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THE WIRE, APRIL 2010

The Royal Corps of Signals

THE

April 2010

wire

CORPS WEEK 17 – 21 MAY 2010

In order to make better use of defence resourcesand re-structure the range of major Corps events

held annually at Blandford Camp, the decisionwas taken in late 2009 to institute a Corps Week.

The intent is that Corps Week should grow tobecome the major event in the Corps calendar forboth the serving and retired Corps to be held at

the ‘Home of The Corps’.

This year’s events will take place in the week 17 –21 May and are a mixture of the wide range of

operational, sporting and social activities normally held in the first half of the year. Theaddition is a new all ranks and families ‘Party in the Park’ concert following the completion

of the Morrison Cup. The planned events are:

Instructions and joining proformas will be issued by individual event organisers. A centralised accommodation management service will be established.

Date Event Timings Location

17 May 10People Line of Development Meeting

(PLOD)0900hrs – 1600hrs

Rutherford Conference Rooms

17 May 10 WO1s RD Conference 0900hrs – 1630hrs HQ WOs & Sgts Mess

17 May 10 WO1s RD Dinner 1930hrs – 0100hrs HQ WOs & Sgts Mess

17/18 May 10

Communications and Information Services (CIS) Professionals Seminar Theme: ‘The Campaign and our Intelligence

Business’

0830hrs – 1800 hrs PMH/Cinema (tbc)

17 May 10 CIS Professionals Curry Supper 1930hrs – 0100hrs HQ WOs & Sgts Mess

18/19 May 10SOinC(A)’s Conference

Theme: ‘How we are responding to the challenge of current operations?’

18th 0900hrs – 1700hrs19th 0900hrs – 1400hrs

PMH/Cinema (tbc)

18/19 May 10 Morrison Cup 0900hrs – 1700hrs Athletics Track

18 May 10 Corps Guest Night 1930hrs - 0100hrs HQ Officers Mess

19 May 10 Party in the Park 1800hrs - 2230hrs Sports Ground

20 May 10 TA Committee Meeting 0930hrs - 1230hrsRutherford 1 and 2 Conference Rooms

21 May 10Manpower Distribution Document (MDD)

Meeting0930hrs - 1230hrs

Rutherford Conference Room

Published bi-monthlyAnnual subscription £12.00 plus postage

Editor: Lt Col (Retd) Alan Wallace

Deputy Editor: Mrs Amy Petersen

The Magazine of the Royal Corps of SignalsEstablished in 1920

Authors alone are responsible for the content of their articles. The opinions expressed in the articles of this publication are those of theindividual 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. It should be treated with discretion by the recipient.

Printed by Holbrook Printers Ltd, Norway Road, Hilsea, Portsmouth © Crown Copyright

CONTENTSPage

Information 2

Movements 3

Retirements 3

News of Training 3

News from Regiments 5

News from Squadrons 53

Other Units 67

Sport 72

The Royal Signals Association 75

Donations 76

Last Post 78

Obituaries 79

Lost Communications 83

Miscellaneous Stories 83

Articles Carried Over 85

Advertisements 91

FRONT COVER

Capt Simon Gray of 21 Signal Regiment (AS) whocame 3rd in the Giant Slalom at the CorpsChampionships.

April 2010 Vol. 64 No: 2

All correspondence and material for publication in The Wire should be addressed to:

The Wire, RHQ Royal Signals,Blandford Camp,

Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 8RH Email: [email protected]

The Wire

EDITORIALAs most of you will be aware, I am taking off my Editor’s hat atthe end of March and handing The Wire over to Keith Pritchard

who will take up the reins and be your Editor for the June edition. Looking back on the 4 years and 3 months I have spent in thischair, I am extremely glad I ‘rejoined’ the Corps to do the job. Ihave taken great pride in reading so many articles fromindividuals and units about success on operations, on exercise,on the sports field, on adventure training and relaxing off duty.

