a requirement to aid in technical training tasks within the newly created Oman Military Technical College. These training requirements were articulated by the Omani Loan Service (OLS) personnel and will be supported by UK-generated STTTs from a variety of cap badges in a plethora of areas.
The aim of the Electronic Warfare STTT was to instruct the Omani Electronic Warfare Squadron on the R2 requirements to their Brigade and/or Army Headquarters in order to achieve effective results in a connected battlespace. To that end, the team, which consisted of Lt Chillery and Sgt Lowthian (both Intelligence Corps), SSgt (YofS(EW)) Stockdale and I instructed over a period of 2 weeks before deploying on a three day exercise in the final week.
As this was the second iteration in 2017 (the fourth overall) of the Squadron’s bi-annual liaison and education piece with the SAF, the base level knowledge of their Electronic Warfare Squadron, commanded by Mulazims Naïf and Ahmed was good. With some fine tuning and some lengthy lessons on antennas, propagation and frequency management delivered by the YofS(EW), they were ready to be tested on the confirmatory exercise.
On completion of the confirmatory exercise the Omani Electronic Warfare Squadron were able to reliably produce Intelligence Reports up to a higher formation and TTOs to other exercising units. This was a complete success in both developing their capability and reinforcing their importance to the ISTAR commander. The final test for the Omani Electronic Warfare Squadron will be Ex SS3, where, alongside British forces, their ability to intercept, position fix and then analyse and report their collection to the Brigade will be fundamental to their future utilisation.
During the weekend breaks the team were excellently hosted by YofS Frank Langford (OLS) who took us snorkelling in the Gulf of Oman in search of turtles and sharks and on an amazing trek and swim along the beautiful Wadi Arbeean. Amongst other things, the whole trip was worth it for these two things alone. Our thanks go out to the whole OLS team for their hospitality.
by Capt Hodder, 245 Sig Sqn (EW)
Oman Short Term Training Task
2017
Pics:
1. Omani EW Sqn hierarchy and the 14 Sig Regt (EW) STTT2. Lt Chillery deploys on exercise3. Exercise conditions were a little drier than Wales…4. Another sunny day in Oman
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On 14 November, an assemblage of soldiers from Support Squadron boarded buses journeying from the hinterlands of West Wales to the cosmopolitan acme of the English Midlands to participate in Ex ATLAS LEADER; a two day cultural experience co-ordinated by Sgt Ellis designed to develop JNCOs through an education of the unique history and talent, both military and civilian, that Britain has to offer.
Arriving at our first destination, the British Motor Museum, the Squadron encountered a comprehensive visual spectacle of a rich history of an industry that has dominated the economic and social evolution of post-industrial Britain. From the antiquarian inception of a debut Rolls Royce 10 model to the opulent splendor of an Aston Martin Vanquish, the museum offered a colourful insight into the British motor industry, much to the delight of the REME vehicle mechanics present.
Following a peaceful sojourn at Gamecock Barracks, interrupted only slightly by LCpl Carrillo-Bejarano’s ‘brief’ shower and subsequent activation of the fire alarms, in addition to a meal and a few beverages in Coventry, we embarked on our next expedition to Bletchley Park near Milton Keynes. The museum is home to Alan Turing’s Bombe machine and British intelligence and Lorenz code breaking efforts of the 1940s, described by Winston Churchill as the single biggest contribution to Allied victory in World War II, and was naturally of notable significance to our Royal Signals soldiers who were inquisitive to comprehend the institution’s consequential footing in our Corps’ history.
At liberty to explore the park at our leisure, we toured the pre-fabricated wooden huts where 3000 civilian and uniformed personnel worked in linguistics, signalling, code breaking and strategic intelligence to combat the Luftwaffe, naval and land forces of the formidable Axis powers as well as operating avant-garde paraphernalia such as the Enigma machine and the ‘Colossus’ computer.
Amongst numerous recounts of valour, one in particular stood out to LCpl Loveday, in which a fellow army chef perished following a daring and successful venture to retrieve German codebooks from a sinking U-boat. Our awe of the wartime service committed by the park’s residents had been cemented during the prior research we conducted as syndicates back at Cawdor Barracks; upon our visit our admiration only augmented, observing the conditions of isolation and secrecy that military and civilian personnel alike would have operated in, under immense duress and lengthy duration.
The visit was not solely a celebration of history though; of heightened relevance to the signallers amongst us, a modern comparison of the data-processing duties of Turing’s team was presented in the form of a cyber-security exhibition. Sig Cross and Cfn Mason demonstrated prowess at the interactive element of the display in the exploration of a room for physical and virtual security deficiency, prompting the REME soldier to vocally consider a different career path as a “tech”. Our intellects satisfied and filled with additional knowledge, we returned to Brawdy with new perceptions on war-time service and the gravity of research and experimentation in addition to effort and exertion to propel technology and innovation in a military environment. I am sure that the rest of the Squadron who embarked on this recent visit are as grateful as I am to have been offered this cultural opportunity, in all its relevance to the modern vocation of the Royal Corps of Signals today.
ATLAS LEADERby LCpl Hurley, Sp Sqn
Exercise
Pics:
1. The classic British motor, an Aston Martin DB92. The 1970 E-Type Jaguar, as seen in the Austin Powers films3. The first early computer at Bletchley Park, The Colossus4. The mansion at Bletchley Park5. The enigma machine, as seen in Bletchley Park
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SPRING 2018 31
21st SIGNAL REGIMENT
CO Lt Col MJ Morton RSM WO1 S Kelly
SUPPORT SQUADRON
OC Maj K Overton SSM WO2 D Clarke
204 SIGNAL SQUADRON
OC Maj SLR Gray SSM SSgt C Downer
215 SIGNAL SQUADRON
OC Maj N Reynolds SSM WO2 Conley
220 SIGNAL SQUADRON
OC Maj P Wright SSM WO2 N Dinsdale
Exercise IRON RESOLVE by LCpl Fay-Regan, 215 Sig Sqn
On 1 November, Exercise IRON RESOLVE kicked off with good weather and high morale as 215 Signal Squadron, 21 Signal Regiment began the initial headquarters build under the remains of Battlesbury Hillfort in Warminster.
The bespoke HQ was set up and filled with G1098, comms equipment and, most importantly, a brew point. With the erection of the impressively sized camouflage net covering the HQ and inspiring flagpole, the finishing touches were put on the HQ set up, the entire build the result of great teamwork and leadership. The razor wire of the defensive perimeter played havoc on the smocks and shirts of anyone who got too close, keeping the on-site tailor, Sig Barnes, very busy.
Expansions to the HQ kept LCpl Mee on his toes, as he managed to successfully juggle an ever-expanding power plan along with the critical task of sourcing fuel for our heaters in the great kero drought of ‘17. Somehow, through some sort of RSE black magic, the kero heaters remained alight and the tents were kept warm and comfortable.
The dropping temperature made the return to the accommodation tents an interesting experience, as the insides and sleeping bags became frozen solid, made only worse when the kero heaters were then lit, the tent would begin to rain on the inside.
The sheer number of boots treading back and forth on the soft ground rendered conditions akin to the Somme. Thick chunks of mud clung to boots, and viscous liquid mud formed pools between tents on the well-worn out tracks. This was in part remedied by the ‘bodge it and scarper’ team who seized the initiative and built the ‘Okey Dokey Bridge’; though the bridge did take a beating through its continued use.
Week three saw the arrival of B team, and the first use of the HQ set up in anger. Bugs in the system started to really show their faces, but these were soon squashed. Night shift conversations ranging from cars and football to the meaning of life broke up the long hours between printer faults and trips to the brew tent. Coffee and tea were a much needed source of comfort from the sudden drop in temperature from chilly to arctic.
As coffee became a scarce resource and the amount of mud an ever growing concern, the exercise began to wind down. End Ex saw a smooth tear down and timely recovery back to Azimghur Barracks to begin the extremely messy turnaround phase…“Water on!”
Colerne
Pics: Soldiers from 215 Sig Sqn attend the All Arms AFV Commander (BULLDOG)
seasoned Troops. Under the bold leadership of the Squadron JNCOs, these junior soldiers were baptised by fire; earning their stripes.
However the journey of the lion-hearted soldiers of 220 Signal Squadron was not at an end. Having sampled the olive-sweet taste of victory, they clamoured for more. They had pleased the powers of Regimental Headquarters, who saw fit to cast down the iron gauntlet of challenge once more. A second PACEX rose, kraken-like, from the winter mist on the fourth crisp December morning of 2017. However the swift-footed warriors of 220 were ready, their numbers bolstered by comrades returned from far-away lands. The previous week Shaibah Troop had run a comprehensive MATTs package for the Squadron ensuring that each individual was refreshed and trained for whatever vexation was to be catapulted into their arcs. From first aid to physical fitness, every soldier was ready for the battles that would come in the New Year.
The whispers of Exercise SPECULAR and CT1 training whistled around the hangar like wraiths, but 220 Signal Squadron knew no fear. Soon their numbers would fortify again; heroes would return from their Class 1 courses, and Falcon champions would come home to roost in time for the spring exercises. All 220 Signal Squadron needed to do was wait.
Falcon PACEXby Cpl Michaels
During the hot summer of 2017, 220 Signal Squadron had the task of uplifting the entire Falcon fleet in preparation to conduct PACEX and IBDP for Exercise SPECULAR due to start in January 18. This was completed in September ready to begin the PACEX on 6 November. With the Squadron in its committed year, manning has been tight with the majority of the Squadron either deployed on operational tours, training, or on exercise commitments. This restriction reduced the Squadron to a die-hard few who would go on to work tirelessly in the absence of their comrades.
With nothing more than a skeleton crew, the Squadron began the IBDP. The first task at hand was to get the fleet back into working order. Despair loomed as we began to understand the figurative ‘behemoth’ of a mission unfolding before our eyes; troubleshooting the recent Falcon uplift project coupled with the herculean task of bringing to bear the Squadron Detachments that had been held in light preservation was akin to fighting a mythical hydra. However, our brave Engineers and Operators endured, fighting like Spartans against the Falcon beast – finally beating it into submission and establishing a grey network. The first part of our personal Iliad was complete some time before lunch on Friday.
As dawn broke over Azimghur Barracks on Monday morning, the stalwart efforts of the team were shown to pay dividends. The trials which we had endured the previous week had been passed and our previous tribulations were but memories. The concerns surrounding the vehicle CMAs from the previous week had been righted, our penultimate step on the path to victory. The training objectives set for the exercise shimmered like Elysium on our horizon, within our very grasp. The exercise was invaluable for our newer soldiers; it was an eye-opening experience for them, and an opportunity for them to cut their teeth on Falcon systems alongside the more
Sgt Beckley takes soldiers through their weapon
handling tests
Cpl Farrar, 220 Sig Sqn, instructs troops on how to administer
lifesaving first aid
SPRING 2018 33
Castle Combe Service of Remembrance
by SSgt Lawson, Sp Sqn
As part of the support the Regiment provides to the wider local community, it was Support Squadron’s privilege to be invited to contribute to the Service of Remembrance in Castle Combe. A proud holder of the title ‘England’s prettiest village’, Castle Combe may be more recognisable to some as the setting for Downton Abbey and the film War Horse; for the petrol heads the nearby Castle Combe race circuit may be more familiar.
The small parade contingent was led by Capt Tom Woodall who acted as the Parade Commander; supported by ceremonial marching Troops, soldiers carrying out readings and key security duties. Following the act of remembrance, the parade retired to St Andrews Church for a short service. One of the more distinct aspects of the morning was a brief overview of the 1917 battle of Passchendaele. The congregation reflected on the unimaginable horrors faced by soldiers on the battlefield, with the mud and gas alone causing over 200,000 British casualties; a sombre, thought provoking addition to the morning.
With the ceremonial piece complete, the soldiers were able to participate in a meet and greet with the congregation and were invited to view a display produced by a local historian who illuminated the lives and deaths of local men who had fallen in the Great War.
Support Squadron’s participation in the act of remembrance with such a small community was certainly an opportunity to be cherished, and it was abundantly clear that the presence of serving soldiers made the morning all the more poignant and meaningful to all in attendance.
STRIKE Hotspotby Lt Tom Angus, 204 Sig Sqn
Since September 2017, 204 Signal Squadron has been working with AHQ and teams from industry including BAE Systems, General Dynamics and Airbus to trial and develop the new STRIKE Hotspot Concept Demonstrator. In late December 2017 the Squadron will take delivery of two Hotspot platforms and in early 2018 will commence exercising with them as part of the Army’s experimentation programme alongside 1 Armoured Infantry Brigade.
In November 2017 a team from 204 Signal Squadron deployed to the Land Systems Reference Centre (LSRC) for a two-week acceptance and test exercise. This event was the first chance for soldiers to get acquainted with the STRIKE Hotspot, and with the support of a team of engineers from BAE Systems, enabled operators and engineers to become current and competent with this brand new vehicle. The STRIKE Hotspot brings together existing in-service OpCIS, such as Falcon Early Entry, and TacCIS equipment such as LDG with the addition of new capabilities including Wifi, 4G LTE and a SatCom on the move (SOTM). The STRIKE Hotspot is an early ‘at pace’ investigation into the delivery of services to the ‘disadvantaged edge user’ which, in turn, is a work-strand within the wider LE TacCIS Programme. The two-week acceptance exercise culminated in a visit from Maj Gen Semple Army D Info, who is the sponsor of the STRIKE Hotspot concept demonstrator project, and numerous stakeholders from across the Army and Industry.
Capt Tom Woodall and the ceremonial contingent of Sp Sqn
A STRIKE Hotspot Vehicle with Bowman antenna and roof mounted SOTM
A STRIKE Hotspot with two rear mounted Falcon Band 4 and 4G LTE antennas
A Regimental Christmas Dayby WO2 (SSM) Clarke, Sp Sqn
It was the night before Christmas… well 12 days actually, when 21 Signal Regiment came together to celebrate the festive season. A chance for every member of the Regiment to ‘down tools’ and, almost, forget about Dii and MOSS!It would be nice to report that the setting was a white over, snow filled Wiltshire landscape, with robins going about their daily business. However, as I approached the front gates of Azimghur barracks at 0545hrs, alas, torrential rain and strong winds were there to greet me at Colerne.
The day started with traditional ‘gunfire’ at 0630hrs to awaken those sleepy eyed singley’s, complemented with fine Danish pastries expertly cooked by Sgt Middleton and his catering team’s own fair hands.
A series of Regimental updates followed in the Station Briefing Facility, the ambience was addressed by LCpl ‘DJ’ Montieth, with a fine selection of festive background music. Our in- house Lawrence Llewellyn-Bowen, SSgt Charlie Hart, feng shui’d the gaff with an appropriate amount of contemporary decorations. A number of presentations were delivered capturing key events from 2017 and a look forward to 2018 courtesy of Regimental Ops.
Following a quick mince pie interlude, it was the turn of the Commanding Officer to address the Regiment; a huge well done was offered to all, for the hard work and success across operations throughout the committed year. This fittingly led into a number of commendations, medals and awards that were presented to both officers and soldiers of the Regiment.
Regimental Christmas lunch followed with only a brief enfilade of brussel sprouts, which led into the main events of the afternoon; the eagerly anticipated Officers and SNCOs vs JNCO and ORs Bone of Contention rugby and football matches. Due to the ongoing torrential rain, the football match was played as a five a side match inside the gym (much to the disappointment of the JNCOs). The juniors played well and took a 4 – 2 victory. The officers and SNCOs now knew what the stakes were! Spectators and players braved the elements and moved outside to the rugby pitch, however like Poseidon parting the sea, the rain and wind stopped and the sun shone brightly. Spectators quickly grabbed a warm brew (or something more festive) whilst the officers and SNCOs sorted out some structure of a team! A good competitive game, with no injuries, where the four tries to nil score-line to the JNCOs did not give a true reflection of the game.
Back into the gym, where the Regiment once again formed up for the CO to present the coveted Bone of Contention to the JNCOs and ORs for 2017 (more training in 2018 for the officers and SNCOs).
1600hrs and the sun (yes sun) was starting to set. With the final phase of the Regimental Christmas Day fast approaching, the Sergeants’ Mess were invited to the Officers’ Mess and the doors of the Cpls’ club were opened up to the ORs of the Regiment.
Pics from top to bottom:
• The CO, Ops Offr, QM, OC Sp Sqn and QM(T) receive their LS&GC medals or LS&GC Bar.• LCpl Onyekpe receiving the Afghanistan OSM from the CO.• Bone of contention - crouch, bind, set. • The CO presents LCpl Gwynn with the Rugby Man of the Match.
SPRING 2018 35
work via our hosted SharePoint and email servers with connections provided by the numerous enabling systems that a HOTSPOT vehicle provides. Over the course of the deployment we were able to test and provide capability to the CP via our secure 4G and WiFi networks, in addition to propagating the information via band IV Falcon heads
between the two vehicles and also tying into the existing HCDR network that 215 Signal Squadron were providing.
Overall the entire exercise was a massive success for 204 Signal Squadron, enabling all members to be cross trained across numerous systems within a HOTSPOT, whilst also providing a robust working environment for the staff. No mean feat on an experimental system on its first independent deployment!
204 Signal Squadron by LCpl Johnston
In February 2018, 204 Signal Squadron deployed to Warminster in support of Ex SPECULAR STRIKE; 1 Armoured Infantry Brigade’s experimentation exercise for developing the future of STRIKE CPs.
With a full week of PACEX occurring before deployment, the unique nature of the tactical HOTSPOT vehicles resulted in a large amount of cross training, both within the trained personnel of the Squadron and the BAE engineers who designed and built the vehicle. Deploying on the Friday, a guard was left over the weekend, not for the crypto, but to ensure that the tents and vehicles were not re-deployed by gale force winds, an issue that 215 Signal Squadron seemed to face all week.
The team, headed up by FofS(IS) Robson, started running through the first independent deployment of the HOTSPOT with minimal support from BAE throughout. Tuesday led to the first iteration of the CP that we could directly support, providing a VTC, VOIP and additional traditional OpCIS capabilities to the CP.
For the remainder of the exercise, 204 Signal Squadron enabled staff across different CPs to create and share their
204 Sig Sqn HOTSPOT in and working
215 Signal Squadron by LCpl Bradley
It was a pleasant Tuesday morning when Sabre Troop, ably commanded by Lt Paxton, rolled out of Azimghur Barracks to deploy on Ex SPECULAR STRIKE, which ran from 16 - 26 January 2018. The aim of the exercise was to test a series of different Brigade CP builds, as part of the on-going experimentation as 1 Armoured Infantry Brigade shifts into its new role as a STRIKE Brigade. The exercise was held at the CATT building in Warminster.
It did not take long once we arrived for the heavens to open, and rain was a persistent element of the exercise, keeping man, machine and tents wet throughout. However, this did not deter Sabre Troop, who got on with the task of building the first of our test
CP builds; on the logic the sooner the tent was up, the sooner they could get out of the rain.
Eventually, the tents were up, and the AFV 436s we had brought with us were manoeuvred into position and the interior was built. We settled into a routine; The Brigade staff would arrive and do their thing; planning, meeting and briefing each other in the mornings, then depart after lunchtime. At this point we would tear down the old CP build
and begin building the next layout to be tested. This work often carried on into the small hours of the morning, before we retired to the pure luxury of our, sometimes windproof tents, to catch some sleep before doing it all again the next day.
During the course of the exercise, we received a visit from several VIPs, including Lieutenant General Patrick Sanders, Commander Field Army, who, suitably impressed with the work we were doing, awarded a coin to our complex corporal, Cpl ‘Tex’ Walker, who was most grateful for the award, and told everyone in earshot so, repeatedly.
After the Brigade staff left for the last time, we tore down the CP with almost indecent haste, and got back to Colerne, grateful to be back to real beds and happy for a job well done.
Above - Quick fire round, what Falcon ancillary is this?
Left - Pride of the fleet
Stafford CO Lt Col E ByfieldRSM WO1 S Dennis
Exercise ARRCADE FUSION by LCpl Barnes
I’ve been asked to write a short passage about how I thought Exercise ARRCADE FUSION went. I wondered whether you’d want to know how wet and cold Wales is at this time of year?! Or how most days, the cover we had acted like a fridge, making the warmest part of the day standing around the field water heater, (which was outside by the way), waiting for the well- known mk1 boil in the bag to cook! I wondered also whether to tell you about the long process of building multiple sleep tents, a comms tent and a working area for the staff which, due to the size of the bloody thing, resembled a small bungalow! However, I have decided to tell you that once the build was complete, routine kicked in and the brew station was all stocked up, everyone did their part.
Problems that arose were dealt with efficiently due to the members of the Forward 2 HQ and their exceptional abilities of being downright awesome, which resulted in a smooth, well managed exercise. So much so, that our Forward HQ was given not one, but two COMARRC’s Commanders Coins. Sgt Vicky Welton and Lt Alex Hope both received the award, which I hope shows the combined effort of everyone involved.
We did have a member of our Forward HQ fall off a man truck though, but that’s another story for another time...he’s fine by the way!
PNCO Sunday 1 Oct – Friday 13 Oct
by LCpl Yarranton
The course started on the Sunday evening where we had to complete the pre-course admin. Normally this would be quite annoying but for over 50% of us who were stationed at MOD Stafford, we only had to travel 500 metres to the Regimental Training Wing. On arrival we were greeted by SSgt David Tuck with his amazing banter and a smile brighter than most people’s futures. All the admin points now done we were given the good news that out first timing for Monday was 0645hrs at the Gym for a wonderful Operational Fitness Test (OFT).
A fresh cold Monday morning, dressed in webbing and daysack containing 15kg and the words stand by go! PNCO had started. This OFT was conducted as a streaming run to shake us out into our sections giving each section a fair and even base level of fitness across the board. I ended up in 2 section under the command of Cpl Paddy Hearne. Once this was completed it was a quick turnaround, grab some scoff and then prepare for the mighty death by PowerPoint. Jokes aside it wasn’t actually as bad as expected. The Training Wing Team in the words of Louis Walsh made the briefs their own and put a twist on things which made them far more interesting. A cheeky battle PT session thrown in just to keep us on our toes, broke the week up which was needed and very much welcomed, for some anyway.
Thursday morning came around pretty fast and the Second Battle PT was upon us. The battle PT lesson definitely blew the cobwebs out and got us all on the way out to the training area for Exercise Shakeout. Time to refresh our Basic Close Combat Skills (BCCS) which was led by the Section DS. The date was 5 October and the Signallers amongst us found out the results of the LCpl’s Board and who was selected for promotion. Well done lads and ladies, now a nice well deserved weekend and some homework to prep for Monday.
We were able to pick whatever topic we wanted to prepare and deliver on week two. PowerPoint presentations in our sections ranged from paper boat making from LCpl Paul Harris, to how to complete an ironman, by the ironman himself, LCpl Brad Crankshaw. The most exciting
SUPPORT SQUADRON
OC Maj D Pun SSM WO2 (SSM) J Jennings
217 SIGNAL SQUADRON
OC Maj I Peers SSM WO2 (SSM) D McDermott
222 SIGNAL SQUADRON
OC Maj R Day SSM WO2 (SSM) M Greenfield
248 SIGNAL SQUADRON
OC Maj R Foster SSM WO2 (SSM) S Rai
252 SIGNAL SQUADRON
OC Maj N Coombs SSM WO1 (SSM) R Sinclair
SPRING 2018 37
presentation was from LCpl Chris Wilkinson on Antennas and Propagation. Best 15 minutes of the day!! The next morning we deployed again for the second and final phase of PNCO, Exercise BATTLE STRIPE. We had the weather on our side, the wind at our backs and the mighty 2Lt Alex Lim in command. Little sleep, section attack after section attack, meat sticks and rice for scoff, as a whole we had a good strong section. For the final platoon attack everyone was ready for it. Good communication and bags of aggression from all three sections helped us roll the enemy positions and before we knew it End Ex had been called. It was now 2Lt Lim’s chance to pull out this massive Cuban cigar thinking he was Churchill and celebrate like we had just taken a beach in Normandy! White angels back to camp for a well earnt shower.
As a course we all moved to the Knot and Plough for some half decent grub and a nice cold pint! The awards were given out, a few dits spun with a good laugh and a couple of bottles of port being opened. It was a really good atmosphere knowing that we had all completed our PNCO course, the first promotion course of many to come. I received Top Student Award and LCpl Benny Halmshaw received Top Field Student.
Friday… Final weapon clean, hand in our section kit and a few fuzzy heads. A really well run course by well experienced DS, it was delivered by a great bunch and maximum effort was put in each day for two weeks graft. Well done everyone and a special thank you to SSgt David Tuck for his lesson on how to plan and organize the best Christmas function ever. I just need to COPY all his staff work and maybe I can organise, plan and deliver one like my HERO!!!