It is one of the functions of The Wire to be “an informal history ofthe Corps” and I receive requests from veterans and familiesvirtually every day trying to find articles in the Archive aboutthemselves or relatives; sometimes these requests go back morethan 50 years. I am absolutely sure that in the future, the Editorsitting here will be receiving similar requests about what you aredoing now. The Wire will be a primary source for research intothe activities of our Corps in the 21st Century. Fortunately, thefuture Editor will have an on-line Wire to help him.

While preparing this last editorial, I looked through the last coupleof editions and found that on average 70% of the material waswritten by and credited to Cpls and below, 17% to WOs andSNCOs and the remainder to Capts and below. This confirms adictum of The Wire which is that it is “written for the Corps by theCorps”; I am pleased that this is still true. Long may it be so.

I wish you all long lives and happiness, safe returns for thoseaway from home and continuing success in all you do. Thankyou for an inspiring time.

Editor

Lt Col (Retd) Alan WallaceTel: 01258 485249

Deputy Editor

Mrs Amy PetersenTel: 01258 485248

Welfare

Mrs Linda SizelandTel: 01258 482089

Accounts / Subscriptions

Mrs Sharon SterneTel: 01258 482087

Contributors

Deadline for The Wire : 15th February for publication in the April.15th April for publication in the June.15th June for publication in the August.15th August for publication in the October.15th October for publication in the December.10th December for publication in the February.

To see The Wire on line or to refer to Guidelines for Contributors, go to: http://www.army.mod.uk/signals/heritage/1311.aspx

Subscribers

All enquiries regarding subscriptions and changes of address of The Wire should be made to:01258 482087 or 94371 2087 (mil) or [email protected]. Remittancesshould be made payable to Royal Signals Benevolent Fund

BACK COVERLCpl Stell of 11 Lt Bde HQ & Sig Sqn (261)reserving his personal transport in HelmandProvince.

2 THE WIRE, APRIL 2010

LAUNCH OF THE ARMY KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE

- by Lt Col JA Dando AGC(ETS) – SO1 IMS, LWDG

The Land Warfare Centre is developing the Army KnowledgeExchange (AKX), a virtual “one-stop shop” for Land environmentknowledge, to provide better support to operations. The intentionof AKX is to put vital information into the hands of ourcommanders and others who need it, when they need it,wherever they may be in the world.

Defence information management systems have been inadequatein facilitating access to the most up-to-date doctrine andoperational information. The Defence Intranet is unresponsive andthe search mechanism is ineffective. AKX is a solution to provideeasy access to Land environment knowledge – defined asinformation that has been subject to process, assessment andexperience – and to meet the growing requirement forcollaborative working across Defence including with our allies,academia, science and technology and industry.

The Land Warfare Development Group is working with ArmyInformation Services in Blandford to develop a RESTRICTEDWWW internet site which will be accessible to all those withArmyNET log ons. Due to security issues, accreditation of thisapplication will take some time so in the interim, a “next-best”solution has been put in place, establishing AKX on 3 separateplatforms – UNCLASSIFIED, RESTRICTED and SECRET.

At the heart of AKX is the virtual Knowledge Base, acomprehensive library of Land environment documents, with auser-friendly and intuitive search engine and an associatedRequest For Information (RFI) service. Collaborative working,knowledge sharing and debate will be encouraged through AKXdiscussion forums moderated by Subject Matter Experts fromLWC and beyond.

AKX also provides links to a comprehensive range of referencesources including academic bodies, the websites of our allies,NGOs and the wider Defence community. It is truly the first placeto go in search of knowledge.

AKX is accessible from DII and trusts will shortly be in place toenable AKX on the RESTRICTED and SECRET Land Interfaces tobe reached from Theatre and legacy systems such as ASHFOREST and TAFMIS. This will make AKX the only LF knowledgeportal accessible to all.

AKX(U) on the WWW is just one click away from the ArmyNEThome page. Guest log ins, allowing limited access, can beissued to non-Army members of Land Forces, and to sponsoredindividuals working within the Defence arena; this enablescollaborative working via a range of discussion forums, includingVital Ground for majors.

AKX(R) is signposted with a quick link from the Defence IntranetMilitary, Army, LWC and LWDG home pages. It features anAfghan Hub to directly support Op HERRICK, linking todocuments and briefing information such as TTPs, OOPs, OpInsights and TD. It will become the essential reference point forthose preparing for or currently on operations.