AS17by Cpl Mills- Hotel Tp, Cpl Hodgson- Golf Tp, Sig Humphries-
Sp Tp, Sig Parker- India Tp, all 222 Sig Sqn
On 18 September 222 Signal Squadron deployed on AS17 to Imjin Barracks, Innsworth with the role to provide and maintain CIS support to ARRC main HQ. The exercise included a build phase, Staff Officer exercise and tear down. Although this was a 10 week exercise, it was a culmination of nine months of Squadron effort planning and building deployable networks.
A PACEX was conducted prior to the exercise in order for the Squadron to test a fully functioning falcon system, which would not only provide the staff users with secure voice, but also provided a contingency means of communications throughout the exercise.
The build phase for ARRC Main encompassed the whole Squadron due to the size and complexity of the build, which included over 700 UAD’s, across six domains, a fully functioning VTC suite and Falcon Local Area Subsystem. Establishing and engineering the network was accomplished at a rapid rate due to the newly recruited hands from Blandford, which made light work of setting up Node 201. The core services were all established within 24 hours of us turning up at Imjin Barracks.
The build of the full layout took close to four weeks to complete, using a total of 60km of fibre and copper cabling throughout the area, as well as countless man hours of UAD imaging and creating user profiles. As for the Falcon network the HQ build was split into four zones. Zone one being the CPs for 22 Signal Regiment and 222 Signal Squadron, this zone relied entirely on falcon cabling and infrastructure to provide their phones and some PCs on specific domains, the other three zones were deployed utilizing COTS switches patched into the network via fibre optic cabling installing by our Telemech support team.
After the initial deployment there came the inevitable tidying up and such to make the HQ fit for the staff users, and this saw almost all of the Squadron’s personnel zip tying cables up, or taping cables down, trying to either hide from view or prevent users tripping the several hundred cables that are required to power devices or allow them to connect into the network.
Once the first staff exercise began, Exercise ARRCADE CHARGER, the Squadrons role changed from building and creating the working areas to providing real time support to the staff users. The service desk was at the front line providing this role, with the NER providing our second line support. It began like most other exercises, an intense rush of faults the first couple of days, with the number of faults reducing throughout the duration of the exercise. This was a fantastic opportunity for the junior lads of the troop to get out fixing faults as second line support, gaining valuable knowledge and a greater understanding of the role that the Squadron has. This was a big exercise for LCpl Sumit Limbu who took the lead on CHARGER, as a junior CSE he stepped up and performed above the standard expected of someone of his rank and seniority. There were very few Falcon faults that required direct support during the exercise, most of the requests received were of the advice and information type and this has helped our newly qualified Falcon operators grow in confidence and improve their understanding of the Falcon network and their part in it.
Exercise ARRCADE CHARGER by Lcpl Rana Magar
B Troop, 217 Signal Squadron, 22 Signal Regiment was deployed on Ex ARRCADE CHARGER in Swynnerton Training Camp from 9-19 October 17 as a Forward HQ (Fwd 2). We set off from Stafford Camp early morning and arrived at Swynnerton Training Camp forty minutes later! We were to occupy a building to set up the HQ. On arrival, the team got the brief from the boss, Lt Hope and Sergeants Welton and Hunter on how we were going to achieve the build. Although the building was not favourable, with the roof on our head constantly leaking, everyone worked really well together and completed the build by the next day. Once the build was completed we settled into the routine; the sad thing was that no one brought swimming trunks as the building had a pool of water and we could have had a good PT session out of it!
All the comms were in and being monitored by the guys that were on shifts. On the day when the staff users arrived, everything went well and we were glad to know that they were happy with what we had all achieved.
Finally, it was time to leave the area and return to Stafford Camp with high morale, until we get deployed to Caerwent for the main phase of the exercise series: Ex ARRCADE FUSION. Hopefully the next location will be dry and warm. Well, we can only hope!
CO's Challenge Military Skills Competition 2017 by LCpl Amir K Gurung, ES Tp, Sp Sqn
Basic Military skills are the bread and butter of any serving soldier and essential for the operational effectiveness of the Unit. It is the duty and responsibility of a soldier to keep up with the standards of military skills set by the Army. On 29 November 2017, a Military Skills Competition was organised by SSgt Tuck under the direction of Training Officer Capt Parkinson. The competition was open to all ranks with a maximum number of 36 soldiers representing per Squadron. It is an important event of the Commanding Officers Challenge 2017 and included activities such as Navigation, Assault Course, BCDT, CPERS, Observation and Burden Retrieval. 248 Gurkha Signal Squadron had been the winners of the competition for the past two consecutive years and were also keen on winning this year. But before they could once again attempt to secure the win they had to face a fierce battle with the four other Squadrons of the Regiment, one of the Squadron being ours, Support Squadron. Due to heavy commitments that particular day we had 14 members competing in the event. The team was led by Cpl Gautam and was the second smallest in number amongst the five Squadrons. However, it is said that quality is better than quantity and all 14 of us were well prepared and highly motivated to perform our best for the Squadron. At 1030hrs we departed Beacon Barracks for Swynnerton Training camp and arrived at the location at 1100hrs. Upon arrival we were briefed by Capt Parkinson and SSgt Tuck about the competition. The competition was divided into five different stands that included Navigation, Assault Course, BCDT, CPERS and Observation, with the final event of a Burden Retrieval competition within the Squadrons. Each event tested the soldiers’ military skills, drills, physical robustness and team work. Support Squadron started the competition with Navigation where a team of four soldiers had to navigate individually to checkpoints carrying 15kg weight. It was followed by the Assault Course with a team of eight crossing the obstacles carrying CEFO and rifle. The third stand was BCDT where a team of six soldiers had to triage, safely evacuate and treat three differing casualties. CPERS and Observation were conducted in a fire team; here we had to deploy on a short patrol and then react to the situation as it unfolded. With a sound knowledge of this vital skill and coupled with Cpl Gautams clear orders we secured a tie with 248 GSS. The final event of the day was the Burden Retrieval which meant that a win between any of the two Squadrons would secure the overall competition winner. The race started at 1530 hours with 248 GSS in the lead and it seemed liked they were again the winners of this year. But with the sound plan delivered by SSgt Vaughan and the physical determination from the team, Support Squadron bounced back securing a win in the race. The day ended with Support Squadron being crowned the winner’s of the CO’s Challenge Military Skills Competition 2017.
The Sqn OC Maj Dhir and WO2 (SSM) Jennings were both extremely proud and happy with our efforts and congratulated all of us with a case of beer upon arrival back in station.
During the rest phase, the Squadron’s efforts were the change requests and tidying second line faults for Exercise ARRCADE FUSION and following on from a successful ARRCADE CHARGER and COMMEX, we went into ARRCADE FUSION well prepared. With a CSE embedded in the service desk providing immediate second line it kept the work flow in the NER to a steady pace, meaning the troop could conduct some low level training to improve their knowledge. The exercise was relatively quiet until Cpl Batten was arrested by the RMPs for an exercise scenario JCHAT breech, to the entertainment of everyone in the troop who had no idea what was going on.
The Squadron also deployed with its own support troop maintaining all generators to ensure the continuation of services at all times. Working with the Royal Engineers, we conducted power changeover tests to ensure our power plan had the correct contingency plan in place. The first changeover test meant we had to change from a CAT generator to the FEP’s with minimal disruption to the NER. With little help from the Royal Engineers we managed to complete the changeover like the hero’s that Support Troop are.
All in all another successful exercise for the Squadron providing all necessary services for ARRC Main and supporting other nodes not just within the Regiment, outside our standard obligations. The Squadron’s efforts were noted by all staff officers and COMMARRC was happy with the end result, awarding LCpl Millman a COMMARRC coin for providing exceptional VTC services to the exercise. Nine months of Squadron planning finally paid off in the end.
SPRING 2018 39
Exercise CEREBRAL WHISKEY
On 19 Nov 17, all members of W Troop went on an educational visit to the historical town of Shrewsbury. The main aim of this visit was to enhance team bonding and gain information on the history of Shrewsbury. Everyone was really excited about this visit because Shrewsbury is the birthplace of Charles Darwin, the man about whom we had only read in books.
The schedule for the day was to first visit Dana Prison, a historical 17th century prison, followed by a visit to the Shropshire Light Infantry museum, a walk in the town via many landmarks and dinner at the Troop Commander, Lt Hattie Griffith’s, house in the evening, which we were looking forward to because our Troop Commander has a long history with the Gurkhas.
After an hour and half’s journey from Bramcote camp we arrived at the Dana Prison in Shrewsbury. A local historian was on hand to brief us on the importance of the prison. It was mesmerising to know the facts about the prison and amazing thinking how the prisoners would have lived in the prison. The whole tour took about two hours and everyone was excited throughout because it was the first time for us all in a prison.
SUPPORT SQUADRON
OC Maj T Lappin SSM WO2 R Widdison
244 SIGNAL SQUADRON (AIR SUPPORT)
OC Maj O Ford SSM WO2 O Cloney
250 SIGNAL SQUADRON
OC Maj A Lish SSM WO2 J Rai
256 SIGNAL SQUADRON
OC Maj C Mulligan SSM WO2 Grainger
258 SIGNAL SQUADRON
OC Maj J Long SSM WO2 Steel
The tour of Shropshire Light Infantry Museum was again another exciting prospect for us all. I had wondered whether any history of the Gurkhas would be mentioned or not. I was happy as well as proud to see that a lot of things were mentioned in the museum about Gurkhas. We were all pointing out to each other whenever we found something about our forefathers and friends. The museum had all the weapons and equipment used during the world wars and as new as HERRICK in Afghanistan. We can only imagine the hardship of the soldiers who fought in those days. A big salute to them!
We then gathered together and went to the town centre for a walk. The historian showed us the school Darwin had been to. There was a huge statue at the front of the school in his honour. There were many historical buildings in the town that dated from the 16th century. How well they were preserved, I was really surprised! We then visited two important bridges, the English bridge and the Welsh bridge, almost a boundary between England and Wales.
At the end we were all tired and were eagerly waiting to go to Lt Griffith’s house. When we arrived her family warmly welcomed us. We could see so many pictures and portraits in the house that reflected Nepalese culture. We had a nice Christmas dinner and then chatted with her family. Overall, the day’s visit was fantastic. Finally we departed safely back to the camp and were well energised for the next day.
CO Lt Col M Fayers RSM WO1 S Hopkins
Defence Engagement Tour to United Arab Emirates by LCpl Taylor
16 October saw the beginning of the Defence Engagement tour to the United Arab Emirates, in which members of the Women’s Army Football team were representing the army. A team of 26 of varied ranks deployed to the UAE, this included three representatives from the Royal Signals including LCpl Taylor from 30 Signal Regiment, Sig Murray and Sgt Jaffe.
The aims of the tour were to promote sports and fitness activities within the female community. It was also an opportunity for the army to empower women via sport, to offer an opportunity for girls and young women in these countries to play football.
Whist on this tour we visited and were hosted by a number of countries including Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. This was a great opportunity for us to play some competitive football matches, this including two of their national sides. The army won all five matches including 4-0 win over Dubai and 2-1 over Bahrain. The Army Football Team and supporting staff also had the opportunity to coach in schools within the communities and were invited to local football clubs and sporting facilities. This included the Football World Cup venue for 2022 in Qatar.
These experiences not only allowed us to help educate and motivate females within these communities but it also allowed us to embrace their culture and way of life. A thoroughly rewarding experience for all those involved!
SPRING 2018 41
Visit by the Canadian 32 Signal Regiment
In December we welcomed Lt Col Ken Lloyd the Hon Col of 32 Signal Regiment - our namesake in Canada.
Connecting through social media earlier in the year, Col Ken, and his wife Julie, were invited along for an informal visit when we discovered that he was spending the festive season here in the UK and had relatives in Scotland.
A visit was organised to Poppy Scotland Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory, the National War Memorial for Scotland (thanks to Maj Colin McRory who works there) and to our own Hon Col, Col Ruth Davidson, at the Scottish Government Buildings.
Returning to RHQ in Glasgow in the evening, Col Ken was welcomed by CO Lt Col Rhidian Jones; exchange of gifts and a tour of the magnificent historical Officer’s Mess by Capt Terry McVey and Sgt Rab Brannigan was followed by the usual warm hospitality from the troops of 52 Support Squadron.
An enjoyable, enlightening and informative visit that will hopefully be the start of a productive Commonwealth communications connection. Indeed, it is hoped that some HF training can be arranged in the near future – in the meantime social media is keeping us connected.
Pics:1. An overwhelmingly warm welcome from everyone at the factory.2. Lt Col Ken making his very own poppy.3. Outside the National War Memorial for Scotland with Maj Colin McRory.4. The Royal Signals Team.
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CO Lt Col RM JonesRSM WO1 (RSM) D Jackson
Exercise LEVANT GRENADIER
On 4 Dec 2017, 32 Signal Regiment’s Adjutant, Capt Will Easton, and RSM, WO1 Derek Jackson, deployed on Ex LEVANT GRENADIER, a Battlefield Study to Israel, led by Maj Matthew ‘Sticky’ Whitchurch of Warfare Branch, Field Army.
The objective of the study was to improve understanding of current and emerging doctrine by extracting exploitable lessons from past operations in Israel but the Adjt and RSM were also attending as part of a recce, in preparation for Ex HORSESHOE WARRIOR, a 2 Signal Group’s Battlefield Study, in May 18.
The first few days were spent in Jerusalem, studying the battles of Field Marshal Allenby during the Great War including the Battle of Beersheba and the capture of Jerusalem. Both proved rich in lessons for the modern day officer even though they took place over 100 years ago. The Battle for Megiddo, for example, demonstrated a master-class in military deception and even some early use of Signals Intelligence and Electronic Warfare.
The exercise then moved north to study the Yom Kippur War, and, in particular the fight between Syria and Israel on the Golan Heights.
Hugely outnumbered, the Israeli defenders held the Heights in one the largest Armoured battles in history and for the officers it raised numerous key points of interest including the importance of training to overcome surprise and supporting manoeuvre operations.
The highlight of the tour for the Adjt was the fact that the conflict was more recent (1973) and former IDF officers were available to provide first-hand experience.
“This was an outstanding opportunity to better understand the realities of war”, explained Will, “uniquely it was possible to actually ask questions of the commanders rather than simply studying the doctrine of great leaders of the past.”
Ex HORSESHOE WARRIOR will take place in May 18. Thirty young Regular and Reserve Officers from within 2 Signal Group will travel to Israel to conduct their own studies in order to better understand their new roles as a result of Army 2020 Refine, including supporting deployable formations.
“The exercise proved very inspiring and generated a great deal of debate between the officers on the study with a number of key themes being explored including the design and use of Reserve forces, mobilisation and training.”
And Will continued, “The academics did an excellent job of bringing the history to life; many of the battles studied took place at locations of great religious significance, such as the Sea of Galilee so everyone took the opportunity to explore these places such as the Old City and world famous locations such as the Holy Sepulcher.”
“There is little doubt that this unique training opportunity will prove invaluable in the junior commander’s education.”
Pics:1. Inside the Holy Sepulcher.2. The Adjt and RSM on the Golan Heights with Syria in the background.3. View over the Golan Heights and into Syria.4. The exercise being addressed by one of the IDF Battalion Commanders who fought on the Golan Heights during the Yom Kippur War.
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SPRING 2018 43
Exercise NORTHERN SKI CHALLENGE 2
A challenge it certainly was with 21 skiers spending 8 days in Les Arcs learning to ski and gain their Ski Foundation qualifications (SF1 and SF2). With three instructors, 2 of whom were Regulars (WO1 Hall from 4 Yorks and SSgt Power from 1 SCOTS), 17 Squadron personnel came together from 4 Squadrons to learn to either Alpine Ski or to improve on their qualifications gained from previous years. Maj Heather Lawrie, OC 51 Signal Squadron, is no stranger to the outdoors and coming from the Aviemore area is certainly not put off by snow, “Skiing does not scare me that much” said Heather “and so I use it as another part of leadership training, overcoming my fears and working with the soldiers around me to do the same thing.”
Qualifying for her SF2 Heather admits that it may have been daunting on some occasions, “It helps me focus better, it is different from mountaineering but the similarities such as watching the weather, avalanches, first aid and group dynamics certainly play a big part.”
The weather was variable – they were even snowed off on the first day. There were hot sunny days, rain, freezing wind and, of course, snow, all of which gave positive learning for the students. And this did not stop our intrepid individuals. Capt Jonny Graham, recently qualified through Sandhurst, jumped straight into the SF2 course, “What a fantastic experience – our instructor Ian (aka SSgt Dom Power) knew how to push us outside our comfort zones. Whether we were flying down the piste or skiing off the piste (usually on our backs) we all developed our skills beyond our imagination.”
Cpl Gilmore, part of 40 Signal Squadron, (affectionately known as the ‘Belfast Five’) admitted that skiing did not come naturally to him, “I was on continuation training from SF1 and found this week extremely beneficial” and laughs “I feel I have turned a corner, literally, as parallel turns were my main issue!”
Organiser and the third instructor, Capt Dave Buckingham, was very impressed with the enthusiasm of all the team, “The aim of this week was to enhance all our core values such as discipline, physical and mental courage and morale by introducing personnel to Alpine Skiing in a challenging environment; in doing so they were awarded a Skiing Foundation qualification (SF1 and 2).” Eight people qualified for SF2 which is off piste skiing and a further eight qualified for on piste skiing over various levels of difficulty (red and blue runs).
With a high risk of avalanches everyone received safety presentations including the formation of snow and snow types along with factors influencing the likelihood of an avalanche. In the video you will see our skiers leaning about transceivers – an orange device that emits radio signals that can be traced in the event of a person becoming buried in the snow.
The group was split into three groups – beginner (instructor Jimmie Hall), intermediate (instructor Dave Buckingham) and advanced (instructor Dom Powers). Each day the skiing saw a huge progression of skills culminating with smaller groups on the final day taking to the slopes independently and consolidating the weeks skiing training with group management skills also being tested.
Along with this highlight there were other high points such as a yoga session (at the UCLA accommodation) that eased the aches and pains and some training at nearby La Plange – reputed to have some of the best skiing in the Alps. And then, of course, there was the admirable performances at the last night’s karaoke session!
A fantastic week was had by all – summed up nicely by Sgt Tony Broadley from 51 Signal Squadron, “I would recommend the SF2 training to anybody who is up for a challenge.”
Pics:1. SSgt Steve Williams ski touring.2. Capt Ian Conlan admiring the view.3. SSgt Dom Power having time out for a photo.4. SF2 training.
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Pics:1. The RST training to take Scotland's lead for 'Race For The Line 3' - visiting 26 schools over the next few months.2. Passing Phase 1A - ex regular David McRobb who is joining the Corps Pipes and Drums.3. 40 Sig Sqn charity event to raise money for RSBF - Sgt Henshaw and his team rowed and cycled 246 miles.4. Sgt Billy Taylor, Cpl Rob McInnes and LCpl Gina Jones - All ex regulars being attested by 51 Sig Sqn PSAO.5. First practice of the year for the Regt's shooting team.6. Colin Menzies being attested by CO Lt Col Rhidian Jones.7. Lt Jonny Graham passing Sandhurst Officer Training - here with his mentor Capt Dave Buckingham.8. The Field Electrical Power System simulator (FEPS) being tested out by Edinburgh College students - a new recruiting tool for the RST.
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SPRING 2018 45
Exercise TEES KNOWLEDGE 18 was 50 Signal Squadron’s annual conceptual training event, that focused on Op MARKET GARDEN - a large scale airborne operation that was undertaken between 17 - 25 September 1944.
The exercise began with pre-reading which was posted on a Defence Connect Site set specifically for this exercise. On arrival at Darlington, personnel from across the Regiment, (largely from 50), were given two presentations by the official guide Brian Shaw – these covered a general overview of the war in Europe from 1939-44 and a synopsis of Op MARKET GARDEN.
The operation involved the first allied 1st Airborne Army comprising the British 1st Airborne Division, the American 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions and the Polish 1st Parachute Brigade. Ground forces comprised of 30 Corps in the centre of the ground Campaign with 8 and 12 Corps on the flanks. The aim of the operation was to capture a series of bridges in Holland and allow the Allies a clear run at Germany and force an end to the war in Europe by Christmas. The airborne troops had the task of landing along a 68 mile long corridor north to south and capture a series of bridges all behind the enemy lines.
With the pre-reading and presentation marrying nicely, the participants retired to research and answer their respective conceptual questions. Access to DII and open source web sites ensured the syndicates were able to gather plenty of relevant information in order to deliver a comparative study between events in 1944 and current doctrine and equipment that would be available should the military be faced with a similar operation today.
Shortly before 1500hrs on 1 Feb 18, the participants headed by coach for the Hull to Rotterdam Ferry. A 2.5 hrs drive and the usual customs checks complete, the team settled into the overnight ferry crossing – the ‘all you can eat’ restaurant proved too much for many!
On arrival at Rotterdam the team made for Joe’s Bridge and the site of the Form Up Point (FUP) for the 1st Irish Guards Division of 30 Corps. After a presentation by the guide on the taking of Joe’s Bridge and the Breakout of 30 Corps en route to relieve the now landing Airborne Troops, the first of our syndicate briefs was delivered. The first brief centred on the
use of deception when mounting a deliberate operation against an obvious target. The group led by WO2 Lesley Ann Read, delivered a compelling narrative comparing techniques used in WWII to the multitude of deceptive capabilities open to Commanders today.
Next stop was at the Valkenswaard Commonwealth War Graves Commission site to see those killed during the Breakout. The first of many sombre and reality altering experiences of the trip.
Then it was onto the advance of 30 Corps on its breakout, focused on the artillery barrage by over 350 field guns, along a 2km front for the first 30km. Following the guide’s presentation, WO2 Dave Walker's group delivered their comparative study between divisional artillery used then and now - the differences in capabilities and numbers was staggering and the team had obviously worked hard to research this information.
After a short coffee break they headed for the first of the 101st Airborne Divisions objectives at Son. Here our guide described the first of many battle changing engagements and hammered home the time taken to replace bridges that couldn’t be taken intact and its ultimately fatal consequences in the overall outcome of the operation. It was also at this site that we had our third presentation by WO2 Mick Jemmetts syndicate who delivered their study revolving around engineering assets and their current capabilities. The parallels drawn left all present in no doubt we are better placed these days to not be left without the initiative when the enemy deny key features to us.
The last two stands of the day saw the team move to the Nijmegan area and the 82nd Airborne Divisions area of responsibility. First stop the road bridge at Grave, where they were left in no doubt from the guide's presentation, that the initiative of a platoon commander changing his Landing Zone led to the fall of both strong points and inevitably the fall of the Bridge.
On to the southern bank of the river Vaal and the scene of one of the most valiant acts of the operation - the river assault, in wooden and canvas construction boats, by the 504 Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division. During its crossing powered by oars and under heavy mortar,
EXERCISE TEES KNOWLEDGE 1832 Signal Regiment
Royal Signals personnel buried at Valkenswaard
artillery and machine gun fire over 75% of the troops were either killed or wounded before the fall of both the rail and road bridges.
The scene of the combined 82nd Airborne and Guards Armoured assault on the park overlooking the road bridge was the last stop of the day – here the SS command team were forced to conduct a withdrawal following the unsuccessful attempt to demolish the bridges. 2Lt Johnny Graham and team gave a striking parallel drawn between ISTAR assets available to the Allies during WWII and those available to commanders nowadays.
A hotel stay just outside Arnhem allowed the group to rest and reflect on the days learning before heading to one of the most catastrophic military failures for the British Army in WWII.
The second day started at the site of Drop Zone X, here on 17 Sept 1944 a highly successful airborne drop served to be the only thing to go as planned for the ill-fated British Divisions action. Following a brief on modern communications systems and their comparisons to those used during the operation the group, led by Capt Barry Hunter, outlined the major differences and capability jumps and their likely benefits for any similar modern operation; the fact that the plan was doomed before the first paratrooper boarded a plane or glider in England by virtue of the capability gaps in the in-service equipment served as the most sobering lesson of the trip so far.
The site of the ambush of one RECCE troop heading for the Arnhem Road Bridge along 1st Parachute Battalions line of advance provided a stunning example of how an inability to maintain momentum in battle can allow a reactive Florence to take back the initiative and ensure the failure of a major operation.
The Arnhem railway bridge, C Coy 2nd Parachute Batallions task for capture on 17 Sept, however the inevitable delay getting from the DZ to the o objective allowed the Germans time to place their explosive charges and demolish the crossing before C Coy could secure it. A short walk further down the road was the site of an action that resulted in the posthumous award of the Victoria Cross to LSgt John Baskeyfield who was awarded for defending a vital
crossroads with only two 6lb antitank guns against an overwhelming enemy armour opposition on the Oosterbeek perimeter.
Our next stand was the infamous Arnhem Road Bridge and the scene of two paras heroic battle to maintain a bridgehead waiting for a relief column of 30 Corps which would not come. A poignant brief on the actions at the road bridge by the guide was followed by a syndicate brief. WO2 Daz Cattle’s group briefed on modern Anti-Armour weaponry in the urban environment; the group detailed the plethora of options open to the modern army and drew some striking parallels to the less effective systems available to 2 Para Bn in 44.
The second to last stand of the last day was the Hartstein Hotel, the site today of the Airborne Museum, but in 1944 the headquarters of the 1st Airborne Division. The museum tells a compelling tale of a desperate fight to hold until relieved by 30 Corps, and, ultimately one of the most compelling rear guard actions and convincing tales of morale and physical courage coupled with selfless commitment to allow 2500 personnel to escape to the south leaving nearly 7000 dead and wounded behind. With the museum visit complete SSgt Dave Riches syndicate delivered their brief on withdrawal and the concepts of modern doctrine.
The final stand before heading to the ferry was the most moving of the trip so far; the Commonwealth War Graves Commission at Oosterbeek where over 1700 service personnel died during the fighting in Sept 1944. Our final syndicate presentation, air resupply by WO2 Dave Ross and his team, looked carefully at the modern capabilities and variation, the staggering benefits afforded to modern commanders simply by having vertical take-off capabilities thus allowing for rapid resupply in a confined environment not to mention the ability to extract casualties. The payload capabilities of a modern combat cargo fleet versus the immature avionics of WWII proved a stark contrast.
All in all a powerful and enlightening journey through one of WWIIs greatest military disasters, giving all those that attended the ability to learn from command mistakes and successes alike. Drawing modern parallels to afford a conceptual study that has truly added a physical representation just cannot be afforded in the classroom environment.
LCpl Wilson briefs modern ISTAR assets and their doctrinal employment in the Lee of Nijmegen road
bridge Joe's Bridge
SPRING 2018 47
An exciting period for the Regiment as we said bon voyage to Maj Sandy Hennis as she set off to cross Antarctica with the #icemaidens; 2Lt Marshall passing out of Sandhurst; Warwickshire police receiving the ERS Silver award; various Remembrance Day commemorations and the SPS Detachment making an interesting visit to the Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC).
Congratulations to the cross country Team who won the 2017 Minor Unit Champion Trophy at the Corps Championships and to WO2 Alison Clarke who won the plate competition at the Army Badminton Championships as well as being selected to represent the Corps.
At the time of writing, the #icemaidens have made good progress into the 1,700 Km expedition; they are halfway to the South Pole and crossed the 88 degree line on day 19.
CO Lt Col R J LovettRSM WO1 (RSM) KempRedditch
33 (LANCASHIRE) SIGNAL SQUADRON
OC Maj P Knight SSM WO2 Wilkinson
48 (CITY OF BIRMINGHAM) SIGNAL SQUADRON
OC Maj L Sewell SSM WO2 Gurung
54 (QOWWY) SIGNAL SQUADRON
OC Maj S Kielty SSM SSgt C Smith
64 (CITY OF SHEFFIELD) SIGNAL SQUADRON
OC Maj A Powell SSM WO2 Hallewell
Prior to their departure the Ice Maidens completed a number of training events, including Ex ICE BAMBI in
Norway, where they practised many of the skills required for this arduous expedition
Below: The all female team met the Countess of Wessex at Sandhurst prior to their departure; to see how the
team got on follow them on Twitter #icemaidens and at www.exicemaiden.com
The cross country team
Find out how the Ice Maidens made history in the next edition of The Wire
when we bring you the full report.
11 Signal and West Midland Brigade Employer Recognition Scheme Awards, 27 Oct 17
by Maj Sewell
Warwickshire Police were awarded Silver at the 11 Signal and West Midlands Brigade Employer Recognition Scheme Awards on Friday 27 Oct 17. Maj Lucy Sewell, Officer Commanding at 48 Signal Squadron, is a Police Inspector with Warwickshire Police, during her 24 years police career, Warwickshire Police have been very supportive to not only Maj Sewell as an Army Reservist, but also veterans, cadet instructors, Navy and Royal Air Force Reservists employed by the Force. Warwickshire Police recognises skills and experience of their Reservists and veterans, for example the leadership and management skills taught to Reservists dovetail with the skills required as a Police Officer and enhance their performance. The Force has a positive HR policy on Reserves, which authorises staff to
have additional annual leave to be able to attend Reservist training.
Maj Sewell said, “as a Police Officer you have to make difficult decisions that can have serious consequences, the Army Reserves has developed my decision making and gives me the “fight” to work through difficult situations rather than “flight” or “flop”. I deployed to Afghanistan in 2012 as a Police Advisor working with the Welsh Guards who were the Police Mentoring and Advisory Group, despite being part of a small team, my manager and colleagues were very supportive for me being released for the 12 months. The additional leave the Police give me helps towards a better work life balance”.
Exercise JPA CHALLENGE, 27-29 Oct 17 by LCpl Kayleigh Stokes
During the weekend of 27-29 Oct 17, with the rest of 37 Signal Regiment safely deployed out on Ex GLOBAL WAVE (a Comms based exercise), the Reserve AGC SPS detachment came together at RHQ in Redditch to conduct their our own training weekend. SPS personnel from all four Squadrons attended. Teams arrived on the Friday night and were greeted by Maj Wayne Cope (RAO) and cheery as ever WO2 Dave Hood (RAWO). Following on from a previous SPS training weekend in which we went through the NOTICAS procedure, Saturday morning saw us travel to the JCCC (Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre) at Imjin Barracks, Gloucester, to see what happens next following initial notification.
2Lt Marshall with Sig Holmes-introduction to Luge in Austria
Congratulations to 2Lt Nick Marshall on passing out of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) after completing the eight week consolidated training package for Army Reserve and Professionally Qualified Regular Officers. 2Lt Nick Marshall is a member of 54 (QOWWY) Support Squadron based in Redditch and he will now start a year’s attachment on the “Lead First” scheme.
Nick is an outward bound instructor in his civilian work capacity, but is taking time out to consolidate his commissioning and fast track his Junior Officer training. The “Lead First” Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) package will enable him to gain a considerable amount of experience in a short period of time; he will be a Troop Commander in Redditch, undergo Royal Signals Officer training in Blandford, complete an attachment to a Regular Royal Signals unit and become involved in a range of Adventure Training and other exciting opportunities.
2Lt Nick Marshall at the Pass Off Parade on the Sandhurst steps with Maj Sean Kielty,
OC, 54 Sp Sqn
Maj Lucy Sewell and Chief Superintendent Alex
Franklin-Smith, Warwickshire Police
37 Sig Regt SPS Detachment at JCCC, Gloucester
SPRING 2018 49
On arrival at JCCC we were welcomed and given a very detailed brief in a luxurious briefing room that was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in November 2015. The brief explained to us the procedure for notifying families of casualties and the importance of ensuring service persons emergency contacts and details are up to date and correct. We were also informed of what happens next and given explanations of all the various roles that people have at the JCCC, such as the sections dealing with the service person’s estates, dealing with the press and war graves to name but a few. JCCC also share their location with the Medal Office and we were even given the chance to have a look around the medal room. The medals office assesses, engraves and issues all UK military medals to serving personnel, veterans and their next of kin. They also deal with selected civilian medals such as MBE’s and OBE’s. The walls were adorned with cabinets full of medals and awards immaculately polished and mounted.
After an informative morning, it was back to Redditch and on to our afternoon’s activities. All Squadron’s had been tasked with presenting on a specific SPS topic and to make it relevant to the Reserves. Cpl Brian Hardy and Pte Frank Ujhely (33 Signal Squadron), were up first with their topic to explain the process for administering Home to Duty Travel for Reserve personnel. Following on were myself (LCpl Kayleigh Stokes) and LCpl Diane Brotherston (48 Signal Squadron) on Move and Track, Sgt Louise Birch and Cpl Gordon Kilvington (64 Signal Squadron) on Service Day’s Pay Giving and finally Sgt Sue Walton (54 Support Squadron) on I-Expenses. All presentations were well planned and informative, and during discussions afterwards we were able to share our experiences and further information on the subjects.
Sunday morning was all about numbers – much to the delight of myself and one or two other members of the detachment. We started by having Microsoft Excel refresher training by the RAWO in which we all learned something new, and through discussion, all shared handy hints and tips. We finished off the day by having our heads completely frazzled with an introduction to the basics of double entry bookkeeping! It took some of us (myself included) slightly longer to grasp it than others. It was a welcome change to the normal routine of death by Powerpoint and JPA training. We all departed Sunday afternoon having enjoyed another great training weekend, getting together with other members of the detachment whom we don’t always see that often and learning new and valuable skills for our roles as SPS Reserves.
Remembrance Sundayby Sgt Wahid, 842 Sig Tp, 33 Sig Sqn
It was a poignant moment for this year’s Remembrance Sunday as 842 Signal Troop, located in Rusholme, had the privilege of parading once again in Manchester. Since the disbandment of 33 Signal Regiment in 2009, there have been no serving Royal Signals representatives at the city centre commemoration, and the Troop have instead attended the service in Prescott, Liverpool, where 33 Signal Squadron enjoy the Freedom of the Borough. The day began with a uniform inspection where Sgt Pinnock took the award for the best turned out soldier. Following some final drill rehearsal, for the benefit of our newer soldiers, the Troop departed to the centre of Manchester to form up alongside a myriad of other cap badges and associations.
The Troop, previously of Squadron size and strength, posed for a photograph outside Manchester Central as was customary for 42 Signal Squadron during their tenure. We were proud to welcome WO1 Kevin Westall, as former SSM of 42 Signal Squadron and a very familiar face, in accompanying the Troop and ensured our step did not falter in front of the thousands of spectators lining the streets around the Cenotaph. Though the rain held off, temperatures were glacial and the band served as a pleasant distraction to the numb feet and legs.
For the older members of the Squadron, it was a great opportunity to meet up with ex-service members for a warming drink and reminisce. Many of the Royal Signal Association members commented that it was great to have a Royal Signals presence again in Manchester. We ended the afternoon with a welcome curry and families’ day back in Rusholme, together with 6 MI; which provided a chance to get to know key members of each unit, collaborate on future projects and to work with each other for specialised future training. In conclusion, it was an excellent day enjoyed by all who attended. Families and friends left with a greater understanding of what the Army Reserves is all about.
In true AGC SPS style the evening consisted of us going out for a sophisticated three course dinner at The Boot Inn, Studley, complete with complimentary Halloween
masks
A crisp step off and the parade culminated in a salute to dignitaries at the Central Library to the crowd's applause.
It was a great opportunity for local families to attend and see partners, mothers, fathers, sons and daughters taking part in the Parade, a first proud moment for
many parents
Kayak, Run, Cycle, Swim, Tab, Orienteer, Stretcher Race
10 May 2018
POC WO2 (SSM) Jase Sheehan Email: 2SIG-214SQN-SSM Mil Phone: 94777 5702 Phone: 01904 665702
Event Organiser Maj Dean Whitworth
Email: 2SIG-214SQN-OC Mil Phone: 94777 5707 Phone: 01904 665707
£300 Major Units £200 Minor Units
2 SIGNAL REGIMENT
SPRING 2018 51
Race The Sun
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by SSgt Welsh
Exercise ALPINE MERCURY GLACIER XXI is the Royal Signals Alpine Ski Training camp designed for all levels of skiers, Novice through to very experienced racers. The event has been based in Zell Am See in Austria for a few years now and once again the location did not disappoint. The Corps was able to produce an amazing turnout from both Regular and Reserve units amounting to over 80 soldiers involved. The exercise is designed to get the best from each skier with three full weeks of ski instruction followed by one week of racing.
Six members of 39 Signal Regiment attended either all four weeks or part of the exercise: Maj Richard Collins (RAO), Maj Gaz Topps (OC 93). Capt Stu Keenan (Adjt), WO1 Richie Ayling (Team Captain), WO2 Paul Kinsey and SSgt Steve Welsh.
What actually happens on Ex AMG – going skiing for four weeks sounds like an amazing experience and it is and although fun has been had there is also a lot of hard work for those who participate with a typical day starting at 0600hrs – once showered and fed we head to the mountains to get set up. In conditions of minus 15 to -25oC we carve a part of the slope into our race course, a few lucky skiers will be given the opportunity to carry the kipstanging (race poles), drills to get the race poles in, it is not like TV, everything is done by the racers and the instructors. Once the course is ready the teaching can begin and down the slope we go, one at a time so the instructor can critique. A phrase used quite often by the instructors was to get lower and no matter how low you thought you were, yes we had to get lower still.
You will feel pain all over your body by just skiing down the mountain at high speeds but sometimes it goes all wrong and as we were going back up to the top of the mountain, we were looking down from the gondola and we could see a group of skiers
around one skier who was not moving and the safety skidoo was going towards them. It was one of the Corps team, the experts. You then have an immediate sense of realisation that it could happen to anyone but you keep going because that’s what we signed up for.
We were lucky to receive training from some of the best instructors in the Corps and they all had the same aim, to get us ready for race week. Although everyone had improved in their skiing ability nothing prepares you for the skimpy race suit that we must spray on and wear in weather of -25oC, it is not the warmest of clothing.
The final week is race week and there is a lot of setting up and organisation with the start gates, the course that we will hopefully make down safely and the finish gate, you have two runs down the course daily and you also get an opportunity to be a gate keeper which WO2 Paul Kinsey seemed to love doing.
The ski competition which consisted of Giant Slalom (GS) and Slalom was an amazing experience for everyone. The first two days we would be racing GS and the second two days we would be the Slalom racing. There would be team races and individual races but everyone gave their best for all races. As a team 39 Signal Regiment finished 5th out of 17 teams that competed which was an amazing achievement. Two team members were rewarded with some silverware which made the experience more immense. Well done to Maj Richard
Collins and WO1 Richie Ayling.
Exercise ALPINE MERCURY GLACIER 17
Bristol39 SIGNAL REGIMENT
OC Lt Col V Connelly TD SSM WO1 Ellis
93 (NORTH SOMERSET YEOMANRY) SUPPORT SQUADRON
OC Maj G Topps SSM WO2 R Vise
The ‘ski off’
The RAO powering out of the gate
39 Sig Regt alpine ski team from L to R: SSgt Steve Welsh, Maj Richard Collins,
Capt Stu Keenan, WO2 Paul Kinsey and WO1 Richie Ayling
Set for the seeding
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Exercise HORFIELD HARMONY93 (North Somerset Yeomanry) Support Squadron
We formed up our merry band of men, mostly dressed in civilians but some of us just love uniform too much so decided to wear that instead. With the usual ‘on the bus, off the bus’ we eventually departed for Yoxter Training area in the heart of the Mendips. That was all very short lived as no more than 500m out of the gates a small cry from the back of the mini bus was heard; “I’ve left my kit back at camp”. The SSM’s face screwed in anger, plotting the punishment to the soldier that dared do this. Pan bash? Guard on the Saturday evening? So many ideas but unfortunately for him it was a new recruit who owned up, leaving the SSM deflated with only a steely glare as punishment. Everything else went swimmingly and we duly arrived at camp to be greeted with 36 man rooms and plastic wrapped mattresses. We were then given two presentations by WO1 Mick Durrant on the High Readiness Reserve (HRR) and Ex LION STAR, the Regiment’s annual camp to Cyprus in 2018. We finished with further details of the following days training and were broken down into our sections.
Ahead of the main exercise, the two Bowman dets from 93 Support Squadron departed early on the Friday for development trade training. Picking the coldest weekend this year, Cpl Steve Appleton soon warmed up Sgt Mo Morris and Sig Harry ‘Perry’ Mason as they were erecting masts and establishing comms as part of their Mod 5 and Class 2 workbooks. Rehearsing a full set up of the detachment was soon rewarded with some shelter to grab warm food and a hot drink. Overnight the temperatures dropped and the Mendip Hills did not disappoint as the soldiers awoke to sleet but overall there was a lot achieved and the experience will prove invaluable to these soldiers. A hearty bacon butty removed the sensation of cold and wind before they immersed themselves into the main exercise.
With the arrival of the remaining soldiers, the communications stand practised the CS Operators (ably assisted by medics and recruits) in setting up the detachments, providing comms with their manpacks, full cam up of the detachments and set up of Light Field Generators. The weather improved and having met several of the desired Operational Performance Statements, the troops departed for their remaining stands whilst using the opportunity to practice VP with the detachments. A good training weekend with real estate to practice larger set-ups and some impromptu cross-country driving due to the mud.
The Saturday greeted everyone with an overcast start and light drizzle as Cpl Josh ‘all the gear’ Seller and Maj Rob
Palfrey set out to set up the CEO stand for the day. Cpl Seller was ferried in the back of the GS Rover across the training area over every single bump, rut and pothole that SSgt Oly ‘McRae’ Neeve could find - quite possibly the longest five minute journey of his life. Once he had fallen out of the back they set about building the CEO lane. The ground proved quite interesting for the Valons as not only is it a training area but it was once a Roman lead mine. The amount of clutter from the Valons was staggering but this only helped to focus the mind on the task in hand. 1 Section arrived and were taken through a Ground Sign Awareness lesson before moving on to the basic function of the Valon. As a confirmation, Maj Rob Palfrey then took the soldiers along his custom made CEO lane that still worked despite SSgt Neeve driving over it to deliver the brews. For the majority this was a new piece of equipment to them and the feedback was that it was of great value and interest. 2 Section were next in line to repeat the stand but not before a classic range stew from Sgt Emma ‘Mary Berry’ Fox to get some warmth back into everybody.
Sgt Ben ‘Smooth Operator’ Carter and Sgt ‘Harvs’ Harvey delivered MATT 5 navigation over the weekend utilising the four stand locations to navigate between. Individuals were put into two syndicates and given a map of the ground and 6-figure grid references of the different stand locations to be used throughout the day. To maximise training they were also given VHF Manpacks to communicate back to zero to report their current location and to keep them thinking about their position on the ground. Map reading fundamentals were required to get between the stands and everyone had a different leg of at least 650m to navigate including relating the map to the ground and taking bearings using a lightweight compass. There was a navigation practical stand to help reinforce and evaluate their skills where each individual had to identify their own location, orientate the map, take a magnetic bearing and identify ground and map features. With a bit of theory refresher and a reminder of the importance of DDCRAPS (Direction, Distance, Conventional Signs, Relief, Alignment, Proximity, Shape), everyone sailed through. On the night navigation they were put into pairs and given three grid references no more than 300m apart. They had 15 minutes to get any bearings and distances between checkpoints and then their maps were taken away so they had to use pacing and a lightweight compass to get between checkpoints. No-one got lost, not even Sgt Ian ‘Fair Weather’ Bailey much to Cpl Steve ‘Bear Grylls’ Appleton’s frustration.
Ex AMG 17 was a successful exercise which built team cohesion, fitness and gave an amazing experience to all who attended. We hope to build on this achievement and spread the word on what an amazing opportunity this is for both Regular and Reserve soldiers. We aim to take two teams from 39 Signal Regiment in 2018 and we hope this exercise continues to be supported. We all received excellent tuition from some of the best ski instructors within the Corps and for that we are thankful. We have built relationships with our sister Regiment and the wider Corps and this can only be positive for the future of the Royal Signals. These events do not just happen, there is a massive amount of work that goes on to bring these events together, so as a team we would like to thank all those involved in the administration and organisation.
Sgt Morris ‘educating’ Sig Mason
SPRING 2018 53
Lord Mayor’s Show 2017 - by Cpl Sharp
After two days of polishing tack during the week, the Lord Mayor’s Show (LMS) Mounted Detachment and Support Team had one more early start. They were up at 0430hrs to get to Hyde Park Barracks before road closures were put in place, and to ensure that they had as much time as possible so that both the horses and riders were immaculately turned out. After final checks before leaving the safety of the stables, the detachment formed up on the parade square with the Band of the HCMR and the Mounted Detachment of the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY) at 0830hrs. Following an inspection by Cpl Maj Scholes, the whole ride was closely inspected by the Riding Master, Maj Chambers.
The ride, with police escort on both horseback and motorbike, made their way along South Carriage Drive to Hyde Park Corner, paying respects at the memorial to those lost in the 1982 IRA bomb attack as they passed by. Traffic was halted and they made their way through Wellington Arch and down Constitution Hill, saluting HM The Queen as they made their way past Buckingham Palace and on down The Mall. The route then deviated from previous years and instead of passing under Admiralty Arch (thwarting a great
photo opportunity which LCpl Nick Asamoah was most miffed about!), they proceeded along Horse Guards Road and then along the Embankment to the FUP (forming up point) in various small streets in the vicinity of The Guildhall. After a brief leg stretch, the riders re-mounted and, since it was 11 November, observed a two-minute silence at 1100hrs, along with everyone else participating in the parade, which was very moving. The horses were quite anxious to be off and found some of the procession a little overwhelming whilst waiting, but everyone coped well and managed to keep their horses under control. Once the Inns of Court and City Yeomanry Band came into sight, the detachment breathed a sigh of relief, as the music helped the horses to keep calm. In fact Hyderabad, 2Lt James Raynor’s horse, seemed to enjoy it so much he was prancing!
The first half of the procession went relatively well with only one of the horses being out of sorts for the last half an hour; however, the presence of the Support Team, walking alongside the horses, helped to keep things under control until reaching the “Pit Stop” at Middle Temple.
31 (MIDDLESEX YEOMANRY AND PRINCESS LOUISE’S KENSINGTON) SIGNAL SQUADRON
OC Maj A Orr SSM WO2 A Davidson
36 (ESSEX YEOMANRY) SIGNAL SQUADRON
OC A/Maj D Monk SSM WO2 T Pun
68 (INNS OF COURT AND CITY YEOMANRY) SIGNAL SQUADRON
OC Maj S Bumby SSM WO2 R Cullumbine
265 (KENT AND COUNTY OF LONDON YEOMANRY (SHARPSHOOTERS)) SUPPORT SQUADRON
OC Maj Baker TD SSM WO2 Springer
CO Lt Col SWG Rankin VR RSM WO1 (RSM) Saxton
OC’s UPDATE – 68 (Inns of Court and City Yeomanry) Signal Squadron - by Maj Bumby
Another busy few months for 68 Signal Squadron. After ACT in Scotland, the Squadron had its annual MATTs weekend, and then the
busiest weekend of the year taking in the Belgian Dinner Night, Lord Mayor’s Show and
Remembrance Parade. That was followed the next weekend by Exercise PHOENIX FROLIC 1. In usual Devil’s Own style, these have all been
delivered to a very high standard by the Squadron
68 Sig Sqn and the wider Sqn family outside Lincoln’s Inn on Remembrance Sunday
68 Sig Sqn Riding Detachment on parade at the Lord Mayor’s Show
The detachment had an opportunity to rest once they reached Middle Temple and both riders and horses enjoyed refreshment in the form of curry for the former and carrots and apples for the latter. The Pit Stop is also an opportunity to welcome guests of the Squadron and Regiment to enjoy lunch and meet the detachment, although obviously the horses were the main attraction!
All too soon it was time to re-mount and both the detachment and the Support Team stepped out at approximately 1400hrs to join the procession escorting the Lord Mayor from the Royal Courts of Justice back to The Guildhall. The Support Team not only helped the riders to keep control of their mounts but also had a key role in public engagement i.e. high fives and hand-shakes! The Squadron’s part of the procession finally reached the Guildhall approaching 1500hrs and they then made their way to a quiet side street to await the rest of the HCMR in order to return to Hyde Park Barracks as a consolidated ride.
The tack and horses were finally deemed acceptable by 1800hrs. Back at Lincolns Inn they were greeted by SSM 68 Signal Squadron and the riders were awarded a Rough Riders badge in recognition of the fact that they are now members of an exclusive group of men and women who have represented 68 Signal Squadron and 71 Yeomanry Signal Regiment by riding in the Lord Mayor’s Show. Well done to all of them!
Exercise PHOENIX FROLIC 1 - by Lt Raynor
After the success of the Lord Mayor’s Show and Remembrance Parade, the Squadron took the opportunity to get ‘back to basics’ on Ex PHOENIX FROLIC. Soldiers and officers exchanged the stirrups for cam cream, and set off to Longmoor for the weekend. The aim of the exercise was simple: to strip things right back and get into routine; fighting for comms in a tactical environment.
After a particularly chilly night the Squadron woke on the Saturday and began lessons with newly posted SSgt Stu Barley delivering quality training on siting a comms platform and map recce. We then had Cpl Mark Noble and LCpl Richard McCarthy going through the basics of setting up a mast and finally, fresh from a successful CLM we had Cpl Claire Sharp teaching camouflage of an installation. The Squadron was joined for the weekend by 10 Cadet Detachment from Eastbourne. They’d be playing our enemy and were definitely up for the challenge.