AKX is still being developed and will evolve over the comingmonths. The uploading of documents into AKX is a laboriousprocess and will take some time to reach critical mass but theeffectiveness of its search mechanism will soon becomeapparent.AKX presents an opportunity for us to exploit the knowledge wehave diligently acquired. It is designed specifically to supportoperations and will help us do our job better by communicatingmore effectively and sharing knowledge across LF. Have a looknow!

INFORMATION

ARMY KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE

Screenshot of AKX front page

THE WIRE, APRIL 2010 3

Name and Rank Unit to which posted

JANUARY 2010

Capt G Davies ………… 10 Sig Regt - 241 Sqn

FEBRUARY 2010Capt S Gurung .............. 30 Sig Regt - 250 SqnCapt SJ Milne .............. HQ Land - G6 CBM Capt JMH Paulin ………... 2 Mercian

MARCH 2010

Capt P Ale .............. 30 Sig RegtCapt SL Goldsmith ………… 39 Sig Regt (V)Capt L Gurung .............. 30 Sig Regt - 250 SqnCapt T Gurung .............. 22 Sig Regt - 248 SqnCapt JC Long .............. 71 (Y) Sig Regt (V)Capt AF Macdonald .............. 10 Sig Regt - 225 SqnCapt O Pun .............. 2 Sig Regt - 246 SqnCapt K Rai .............. HQ Bde, NepalCapt RM Thompson .............. 1 (RBY) Sig Sqn (SC) (V) Lt KJ Lea .............. 1 Mech Bde

APRIL 2010Capt N Bhandari .............. 30 Sig Regt - HQ Sqn Capt SL Calland .............. JAGCapt A Gurung .............. 2 Sig Regt - 246 SqnCapt IJ Kirk ………… HQ ISAF Capt JS McGaw .............. 38 Sig Regt (V) Capt AL Sargeant .............. HQ SOinC(A) RHQ Capt DP Sheerin .............. 4 Mech Bde - 204 Sqn

MAY 2010

Capt M Easterbrook .............. JSSU Digby - Ops

Capt G Gurung .............. 30 Sig Regt - 250 SqnCapt L Gurung .............. 22 Sig Regt - 248 Sqn Capt S Gurung .............. CSD, DCCISCapt LJ Mason .............. JEOD StaffCapt J Porter .............. JSSU Digby - OpsCapt H Pun .............. HQ Brunei GarCapt T Rai .............. CSD, DCCIS

Name and Rank Unit to which posted

Capt M Robson .............. 14 Sig Regt (EW)A/Capt AL Lewis ………… Brit Forces FI – CBFFI

JUNE 2010Maj RH Angove ............... Air Warfare Centre (AE)

Capt R Gorman ............... 10 Sig Regt - 233 Sqn

Capt TSJ Hodgkins ………… HQ 19 Lt Bde - 209 SqnCapt MR Neighbour ............... 30 Sig Regt - HQ SqnCapt B Shrestha ............... 22 Sig Regt - 217 Sqn

JULY 2010Maj D Gurung ............... 30 Sig RegtCapt DJ Turner ............... 16 Sig Regt

SEPTEMBER 2010A/Lt Col JA Honeyman ............... Temp LSP Abu Dhabi

MOVEMENTS

2 ARMY TRAINING REGIMENT

ATC PIRBRIGHT

1 (FOWLER) SQUADRON ROYAL SIGNALS

OC Maj Gary Irwin

SSM WO2(SSM) Loddy Jones

It is always a privilege to be in command of the only Signals Sqnhere at ATC(P), but even more so when we have a special guestfrom the Corps. For our Pass Out Parade on 5 February, we weredelighted when Col Steve Vickery kindly agreed to be theInspecting Officer. With three Tps on parade and a further 750spectators, the atmosphere was fantastic. A gift of a framedphoto of the inspection was given to Col Vickery tocommemorate the day and we again extend our genuine thanksto him for his time and enthusiasm in his role as InspectingOfficer.