Lt Col Rankin VR – our new CO joined us for the lesson phase, interacting with cadets and the Squadron alike before a quick
parade. Sig Nick Hawkins was promoted to LCpl after successfully completing his PNCO course. His first few hours as LCpl were interesting to say the least – more on that to follow. Then the CO saw fit to promote yours truly, thank you Sir – an excellent decision.
With the light beginning to wane we deployed across the area. The mission was simple – get comms in to zero and don’t get caught by the cadets in the process. With 2Lt Jay Rainsford ably guiding our young enemy they were quickly in on a 68 Signal Squadron installation. They got close but Sig James Betram-Smith rushed them before they could get too close. Seeing they were cold and wet, he invited them in for an M&M before sending them out again into the perilous dark.
The next morning most of us woke with ice on our doss bags. The cadets hadn’t had the most successful night – a good result for the Squadron and a confirmation of our soldiers’ quality. However with orders from zero for installations to move, they had a fresh chance in the dawn light. LCpl Teslenko’s voice came over the net announcing he’d seen the enemy. Unfortunately for him – he’d seen them running away after successfully ‘tagging’ the detachment. However, this LCpl’s day was going significantly better than LCpl Hawkin’s was. Newly promoted he thought he’d sack off all his driving training and beach an FFR. SSM Cullumbine was there to take a photo.
Successfully recovered by SSgt Dave McGhee, the Squadron got back to London and LCpl Hawkins remained (just) a LCpl. Overall a really successful exercise – confirming we know how to do the basics well (bar driving!) and that we continue to move from strength to strength.
LMS Mounted Detachment 2017: Lt James Raynor, SSgt Maggie Kelly,
SSgt David McGhee, SSgt Danny Metcalfe, LCpl Shanell Johnson, Sig James Bertram-Smith, Sig Richard Gibbs, Sig James Rideout
and Sig Emma Stewart.
Support Team: 2Lt Ranny Wei, LCpl Carolyn Langley, Sig Shelley Abel, Sig Sarah Pratt
and Rct Othman Ahmed Ali.
Landrover Drivers: Sig Christopher Vickers and Sig Lancaster.
Promotion! Congratulations Lt Raynor
Less than 24hrs after being promoted, SSM 68 Sig Sqn considers reversing the decision to
promote LCpl Hawkins
Royal British Legion Remembrance Service, Royal Albert Hall - by Maj JP Baker TD
The Squadron was honoured to be offered the opportunity to participate in the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall in front of HM The Queen. The team of one officer and nine soldiers led by the Officer Commanding Maj Paul Baker spent the preceding month’s drill nights undergoing kit inspections and practising drill, with the focus on descending sets of stairs which is a skill which does not always come easy. Having passed our Regimental muster under the eagle eyed RSM we were ready to embark on a further two days of training at Wellington Barracks and the Royal Albert Hall for the event itself. This was completed under the excellent instruction of the Garrison Sergeant Major and with the remainder of the 120 who made up the Army contingent, as well as the RAF and RN contingents.
The day of the event, Saturday 11 November saw us rehearsing before breakfast by marching down the steps on a number of occasions, in order to join the muster parade for the service. This was followed by a full dress rehearsal and then the matinee and evening performance. Our soldiers also took part in the performances to mark 100 years since the Battle of Passendale, as well as 100 years of service by women in the armed forces. The event was both emotional and enjoyable, with a great sense of elation to finish and have our photographs taken in the arena after the event.
265 Support Squadron Sunday Remembrance Parade, Bexleyheath
The Sunday morning after the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance saw the Squadron on duty once again for the Borough Remembrance Sunday parade and civic service of remembrance. The Army Reserve Centre and reserves are utilised to host such dignitaries as the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the London Borough of Bexley, Councillors and representatives from the Borough Police and Fire Brigade departments. All the local cadet units take part in the parade, ranging from contingents of the Army, Air, Sea, Marine, Police and Fire cadets. The event concluded with a curry lunch in the Squadron bar which was well received by one and all, including a contingent of extremely well turned out veterans who enjoyed a glass or two of vintage port with the PSAO Capt Steve Slaney. Additionally former members of the Squadron and families of the reservists were in abundance enjoying quality time and curry served expertly as ever by LCpl Sylvia Akabil.
OC’s Update – 265 (Kent and County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters)) Support Squadron by Maj Baker TD
After ACT (Annual Camp) our soldiers have been very busy completing trade and career courses and we were pleased to recently promote Sig Emma Stewart and Pte Matt McNally to LCpl pending passing their PNCO course, Sig Billy Stevens completed his CS Op Class 3 trade course, Sgt Charlie Woo and Sig Sarah
Needham-Beck were presented with their Class 2 certificates, and Cpl Porter is currently in sunny Blandford on his CS Op Class 1 course.
Capt Ian Mackay has reluctantly given up his job as Squadron 2IC and has now moved over to RHQ into the role of QM (R), good luck in your new appointment. Capt Dave Alleyne has taken over the role as the Squadron 2IC. The Squadron has been very busy providing support and soldiers in the Lord Mayors Show, Royal British Legion, Festival of Remembrance and the Bexleyheath Remembrance Sunday Parade, where
over 200 Reservists, Cadets and Veterans marched out of the ARC to the Bexleyheath memorial. We were lucky to have on the parade the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the London Borough of Bexley and the Bishop
of Rochester, a true honour. The key Assured Training weekend in November was Exercise PHOENIX FROLIC where over 32 Squadron members congregated at the ARC in Bexleyheath for CT1 Comms
training, central Chef and Clerk training and physical development, whilst Cpl Craig Langley and his merry band of medics provided excellent real life medical training for members of 36 Signal Squadron in
Colchester.
L to R - Cpl Crane, LCpl Lovett, Sig Needham-Beck, Cpl Harries, Maj Baker TD, Sgt Woo, Sgt Way, Sig
Michaelson and Sig Hawes
Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s Great War Remembrance events, Israel - by LCpl Weatherall
On a dark and cold autumn’s morning SSgt Sutton and LCpl Weatherall flew out from London Heathrow to the sunny and picturesque Mediterranean coastline of Tel-Aviv in Israel. This trip, subject to popular belief was not a holiday, but by special invitation of the British Embassy, a chance for members of the Regiment to go and pay their respects to their former Yeomanry comrades who paid the ultimate sacrifice fighting in the Middle East in The Great War. After arriving mid-evening and settling into the hotel, there was ample opportunity for SSgt Sutton and LCpl Weatherall to go out and explore the city and undertake some local Israeli culture.
Sunday was an early start, as the pair had to get up and travel to the Israeli city of Ramla. Whilst in Ramla the soldiers took part in a multi-national ceremony which honoured, gave thanks and most importantly remembered soldiers of all nationalities who fought in the Great War predominantly and other wars thereafter. This included SSgt Sutton laying a
wreath on behalf of 71 (City of London) Yeomanry Signal Regiment.
After the ceremony the soldiers had the splendid honour of spending Sunday afternoon being hosted by the British Ambassador to Israel Mr David Quarrey CMG. Tasks included raising a glass to the fallen and interacting with local dignitaries and people of importance in Tel Aviv.
Then before we knew it, we found ourselves into Monday morning and heading off to our next destination, this was the small Israeli area in El Mughar, which was now under the jurisdiction of the Israel National Parks Authority. This particular place had some significance to British military history as on 13 November 1917, Yeomanry soldiers outnumbered, on horseback and with the lower ground, stormed the hill, surprising the Turkish soldiers and only losing 16 soldiers in the process and taking a key strategic point. It was very humbling, to pay respects at the sight of this famous battle. The ceremony itself had much more of a civilian feeling to it and less of a military presence with music and readings coming from local schools and the town mayor , however this did not mean it was any less moving or important as the one 24 hours previous in Ramla.
After the service SSgt Sutton and LCpl Weatherall were very lucky to have a mini battle tour laid on for them which provided great insight and education into a Great War campaign that both conceded they didn’t know too much about in comparison to the Western Front.
Tuesday was their last day in Israel, but arguably the item on the agenda they had been looking forward to the most, this was a guided tour to the historical city of Jerusalem. Highlights included the Wailing Wall, the Damascus Gate and a walk through the bustling markets in the Arabic part of the city.
Many thanks must be given to the British Embassy for organising this trip and inviting members of the Regiment to
come and pay their respects. Without the Embassy’s hard work, forward thinking, determination and drive this trip would not have been made possible. So to that end the Regiment would like to offer their sincere thanks and appreciation for allowing SSgt Sutton and LCpl Weatherall to have the opportunity to have witnessed and taken part in something which many a soldier may never get a chance to experience in their careers.
Pics:
1. Lord Mayor’s Show Marshalls - Capt Mackay, Capt Alleyne, Maj Francis & Maj Cahill.2. Acting as a shock casualty from a mine strike on Ex PHOENIX FROLIC, Sgt Michelle Hughes showing the lads who’s boss! 3. Sig Stewart during training at Sandhurst.
SSgt Sutton laying a wreath on behalf of 71 Sig Regt at the Remembrance service in Ramla
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Bone of Contention – by Cpl Rose
After a busy year for 216 (Parachute) Signal Squadron the silly season was in full swing.
The Squadron’s annual Bone of Contention sees the junior ranks face off against the seniors
and officers. In previous years this would be a rugby match! With the juniors winning in
2015 and 2016, the seniors and officers had some clawing back to do. This year was a
slightly different layout to previous years seeing the competition being scored over four events.
Event 1 - Tug of War
Tug of war refereed by WO1 (RSM) Dunn. The juniors took an early lead but their optimism was short lived as the seniors and officers quickly “pulled” it back and saw
them walk away with a 3-1 win!
Event 2- Rugby
Rugby. A hard fought game with a special guest referee JJ Walker, an ex Squadron member. This saw SSgt ‘Asda’ Summerfield looking like a junior NCO punching bag and being mistaken for a panda for the next couple of days
and the seniors and officers walked away victorious with a close hard earned win.
Event 3 - Gladiator Wars
A mystery event and the Team Captains were told to fill the nominal roll with boxing weight classes and to
collect head guards and gloves before arriving. With this information the rumour mill started to turn, as the
whispers flew the men were expecting a free for all P Company style milling. This was not the case. They walked into Alpha Troop garages to find a gladiator
style arena. The junior ranks chose who they wanted to face off against. The contenders called forward into
combat were the likes of MTO Capt Lancaster, OC 216 Maj Harris, 2IC Capt Howley and RSM WO1 Dunn, who
fought like they had been sat behind a desk for a while! This saw the juniors take a fairly easy win.
Event 4 - Zorb football
Zorb football. Despite the fact that the zorb bubbles were colour coded team dependant, everyone acted like it was the film “The Purge” and everyone was a target. After an hour of individuals getting bounced around like bowling
pins the game finished with a draw as neither team actually remembered there was a football and a goal!
The Squadron retired back to Alpha Troop garages to some good old fashioned range stew where the RSM
presented the Senior team Captain SSgt ‘The Romance/The Hair Adj’ Machin with the Bone of Contention trophy.
Colchester
Exercise ASKARI STORM 2017 – by Cpl McCarthy
On 7 November 2017 I deployed on Exercise ASKARI STORM in support of the 3rd Batallion the Parachute Regiment.
It was an early start when we got picked up and taken to Heathrow Airport to catch a civilian flight to the capital of Kenya, Nairobi. The bus on the other side picked us all up and took us to a Kenyan Armed Forces camp to stay the night before traveling north to our different locations. Soon enough the time came to travel on and covered in mosquito bites I grabbed my bags and off we went to LAB, to the North of Kenya.
When we finally got to LAB I was told immediately to have my things ready to go as I was deploying on to the exercise area up at Archers Post with another soldier. We eventually got up to our first location called FOB Twiga. It was only a small FOB no bigger than 100m by 100m where myself and LCpl Mason jumped straight into action fuelling and servicing the FEPS generators that had been put in the FOB prior to us getting there. All the power kit had been laid out for us which made our lives significantly easier. It was still a lot of humping and dumping in such a hot climate. We traced a few legs of power equipment so we could draw up a rough power plan in the coming days.
The main HQ consisted of HICON and EXCON. They were our biggest immediate supply power priority and for the coming days which turned into weeks at FOB Twiga. Then the magic words ‘end ex’ eventually came over the net and within six hours the whole camp was stripped down to a bare minimum, baring in mind there had been 400 people living within the proximity of this FOB. There was no down time though as this was just a practice exercise for the FTX.
We travelled roughly 30km’s west of FOB Twiga to a new location called FOB Simba where this time 550 people would be living. Over the next three days LCpl Mason and I, with help from an LEC took part in building the camp from scratch, putting up tents then supplying these tents with power so they could see at night with lights and three pin plugs to charge laptops etc.
Then came the biggest task, powering up HICON and EXCON. This turned out to be relatively easy due to the recent exercise and knowing what went where and how much power everyone would need in the Ops rooms. The Brigade Commander turned up in a helicopter when it was all set up and the exercise went live. LCpl Mason and I went into routine, checking the power and titivating as and where we saw fit and the other person would fuel the generators and be on a quick notice to move if anything went wrong throughout the camp and the Ops room. The main exercise lasted just ten days (which felt like ten months) and again on the Friday morning ‘end ex’ was called. That whole day was spent stripping the camp down with the LEC’s and packing it into the MAN SV’s and ISO containers. I was back on LAB camp that same night due to the quick turn around. With some kind words to the QM of 3 Para the 216 lads were allowed out of camp to go and eat the first non ORP meal in nearly a month, which went down really well.
The next morning the coaches arrived to take 40 men to the airport to fly out that night. After a few close calls on the bumpy roads of Kenya we made it to the airport and flew back to the UK.
SPRING 2018 59
QM and Mike Troop Adventure Training package by Sig Jenner
On 6 November 17, 12 members of the Quartermasters department and Mike Troop from 216 (Para) Signal Squadron deployed on a well-earned stint of Adventurous Training. We had the opportunity to try parachuting which was conducted in Netherhaven, Wiltshire. For the non Para trained lads this was a unique experience to taste parachuting for the first time. However with the altitude much higher than you would jump a Low Level Parachute in and with the luxury of steerable canopies this also provided a challenging experience for the Para trainer men!
There was a mixture of emotions about this course. Some people were excited and some people you could see the fear on their faces. Even so there wasn’t a single refusal when it came to the exit from a perfectly serviceable aircraft.
The first two days consisted of ground training, while doing this we learnt how to land correctly and what we needed to do if our chute fails to open. On the third day we went in early to optimise the amount of time that we could use to get up in the air. Whilst waiting for the coach to arrive we were all stood around in a circle joking around and coming up with excuses why we wouldn’t be able to jump, we were doing this because we were so nervous. Nevertheless nothing got in the way of our first jump, even though it was finger numbingly cold. After boarding the plane it took around five minutes to get from the ground to the correct height for us to leave the door. Sig James ‘JJ’ Jenner was first to push himself from the door and one by one everyone left without a problem. Cpl Stuart ‘Baggie’ Bagshaw, remembers it being so cold he could hardly move his fingers when he landed. Cpl Nick ‘van-dan’ Byers said that after he landed, his first thought was to wrap himself up in his parachute to help him warm up.
Best facial expression when leaving the plane has to go to Sgt Mahendra ‘Limbs’ Limbu as seen below.
to the next RV. LCpl James ‘essence’ Ellison rested his Bergan on an old fence of a bridge which promotly snapped. This resulted in him falling three metres down a re-entrant in the pitch dark. Luckly his bergan took the brunt out of the fall and after having a quiet moment to himself in the dark and dragging himself back out it was back on with the patrol to the next RV.
When we arrived we were told to ditch our bergans and switch to fighting order, this coupled with a road move onto the SENTA training area left morale sky high. Losing the weight meant we could cover the ground quicker and make up some of the time that we had lost.
After achieving a good pass on the CPERs stand we were on with the patrol and the next stand which saw us dealing with a mine strike, mulitiple casualties and the media. After Sig Ben Bowels had cleared a route to the casualties, Sig Callum Ireland was called forward to triage the casualties and treat them in the correct way which we carried out succesfully coming away with a 90% pass.
The weather was getting worse by this point and it was getting harder to navigate and push on. The promise of getting undercover for a brew and a hot scoff was crushed once the Patrol Commander realised we had slipped behind time and needed to crack on. This led to a mini snap by Sig Ryan ‘Buzz’ Burrows who completely crumbled and may have shed a tear at not getting his three hot scoffs in a day.
At the next RV we were led into a building which contained the Arty/recognition stand. SSgt Ansell and I moved into a simulated OP to call in fire on an armoured target over the net while the rest of the patrol wrapped on identifying different types of armoured vehicles, drank some brews donated by the RHA and got their heads down. We successfully destroyed the enemy targets, jumped out of the OP to complete the recognisation serial as the lads hadn’t and were on to what we knew was our last stand.
Storm Brian was in full force by now as we moved on to the next RV which was a set of QBOs and the Section attack. We were to mount an attack on an enemy positon and retrieve a flash drive from a downed UAV drone. After a set of QBOs under red light using a sketch map we were led to the LOD by the indig guide. With a burst of overhead fire and illum going up we started our attack. With the well known shout by SSgt Ansell of “get in the river” we successfully retrieved the drive.
After the final 4 km leg and a long debrief we stepped out of the farm building as the sun was coming up and we had been
on the go for 46.5 hours.
With over 60% of our phase not completing and being the only non infantry team to finish we didn’t know what to expect when it came to the award ceremony. We were the last team to be called forward, every other team had managed to bag a Silver with the Rifles team who were running the event getting a Gold.
216 (Parachute) Signal Squadron were awarded Silver!!
Cambrian Patrol 2017 - by Sig Scott
The day of the competition arrived and after a McDonalds breakfast we set off for the start point. We were given the instruction to move up to the next point which was a wood block in which we had a couple of hours to construct a model of the ground, distribute ammuntion and plot a route which would make best use of the ground. This was all from the Warning Order that the Patrol Commander had given us while he was busily writing his orders.
The orders were delivered in detail by the Patrol Commander and the 2ic Cpl Josh Richards under the watchful eye of the Infantry Battle School DS. We were finally ready to move off and were told we were the last team in our phase to do so. We donned all our kit, which by this point weighed in excess of 120lbs each, and set off for the first RV.
As the sun went down so did our morale and we started a long slog though the night towards the FRV for the recce. Numerous short halts gave us a chance to relieve the weight off of our backs for a couple of minutes at a time before the 30 second call to get going again. After getting a couple of hours sleep we dragged ourselves out of our warm doss bags in the dark to get changed back into freezing, soaking wet kit before stepping off into the rain to get to the FRV by first light.
Once in the FRV the Patrol Commander and LCpl Dale Coleman went forward to conduct the recce of the enemy postion. Finding it deserted they decided to take a closer look to get as much information as possible. They discovered that the enemy camp wasn’t deserted at all when a van turned up and parked within five metres of them and the occupants had a conversation with the occupants of the deserted enemy tent. This led to a tense five minutes as the recce pair had to leopard crawl up a hill back into the tree line.
As we continued with the patrol everyone was starting to struggle with the weight and also the terrain. We could finally see Usk Reservoir on our right hand side as we rounded a wood block which meant only one thing, the river crossing! We had rehearsed this many times in the build-up training so we knew our SOPs inside out. The plan was to put on Gore-Tex and leave dry kit waterproofed in bergans, we’d then use our bivvy bags to add an extra waterproof layer by putting the bergans in them and float across under cover of the other fire team. What we didn’t take into account was the bergans we trained with were half the size of the bergans we now had and didn’t fit in the bivvy bags, the banks at the entry and exit point were like an ice rink from the mud and previous teams. This turned a slick drill into a comedy sketch with patrol members slipping, crawling and having tantrums as they couldn’t get any traction. We completed this stand and after being held for a period of time in wet kit we were allowed to move off. This allowed us to break track and get dry (damp) kit back on and some well-deserved hot scoff and a brew to warm up.
Our second period of darkness was setting in as we moved off
SPRING 2018 61
NEW YEAR'S HONOURS LIST 2018
Many congratulations to the following personnel who received formal recognition in the 2018 New Year's Honours List:
PROMOTIONS IN AND APPOINTMENTS TO THE MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MOST HONOURABLE ORDER OF THE BATH
As CompanionsActing Lieutenant General Ivan HOOPER
PROMOTIONS IN AND APPOINTMENTS TO THE MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MOST EXCELLENT ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE
As MembersActing Corporal Thomas Oliver BRIGGS, Royal Corps of Signals
Captain Kevin KIRKHAM-BROWN, Royal Corps of Signals, Army Reserve
Staff Sergeant (now Sergeant) Louis John CLEARY, Royal Corps of Signals, (now Army Reserve)
Sergeant (now Staff Sergeant) Matthew Robert McGLOWN, Royal Corps of Signals
Captain (now Acting Major) Grant WALLACE, Royal Corps of Signals
Captain Timothy Shanti HOLMES-MITRA, Royal Canadian Corps of Signals
Wesel Ladies Night Mess Function - by Sgt Hughes
As the year drew to a close, getting into the spirit of the holidays saw the British community enjoy some festive revelry.
First up we had a unique mess function which incorporated the 24 year Dine Out of Cpl Andy Southwood, Ladies Night and a Cpls to Sgts mess night all in one. A three course meal in Kasino Gesellschaft followed by presentations of the Queen’s Warrant to WO2 (CSM) Tony Muers, WO2 (RQMS) Al Winter and WO2 (YofS) Ross McDuff. Thanks to some clever networking from SSgt Adam Stares, one of the local bugling troupes from the Schutzenfest was present to provide the musical entertainment.
Brit Christmas Function
A short eight days later and the Christmas function was upon us. Held at Hotel Tannenhauschen, a spa and fitness resort here in Wesel, set in the picturesque location of a small copse of woods and a full complement of Christmas decorations the scene was set for a good night.
As people arrived they were greeted with fire baskets on the hotel patio and a glass or two of gluhwein from our trusty waiter, Mike, who was diligently taking drinks orders from all 26 of us and doing his best to keep up.
A three course meal of traditional German cuisine was served before everyone headed downstairs to the hotel disco to continue the night’s festivities.
Summer Mountain Foundation - by LCpl Bywood
Early November 2017 I attended the Summer Mountain Foundation Course in North Wales. The course was only a week long and saw me dramatically improve my navigation and practising some skills I haven’t used since basic training. The Monday morning we all sat in the classroom and had a meet and greet with all the instructors and Wing Commander, before going into the Welsh mountains. Tuesday was good,
News from other Units/Troops
summiting our first mountain peak, which provided some beautiful views and after a quick brew on top we descended back to the minibuses. Wednesday was our longest day with some challenging navigation, this definitely helped confirm everything we had been learning for the past two days.
Thursday was when we had to prove ourselves and wild camp just below the summit of Snowdon. We arrived at the campsite in good time and were set up and cooking in time to watch the sun set over the mountains. However as soon as the sun set, temperatures dropped and everyone was quickly in their sleeping bags and asleep by 1900hrs to get a solid 12 hours sleep. When morning came everyone couldn’t wait to break camp and make our way to the café from where we were getting picked up. After a couple of hours of micro-navigating we finally got to the café and enjoyed the biggest breakfast they could provide. All in all it was a good week and definitely improved my navigational skills and spiked my interest in doing more mountainous training in the future.
CO Lt Col Andreas Kubitz (DEU Army) RSM CWO Steve Base (CAN Army)
LCpl Andrew Bywood (right) grabs a breather on the descent from Trefan
Staff Sergeant D. J. (Mac) McGilp
Does anybody know the whereabouts or have the contact details for Mac McGilp?
In 1977 he was a member of the joint services crew of HMSTY Adventure on the Cape Town to Auckland leg of
the second Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary, the crew are holding a reunion and are trying to contact Mac to invite him to join
them.
If you can help trace him please contact:
Roger Caesley [email protected].
LOST COMMS
A Duty Trekker’s Guide - Visit to Eastern Nepal
by Cpl Kamal Limbu, NST
A duty trek has always been on my wish list as it is one of the opportunities where as a Gurkha you can get to explore your own country. After getting posted to Nepal Signal Troop (NST) the day finally arrived for me to be a Trek Guide for Capt Jones, SO3 G2/3/6 of British Gurkhas Nepal. The aim of the trek was to become familiar with the terrain, visit Area Welfare Centres (AWCs) staff and assist GWS in the sponsored post-earthquake rebuilds of individual homes and schools. I am from a beautiful town called Dharan that lies in eastern Nepal but have not travelled to many places in the east. I was glad and excited to find out that we would be trekking to the east.