We would be delighted to hear from anyone who would beprepared to attend as an Inspecting Officer for further parades.Col Cole MBE will take the salute on 30 April 2010, but thefollowing dates are available:

25 Jun 1010 Sep 105 Nov 104 Jan 1115 Apr 11Please contact Maj Gary Irwin at [email protected]

The Sqn would also like to say ‘hail’ to Capt Connelly as 2ICSqn, Sgt Ranson as Waters Tp Sgt and Cpl Noel AGC(SPS) as a

NEWS OF TRAINING

RETIREMENTSName and Rank Date

DECEMBER 2009Lt ML Grande 15 Dec 09

FEBRUARY 2010Capt PS Marshall 28 Feb 10

JULY 2010Maj DTH Wilson 01 Jul 10

AUGUST 2010Lt Col SJ May 31 Aug 10

SEPTEMBER 2010Capt KJ Bermingham 27 Sep 10Maj RM Jones 01 Sep 10Maj NRD Shenow 22 Sep 10


Sect Comd in Waters Tp. The Sqn bids ‘farewell’ to Capt

Hodges who has moved over to the RLC Sqn before taking uphis Adjt posting in Cyprus and Cpl Lok Sunuwar QOGLR whohad an extremely successful tour here as Sect Comd as part ofOp SOLOMON. Congratulations go to Cpl Steph Whyte (neeBogart) on her recent marriage to Phil, and to Cpl and Mrs

Duncan-Kidd on the birth of their first baby!

Photo courtesy of Tempest Photography

SMITH TROOP ADVENTUROUS TRAINING – SENNYBRIDGE,

WALES - by SuT Draper

When we first arrived in Sennybridge, the sight of lots of navyblue PTI tops made me very nervous. The first impression wasthat the accommodation seemed very well used, to put it politely.With only 2 small radiators and a lot of snow on the ground, itwasn’t an optimistic start to the week. After parade we found outthat our team was going to be going canoeing as our first activity.I was looking forward to that as I had previous experience ofcanoeing.

It was awesome to canoe down a partially frozen river, in an areathat was blanketed in snow. Overall I enjoyed the wholeexperience, and thought that it was a great confidence buildingexercise for everyone. The best part for me was when SuT

Butler and I started rocking the boat messing around, and failedto notice the shallow rapids. Next thing we knew, we had hit arock and flipped the canoe and us into the icy water. We also gotto stop at a burger van for lunch which was a welcome surpriseand a great way to start the week.

Our next activity was climbing. I have climbed before so knewwhat to expect. I used to be scared of heights myself, and after I

first went abseiling I found that it really helped cure my vertigo, soI imagined some of the others must have had similar experiences.Climbing was made really good by the two awesome PTIs, whomade the activity challenging; both physically and mentally andcreated a good atmosphere, which is exactly what I think thisweek is all about. Later on we had a Tp social for a treat, whichgave us all a chance to be more relaxed and see a different sideof the training staff. I felt it was an insight to what can hopefullybe expected from the rest of my time in the Army.

On Thursday we were due to start our 2 day expedition, butbecause of the snow we were not allowed to camp out, whichwas a shame. The first day of walking was idyllic, waist highsnow, rolling hills, beautiful sunny weather and great company.From all the good memories that I will take away from my time atPirbright, that first day of walking was absolutely the best thingever. I loved every minute of it and honestly cannot find words todescribe how much of a perfect day that was for me. Thesecond day’s walking didn’t go quite as smoothly as I made a fewmistakes on the navigation, but I’m glad this taught me not to betoo confident and think about what I am doing. Overall I thinkthat adventurous training was a brilliant confidence andteambuilding week, and I enjoyed every single ice-cold minute ofit.

EXERCISE FINAL FLING – THE FINAL ATTACK

4 SECTION, TOWNSEND TROOP

4 Sect were in a dense tree line waiting silently for H Hour, thereality of the pending final attack yet to sunk in. Our sect wascurrently poised to be the reserve and not in the thick of theattack. Suddenly, the cracks of the rifles began to sound as 2Sect engaged an enemy depth position and laid down coveringfire for 3 Sect’s attack, which subsequently overran the enemydepth. Before we knew it, it was our turn.