There are two routes we could take from Kathmandu to Dharan. After a brief discussion, we decided to take the new Banepa-Sindhuli-Bardibas highway. There are lots of twists and turns and the road itself is very narrow for two vehicles to pass by. It requires some experience and skill to drive on such a mountainous route in Nepal. After a 10 hr long drive, we managed to reach BGD safe and sound. We were greeted by Head of Dept BGD, Mr Chandra Rasaily and had a short brief about our trek. Whilst checking our kit I asked No.1 Porter if it would rain this week. He looked towards the sky, both eyebrows pulled in middle, wrinkled forehead and said with full confidence, “No Guruji, it will not rain throughout this week.”
The next day we, including four porters, made our way to Khadbari AWC, which lies in NE Nepal. Saheb, for the first time, got to test a traditional Nepali drink, Tongba made by a Sherpa lady. Although the road from Hile bazaar to Khadbari was bumpy and bouncy, it was a pleasure seeing the beauty of nature that we don’t get to see in the crowded Kathmandu city. At around 1500hrs, we reached AWC and were greeted by Welfare Officer (WO) Capt (Retd) Rajan Rai. After a normal AWC brief, we visited a few houses of ex-Serviceman that were completely or partially damaged during the earthquake. They were either being repaired or rebuilt under the close supervision of the WO. A widow pensioner (WP), whose house was being rebuilt, looked very pleased to get a new house and thanked everyone who had helped her. Gurkha Welfare Trust (GWT) is a leading Gurkha Charity that provides financial, medical and developmental aid to Gurkha veterans, their families and communities.
The following morning we made our way to Tintale, which was our second stop. After crossing Arun River over the Turke Bridge, it was all uphill. After tabbing uphill, we reached a village called Sangpang where most of the population are from Sangpang Rai ethnic group. A house was being rebuilt for Rfn Kubirbahadur Rai as the earthquake destroyed his house. We also visited Shri Saraswati Madhyamik Vidyalaya, which has around 350 students. It had received some funding from the Gurkha Welfare Trust for repair work. Speaking with some villagers, we found out that these days there are just one or two young boys who could make it into the British Army from their village. This is mainly because of the higher standard of education during the selection process making it difficult for the village boys to compete with the well-educated ones in towns and cities. Tintale village looked a long way away on the other side of mountain from where we were and No.1 porter’s prediction began to fail as it started drizzling. We were tired but kept walking uphill. Finally we reached Tintale, set up our tent just in time and had a huge dinner with a delicious local chicken purchased in the village.
The following morning we had our breakfast and trekked to AWC Bhojpur. The route wasn’t as difficult as the previous day. To start off, it was a gentle uphill, then flat terrain and downhill at the end. We trekked through Baghkhura, Suntale village and thoroughly enjoyed the natural beauty. There were lots of green mountains, flowers, maize fields, people working in their green paddy fields and children playing with whatever they could find to play with e.g. circular rubber pipe, blocks of wood etc. It looked very beautiful and felt like watching national geography channel in 3D with 4K qualities. Assistant AWO Bhojpur, Sgt (Retd) Bharat Kumar Rai welcomed us with beautiful garlands made out of the flowers which were grown in the spectacular garden of AWC. We visited a few WP’s houses that were being repaired. Everyone looked happy with the amount of help they had received from the GWS. We had a short tour of Bhojpur Bazaar and suddenly it started to get dark, windy and finally came the heavy rain as confirmation of No.1 porter’s prediction being completely wrong.
Chyandanda was our next stop and we started our day with a trip by a bus to Annapurna village. The driver and conductor were happy to squeeze as many people as possible into the bus despite all of the seats being occupied. Ladies were standing with their fingers strongly curled into the metal bar attached to the ceiling of the bus and handed over their children to unknown passengers, as there were no seats available. Annapurna Madhyamik Vidyalaya was established
NEPAL SIGNAL TROOP
Duty trekkers are welcomed by villagers
in Diktel
BGN
with the help of a fund that was provided by the British while leaving India in around 1947. GWS (Canada) also contributed to building the ground floor of the school and also with the help of AWC Bhojpur; the school received a few metal desks and benches. We had a warm welcome by the teachers of the school who gave us a short brief about the history, condition and needs of the school. Rooves were getting rusty, external walls were leaning and bulging out. The risk of an earthquake is very high but due to lack of funding it was necessary for students to study in their classrooms. The school had solar panels and four batteries to run the computers but they did not have enough computers or qualified teachers to teach. The Chairman of the school wanted to convey the message that anyone willing to help the school in any possible way is most welcome. From Annapurna village, we trekked uphill towards Chyandanda. The route had mixtures of all terrain. Every time I asked No.1 porter how far is it to Chyandanda, his answer would always be “About an hour Guruji”. His answer remained the same even after walking for two to three hours. I suspect his estimates of time and distance were entirely based on the sun and he didn’t seem to be getting it right.
After trekking through Tamke Pakha and Chakhewa, we reached Chyandanda. We asked one of the ex-serviceman’s wives for permission to use the veranda of her house in order to put up our tent. With great helpfulness she permitted us to use it. We had a chat with an ex-serviceman, Mr Gurung from 7 GR, and found out that he had been made redundant after serving for nine years. After returning to Nepal, he was offered a job in the Nepal Police as a Sergeant, which looked very attractive but he quickly declined the offer, after finding out the salary was only Rs. 10 in a month and he decided he would rather work on his own farm.
Our next destination was AWC Diktel. We were welcomed by AWO Sgt (Retd) Harkaraj Rai ex QGE who gave us a generic AWC brief including the projects that he was working on. A very enthusiastic AWO took us to Chimchima, Patheka -5, Diktel where an EQ affected house was being built for widow Ruplachhi Rai. It was surprising to see only two labourers were building the house. The build budget of the house had exceeded due to difficult terrain for transportation of materials. Saheb was keen to do some physical work so we spent a few hours helping them rebuild. Next we saw WP Pyarimaya Rai, Damdi, Patheka-9. Foundation work had been completed and the AWO had requested the workers to give their best in building the house. The teachers and students of Shree Singhakali Lower Secondary School, Chokhane, Khartamchha-9 established on 2040 BS, welcomed us with lots of garlands. By now we were used to getting garlands and photographs being taken. GWS
had funded the building of a toilet, plaster of walls and a few metal desk and benches. That evening we stayed in AWOs father’s house and to everyone’s surprise Jones Saheb cooked an organic pumpkin and served it to everyone. The next day we visited a drinking water project funded by GWS partnered with Department for International Development (DFID). These projects not only bring water to villager’s doorsteps but also help in improving sanitation by building their own toilets, teaching villagers how to improve personal hygiene and waste management resulting in a sharp drop in waterborne diseases such as dysentery.
On the final day, we thanked AWO for showing us every project that was underway and wished him good luck for forthcoming projects. We made our way by Land Rover to BGD via Nunthala, Mahure, Halesy, Sunkoshi, Ghurmi, Lahan, Saptakoshi, Itahari and finally arrived at BGD. The porters cleaned their kit and returned them to the stores. We thanked all the porters for their help throughout our trek. The duty trek not only gave us a good opportunity to explore our country and visit pensioners but also made us realise the fact that, in great cities we see so little of the world and in small villages we see so much more of the world. It is also true that we should not forget who we are and where we come from.
We were glad to see the money we raised for GWT back in the UK had been used very efficiently and effectively. I hope, blessings given by the elders and old pensioners, may always be upon us and that kind people continue to support GWT so that more people can get benefit from its excellent work.
Capt Jones and Cpl Kamal with AWC staff
An earthquake-ruined house being rebuilt
SPRING 2018 65
Saudi Arabian National Guard Communications Project Team
Training Transformation for the Saudi Arabian National Guard Signal Corps
by Lt Col Phil Deans
The Saudi Arabian National Guard Communications (SANGCOM) Project Team has been working alongside the Guard to build their capability since the late 1970s. During the 1980s this included building and implementing training at their Signal Corps centre-of-excellence in Riyadh. At the National Guard Signal School (NGSS) recruits not only undergo basic training but also initial trade training. They subsequently return to NGSS for further career and supervisory courses much the same as Royal Signals personnel do by progressing through the Defence College of CIS at Blandford.
Since 2010 a major SANGCOM activity has been the Training Transformation Programme. A key aim is placing the student at the centre of a blended approach to learning through a combination of classroom activities, one-to-one sessions and practical sessions under the supervision of civilian and National Guard instructors. Most significant has been the emphasis placed on transforming the provision of learning material and the management of students via state-of-the-art electronic media.
October 2017 marked the successful technical transfer of the first stage of an advanced learning system known as “SANGTELS” (Saudi Arabian National Guard Transformation to Electronic Learning Systems). On arrival NGSS students are issued with latest generation Microsoft Surface Pro through which all their courseware is provided. Though this includes reference library material most significantly it includes interactive tutorials and modules, many of which include animations to convey key learning points. In addition to tutor-led sessions in classrooms now equipped with advanced electronic whiteboards and teaching aids, the students can progress at their own pace using the electronic courseware to deliver tutorials on an individual basis. The students can also access their learning accounts from their own devices via a learning gateway once they join their units. Not only has this transformed the way in which the student learns, it has also transformed the way in which instructors are able to monitor and assess progress of their students and can place extra effort in supporting those students which need more direct classroom or practical session engagement.
In addition to tablet computers, the project has delivered a WAP based network throughout the NGSS supported by a Cisco based new equipment room from which the learning platform is delivered. As part of a holistic approach
Programme Director Brigadier Peter Drew
The Saudi Arabian National Guard Transformation to Electronic Learning Systems
Princess Royal Day Cocktail Party 2017
by Maj Martin ‘Muz’ Murray
October is the time of the year when SANGCOM holds its annual Princess Royal Day celebration. These celebrations culminate in the Princess Royal Day Cocktail Party which is a key event in the SANGCOM calendar. It allows us to show our gratitude to the many organisations and individuals who support SANGCOM, its members and families throughout the year. Moreover, it is an ideal opportunity for us to celebrate the anniversary of the formation of our Corps and acknowledge the important role undertaken by our Colonel in Chief.
This year’s event was again hosted in the upper gardens of the British Ambassador’s residence. This venue provides the ideal backdrop to host such an event and the team is fortunate to enjoy the continued use of this facility, for which we thank Her Majesty’s Ambassador Simon Collis CMG.
The event was extremely well supported and almost suffered from catastrophic success with an unexpectedly high attendance from many organisations including the MOD Saudi Armed Forces Projects Team, the US Military Saudi Arabia Projects Team, the British Military Mission, the British Embassy and a plethora of other foreign dignitaries and industry representatives. The night was a resounding success and guests appeared to thoroughly enjoy themselves as they partook in pleasant conversation, enjoying the various canapés and refreshments on offer in the picturesque garden setting on a warm Saudi Arabian evening.
The evening’s events concluded with a speech by the Programme Director, Brigadier Peter Drew who reflected on the many significant achievements of the team in the past year and thanked those present for their continued support. As the lead organiser, I would like to thank all members of the PRD 17 planning committee for their hard work and commitment to ensuring what was a very successful event.
to transform training the project also refurbished in excess of 100 classrooms, corridors and offices to enhance the learning environment including digital signage throughout the school campus.
A successful aspect of the programme has been the integrated approach adopted by the SANGCOM Training Transformation Team (Lt Col Phil Deans, Maj Owen ‘the fish’ Finnie and Dave Adamson) was to collocate with the Prime Contractor on site in the National Guard Signal School, located in offices on a shared corridor with swift access to the NGSS Commandant and his staff via the MOD Liaison Officer. The next stage of the Programme is anticipated to commence in early 2018 and will see a further expansion of the SANGTELS system to the Western Region in Jeddah and Eastern Region in Damman where Regional Training Institutes are currently being built. More exciting than this, the present
NGSS is expected to expand substantially on its current site in Riyadh through a major new build project in order to become an accredited Technical Institute delivering degree level education by 2022.
It is an exciting time to be working in the SANGCOM Training Transformation Portfolio and there is a lot of funded activity planned over the next few years. The SANGCOM Project Team as a whole has a range of appointments from Captain to Lieutenant Colonel covering Acquisition, Technical, Requirements Management, Operations and Liaison Officer roles. There are also opportunities for Warrant Officers who are technically qualified. If you are looking for the opportunity to serve overseas in a challenging but equally rewarding environment, contact your RCMO, desk officer at Glasgow or any member of the SANGCOM team to find out when and where vacancies are due to arise.
Pics - top to bottom:
• The SANGCOM Team members and spouses.• Brig Peter Drew giving the events closing address.• Maj Murray hosting guests.
Inter Corps Basketball Championships 2017 - by Cpl Ross Milton, 10 Sig Regt
Training / Development week
This year’s training week was held at MOD Stafford from 30 Oct - 3 Nov 17. The gymnasium was an excellent facility to train in with it being relatively new and still in great condition. Thanks must go to all involved in our stay at MOD Stafford especially the gym staff who were excellent.
The first day of training consisted of 5 vs 5 scrimmages to gauge everyone’s standard.
In the following days, Coach WO1 (FofS) Ross Beattie ran through motion offense drills, 2-1-2, 3-2 zone defence and shooting drills. On Wednesday the squad was honoured to have a day’s training session with Coach Ally Way, who was the former head coach for the Army team and is now head coach for the UK Armed Forces team. That evening the team played Churchbridge, a West Midlands Premier League team, who eventually won the game however, this did provide an opportunity to test our drills and plays.
The men’s Division 1, Division 2 and ladies teams were selected and announced on Thursday. This gave each squad an opportunity to train in their teams prior to the competition. Before training was finished, we had some final scrimmages to put into practise everything we had learned throughout the whole week. This brought a welcome weekend break before our quest to win the Inter Corps Championship starting the following Monday.
Sig Muir drives to the basket
Cpl Dorius collects a rebound
Inter Corps Competition Week
The level of basketball at this year’s Inter Corps competition was very high in all divisions. It proved a tough time for the men’s Division 2 team and the ladies team who were only put together the previous week and for many it was their first time playing at this level. However despite this all teams played really well and worked hard for their coaches.
Unfortunately for Division 2 men’s and ladies teams, their goal of winning the Inter Corps competition wasn’t to be, but there is always next year.
Credit goes to this year’s Division 1 men’s team, who not only played exceptionally well in all their games, but made it to the semi-finals, against the REME. This was a close game as the REME were a dominating force who really tested the defensive structure of our team. Unfortunately the REME won, but if it wasn’t for their 3 point shooters, we would have been in the final against the RLC. In the end the RLC won the competition with the R SIGNALS placed a strong third.
These two weeks have proved a success for R SIGNALS Basketball as not only did we manage to enter the championship with full strength squads for the first time but we
also managed to qualify a number of players as Basketball England table-officials and in addition have a number of players selected for the army teams. We now look forward to the Inter Units competition in June 18.
Sig Weston scoring a layup
The Mens Division 1 Team
The R SIGNALS Basketball Team
SPRING 2018 69
Exercise DRAGON SORBET is 37 Signal Regiment’s annual skiing expedition to Kirchdorf, Austria. This year 36 personnel participated in both alpine and ski touring. With varying abilities, it was our intent to hold Ski Foundation One
(SF1) under WO2 (FofS) Si Nicholson and Capt John Berry. Ski Foundation One Continuation Training (SF1 CT) would be led by SSgt (YofS) Gaz Williams. Ski Foundation Two (SF2) led by Capt Anna Andrews-Reed and finally the Ski Foundation Three
Continuation Training (SF3 CT) headed up by SSgt Tim Abbott.
As an opening note, we would first like to thank the Reserve Forces and Cadet Association, Berlin Infantry Memorial Brigade Trust and above all the Royal Corps of Signals for their continued financial support, without which the personal cost to those
participating would have been considerably more.
On 11 Jan, the administration support team consisting of Capt (QM) Sean Wedge, WO2 (RQMS) Robertson, SSgt (SQMS) Milton and SSgt (SQMS) Acton departed Redditch in order to make the 15-hour road trip. The support team have become an integral part of this annual event transporting loan pool and personal equipment to Kirchdorf. Having arrived on 12 Jan they
prepared all equipment for issue and were even kind enough to place personal baggage within the accommodation. We were not surprised to find they had been allocated some of the larger rooms!!
The main body deployed from Birmingham on 13 Jan. After a short flight to Salzburg, members of the admin party were waiting to greet us. On collecting hire vehicles and an uneventful journey, we all arrived at the Gasthoff Neuwirt in Kirchdorf
to be known as Camp Neuwirt. Without delay we descended into the village to collect skis and boots. This year we did not go with the recommended service provider of equipment, Intersport, as we had secured a far better deal with a local company in Kirchdorf, “time spent on recce is seldom wasted”. The region had received a large amount of snow and the conditions looked excellent. The evening consisted of ski pass issue, orders (not the discipline type!) and equipment preparation. By
2200hrs the bar was empty and all personnel retired, eager to get some rest prior to the week’s training.
by Capt D Taylor, 37 Signal Regiment
Ladies and Gentleman welcome to Camp Neuwirt, today is your day zero
Day One - 14 Jan
With the SF2 and 3 groups en route to St Johann all that remained was to assess the SF1 groups to ensure they
were of the right standard. With outstanding conditions the slopes at Kirchdorf, only 5 mins away, were ideal. It soon became apparent that some individuals had skied
before. The groups were re-jigged with Si Nicholson drawing the short straw and taking the complete novices.
John Berry and Gaz Williams would now continue the week with the SF1 CT. Previous years had shown that bolstering the SF1 groups with a chaperone provides
that extra level of cover. To that end the OIC Capt Dave Taylor and three members of the admin party joined the
SF1 groups. Always willing to “take one for the team” WO2 ‘Robbo’ Robertson and SSgt ‘Milly’ Milton agreed
to assist with demos where required. Robbo was heard to state that “if you don’t listen to your instructor your skiing
will be as bad as mine!!!!”
SSgt Gaz Williams' group
SF1 CT – Capt John Berry’s group
Day Two – 15 Jan
With another 80cm of snow falling overnight the slopes of Steinplatte beckoned. For skiers of all levels it offers a plethora of runs from blue to black to accommodate all
levels. With the overnight snow the SF2 group were able to get some powder under their skis and in some cases
in their boots!! Led by Capt Anna Andrews-Reed the group soon became aware of their instructor’s previous ski touring experiences, of note was the fact Anna had
been caught in avalanches on two previous expeditions; I am not sure this filled them with confidence! The group
consisted of individuals who had attended previous exercises and are working their way through the Joint
Service Ski Scheme. WO2 Mark Reynolds and WO2 Norm Fowler were still of the understanding that irrespective of conditions you should “ski like you stole them”. They soon realised that this course of action was probably not the best when trying to ski in two foot of fresh powder.
The SF1 CT group under Gaz Williams continued on Steinplatte with Sgt ‘Snowplough’ Pete Leatherbarrow leading the charge. Sgt Si Garrison decided that 24hrs
of skiing was enough for him and threw himself down in order to dislocate his shoulder! Robbo and Milly “took another one for the team” and ensured he received the
right treatment. Whilst that may have been the end to Si’s skiing we did now have a photographer.
The SF3 group had been issued with the “All Star Ski pass” not only did this allow access to the local resorts but also
opened another 230km of piste including Fiberbrunn, Hinterglenn, Saalback and the iconic slopes of Kitzbuhel.
Now at the pinnacle of their foundation training Capt Dave Pooley, WO2 (SSM) Kat Smith, SSgt Jase Whitehead and Sig Tomo Thompson would now be looking to hone their
skills before embarking on their Ski Leader One course. Under the experienced eye of SSgt Tim Abbott, the ski passes “got a proper smashing”. Due to the World Cup
Race on the Hahnenkamm taking place, no world record attempts could be made by the group on the legendary Streif (streak). For those who watch Ski Sunday this is
probably the most demanding race course on the World Cup circuit. I, for one, am glad Tim and his group could
not “have a dabble”, or Robbo and Milly would be taking another one for the team!
The end of Sgt Garrison’s
SF1 Course
Not quite the Hahnenkamm
Day Three – 16 Jan
Day three saw the arrival of some pretty atrocious conditions. The visibility was down to a few metres
and another 50cm of fresh snow had fallen overnight. Many of the top slopes and lifts had been closed but, undeterred, all groups decided instruction could take
place on the lower slopes of Steinplatte and St Johann.
The SF3 (CT) course, under SSgt Tim Abbott, was obviously hardened ski tourers and a bit of snow was
not going to deter them from their ascent. Ski touring kit collected, they started what was to be a five hour ski tour to the overnight accommodation. Oh, and it was all
uphill! Having arrived safely they were fed and watered by the hut owner, who apparently seemed a little worse for wear! The remaining groups left the slopes a little earlier and returned to Camp Neuwirt. The afternoon was filled
with the obligatory theory lessons on weather and the fundamentals of adventure training.
Not ideal conditions for SF1
SPRING 2018 71
Day Four – 17 Jan
With a new day, unfortunately there was no let-up in the weather. It was the intention of the SF3 group to ski straight off the mountain but due to the visibility
and conditions a more careful descent had to be made. This did involve some lifts, it was at this point that WO2 (SSM) Kat Smith realised she had left her ski pass in her other ski jacket, the said jacket being at the hotel! SF 3 safely down they dispatched WO2 Smith back to Camp
Neuwirt for the illusive pass.
SSgt Tim Abbott showing how it should
be done
Day Five – 18 Jan
Today was the day of assessments for all the SF1 and SF2 groups. The SF2 group made an early departure to St Johann to collect touring skis. With the theory
work completed it was now time for the practical. The weather was showing signs of improvement and
conditions could not have been better. Cpl Becky Roland did her best to look like something out of a Ski magazine whilst Sig Helen Teasdale, Sgt Chris
Woolerton, Cpl Bri Hardy, Norm and Mark stuck to what they know, which for Norm and Mark was not a lot!
Having got to grips with the touring skis the group ascended St Johann. This resort has bespoke ski touring routes which are ideal for those being introduced to ski touring for the first time. After a three hour climb the group broke through the clouds to the summit. The
view was outstanding.
Meanwhile down on the slopes of Kirchdorf the SF1 groups were attempting their final line and speed
control assessment. It was reiterated on several occasions that “this is not a race”. Individuals had to manoeuvre through a series of gates, demonstrating various turning techniques whilst controlling speed
and line. Under their instructor Si Nicholson, Sig Sue Morrice, Tim Holmes, Sam Cave, Ritch Mangham,
Aaron Stone and Pte Ash Lewis waited patiently for the assessment to commence.
The group did an amazing job with a special mention to Sig Sue Morrice who had struggled with her confidence up to this point. Sgt Pete ‘the plough’ Leatherbarrow
even managed to complete all the gates showing a near perfect demonstration of parallel turns.
With the first part of the assessment complete all that remained was the completion of the final training objectives. All students were successful and were
awarded SF1.
SF2 ready to go
The chaperones having a brew
SF1 assessment
WO2 Kat Smith before she realised she had forgotten her ski pass
Day Six – 19 Jan
The final day. With all students, having been assessed, they made their way to Steinplatte. This would
enable all the groups to ski together for the first time. Unfortunately, the weather once again had a part to
play. With almost blizzard like conditions only the lower blue runs were accessible. Undeterred the groups stuck
to the lower slopes with the blue run into Germany seeing most of the activity. At around 1300hrs the
weather finally broke, albeit for 30 mins, which at least gave the guys a chance for a longer more challenging
run.
Exercise DRAGON SORBET once again had provided members of the Regiment with an opportunity to
experience alpine skiing for the first time, or enhance techniques from previous expeditions. In all six students
qualified for SF1, nine students will progress to SF2, four students qualified at SF2 and five students have
completed foundation training and are now ready to embark on their Ski Leader courses. With financial restrictions being imposed across most of defence,
alpine and ski touring can still be achieved. Seeking the best deals and value for money is time consuming but
a necessity. Cheapest is not always the best, and as we discovered this year some package providers are not
always giving you best value for money. A Regimental drive on paying into Corps Funds over the last twelve
months paid dividends. If you don’t pay you can’t play!
SF2 about to descend
SF1 CT at the top
WO2 (RQMS)
Robertson “taking
one for the team”
SF2 on top of St Jakob
SPRING 2018 73
Ex TIGER IRONSIDE was a type 3 expedition organised by 10 Signal Regiment to the Brenta Dolomites, Italy from 6 – 14 September 17 to conduct ‘via ferrata’; a type of alpine climbing with fixed, safe routes. The expedition was designed to give the novice climbers a taste of alpinism with lots of exposure at altitude in a challenging yet hugely rewarding and enjoyable environment.