We began to advance to our line of departure, so we could getstuck into the fire fight. We sprinted to the position where wewould advance from. When we arrived, Delta Fire Team weredropped into a perfect position to lay down suppressive fire onthe enemy depth position. Charlie Fire Team proceeded to carryout their attack under the control of our Sect Comd. Cpl Snape.As Delta began to lay down fire Charlie began to advance takingthe ground in short rapid bounds. Delta Fire Team successfullykept the enemy suppressed firing at a rapid rate under the controlof SuT McDermott, who used initiative and professionalism toswitch fire left, to ensure that Delta’s covering fire did not hitCharlie Fire Team as they advanced. Charlie had advanced to thestage where they broke down into pairs. SuT Lewis proceededto throw a grenade into the centre of the enemy position,neutralizing the 2 enemy soldiers. A quick assault followed, with

Townsend Troop battle preparation

Smith Troop go canoeing

Capt Lifton presents her Troop to Col Vickery


a controlled automatic burst ensuring the enemy was destroyed. “Regroup” was shouted through the PRRs. Delta sprang fromtheir position moving through the proven ground to the enemyposition and creating all round defence with Charlie, so that thecritical checks such as casualties and ammunition could bemade. SUTs Knaggs and McDermott searched the enemydead. We were then contacted by another enemy position wherewe laid suppressive fire to enable another Sect to advance anddestroy the position. Once that enemy depth position wasdestroyed, “Reorg” was announced on the PRRs. The Tp formedup but to do this we had to cover our movement using the

tactical throwing of smoke grenades to enable our Sect to moveunnoticed to form up again in all round defence. Once this wasdone 2IC, SuT Hart ensured that the necessary ammunition andcasualty checks were carried out.

Sect Comds were then sent away for a hot debrief by the Sqn OCand SSM, where 4 Sect were highly commended on their skillsand drills. In particular, high praise going to the Sect 2IC formaking the ‘Reorg’ look so simple and easy. And so ended ourfinal attack of Ex FINAL FLING. Time for some sleep and restbefore the gruelling Fire Team Assessment in the morning.

NEWS FROM THE REGIMENTS

1st (UNITED KINGDOM) ARMOURED DIVISION

HEADQUARTERS AND SIGNAL REGIMENT

HERFORD

CO Lt Col F Hargreaves OBE

RSM WO1(RSM) W Dunbar

HQ JFCIS(A)/JT NETCEN – JFCIS SQMS DEPT

- by SSgt Gaz Welch

The final push of the tour is now taking place and we have had tosay farewell to both SSgt Liz Gearing and Cpl Tony Ward. Ahuge thank you goes to them both for the work that they haveput in to making this tour a success. On the flip side, we havewelcomed in 2 new faces, Sgt Pete Ellis and Cfn ‘Baby G’

Gardner. Having overcome some big challenges since our lastentry, the pace of ops has still not relented, which sees time flyingby and everyone counting down the days until that flight backhome on 11 February.

As I said it has been absolutely hectic! At the end of Novemberwe saw the J4 team come into inspect our accounts which is thefirst time it has happened in HERRICK for JFCIS! So a lot ofwork has been put in by all to ensure we got to the right levelbefore they knock on the door again on 27 November.

The issue of getting RLI to all units in Theatre, the Unicom serverbreaking down, not once but twice, and funnily enough gettinglost on Crab Air, has all contributed to SSgt Gaz Welch and LCpl

Dean Young working all hours that god sends to get everythingsorted, in preparation for the arrival of 16 Sig Regt.

It has been a weird and wonderful 6 months, but now everyone isreally looking forward to getting to Cyprus for a short stop andmore importantly getting back and seeing our loved ones, Stacy,Lesley and Lucy then obviously gracing that first pint of lager(that one’s for you Pete). We will see you all very soon, until thentake care!