The group, comprising of ten officers and soldiers in total, set off from 243 Signal Squadron, Andover early on Wednesday morning with a short drive to the Eurotunnel. Using two hire vehicles we set off for Arco, which would be our base for the first three days. Located in the Trentino province to the North of Lake Garda, Arco is a haven for climbing enthusiasts. The town holds an annual international rock climbing competition and climbing festival. With towering limestone cliffs and an ancient castle teetering on top, Arco has become a climber’s paradise. The economy is geared towards tourism as seen by the many outdoors pursuits on offer and the multiple specialist climbing shops in the centre.
Following safety briefs, equipment checks and establishing our camp in Arco, the group successfully attempted their first via ferrata route; a 1000m climb to the peak of Cima Capi overlooking Riva Del Garda. The routes attempted were taken from the Ciccerone guide books and proved to be a great planning resource with accurate route descriptions and gradings. The routes were selected to enable the group to gain confidence on lower day routes before moving to the high mountains for the multi-day hut to hut phase in Brenta. The routes selected for the expedition progressively increased in difficulty and exposure, which enabled the soldiers to face an incrementally increasingly challenging week as their confidence and skills developed.
Day two of climbing saw the group tackle Cima Sat; a route located at 1230m between Arco and Riva del Garda. It was
after this point that real progress could be seen with the group’s climbing technique and confidence. The route to the top of Cima Sat took in a section of eight sections of fixed metal ladders at an elevation between 900m and 1100m. In spite of a few moments of ‘disco leg’ and some of the group maintaining five points of contact, initial nerves were overcome by the less confident group members and everyone made it to the top. The descent followed a path that took us past WW1 concrete fortifications and tunnels. It gave the soldiers an opportunity to explore the conditions within which Italian soldiers lived for up to two years. There were photographs secured to some of the tunnel walls which showed the pattern of life for soldiers based in the Dolomites during the Great War helping to paint a picture for our group.
Day three of the expedition was due to be a short final route in Arco before moving to Madonna Di Campiglio but the onset of heavy rain and cloud forced a change of plan. Near to the town of Madonna, a War Museum was located which told the story of locally stationed mountain troops during WW1. The Museo della Guerra gave superbly displayed artefacts, pictures and interactive exhibits from the mountain war in the Dolomites. It proved to be a fascinating insight into the lives of the Italian troops.
Via ferrata translates as 'iron road' and is simply a mountain route equipped with steel cables, ladders, and other fixed anchors, for example wooden walkways and suspended bridges. It involves the climber clipping into the cable to allow for safer ascent. Via ferrata is mostly associated with the First World War when several routes
were built in the Dolomite mountain region of Italy to aid the movement of troops and equipment around the
mountains.
Coupled with the routes are networks of tunnels that were excavated to provide shelter and storage to the troops. Many of the tunnels survive to this day and
proved fascinating to explore.
10 Signal Regiment and D Info both took part in via ferrata expeditions to the Dolomites, Italy
EXERCISE TIGER IRONSIDE
10 Sig Regt expedition members with instructor Maj Eddie ‘Billions’ Williams RAPTC,
HQ 3 (UK) Div
Riva del Garda viewed from the top of Cima Capi
VIA FERRATA
10 Signal Regiment
The final two days of climbing involved moving to the Brenta Dolomites; an hour from Arco. The intent was to conduct a hut to hut traverse across via ferrata routes at high altitude. The routes selected were the most difficult of the expedition and gave the group a real sense of the exposure of climbing at altitudes up to 2400m. The group stayed in mountain huts, known locally as ‘rifugios’, for the Brenta mountain phase. The transition from day routes in Arco to the high mountains gave the Adventure Training (AT) an authentic expeditionary feel. It required the soldiers to adopt an alpine style mentality; lightweight and fast-moving with a real sense of exposure at altitude. Tents and sleeping bags were left behind with only essential equipment for safety carried, including group shelters, ropes and rescue equipment. Sleeping in the huts was basic and austere with few luxuries but added to the challenge the group faced.
Starting the Brenta phase at Madonna di Campiglio, the group ascended 600m through a forested mountain up to 1900m to Rifugio Tuckett. Tuckett gave the group an opportunity to restock on much needed coffee and cake, in the high mountains the group were burning around 5000 calories per day! After a short break the group continued to their first high altitude via ferrata route; SOSAT. Route SOSAT was a demanding route that comprised of multiple traverses on exposed rock faces and vertical ascents. It was exactly what the previous days’ routes had been preparing the group for.
The temperature in the high mountains had dropped noticeably. Whereas the climbs from the valley in Arco had allowed the group to climb wearing shorts and t-shirts, the Brenta routes were much colder; approximately 10oC. Visibility was reduced by low cloud and occasional rain made the high routes a far greater challenge.
After multiple traverses and further ascents on route SOSAT the group arrived at Rifugio Alimonta at 2700m.
Sig Thorneycroft navigating a ladder section at 1200m
Winter conditions in the Dolomites in 1916
SPRING 2018 75
SOSAT via ferrata with a horizontal traverse and vertical ascent at 2000m
Arriving at approximately 1500hrs, we were one of the first to arrive at the hut. After being shown to our rooms and dropping off our kit we again refuelled with fine Italian coffee and cake. Over the next three hours many international groups began to arrive turning the rifugio into a noisy hub of adventurous types sharing stories of their experiences on the route that day. Rain and cloud had set in and the views were limited until sunset, when a break in the weather allowed us to appreciate the beauty of the mountains at this altitude.
The rifugios are managed by the Italian Alpine Club and will provide emergency shelter to any mountaineer or climber that arrives at the door. However, if a climber wants a guarantee of a bed it is essential to book the accommodation
in advance. Rifugio Alimonta was full to capacity during our stay with all 40 beds taken as well as some additional floor space in the loft. The mountain huts provide bedding and basic wooden bunk beds, often with eight to a room. Almost as important as harness and helmet are ear plugs as one or two of the group had a tendency to snore!
The final day of via ferrata was due to be the most demanding and most picturesque but was not to be, due to the onset of a snowstorm that brought with it plenty of thunder and lightning. That morning Maj Eddie Williams and Maj Gareth Oosterveen undertook a dynamic risk assessment and decided to descend the group to a rifugio further down the mountain and abandon the planned route for the day. This
LCpl Bruno Gomes preparing to traverseRefuelling at Rifugio Tuckett during the hut to hut phase
was absolutely the right decision as being clipped onto a metal cable at altitude during a lightning storm is the last place any of the group wanted to be.
The descent from Rifugio Alimonta to Rifugio Brentei took the group out of the snow and descended us 500m. This gave the group an opportunity to eat a hot meal of soup and bread and dry out. Once the snowstorm had passed the group continued on a relatively simple via ferratta route before descending further to Rifugio Vallesinella. The decision to descend and not proceed with the day’s planned route was vindicated when an American group of climbers we met at Rifugio Alimonta the previous night arrived at Vallesinella looking dishevelled and exhausted by their epic day after deciding to press on through the snow at altitude. Upon speaking to seasoned Dolomite climbers, we learned that snow in September was very unseasonal having been seen only once within the last 15 years.
Once we had completed our final descent through the forest to Rifugio Vallesinella the group were able to pack away their harnesses and equipment and prepare for the long journey back to the UK via an overnight in Bruges. The group thoroughly enjoyed their via ferrata experience with every soldier giving hugely positive feedback. This expedition typified the aims of AT. It was physically demanding and presented a genuine challenge at altitude with lots of exposure that would normally only be able to be experienced with the benefit of climbing experience and technical ability. Via ferrata permits inexperienced climbers to get a flavour of the risk and exposure while remaining relatively safe.
SPRING 2018 77
Week 1- by Capt Neil Port
Ex TIGER DOLOMITI was a Level 3 Adventurous Training (AT) expedition in Italy over the period 10-24 Sep 17, conducting via ferrata. After a very successful package in 2016 it was decided that Directorate Information (D Info) – AHQ would once again partake in another via ferrata AT package to the Dolomites, Italy.
To ensure variety and something different for those that had previously attended, the location was changed to the Northern Dolomites around the area of Cortina. Cortina sits within an Alpine valley which is very popular as a winter sport resort and was also the host of the 1956 Winter Olympics; having been delayed from 1944 due to WW2.
To ensure minimum disruption to D Info with the least amount of staff away at the same time the AT package was conducted over two weeks (10-17 and 17-24 Sep 17) with five people attending each week, including one instructor per week. The participants were: Week 1 – Col Liz Dallyn (instructor), Lt Col Colin Thomas, Maj Matt Tremelling, Capt Neil Port and WO2 (FofS) Glen Ruscoe. Week 2 – Col Adam Corkery (instructor), Lt Col Andrew Mould, Lt Col Jeremy Toze, Maj Emma Allen and Sgt Melisa Portwain; a good variety of different ranks and cap badges.
Group 1 set off first and were tasked with the long and tedious journey by road to Cortina from Andover. This allowed all the group stores to be taken and also gave both groups permanent access to a vehicle whilst away. All in all the journey wasn’t too bad and included a stopover in Ulm (Germany) to stay legal for drivers hours. The next morning, and an early start, the group continued to the arranged campsite ‘International Camping Olympia’, which turned out to be the only reference of the Winter Olympics we saw. Sadly on arrival the wet weather came, which doesn’t help when setting up on the allocated clay pitch.
After a quick bit of admin and some food, the group moved to the first via ferrata route which was planned as an introduction. The group was introduced to the equipment and the methods involved in order to remain safe. The route, although short, was stunning. It took the group down a steep gorge to the bottom and then traversed around the back of a waterfall, which was in full flow due to the weather, before meandering upwards back to the start point, after which the group returned to the campsite to find the soggiest tent on the site, sadly ours. The rain was
relentless with no sign of giving up. It was pretty obvious too that the water was seeping from underneath ably assisted by the clay pitch. We had to make do with what we had as time was getting on and there weren’t any other immediate alternatives, however, by morning there was at least an inch of water flooding the corner of the tent. We have since discovered that this was actually FofS Ruscoe’s ‘tech tears’ as he got the brunt of the wetness.
Sadly day two’s weather was just as bad. We did venture up to the start point of what would have been our second via ferrata which included a gondola ride to the start, however the weather was that bad, and the snow came in, you couldn’t even see the wires leaving the gondola station. This was the point we abandoned the day’s activity so off to the coffee shop to discuss what could have been. This day off also gave the group an opportunity to find alternative accommodation as it was obvious the tent would not be suitable for the week. Capt Port was insistent on moving and found a nice little apartment through Air BnB but the rest of the group were reluctant on this idea. Looking at the group I’m sure none of them wanted to stay another night in the soggy tent, most likely none of them wanted to admit defeat – surprisingy really as we had a token RLC officer with us (Lt Col Thomas). The group crumbled so off we went to find our new residence for the remainder of the week. To be fair the AirBnB apartment was pretty good and most importantly dry. It was a little retro and dated in its interior decor but actually more than adequate. Lt Col Thomas and Maj Tremelling took dibs on the first room with the en-suite which was fine with everyone else as this was also the room with the bunk beds. As for the en-suite, it was more like a hobbits bathroom with the bath no bigger than a wash basin – not great if you are over 6ft like Maj Tremelling.
Day three and the weather cleared up nicely allowing the group to get back to what we were there for: exposure, views, adrenalin and the experience. The route chosen had quite a long walk-in of about 1.5 hrs before the start. The walk-in took you to the base of the via ferrata whilst looking up looked pretty
EXERCISE TIGER DOLOMITID Info
Background pic by 10 Sig Regt
vertical. Thankfully with some cleverly placed wires and some overhanging boulders the route was actually very pleasant. Yes, it was all up but took such a route that there were plenty of flat areas to rest and good places for feet and hands to grab onto. On ‘topping out’ the obligatory group picture was taken with the stunning scenery behind, actually 360 degrees. You could actually make out the wet pitch from the campsite we were at the night before as the campsite was clearly visible from the top. The route down took us round the back of the mountain which was a simple track back to the car park. Although a simple route, the ground was horrific, mostly scree all the way which meant most of the time was spent sliding or shouting “Rocks below!”
Day four took us deep into the mountains where the scenery was breath-taking, very classic looking as you’d see in most postcards for the Dolomites. The day itself was quite a lengthy walk-in and out to the via ferrata but not too much of an issue as it allowed the group to stop for a coffee and cake. The via ferrata itself could be seen from a fair way away and looked pretty small, that was until you got up next to it. A steep vertical climb with some overhands and perfectly placed ladders and cables to assist. There were also a few places where Col Dallyn had to secure us with rope before moving forward. Sadly by the time we got there the mist had come in so visibility was poor the whole way up, I’m sure some of the group appreciated this due to the steepness and the exposure. The obligatory photo was taken at the top before the descent; and of course time to stop for another coffee.
Day six took us to the ski resort of Ospitale, which was a bit of a drive but the via ferrata was worth that. The route overlooked the ski resort and the ski runs on the opposite side of the valley. This time the route started where the bus was parked and finished at the same spot. A fairly easy route up to the top but very long and therefore very tiring too. Half way up there was a point where you could continue to the top with no via ferrata but we obviously took the via ferrata route. A good choice too as the second half took us over a suspended bridge which made a difference from the normal wire and ladders. The drop below was immense and there were a few shaky legs as people crossed, although the wind was blamed. Of course, time for another coffee at the top, and our lunch, before the descent. The route down was initially quite tricky which involved via ferrata sections to assist but as we lost height the route got easier until we reached the bus at the bottom.
Day seven, we actually went back to what we should have completed on day two and this time the weather was much better, still not amazing but better. In the morning we took the gondola up the mountain and simply walked back down. However this route down took us through the old tunnel system used by the Italians during WW1. To see was unbelievable, just the scale of work that would have been done to accomplish it. They seemed to wind down the mountain forever with occasional beams of light coming in from the lookout posts. This light coming in was bit of a relief for Maj Tremelling as he managed to drop his head torch earlier over the side so spent most of the time in the tunnels in the dark. The second half of the day and only a stone’s throw away was the Via Ferrata Al Col Dei Bos. This route was fairly new and was set up by the Alpini Brigade for training purposes. This was by far the most challenging route of the week as it involved a lot of continued vertical stretches with limited places to rest. The weather had also cleared up so the exposure was immense with visibility for miles. Although the route was relatively new there was still evidence of the war all around. At the base of the via ferrata were the remains of a hospital used by the Italians and at the top debris was scattered everywhere including ammo tins and barbed wire. On reaching the top there was of course time for the obligatory photos before the steady descent back to the café and bus for coffee and cake. This was by far the best via ferrata of the week; a great high to finish on.
The only thing to do now as the week had come to close was to turn the equipment around and prepare the apartment to depart. As group one drove the vehicle out it was our turn to take a plane and fly home. The HOTO of the vehicle and equipment was conducted at the airport with group two and off we went.
SPRING 2018 79
x DIAMOND ANNAPURNA GAUNTLET 17 was a Level 3 Adventurous Training expedition to the Himalaya mountain range, Nepal, over the period 13 Oct – 03 Nov 17. The expedition introduced a team
of 14 personnel from HQ 20 Armoured Infantry Brigade to high altitude trekking and mountaineering in a remote environment.
We landed in Kathmandu Airport on Sat 14 Oct 17, we were warmly welcomed by Mr Ashok, from the trekking agency and Singh our Head Guide who kindly give us freshly made garlands. The traffic, noise and pollution struck me the most.
We had a few days to acclimatize before we started trekking. During this time we visited Patan Durbar Square, Buddhist stupa of Boudhanath and the Monkey Temple. It was really interesting learning about the culture and heritage of Nepal. We also saw the damage that was caused due to the earthquake that hit Nepal.
The expedition leader visited the British Embassy for a required security brief from the Defence Military Attaché. Once this was complete we loaded the coaches and started our journey towards Besisahar. We were travelling for ten hours due to bad traffic, road conditions and problems with our coach. We were then briefed on what was happening the next day by our Head Guide, Singh.
We had a drive for approximately 2.5 hours in a 4x4 jeep, this drive was definitely not for anyone who gets travel sick. We even managed to squeeze nine people into one vehicle, which is fully legal in Nepal. Once in Saynge we were all excited and eager to start our journey to Chyamje. As insisted by the restaurant owner we headed off to see a nearby waterfall, the sight was just amazing, we were all taken aback by how beautiful it looked. A total distance of 7km was covered as we reached Chyamje.
We made the journey from Chyamje to Dharapani which was approximately six hours walking. Throughout the day we saw plenty of lovely waterfalls, each one slightly different from the other.
We travelled from Dharapani to Chame, the view just kept getting better and better the higher we were getting. On arrival, once we dropped our bags in our rooms, we headed for the hot springs. In my opinion it was not what I expected but this didn’t stop the lads going for a dip.
We set off from Chyamje to Lower Pisang. En route we tasted in my opinion the best samosa and apples in Nepal. We got an introduction to Nepalese snooker which was very interesting but we found out we were not very good at this game apart from Sgt Gurung who was the expert. We then travelled to Manang. We had a long trek in the morning; en route we came across a small pond with crystal clear blue water which we all admired its beauty.
From Manang we only had a small trek to Khangsar, once here we had to acclimatise, this meant we made an incline of 300 metres and stayed there for one hour. The views were stunning and in the forefront we could see Manang. Moving on from Manang we headed towards Tilicho Base Camp. During this journey we had to walk through landslide areas which were for some a bit nerve-racking. The landscape was changing now from lush green hills to barren land with little vegetation. There were also plenty of mountain goats moving around the area.
We had an early start waking up at 0430 hours as we set off to see the highest freshwater lake in the world. Whilst at the top we took plenty of pictures as the sight was just out of this world. For me this was the highlight of the whole trek. I couldn’t believe the beauty and how amazing the view was, I will never forget the feeling when we came over the top of the hill and could see the view of the lake.
After passing back down by Tilicho Base Camp we moved onto Shree Kharka guest house which sits at 4110m. We then made a small trek to Letdar crossing many bridges en route some more stable than others. We had to go through another landslide area, but this was not as bad as the previous one. We arrived at Thorang-La phedi Base Camp and had a relaxing night ready for the biggest day ahead to cross the highest pass in the world.
So the day finally came it was the last big push with a 836m ascent reaching an altitude of 5416m. We started the trek after an early 0400 hrs breakfast . The feeling when we all reached the pass was more than breathtaking there really are no words to describe it. The happiness that everyone made it to the top was what made it extra special for me. We then had a long descent to Muktinah, passing by the famous 108 taps where a few of the group decided to wash their sins away. The views we saw while walking down were out of this world. The Bob Marley hotel we stayed in that night was definitely the best accommodation we had stayed in.
The next morning we set off to do our last hike to Jomson, but en route after leaving the hotel our expedition leader SSgt Thapa informed us that he had a surprise and that we would be catching the bus to Jomson instead of walking it, much to the delight of the whole group and morale was very high as we got on the coach.
The following morning we had a 0500hrs start as we had to catch the plane to Pokhara. The plane was so tiny only fitting 20 people inside, we could see the mountain peaks below us, again the views were amazing.
Once we arrived in Pokhara, we visited the World Peace Pagoda and the International Mountain Museum both very interesting sites. Compared to Kathmandu, Pokhara has a lot less pollution and congestion. During our time here we even managed to squeeze in a five aside football game which we won convincingly. Sgt Gurung also invited us to his house for lunch which was very nice and all his family were so welcoming.
After two nights in Pokhara we then moved onto Kathmandu to finish our trip. I made the most of my time and enjoyed spending time shopping and exploring the city. For dinner on the final night we were taken to Bhojan Griha, which translates to “house of food” set in a 150 year old palace which belonged to the priest of the King of Nepal which had undergone extensive refurbishment to become a restaurant. Here we were treated to Nepalese dancing, authentic food and drink which was very fitting to end our time in Nepal.
Our last day in Nepal, I didn’t want to leave. The whole journey from leaving Germany was amazing, I have never experienced anything nearly as good as this experience and am privileged I got the opportunity to take part in this expedition.
Exercise DIAMOND ANNAPURNA GAUNTLET 17
SPRING 2018 81
Twas many days before Christmas, and PJHQ J6 set off to conquer the Stubai Glacier in Austria, and complete SF1 or SF2 over 6 days of rigorous skiing and more rigorous fun. With a bus party ferrying over many sets of Bicester ski equipment, and all kit required for ‘touring’; walking up the mountain on skis, ignoring the functioning lift next to you. The group rendezvoused at Hotel Happy Stubai, a fabulous establishment, with spa, pool and first rate restaurant and bar, approximately 40 mins bus ride from the slopes.
The first few days were spent getting ‘legs in’, being coached on not falling over, better posture and how to look more ‘stylish’ (the snowboarder amongst us found this particularly tricky). Control was also key, for some WO1 (YofS) Brown and Heron, slow was ‘no go, fast always on the agenda’. For SF1 students, they progressed from strength to strength, moving onwards and upwards from the Learner slope to Blue runs, perfecting their ‘plough to parallel’ stances, always finishing in style with a smile. By the end of the week, bored of the easiness of the Blue runs, they moved to Red run (second only to Black in difficulty). The highlight of their week was skiing off the mountain, down the final 10km Red run, No. 14 ‘Wilde Grub’n’, a tricky slope with technical icy and ‘mogul’ sections, showing their development throughout the week.
As for the SF2 students, their week took a slightly different turn; more off-piste (the really deep, snowy stuff), understanding the snow and touring. This included the use of the transmitter, a homing device to find fellow skiers in an avalanche, although our practice of it looked more like ‘rolling around in the snow’. The end of the week also involved touring using ‘skins’ to allow the group to walk up over 400m altitude of the mountain side off-piste, an exercise which some enjoyed more than others. However, it could be agreed the summit was a highlight of the week. The ski down was no less sweaty, but less in ‘free phys’, more in fear of the sheer slopes and rocks. By the end of the week, all of the group had been challenged, improving their skiing in multiple areas, including staying upright.
Throughout the trip, morale was on a high; Arnie impressions were served a plenty, accompanied by good banter, the hotel and bar staff were very friendly, welcoming and accommodating, and newfound Pocket Coffee (espresso shot in a chocolate) flowed freely once we had bought out the local Billa store’s supply. The trip ended with a fabulous dinner, topped off by prizes handed out by the instructors. The ‘Fastest skier’ was won by WO1 (YofS) Heron, who kamikazed past SF1 on the final day, and the ‘Best Developed’ was jointly
awarded to the three intrepid survivors of ‘Wilde Grub’n’, Lt Cdr Paula Bennett-Smith, WO2 Jim Snell RE and Lt Jon Hamilton RN. This prestigious award ceremony (with Milka prizes) rounded off a truly successful trip; many thanks to WO1 (YofS) Brown for organising, converting and reinvigorating a passion for skiing amongst all. Five personnel gained their SF1 qualification with a further seven gaining SF2 qualification. Thanks must also go to our instructors, Capt Charlie Calderwood (SF2) and Maj Clare Calderwood (SF1).
by Flg Offr Vicki Kellagher
On the 27th of November, PJHQ gave to me,Twelve ‘Happy’ skiers,Eleven spa sections,
Ten kilometre red runs,Nein speed records broken,
Eight (hundred) miles driven,Seven SF2s,
Six days skiied,Five SF1s,
Four parts to dinner (plus dessert, and a cheeseboard),
Three coffees a day,Two excellent instructors,
And a successful trip to the classier glacier.
WO1 (YofS) Brown
By Sig Veitch
A group of about twenty-one personnel from 22 Signal Regiment departed for Val Thorens on the dreaded eighteen-hour coach journey for a long anticipated weeks skiing. Having a wide range of ski experience and skills the group was broken down on arrival into courses - SF1 and SF2. Having skied before I was placed into the SF2 group led by Maj McGachy, the group consisted of: myself, Sgt Cox, Sgt Briggs, FofS Phillips and Lt ‘I’d rather be snowboarding’ Dixon.
The first couple of days were mainly focused on getting back into the swing of things, with many of the group not having seen a set of skis for multiple years. Much like riding a bike it seemed to come back to everyone quite quickly, having no problem getting down the slopes that faced us.
As the week progressed our group leader started to focus more on teaching us techniques such as parallel turns, weight distribution and lower and upper body separation, all of which makes for a more competent skier. As the week progressed we started to implement these techniques into our everyday runs and as we got better the slopes we faced became more challenging; taking on Black and off piste runs.
A main part of the SF2 syllabus is touring, the skis are adjusted to different levels depending on the terrain that you face and a set of skins are applied to give you traction on the snow. It was something that I wasn’t particularly looking forward to however myself and many of the group were surprised and seemed to have a good time walking up the hills rather than skiing down! We also had lessons in transmitters and avalanche rescue at the end of the week and this was great training on what to do when dealing with this situation.
I thoroughly enjoyed my weeks skiing and it is a great training opportunity and I cannot recommend it enough to anyone that is thinking about it, I am now looking forward to getting on an SF3 course where I can further develop my skills and eventually I hope to become an instructor.