201 SIGNAL SQUADRON

OC Maj Bernard Higgs

SSM WO2(SSM) Chris Vickers

The 201 Sqn HQ finally deployed at the end of October toassume command as HQ RC(S) Sig Sqn. Due to the uplift of theHQ staff for CJTF6, this was a newly formed role for the SHQ andas such there was minimal handover from our Dutch logisticianpredecessors. It was all about finding our place within the largerorganisation and establishing our role and authority. As part of amulti-national headquarters, commanding a quadrilateral sqn(Canadians, Dutch, Americans and Brits), brought about its ownchallenges. The first few weeks were not without the occasionalcultural misunderstandings, which in terms of CIS provisioncreated complex situations where careful negotiating and liaison

were invaluable. Nevertheless this has been a thoroughlyenjoyable experience, with personnel feeling a little reluctant toreturn home – except for ‘lucky’ FofS Paterson who will remainand continue to provide expert advice and technical support to16 Sig Regt, as well as describing to them the beauty and exactlocation of ‘Canadia’.

After 2 months in theatre, the Sqn said goodbye to the muchrespected WO2(SSM) Russ Heynes who has left us to becomeRSM of 7 Sig Regt. He has been replaced by 201’s ownWO2(SSM) Chris Vickers.

RC(S) DEPLOYABLE TROOP - by Sig Scales

OC Lt Nick Flavelle

Tp SSgt SSgt Andy Conley

RC(S) Deployable Tp arrived at Kandahar Airfield (KAF),Afghanistan in early August 2009, a date that now seems alifetime ago. The Tp was the amalgamation of the very best of201 Sig Sqn and we were all very proud to be part of it. The Tpwas based in KAF but had dets based in FOBs across southernAfghanistan, where they were the only Brits present in manylocations.

Despite a punishing workload we still found plenty of time forSporting and Tp events. During the summer, volleyball was apopular activity on the busy boardwalk. Our pitiful attempts atthis sport attracted curious crowds of confused and amusedAmericans. Football in the Heroes Gymnasium has been amainstay throughout the whole of the tour, culminating in theprestigious RC(S) HQ tournament over Christmas. Out of 15teams, Deployable Tp’s ‘Lord Love’s Rockets’ did extremely wellfinishing 2nd overall.

Over the Christmas period we got some good news in the form ofthe birth of Cpl ‘Jimmy’ Somerville’s new baby. Which thecynics amongst us would say is just a poor excuse for a chanceto get home earlier.

RC(S) TECHNICAL SUPPORT TEAM

Within the HQ RC(S) Compound the Technical Support Team(TST) headed up by Sgt Pete Stewart provides intimate sp to theHQ staff. They are responsible for the installation and upkeep ofthe HQ’s CIS systems, audio/visual equipment, televisions,antennas, security cameras, VTCs – basically anything with aplug. In addition they also provide support and equipment for theTp’s FOB Dets. The TST is integral to the morale of the HQ asthey are the team that ensures that BFBS and Canadian TV areavailable 24 hrs a day to the staff.


LINE DET

The Line team forms part of a Dutch Line Tp and under Sgt Chris

Mark, they are responsible for the installation and maintenance ofthe various copper and fibre optic lines within the RC(S) HQCompound. No easy task given the plethora of different nationaland international comms systems and the rate of expansionwithin the compound.

FOB DETS

Scattered across Southern Afghanistan are the Tp’s 5 NATOSystem Support Teams (SST). Their role is to provide CISsupport to various BGs, TFs and SF groupings throughout RC(S).Working in austere conditions, these teams work 24 hrs a day tosupport all the NATO CIS systems in their location.

SST 1 in Tarin Kowt, Uruzgan Province is run by Sgt Quow andsupports Dutch and Australian forces. SST 2 in Qalat, ZabulProvince is run by Sgt Parkinson and supports the Romanian BGof TF Zabul. SST 3 in Shorabak, Helmand Province is lead bySgt Williams and supports the Helmand OMLT BG. The newlyreopened SST 4 based in Lashkar Gah, Helmand Province,supports the Helmand PRT. Last but not least is Sgt Wood’s

SST 5 based in FOB Walton, Kandahar City, supporting the ANPRegional HQ.

COMD RC(S) TAC CP - by Cpl Mick Ramshaw

Det Comd Sgt J Chamberlain

Prior to deploying on Op HERRICK the Tac CP team had a verybusy 3 months. Many mundane yet important tasks were thrusttowards Sgt Jim Chamberlain, Cpl Mick Ramshaw and Cpl

Gordon Wallace such as the complete closure of the Sqn linesand accommodation, under the watchful eye of SSM(WO2)

Russell Heynes.

The Tac CP deployed in late October and works very closely withComd RC(S)’s Close Protection Team. This has meant acquiringand learning a whole new set of TTPs which has beenchallenging and enjoyable.

With the job title ever evolving the team also found themselvesembedded within the HQ RC(S) Force Protection Pl. from 1 BnThe Royal Welsh, providing on the spot expert comms advice andexpertise on PRC 117F and Bowman as they move aroundKandahar province and occasionally further afield. This in itself isa hugely demanding but satisfying role.

With the pace of ops increasing, the Team will continue to adaptits job role ensuring comms are provided for the Gen and ForceProtection no matter what. The Team are proud to be flying theSqn flag on ops. As we all know: no comms, no bombs.

KABUL ICS TROOP - by SSgt A C Moss

Tp Comd Capt J A Crowe

Tp SSgt SSgt A C Moss

As our tour in Kabul draws to an end, and preparation for ourhandover to 16 Sig Reg nears completion, we are now able toreflect on what has been achieved by Kabul ICS Tp in the last 6months or so.

It seemed on first sight that a large collection of geeks hadassembled in order to provide UK ICS to the staff of HQ ISAF,Camp Souter and later, KAIA North. It was only on the CO’sconfirmatory ex that the whole Tp was finally assembled. Mygeeks, or as I affectionately refer to them, ‘Lizards’, had been onall manner of courses and pre-deployment training that hadprepared them for what would be, an interesting and rewardingop tour.

After a journey that seemed never ending, with stops at BrizeNorton and Kandahar, we finally arrived at our destination ofKabul. Sgt ‘Col’ Opie from 7 Sig Regt greeted us and ensuredthat we all boarded the correct transport. The first surprise forme was boarding a minibus for the journey across the city, whilethe Camp Souter Det boarded Ridgebacks for their 800m journey!

We all received a full and very comprehensive handover from 7Sig Regt and they left with the comments, ‘Stag On’ and‘nothing ever happens in Kabul’. The next day there was ahuge explosion at the main gate which was to set the tonefor our time in Kabul. In fact there have been 2 majorincidents in Kabul for every month of our tour, culminatingin a major explosion and fire fight 800m from HQ ISAF. Notthat we are too concerned because ‘nothing ever happensin Kabul’

While the geeks were hard at work fixing their ‘fluxcapacitors’ and ‘bandwidth modulators’, Capt Jen Crowe

and I were cutting about, looking ‘Ally’ and testing thevarious watering holes. The novelty of this soon wore off,so we tried to understand what SSgt ‘Bill Gates’ Gregg

and Cpl ‘Stephen Hawkins’ Jones were going on about.Unfortunately we didn’t really get it, so we went for a brew!!

Despite Kabul Support Units delusions of grandeur, theywere top trumped by 3 UK Gens and so a Tp HQ wascreated at HQ ISAF. What was no more than a broomcupboard with a desk inside, became an all singing all

dancing command centre suitable for commanding what is nowthe Greater Kabul Empire.

Satisfyingly, everyone in Kabul ICS Tp has made a significantcontribution to the greater good. We can all leave knowing thatcomms is in a far more robust state due to the hard work of theTp. SSgt ‘Taff’ Lewis’ ICS det has significantly improved UK ICS

Sgt Quow and STT 1 and the multinational Signals team at Tarin Kowt

Sgt Mark and his Line Team during a visit to the American Flight line


infrastructure at Camp Souter. Removing 5 year’s worth of badcable lays was a low point for all involved, but it was a job verywell done. Sgt ‘DDD’ Draper and her team worked tirelessly tobuild the KAIA(N) det. The whole det endured a torrid time withno welfare facilities, tents and a disgusting smell. It wasencouraging to always see 5 smiling faces whenever I visited.The HQ ISAF det has constantly strived to improve services to allUK Staff. Of particular note is the work carried out in the BritishEmbassy and DCOM ISAF’s office. It is a worry for all those whovalue their career when a Lt Gen has washed his hands of UKComms. Happily faith has been restored and the new DCOMISAF (COMBRITFOR) and his team experience few problems.