By Cpl ‘not so certa cito’ Mills
On 19 Feb 22 individuals from the Regiment, with three instructors, climbed aboard what was forecast to be a glamorous coach, only to find it to be somewhat less than advertised (no wifi, no USB sockets). Unsurprisingly the members of 222 Signal Squadron that were on the trip didn’t take long to settle into the journey and found various reasons to mock certain individuals (FofS Berry for only bringing discs 1,2,4 and 5 of Band Of Brothers, or Sig Scott ‘Pheasey’ Munt for an incident that shall not be repeated). The mood was excellent and we were looking forward to arriving in Val Thorens.
We arrived in Val Thorens late in the afternoon and were advised where our rooms and ski storage were. We were then left to our own devices and told to parade at the lower ski room for our first lesson.
The first ski lesson started with a little bit of phys to warm us up – running up and down a hill in ski boots is not exactly fun. Following this we were taught how to carry skis and poles, and how to get clipped in and out of the bindings and were then introduced to ploughing. We slowly built up from this to parallel turns and moved from the nursery slope onto Green and Blue slopes. We slowly, especially myself, acquired the nickname ‘Capt Slow’, gained confidence and speed as we progressed through the week culminating in all of us being deemed to be of a standard high enough to be granted our SF1 qualification.
Personally, having come from a snowboarding background it took a bit of time to get used to the different stance required (leaning back on skis is a definite no-no) but I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, one I’m looking to recreate as soon as possible.
EXERCISE DRAGON SNOW RUNNER 18 Exercise DRAGON SNOW RUNNER 18 was a two-
week skiing expedition that saw a total of fifty soldiers from 22 Signal Regiment deploy to Val
Thorens, France. Individuals gained either SF1, SF2 or a continuation qualification; the following is an
insight into the expedition from two soldiers, highlighting their thoughts and experiences.
SF2, week 1
Avalanche training, week 1
Ski touring, week 2
SPRING 2018 83
Exercise NORTHERN CHIMERA DIVER took place on 14 - 29 Sep 17. It was a 2 Signal Regiment led, Type 3 Adventurous Training Expedition to Puerto Galera, the Philippines, with the aim of qualifying six of the twelve participants to the British Sub
Aqua Club (BSAC) Sports Diver level.
When my Boss, Lt Paris Goldsbury, offered us the opportunity to go sub-aqua diving in one of the premier dive sites in the world I jumped at the chance. Naturally there were a few things to do in order to go. The first thing was a diving medical which was easily arranged at our medical centre. Once cleared for diving I could move on to getting the right qualification. I began the training for BSAC Ocean Diver qualification in the swimming pool in Catterick Garrison. Having not dived before I was glad to get some time underwater in a safe location. We also had to complete all the theory lessons back in camp but before we knew it, the day arrived for us to depart.
With bags packed and an air of great anticipation we eventually departed at around 0745 hrs on the morning of 14 Sep 17. We were behind schedule by about an hour due to traffic but missing a stop at the services soon brought us back on time. We arrived at London Heathrow Airport where we met three more members of our expedition, and after a seven and a half hour flight we landed in Abu Dhabi. There was just time for a quick stop at McDonalds and then straight onto our next flight. Nine and a half hours later we arrived in Manila where the local time was 1500 hrs. What followed was by far the worst travel experience of my entire life, and wasn’t helped by some over-hydration on the plane. It took us nearly six hours to travel the six miles to our hotel. Traffic was absolute chaos and the only thing that made it bearable was the air-conditioning in the van to offset the 32 °C outside temperature. We had a quick meal at the hotel and then set out to explore Manila at night. Time was limited but we made the best of it, our excitement driving us and keeping us awake. The following morning we set off from Manila to the port of Batanga City where we took an hour and a half Banka (Philippine boat) ride to Sabang bay at Puerto Galera.
We started diving on Sunday 17 September in Sabang Bay. Myself and Cpl Ajay Gurung were the only ones not already Ocean Diver qualified so we had to go through all of our drills and skills in open water. These included mask clearance, regulator retrieval as well as alternate source ascents and buoyant lifts just in case things were to go wrong. Admittedly after this dive I almost didn’t get in the water again, but after forcing myself to dive a second time, I loved every minute.
The water was warm; in fact it never dipped below 28 °C for the whole trip. Visibility was fantastic at around 15-20 metres and this set the standard of the diving conditions we could expect for our time here. One of our early dives was one of the best diving experiences of the whole trip, a drift dive at Monkey Bay. The current that flows there just sweeps you along so you barely have to fin at all, which gives you the sense of flying. If you add in the scenery, turtles drifting along with you and the thousands of tropical fish that surround you it’s simply breathtaking. After getting comfortable in the water we progressed with our depth to 20 metres the following day whilst doing a reef dive at West Escarceo, where we spotted our first Stingray, Lionfish and Titan Trigger fish. From here on out we mostly had three dives a day where we focused on learning the new skills we needed to finish our Ocean Diver qualification and then progress onto Sports Diver Qualification. By 20 September we were all qualified Sports
Divers meaning we could now progress even deeper and also do a night dive! Unfortunately there were those amongst us who weren’t very efficient with air usage so we couldn’t spend too much time at depth. On one dive I used a 15 litre cylinder and still surfaced with considerably less air than Sig Robinson who had a 12 litre cylinder!
Our first progression was done at Kilima Steps to a depth of 25 metres. This was a spectacular site made up of a coral garden and rock steps. One of the largest lionfish was spotted on this dive as well as numerous tropical fish that all live around the coral. We dived our first wreck, the Alma Jane, on 23 September. This is a small boat wreck at 30 metres which meant we also progressed to our maximum depth for the expedition. The Alma Jane was purposely sunk to create a dive site and is home to thousands of small fish and crustaceans. Our night dive took place at the Sabang wrecks. These are just a couple of fishing Bangka’s that were sunk during a storm. Not much of them remain but they, as pretty much every site we dived, were thriving with life. The night dive itself was quite disorientating and to keep our bearing took a lot of focus. The highlight of the night dive was seeing a lionfish hunt and a scorpionfish on one of the wrecks. In Sabang bay there was a floating pontoon building which served food and soft drinks. On one of our dives due to a heavy tidal drift we were forced to surface there and had to sit and drink our bottles of coke in the sun whilst appreciating the view. We did a total of around 23 dives during the expedition, accumulating an average of at least eleven hours of diving per participant. Although the expedition was based around diving, we also had a couple of days off for mandatory decompression. During these days we managed to go and explore other parts of Puerto Galera.
Cpl Diederik Fourie was tasked to arrange a cultural trip on one of our decompression days and decided to take our group on a trek through the jungle to the Talipanan Falls. This
EXERCISE NORTHERN CHIMERA DIVER
By Cpl Innes Macdonald, 2 Sig Regt
meant a ride in a local taxi called a Jeepney for an hour to Citio Talipanan where we found the Iraya Mangyan village. The Mangyan people are indigenous to the island of Mindoro and consist of eight different tribes. The villagers are adept at weaving and we found various crafts for sale upon our arrival. The villagers kept to themselves as we made our way through the village, following a river up the mountain towards Talipanan Falls. The humidity, temperature and steep incline made for a challenging trek, especially as – thanks to Cpl Fourie - we were all wearing flip flops, but it was all worthwhile when we finally made it to the scenic falls. After a dip in the cool water we made our way back down and set off to the picturesque Talipanan beach where we had lunch before returning to Puerto Galera.
By the time the end of the expedition drew near, we were all ready to go back home and yet a little unhappy to be leaving. We arrived back in the UK on 29 September, and all participants will agree that Ex NORTHERN CHIMERA DIVER 2017 was a huge success and an experience that none of us will ever forget. Thank you to all our instructors and our expedition leader SSgt Bishnu.
SPRING 2018 85
Age UK Darlington recently discovered an ex-Royal Corps of Signals soldier in a care home in Darlington - 2582883 Sig Ronald Melville Wallace (known affectionately as Mel).
During discussions, Age UK discovered that Mel had served right through WW2 and had recently been awarded the Légion d’honneur by the French Government, but had not been officially presented with it. They contacted the Mayor of Darlington’s Support Officer to ask if the Mayor would be prepared to officially present the medal and the Mayor responded with “it would be an honour”.
At the same time, the Darlington Branch of the RSA were advised of this situation and our Branch Visiting Officer made contact with Mel with a view to helping make the presentation a memorable occasion.
On Thursday 25 January, the Worshipful, the Mayor of Darlington, Councillor Jan Taylor presented Mel with his medal in the care home. The room was packed with residents, the Chairman and Standard of the Darlington Branch of the Royal British Legion and the Vice President, Chairman, Branch Visiting Officer and Standard of the Darlington Branch of the RSA provided the backdrop. On receiving the medal from the Mayor he responded with, “I accept this award on behalf of all the men who didn’t come home”.
Having listened to a brief overview of his history during the presentation, a meeting was arranged to get a more in-depth picture of his military history. Mel’s son, also called Mel was present and able to fill in the gaps and provide prompts for his father. The meeting was full of laughter as Mel recalled his story, but it was noted that there were also sad moments as his memories recalled the loss of his friends and comrades. So what follows is Mel’s story:
Mel was born on 27 September 1920 and in 1938 had been disturbed by the stories coming out about what was happening in Germany. He had always wanted to go to sea, so obtained enlistment papers to join the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. The papers needed signing by his father, but his father, who had served in WW1 and been wounded twice, tore them up and threw them on the fire, with the firm words of advice – “Never volunteer for anything”.
Despite that, or indeed in spite of that, Mel went down to the local TA Centre in Darlington in 1939 and enlisted as a TA soldier on 1 May 1939 in 50th Divisional Signals, part of 50 (Northumbrian) Division as a driver. He discovered that he didn’t need parental consent to enlist, only his signature. He was paid £4 a year bounty, less boot polish, for two nights a week, Tuesday and Thursday, for two hours and some weekends.
On Friday 1 September 1939, a despatch rider brought a note to his front door. It was a typed letter stating – “report to the Drill Hall no later than …….” and written in was “Immediately!”.
On 22 October Mel was off to Bampton, Oxfordshire and then to France in January 1940, finally stationed at Loos near Lille.
This didn’t last long as it was back to Dunkirk for evacuation and landing at Ramsgate on 1 June 1940. A brief stay at Blandford from July 1940 until November 1940 followed and then on to Bridgewater until 20 May 1941.
On 22 May 1941 Mel left from Greenock, Scotland for the Middle East, stopping at Freetown, Sierra Leone in June, Durban, South Africa for one day shore leave on 20 June, Aden on 4 July, ending up in Egypt from 10 - 29 July. On 30 July he was transferred to Cyprus, where he stayed until November 1941, when he was off to Haifa, then Palestine, travelling on through Iraq to spend Christmas 1941 in Kirkuk protecting the oilfields.
Mel left Kirkuk on 12 January 1942, moving back through Iraq to Baalbeck, Syria, then through Egypt and into Libya to the Battle of Gazala in June 1942. This battle was a major defeat
DARLINGTON MAYOR PRESENTS LÉGION D’HONNEUR TO EX SIGNALLER
for the Allies and on 27 June he was withdrawn back into Egypt for re-group, re-enforce and re-fit. Mel was in reserve for the Battle of Alamein in November 1942 and following the Allies’ victory, moved back into Libya again. On Boxing Day 1942 Mel was evacuated back to Egypt to recover from jaundice.
In February 1943, Mel hitched a lift with a South African convoy with the aim of rejoining his Regiment in Libya and spent some time with 2nd Cheshire Machine Gun unit and a South African artillery unit, before a permanent posting to ‘H’ Section Signals attached to the Royal Artillery.
By April 1943 Mel was in Tunisia before the Regiment was withdrawn back to Egypt to prepare for the invasion of Sicily.
Mel saw the back of Africa on 10 July as he headed for Sicily, moving right through Sicily, crossing to mainland Italy briefly and then returning to Sicily. On 23 October 1943 Mel left Sicily, sailing back to the UK, docking in Liverpool and
travelling down to Long Melford, Suffolk in November 1943.
H Section was based at Chadacre Park near Hartest, Suffolk where more training took place. Mel was given a M14 half-track to drive on 11 March 1944, before moving to Brockenhurst, Hampshire in April. On 2 June 1944 he was loaded on to a LCT (Landing Craft Tank) for the D-Day invasion, only for it to be put on hold, so they circled the Isle of Wight.
On 6 June 1944 (H+90mins), Mel landed on Gold Beach, near Le Hamel, moving through Normandy and into Belgium by mid-September. Mel was involved in part of Operation Market Garden, crossing the Nijmegen Bridge, stopping just short of Arnhem.
Mel was then withdrawn back into Belgium in December 1944, returning to the UK for leave, before being back in Bruges, Belgium for Christmas 1944.
A posting to GHQ Liaison Regiment (Phantom) then followed in March 1945, based first at Waterloo, Belgium and then Baddenhausen, Germany.
Early 1946 Mel was detailed to draw DR (Despatch Rider) kit, consisting of a waterproof coat and round helmet, and take a motorcycle down to Brussels, so that an officer could get about and fix up football pitches for matches between Phantom units and local teams. When that had finished Mel went back to Baddenhausen in preparation for demob.
Mel then took a train to Calais, a boat to Dover and a train to York Station where he was de-mobbed on 15 March 1946. Mel says that you had to hand everything in except what you were dressed in and the greatcoat, if you gave up the greatcoat you received 30 shillings (£1.50p) extra. He managed to keep the DR Coat, which was waterproof, hidden in his kit bag.
Apparently, it was like being in “Burtons”, blokes going around with tape measures around their necks. Mel was given a grey pinstripe suit, shirt, tie, trilby and a pair of brown shoes. The thing that most impressed Mel was that they kept calling him “Mister”, quite a change from what he had been called during the last 7 years. Mel then went on 111 days paid leave, which had risen from 8 shillings (40p) a week at the start of his regular service, to 35 shillings (£1.75p) at the end, less the inevitable stoppages of course.
The treasured waterproof DR coat was eventually sold in 1953, along with a Royal Enfield motor bike that he had bought with part of his de-mob money.
So in summary, Mels’ war consisted of him travelling through 16 countries – France, Belgium, South Africa, Egypt, Cyprus, Lebanon, Syria, Transjordan, Iraq, Palestine, Libya, Tunisia, Sicily, Italy, Germany and The Netherlands – I think he deserved to keep his DR coat !!!
Footnote – Mel, and his son, returned to Normandy for his 90th birthday, actually standing on the very spot where he came ashore on D-Day. Mel Jr says that his father was making jokes all the time, until they visited the grave of one his friends and that cracked him up. A local Belgium family came up to him at one point to thank him for saving their country.
Main pic from L to R - Andrew Radcliffe (British Legion), Mel Wallace Jnr, Mel Wallace,
Councillor Jan Taylor (Mayor) and Gary Fletcher (RSA)
All photographs by Stuart Boulton
SPRING 2018 87
Patron: HRH The Princess Royal President: The Master of Signals Chairman: Brig DA Hargreaves
Royal Signals Association
General Secretary and Treasurer: Col (Retd) TW Canham Assistant General Secretary: Maj (Retd) MS Tivey
Membership Secretary: Mrs CA Addison Grant Co-ordinator: Mrs L Sizeland
Every year brings its own challenges, and this year ours (and every other organisation holding personal information) will be the implementation of General Data Protection Regulation GDPR). To help us, please would all RSA members complete the on-line Join Us form found at https://royalsignals.org/rsa/join-the-rsa/ or request a printed copy of the form from myself, the Admin Officer at the address at the bottom of the page. If, at the same time, you would like a replacement membership card/badge, let me know in the comments box on the form.
The Association forecast of events for 2018 can be found below, and as always, are copied on the RSA website
Event Time/DateEden Camp Parade, Malton, N Yorks 20 May 18
Corps Weekend, Blandford 15-17 Jun 18
Princess Royal Day 28 Jun 18
Armed Forces Day 30 Jun 18
Corps Memorial Service NMA Alrewas 1 Sep 18
10th Gathering of the Clans, Horden 16 Sep 18
Opening of the Field of Remembrance 8 Nov 18
Cenotaph Parade Whitehall 11 Nov 18
Project Noel VIII, Liverpool Cathedral see http://projectnoelfest.co.uk/ 30 Nov – 3 Dec 18
Arrangements for Eden Camp Parade at Malton have been finalized - and I am looking forward to being there again this year. The timings for the day can be found at https://royalsignals.org/rsa/eden-camp/
Planning for Corps Weekend 2018 has just begun and further details about the event will be available as soon as possible. Anyone who would like a printed copy of the details and application form by post should contact the Admin Officer at the address below.
The annual memorial service at the Corps Memorial, National Memorial Arboretum will take place on 1 September; full timings and details will also be on the website in good time for you to plan your day. Again, to have an application printed and sent by post please contact the Admin Officer.
During the year, but by 10 Jul 18 at the latest, you can apply by email: [email protected] or letter to the Admin Officer (address below) for your chance to join us at the Corps plot at the Opening of the Field of Remembrance in Westminster, or as part of the Corps Contingent at the Cenotaph Parade at Whitehall. Tickets for these events will be sent from Blandford when they have been received, usually some time during October.
Address - The Admin Officer, Royal Signals Association, HQ ROYAL SIGNALS, Griffin House, Blandford Camp, DT11 8RH
Maj David Allen 2001/17Sig James Anderson 1977/91Sig Michael Applegate 2003/09Cpl Christopher Baines 1974/85Cpl Philip Baxter 1995/17Sig William Begley 1977/81Sig Anthony Bell 1978/86LCpl Stewart Bell 1980/85Sig Anthony Benson 1988/97Cpl Ingrid Berry 1989/98LCpl Philip Boot 1980/93LCpl Anita Buckley 1990/00Sig Gary Cardwell 1984/92Sgt Tracey Christian 1972/92LCpl Thomas Collins 1960/66Sgt Cyril Cooper 1951/56Sig John Crawford 1991/96Sig Keith Cross 1964/70WO2 Trevor Croxon 1983/15Cpl John Dallison 1974/98Cpl John Daveron 1985/97Capt Robert Davidson 1983/06WO2 Christopher Deal 1996/18Sgt William Devitt 1979/92Sig Tracey Dyson 1989/98Sgt Daniel Edmunds 2005/17LCpl Clive Esterhuysen 2003/07WO2 Ian Evans 1983/09SSgt James Fisher 1991/13WO1 Paul Forryan 1972/96Cpl Allister Gage 1997/01WO2 Ian Good 1984/06Cpl Iain Grant 1992/01LCpl Mary Guidera 1954/57LCpl Michael Hall 1991/97
Sgt Kenneth O’Hagan 1964/77Cpl David Oughtred 1975/87Sig Gary Owens 1980/87Cpl Margaret Palmer 1964/67SSgt Roy Palmer 1992/18Cpl Alex Patterson 1980/88Sgt Jonathan Penrose 1985/98Sgt Walter Pollitt 1978/93Sig Edward Poole 1970/78Cpl Brian Porter 1959/61Cpl Charles Ralston 1973/87Sig Philip Rankin 1975/86Cpl Brian Roberts 1992/17Cpl Trevor Roe 1977/86Cpl David Rote 1963/73WO2 William Sanderson 1967/90Sig Andrew Slater 1982/89Sig David Smith 1992/98WO2 Gary Smith 1978/17Cpl Karen Spence 1987/94Sig Daniel Sprules 2001/08Cpl David Stagg 1954/56Sig Kenneth Storer 1953/55Pte Lorraine Stuart 1987/90Cpl Iain Taylor 1991/02Sig Adrian Tubb 1991/01Cpl Shaun Tunca 2003/11Cpl Anthony Veall 1996/18Cpl Christopher Walker 2000/08WO2 Robert Watson 1980/15LCpl David White 1976/83SSgt Brian Wilson 1984/08Sgt Christopher Wilson 1987/01Cpl Dawn Wright 1991/98
A warm welcome to the following members, enrolled since the last issue of The Wire:
SSgt James Hamill 1982/05Sig Martin Hamill 1979/89Cpl Keith Henry 1980/94Sgt Daniel Hogg 1995/17WO1 Scott Hoskins 1991/14WO1 Terence Hughes 1970/92LCpl Kristina Irving 2003/10LCpl Dai Johnson 1980/93Cpl John Jolly 1985/93WO2 Mark Jones 1985/10Sgt Philip Jones 1970/82Cpl Richard Kear 1992/03Sig James Keiller 1945/48Cpl Jacqueline Kidd 1994/05LCpl Leslie Lavall 1973/85SSgt Matthew Lee 1995/18WO2 Donna Leslie 1986/00Sig Darell Letton 1994/99WO2 Robert Lindley 1993/17WO2 Jason Lowes 1992/17Sig Lindsay Lyle 1993/98Cpl Scott Maskell 1996/08Sig John Massey 1987/94SSgt Amanda McCarroll 1989/10Sig Stuart McClaren 1990/98Sig John McKindland 1982/94Cpl Cheryl McMurray 1990/04Cpl Gareth Andrew McWha 1990/99Sig John Mills 1961/65Cpl Stephen Mills 1986/97LCpl Alric Ming 1969/83Lt Col Clifford Mongomery 1978/03LCpl Michael Morris 1982/89Cpl James Morton 1981/93SSgt Derek Noon 1972/94
New Life Members
President: Cliff WaltersChairman: Geoff GroverSecretary: Terry 'Walt' DisneyTreasurer: Dennis UsherSocial Member: Sandie DisneyVice Chairman: John ReesWebmaster: Andy SowardStandard Bearer: Volunteer required
The Branch is celebrating 50 years, it was formed on 25 October 1967 in Blandford Forum with the first meeting being held in the then Conservative Club in Dale House, Salisbury Street. The founder members of the branch were Maj Gen Moberly, Sam Henwood and Bob Simpson. To mark this occasion the current members and their wives together with the only surviving founder member Bob Simpson BEM attended a dinner night on Friday 20 October which was held at the Masonic Hall, Blandford Forum.
DORSET BRANCHBob Simpson BEM now 93 is a veteran of the Second World War. In 2016 Bob was awarded the Legion d’honneur by the French Honorary Consul. The Branch is still very well supported and meets regularly at various locations. On Friday 27 April 2018 we have been granted the honour of holding our 50th Annual Dinner Dance in the WO’s and Sgts’ Mess, Blandford Camp the place where the first Dinner Dance was held on 19 April 1968.
SPRING 2018 89
Chairman Noel MossSecretary Mary Pagan
On a pleasant September morning, a group of branch members gathered to discover the mysteries of Uppark House, which stands in splendid isolation in the South Downs. Built in the late 17th century it wasn’t until 1747, when Sir Matthew and Lady Sarah Fetherstonehaugh, took ownership that ‘life’ in Uppark began. Decorated throughout and furnished with treasures collected from their Grand Tour, Uppark was a place fit for Kings and society to visit. In later years, after their son and heir, Sir Harry took control, those visitors were to include the Prince Regent (George IV to be) and Emma Hart (Lady Hamilton to be).
Uppark epitomised the ‘upstairs downstairs’ theme of Downton Abbey, except that the servants were in fact ‘underground’. Access to the main building for the servants, to serve when rung for, was by a series of underground tunnels so they would only ‘appear’ where needed. However life for them probably wasn’t all bad as the daily routine for both upstairs and downstairs seems to have revolved around the numerous meal times.
It was Lady Sarah who brought the famous 18th century doll’s house to Uppark on her marriage to Sir Matthew. The doll’s house, said to be one of the finest examples of its time, is quite spectacular and worth the visit on its own. With miniature ‘hall marked’ cutlery this is not a child’s toy but a grown up indulgence. The dolls even reflect the status of the occupants with the servant dolls made of wood and those ‘upstairs’ dolls made of wax.
Sir Harry, however, broke the social divide by marrying the dairy maid! Even more bizarre, the housekeeper’s son was the young H.G. Wells, who was said to have been inspired, on one of his many visits to Uppark, to write his famous novel’ ‘The Time Machine’. Perhaps Wells saw then that Uppark would always exist within a ‘time warp’ of its own. Today the family (descendants of the original Fetherstonehaughs) still privately occupy the upper floor, but we were grateful to them for allowing us to peep behind their grand curtains.
After lunch in the café it was time for the head gardener Andy to round off our visit with a guided walk around his territory. Uppark’s gardens are not elaborate but in keeping with the style and ethos of the estate. Andy brought it to life and shared with us his vision on how it would develop. There was then time to return to the café, sit outside in the late summer sunshine and enjoy the views across the Downs just as Matthew and Sarah, Harry and the ‘dairy maid’ would have done on many occasions.
Nearer to home, members once again assembled for our Autumn Lunch at the Camberley Heath Golf Clubhouse and enjoyed another excellent lunch in good company. We are, as ever, delighted with our close relationship with the only Royal Signals unit in Aldershot Garrison, 251 Signal Squadron and we welcomed their OC, Maj Matt Cox and his SQMS, SSgt Natalie Wheelan as our guests. After lunch Matt Cox gave us an interesting insight on how things are in today’s army, drawing on his experiences not only in his current post but also from the rest of his impressive career. The event concluded with the traditional raffle with the lucky prize winners all keen to get their hands on the superb table flower arrangements made up by Mary Pagan. The raffle resulted in a very satisfying total of £175, as a donation to the RSBF.
For our November event, we were treated to a second talk by Sandra Simmonds, the former Wren who had previously spoken about her life in Iran for three years under the veil
and her escape with Iranian husband at the time of the 1979 revolution. If we had expected an account of a comparatively orderly existence back in her home country, living near to her parents in Gloucester, how wrong we were proved to be! Sandra’s lucid story began with the harsh treatment meted out by her husband who continued to abide by his national customs, expecting her parents to take responsibility for her upkeep and welfare. Leading to a state of deep depression, her father took control and somewhat surprisingly persuaded her to take up
jogging! That indeed became a turning point in her life. It led to her participation in a half-marathon and the following year in the first-ever Gloucester Marathon!
These physical and emotional life changes encouraged Sandra to decide there was no future in trying to alter her husband’s ways and to file for divorce. Now free once more to go her own way and always with a love for the Navy, she joined the Royal Naval Reserve. She became the first female Petty Officer to command a Royal Marines Guard of Honour at Portsmouth, to be inspected by the Princess Royal. She also obtained work with Social Security, remarried and had a son. Her physical activities have since extended into badminton and, way beyond her own expectations, ten-pin bowling for Gloucester and her recent selection for the England bowling team!
The above is a mere summary of Sandra’s articulate delivery, so it is not surprising that her talks are much in demand. We were delighted to have a well attended meeting, listening with great admiration to her spell-binding account of the many ups and downs in her life and her amazing resilience. We were also very pleased to entertain her afterwards together with some of our members and guests for a pub lunch at a local hostelry.
Uppark dolls house
ALDERSHOT BRANCH
On 22 December members of our association attended Christmas dinner at the Garrison Golf Club where Thierry, Penny and the staff gave us a fantastic meal with all the trimmings. We were especially pleased to welcome the area representative Mr Terry Campbell and his good lady. Our treasurer Mr Peter Moppett and his wife Mary helped out on the evening and Peter did all the organisation with Mary writing place names with choices on them so everyone didn't have to try to remember what they had ordered. A good time was had by all.
CATTERICK BRANCH
President Dave GeereChairman Gerry KaneVice Chairman Chuck SpeedSecretary/Treasurer Bob White
The Branch has been very busy. Members attended the Royals Signals Association Memorial Service on 2 September 2017 at the National Memorial Arboretum. A massive turnout from the Corps, both present and retired, with a short but emotional service.
The month of November was by far the busiest time for members. On Sunday 12 November 2017 we attended our Remembrance Service at St Mary in the Elms, Woodhouse, Leicestershire. This is very much our “spiritual” home, for many retired members served at Garats HaY Barracks in the village, now the home of the Defence Sixth Form College. The service was again supported by a uniformed presence from DISC Chicksands. Our new standard was on parade, along with that of the “Y” Services (Garats HaY) Branch of the Royal British Legion.
The following Saturday, on 18 November 2017, Branch members, their ladies and friends gathered at Longcliffe Golf Club on the outskirts of Loughborough for the annual dinner and dance. It proved to be another resounding success, with excellent food and service. We were also very pleased to have the RSA Secretary, Caroline Addison and her husband Doc with us, as well as Area 3 representative Trevor Holyoake and his wife Carol.
Following a very enjoyable meal, well deserved RSA 50 year badge presentations were made by the President Dave Geere, to Branch members David Lincoln and Jack Fiskel MBE One of the highlights of the evening was the presentation of the RSA Honour Badge to Tom Neal. We were so pleased that this ceremony could be undertaken by RSA Secretary Caroline Addison. She read out the citation for
this justifiable award and then presented Tom with his badge. A standing ovation was made by members present.
The Branch now looks forward to Christmas and onwards into 2018. We are a very active Branch with excellent attendance at our Branch meetings. These take place on the 1st Tuesday of each month (except June, July and August) commencing at 1945 hours, at the Black Swan, Shepshed. You are all welcome if you are “down our way”.
Peter and Mary Moppett Enjoying Christmas dinner
LOUGHBOROUGH BRANCH
RSA Secretary Caroline Addison presenting Tom Neal with his RSA
Honour badge and certificate
Branch President Dave Geere presents David Lincoln with his
RSA 50 year badge
Tom and Helen Neal after the ceremony
Branch President David Geere presents Jack Fiskel MBE with his
RSA 50 year badge
SPRING 2018 91
Centenary Commemorative Paving Stone Ceremony
On 27 October 2017, precisely 100 years to the day after Maj Alexander Lafone and 18 Middlesex Yeomen made the supreme sacrifice, and for which Maj Lafone was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, Lt Col Don Grocott and Lt Col Mike Lansdown, President and Chairman respectively, represented the Middlesex Yeomanry Association at the unveiling by the Mayor of Sefton of a centenary commemorative paving stone at the Five Lamps War Memorial, Waterloo, Merseyside. The serving Corps was represented by Maj Paul Knight, OC 33 Signal Squadron, and many members of the Lafone family were also present.
Lafone Day Parade, Services and Dinner
The following day, the Middlesex Yeomanry Association held a series of events to commemorate the Lafone centenary. The traditional Lafone Day Parade was reinstated for the centenary, and comprised 31 (Middlesex Yeomanry and Princess Louise’s Kensington) Signal Squadron, followed by 191 Detachment ACF, marching up Ludgate Hill behind the Band of the Royal Yeomanry (Inns of Court and City Yeomanry), and halting with immaculate precision in front of the west steps of St Paul’s Cathedral in the presence of a large crowd.
This was followed by a wreath laying ceremony at the Regimental Memorial in the crypt of St Paul’s. Association members then joined the parade which then proceeded down Ludgate Hill to the Guild Church of St Martin within Ludgate, Regimental Chapel of the Middlesex Yeomanry, where a memorial service was conducted by the padre of 71 Signal Regiment, Rev Chris Trundle.
In the evening a gala centenary dinner was held in the magnificent Drapers’ Hall, attended by a very good turnout of Association members, including some who had travelled from as far afield as South America and Australia. The Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers, who had
generously supported the occasion, were also well represented, as too were the Lafone family. All were royally entertained by the excellent Middlesex Yeomanry Concert Band. Field Marshal Sir John Chapple was the guest of honour and spoke knowledgeably and movingly of the challenges faced by Yeomanry units at that time in Palestine. Lt Col Don Grocott, and Mary Stuart-Menteth of the Lafone family also spoke. By kind
permission of the Trustees of Dulwich College, Maj Lafone’s original Victoria Cross medal was displayed under the watchful eye of the Royal Signals Museum’s technical curator, Scarlett Gordon.
For those present, the Lafone VC centenary commemorations will live long in the memory as a fitting tribute to a brave leader who has been the inspiration and benchmark for the Middlesex Yeomanry in its subsequent 100 years of service, substantially all as part of the Royal Corps of Signals.
MIDDLESEX YEOMANRY ASSOCIATIONMajor Alexander Lafone VC Centenary Commemoration Events
Marching off
Mike Vokes, John Stephenson and Don Reade, who had travelled from Australia, reunited for the first time in
decades
Although we are a small group, our regular monthly meetings continue to be held at the Victory Club in Cheltenham on the first Wednesday of every month.
On 8 November, eleven members met at a local wine bar prior to attending a performance of Alan Ayckbourn’s “How the Other Half Loves” at the Everyman Theatre – an enjoyable evening.
On 12 November, Remembrance Sunday morning our Branch wreath was laid at the War Memorial in the Promenade by our Chairman and the Branch Standard was paraded by a member of the local Cadet Force. Our memorial cross had previously been placed in the Garden of Remembrance by Albert Ayres. On that evening, several members were present at the “Festival of Remembrance” service in the Town Hall, when, along with many others –
our Standard was again on parade. Our two former members who are now both Chelsea In-Pensioners were also in attendance at this Service.
On 18 November an outing on the Gloucestershire/Warwickshire Steam Railway was organised by Bob Owen. Seventeen members and friends enjoyed a pleasant trip through the Cotswolds countryside, with fish and chips for everyone being taken on-board at Winchcombe Station. A good afternoon was had by all.
On 7 December several members went to the local Royal National Lifeboat Institution Carol Service for the “999 Emergency Services” in the impressive chapel of Cheltenham College. A festive occasion – with coffee and mince pies – to get everyone into the real spirit of Christmas.
COTSWOLDS BRANCH
LCpl B Arrowsmith 1952-54 Dec-17 Lt Col B Blackwell CBE 1958-79 Jan-18Col CDA Blessington 1960-89 Feb-18OBE JP DL Maj A Burns 1949-81 Jan-18Capt E Carter MBE TD 1957-89 Dec-17Maj D Chappell 1941-77 Dec-17SSgt J Chipling 1948-71 Jan-18Sig F Clutterbuck 1939-42 Jan-18Lt D Coggan 1942-45 Jan-18Col R Crombie OBE 1972-05 Jan-18Maj P Forster 1969-91 Dec-17Lt Col R Goodman OBE BEM 1948-87 Jan-18Maj J Handy 1944-67 Jan-18Sgt P Harrigan 1965-87 Jan-18Sig K Hazelden 1945-48 Dec-17Sig J Hodges 1948-50 Dec-17Lt Col J Honeyman 1978-13 Dec-17Dvr A Horn 1939-47 Nov-17Sig G Lloyd 1939-46 Dec-17Sig I Lucas 1951-55 Dec-17Sgt A Lushey 1943-47 Nov-17Lt D Mainhood 1949-55 Oct-17Cpl P McLay 1971-95 Nov-17Maj P Metcalfe 1967-82 Nov-17Sgt P Morgan 1983-98 Nov-17Sig L Munday 1943-46 Dec-17Lt Col MJT O'Connor 1948-75 Feb-18WO1 E Ormond 1947-84 Jan-18Sig W Ovington 1940-46 Oct-17Cpl T Palmer 1961-70 Dec-17WO2 J Philemon 1958-82 Nov-17Lt Col WDA Poole 1950-85 Feb-18Sgt E Poulton 1938-46 Nov-17WO1 A Riddell 1948-74 Jan-18Maj G Schofield MBE 1962-86 Feb-18LCpl P Rose 1970-92 Dec-17SSgt M Spinks 1962-84 Dec-17WO1 S Taylor 1967-90 Jan-18
ESCAPING THE ORDINARYHow a founder of the SAS blazed a trail at the end of Empire
By Lorna Almonds-Windmill
This book is a sequel to the author’s biography of her father “Gentleman Jim” Almonds and tells of the amazing adventures he undertook after WW II. The author was the first winner of the Royal Signals Rose Bowl for female officers. A taste of this exciting book can be seen at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhyBeZdUXVE&feature=youtu.be Published by Troubadour the E-book is available worldwide from major E-book retailers including Amazon, Apple, Google Play, Kabo and Nook’, £4.99. ISBN 9781788030670
A 56th Signal Squadron (V) Reunion Dinner will be held in Eastbourne on
Saturday 1 September 2018.
To obtain further information please forward your e mail address to [email protected] or write to:
56 Reunion Dinnerc/o Caretaker
TA CentreSeaside
EastbourneEast Sussex BN23 5DF
REUNION
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HOLT - Major Robert Holt MBE died 11 May 2017
Robert Holt was born in South Wales in January 1950.
He joined Junior Leaders Regiment Royal Signals at Denbury Camp, Newton Abbot as a boy soldier training as a Data Telegraphist. Whilst at Denbury he joined the band under the ‘guidance’ of Drum Major Yates BEM also the Provo Sergeant. During his stint in the band he was to play at Wembley at the 1966 World Cup.
On leaving Denbury he was posted to Catterick for RTG training and during his course he met his future wife Cindy in the Harewood Club who was with him throughout his military career. He applied for every course possible in Catterick so they could be together and after two years they were married in 1970.
Robert liked his cars and in 1968 he was the owner of a second hand Austin Cambridge! He was a leading light in the Army Rally arena for many years and was an expert on motors of all types.
MUSCHAMP - Signaller Peter Muschamp died 14 November 2017
Peter was born and brought up in Shipley, the youngest of six
children of Elsie and George Muschamp. After he left school, he went to live with his sister Margaret, and worked on a farm until he was 18 when he was called up for his two years National Service, serving with the Royal Signals in
Egypt. On returning in 1955 Peter went to live in Saltaire
where he met Doreen and they married in 1956 and had
OBITUARIES
On completion of his RTG training he was posted to 4 Div Sig Regt in Herford Germany, where he was immediately in trouble for taking Cindy over without asking for permission! They had to rely on compo rations like many soldiers did to get by as money was so short, and they didn’t get family LOA and he had to pay for his food in camp!
In 1972 they moved to SHAPE in Belgium. Robert was promoted to Sergeant and then attended his YofS course at Blandford, in Germany and Bromley.
He was commissioned in 1987 in the rank of Captain and posted to 4 Div Sig Regt where he started his soldier career followed by tours in Germany and Northern Ireland with promotion to the rank of Major. Whilst serving in NI he was awarded a well recognised MiD for services to communications.
The highlight came in 2004 with recognition for all the work contributed to CVHQ Royal Signals and the award of an MBE, resulting in an investiture at Buckingham Palace with an immensely proud family.
Robert finally retired in 2010 as a Major on FTRS at CVHQ R Signals in Corsham after 45 years of devoted service to the Corps.
He was a proud Welsh man (although was asked numerous times if he was from Yorkshire!) Robert and Cindy made wonderful friends on their travels to France in Robert’s numerous motor homes. He loved being sociable and chatting to everyone about anything, he was never short of a ‘friendly’ piece of advice.
He leaves behind Cindy who he was married to for 49 years and a son and daughter.
five children together. The family has subsequently grown with nine grandchildren, fourteen great grandchildren and one great, great grandchild. The family moved to the village of Cayton just on the outskirts of Scarborough and spent 45 years there.
Outside of work, his interests included caravanning, he was involved in the local community through the Youth Club, the Cayton Playing Fields Association and as a member of the Jubilee Hall Committee. Peter was also heavily involved in the Royal British Legion, serving as Vice Chairman and Social Secretary and on the committees of the Cayton and Filey Branches, as well as being Standard Bearer and Poppy Organiser at Cayton and Assistant Poppy Organiser at Filey. He had spent a lot of time representing the Legion and fundraising for them. He was also very much involved with the Scarborough Branch of the Royal Signals Association.
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BLACKWELL - Lt Col Brian Blackwell CBE died 26 January 2018
Brian Blackwell was widely considered to be one of the most promising officers of his generation. To the surprise of many, upon relinquishing command of 11 Signal Regiment in 1979 and seemingly destined for higher rank, he resigned his commission and joined the Northern Ireland Office (NIO). Here, during a twenty year Civil Service career he became fully engaged at the very heart of the NI peace process, his contribution recognised with the award of CBE in 1997.
Brian Allan Blackwell was born, at home, in Coventry on 11 October 1938. He was the first child of John and Annie Blackwell, weighing in at a healthy 10lb. His father was a regular NCO, serving in the Royal Army Service Corps. Following the outbreak of war in 1939, Annie and Brian were evacuated to the Lake District. His father was at Dunkirk and subsequently served extensively in North Africa. It was not until 1945 that the family were reunited, and his sister Barbara was born a year later.
Excelling at school and to the immense pride of his parents, Brian passed his 11+ and gained a place at Bablake School, an Independent Boys’ School founded in 1334. It was here that he developed a love of sport, particularly rugby, as well as a strong desire to join the army. On completion of his ‘O’ levels, he gained a place at Welbeck College, from where he entered Sandhurst in 1957. As a cadet Brian gained recognition as a distinguished athlete and he became a Junior Under Officer. It was at Sandhurst that he met his future wife, Margaret, at a jazz club in Camberley; they were to marry some three years later.
On commissioning in 1958, he spent the next three years at the Royal Military College of Science, Shrivenham, following which his early appointments included a posting to 1 Division Signal Regiment in Verden, where his daughter Nikki was born. Here he quickly gained a reputation as an effective, highly competitive and popular Troop Commander. Returning to Sandhurst in 1965 as a Company Instructor, he again entered fully into competitive life at the Academy, enthusiastically organising rugby tours to BAOR, and at which time younger daughter Jo arrived. After Sandhurst, the Blackwells spent what was by all accounts a happy two years with 249 Signal Squadron in Singapore, before returning to the UK where Staff College beckoned.
From Camberley, he completed an 18 month Grade 2 staff appointment with the Joint Exercise Planning Staff, HQ
BFG. Brian’s first command tour was to Northern Ireland as OC 233 Signal Squadron in 1972, and events there had a profound affect upon him. The seminal moment was the IRA killing of one of his soldiers in Belfast, which instilled in him a clear determination to play a future role in the NI situation, leading eventually to his remarkable career change some six years later.
From 233 Signal Squadron he joined the staff of MOD (DASD), and then to HQ Training Group, Catterick, as Brigade Major. On promotion in 1977 he assumed command of 11 Signal Regiment. His outstanding leadership skills and larger than life personality soon created a powerful culture of excellence throughout the Regiment which was then operating to capacity, training adult recruits at Catterick and juniors at Ouston. Despite these challenges, having previously embarked upon an Open University degree course he continued his studies, with unwavering commitment. The lengthy journeys between Catterick and Ouston allowed precious study time, but this only marginally reduced the amount of midnight oil still required. He graduated midway through his tour, and on passing the Civil Service exam, he entered the NIO in 1979, in the grade of Principal.
Sir John Chilcot GCB PC who was Permanent Under-Secretary of State at the NIO between 1990 and 1997 has paid the following tribute to Brian:-
“Brian Blackwell came to the Northern Ireland Office with a great deal to offer. He delivered far more than even we expected. Outstanding was his ability to inject confidence and reassurance in the tightest situations, both at the operational and policy level. His positive effect on others’ morale was something I saw from the first, and the whole NI Office was the beneficiary. A particular quality I appreciated as PUS was his genial and always tactful, though insistent, style of making clear if he thought a potential decision was going in the wrong direction. From routine gatherings, to crisis meetings with the Secretary of State, Brian could always be relied on to speak truth to others however powerful, and to do so in a way that persuaded rather than aroused objection.
It’s a rare combination of qualities that brings together outstanding personal, decisive, leadership with unqualified loyalty to the long, hard, collective effort that the Northern Ireland situation required. That combination made Brian’s contribution one of especial value. He will be long remembered by the Northern Ireland Office as an invaluable colleague, and a precious friend, in tough circumstances."
Sir John Chilcot
Brian retired from the NIO in 2000 but retained close links with the Army and the Civil Service, in various capacities. He was an MOD consultant providing resettlement advice and mentoring for senior officers of all Services, offering in effect a ‘cradle to grave service’ for many former military colleagues. He was also an external assessor of the NI Electoral Office’s Equality Scheme.
No account of Brian’s life and character would be complete without reference to his passion for sport. He was an enthusiastic and accomplished sportsman in the traditional sense of the word. On the field he was a fierce competitor and gentleman who excelled at rugby and cricket but he would have a go at anything that involved competition. He was an inspirational leader at the heart of the action. At rugby he captained the Corps team for two years, and played for the army, both in the UK and in Germany. He played his civilian club rugby for Camberley and later became their Vice President. He also represented the army at cricket.
In later life, Brian suffered a long period of ill health and personal tragedy. Indeed as early as 2002, shortly after his retirement from the NIO, Brian’s wife Margaret died
at the age of 60. He married again, Margaret’s second cousin Theresa, a truly loving second marriage that endured as his health deteriorated and he required a full time carer. Sadly in 2014 Theresa died suddenly at home.
Brian’s daughters Nikki and Jo remained faithful to his wish that he should stay at home with full time care, and never be readmitted to hospital. Tragically, and devastatingly for Brian, Jo died suddenly in January 2017.
In his final year, Brian’s failing health and discomfort did not diminish his commanding presence, his warm engaging spirit, the sharpness both of his intellect and sense of humour, or his enjoyment of a decent glass (or two) of Shiraz. Brian died peacefully at home and is survived by his elder daughter Nikki, and his sister Barbara.
BURNS - Major (QM) Archibald ‘Robbie’ Burns died 28 January 2018
Archibald ‘Robbie’ Burns was born in Kilbirnie, Ayrshire,
Scotland on 19 January 1931, one of seven children. In his own words “There was never any spare money so there was never any waste. We were always relatively
hungry but no one ever told us we were poor so it never
impinged on our minds!” Despite showing considerable
academic promise, being awarded the Dux medal at age 13 and selected for a grammar school education, Robbie was required to leave school at 14 and start work at the local steel mill in order to bring money in for the family.
Looking for something better, he took the King’s Shilling at the Glasgow Recruiting Office in December 1948 and was selected for the Royal Signals, training at what was then 7 Selection Regiment, Catterick, followed by 3 Training Regiment. The following year he was selected by MI8 for training as a Special Operator at Woodhouse Eaves and Beaumanor DWS in Leicestershire.
It was early in 1950 when the Army conspired to change his life for him with a posting to 2 Wireless Regiment, Cyprus. Movement was on the Empire Windrush, also on board which were his family (wife, three daughters and one son) of one Maj FJC Wollaston travelling to join him at 2 Wireless Regiment. Although neither of them knew it at the time Robbie would marry that middle daughter, Cynthia Wollaston, two years later in Famagusta.
Further postings within the Spec Ops stream followed; 15 Special Wireless Squadron in Plymouth, 1 Wireless Regiment in Birgelen and Langeleben, and 9 Signal Regiment Famagusta. In August 1966 Robbie was promoted to WO1 and posted to 51 Highland Signal Regiment Aberdeen as RSM. It was his last appointment in the ranks and one which, as a Scot, gave him particular pride and pleasure.
On commissioning he served as a Troop Commander in 28 (Northag) Signal Regiment under Lt Col T Skelly and then Lt Col Ian MacDonald before returning to Cyprus with 259 Signal Squadron. In 1974 he was posted to 233 Special Signal Squadron in Winchester as the QM and two years later moved the unit from Winchester to 224 Signal Squadron at Woodhouse Eaves. He was promoted to Major (QM) and posted to 39 (Special Comms) Signal Regiment in 1978. He retired from the Active List three years later to serve as PSO at 5 Squadron, 39 Signal Regiment in Banbury until retirement in 1991 aged 60, having completed 42 years in uniform.
Not one to stand idle for long, Robbie threw himself into the local community in Banbury. He assisted the local foundry to gain ISO certification, was President of the Cricket Club, and successfully took the RHS national examinations. A major stroke meant that he had to slow down for a while, but with typical focus and determination he re-trained his brain around the damage and carried on much as before. In 2009 he and his wife
moved south to Alverstoke in Hampshire to be closer to family.
Robbie Burns died peacefully a few days after his 87th birthday with his family around him. He leaves his widow, Cynthia, their three children, seven grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren. A long life, well-lived.
21 Jardine Street, Glasgow
HISTORY OF SIGNALLING IN 100 OBJECTS
No 38
In the build up to the Corps Centenary in 2020 we intend to publish a series of articles on objects which have formed part of the history of Signalling in general and the Corps in particular. This will be a challenge and we
may not achieve our target in the time available but the aim is to entertain and inform and we will use a combination of The Wire and Digital Media to do so. Whilst the bulk of the objects are held by the Museum, some will not be and we would be happy to consider short articles with photographs of other objects from
serving or former members of the Corps. We hope that you enjoy the series.
Certa Cito!
This building is possibly the oldest “Drill Hall” still in service in the UK. It is named the Kitchener Block after the famous Sapper General, who was the Honorary Colonel of this RE Regiment. 32 Signal Regiment was formed in April 1967, but its signalling and engineering history goes back to 1863. This building was designed by
Robert Bryden, who was a Major in the unit. The cost of the building was borne by the unit, who raised funds by subscription, fetes and bazaars. It is now a category B listed building. As we will discover, several of the 100 Objects can be traced back to the occupiers of this building. This includes the most detailed extant picture of the WW1 cable wagon. The artist Francis Martin was a lineman from this Regiment and one of his paintings hangs in the Mess, but the more famous one is entitled “Through.” Pipes and Drums feature in the Mess rooms and remain a priority with the Regiment.
32 Signal Regiment continues in the proud tradition of excellence in communications and engineering – “Be Thorough to be Through” was the motto in WW1 and holds good today!
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