It has not been all work and no play; welfare andcharity have not been forgotten. The UK and USstaff have been looked after at HQ ISAF withweekly quiz nights, tea and toast and variousevents expertly organised by some highlymotivated individuals. Four events of note thatraised considerable amounts of money were theSAAFA Forces Big Brew Up, masterminded bySgt Draper, One Big Hairy Belly SpinningMarathon by Sgt ‘Super Dave’ Wright, TheArmistice Day Parade by Sgt ‘Lloyd’ Edwards

and finally a week of activities during the build upto Christmas, culminating in a Half Marathon,superbly planned and executed by Sig ‘Doc’

Docherty. In total Kabul ICS Tp has managed toraise over €4000 for various charities includingRBL Poppy Appeal, SSAFA, CRY and ‘Help forHeroes’ to name a few.

We are all now looking forward to handing overthe reigns to 16 Sig Regt and returning to ourfamilies in Germany and the UK. We will all havefond memories of our tenure as Kabul ICS Tpand can leave with our heads high knowing wehave made a difference.

OPS SUPPORT GROUP

CO Ops Sp Gp Maj NR Coatsworth

RSM Ops Sp Gp WO1(ARSM) Wilson

HQ SQUADRON

OC Maj RP Manning RHG/DSSM WO2(SSM) SJ Barrie

REGIMENTAL MT

MTO Capt Jones RLCTCWO WO2 Etherington RLC

First of all we would like to welcome Sgt ‘Geordie’ Cairns andhis wife Carla from 7 Sig Regt and second we would also like to

take this opportunity to congratulate Sig ‘Asa’ Connon onpromotion, and also to him and his wife on the arrival of their newbaby daughter.

Regimental MT has risen to numerous challenges whilst elementsof the Regt have been deployed on Op HERRICK. The issuing ofthe new Mowag Duro and Cormorant platforms has led toassociated training tasks and as a consequence the drivertraining suite, headed up by Sgt ‘High Tower’ Dearing has beenpushed to the limit. The adverse weather in Germany has seenthe snow and ice plan executed at least daily and the first 2weeks in January saw more salt used than in McDonalds andBurger King put together.

2009 ended with a great trip to Dusseldorfplanned by WO2(SSM) Barrie. The MT bookedinto a hotel for the night which led to a fullevening of Christmas festivities in Dusseldorf’s OldTown. 2009 was an extremely busy year for theRegimental MT we wait in eager anticipation forwhat mayhem 2010 has in store.

MAINTENANCE TROOP

SSgt SSgt Williamson

Sgt Sgt Norris

The Tp gives a warm welcome to our new arrivalsSgt Mark Beasley and his wife Gill from 33 SigRegt (V) and Cpl ‘Taff’ Roberts and his wifeAnna.

Maintenance Tp continues to ‘maintain’ the Regtby looking after vehicles and generators – Isuppose the clue was in the name – while a largeportion of the Regt are deployed on ops inAfghanistan, and is now focusing its efforts onpreparing all the assets for their eventual return to

the Sqs after Post Op Tour and Easter leave. We are delightedhowever, to be able to congratulate Sig Robinson on his recentselection for promotion to LCpl and he now eagerly awaits anassignment order in his work flow for pastures new in order to tryout his new powers.

SQMS DEPT

SQMS SSgt Sarah Staff

The SQMS dept welcomes LCpl Haynes posted to us from 16Sig Regt on promotion and congratulates Cpl Hallsworth forbeing selected for and presented with a well deserved promotionto Sgt. We will also say goodbye to Sig Davies who is leaving usfor 14 Sig Regt (EW).

211 SIGNAL SQUADRON

OC Maj JO Lambeth

SSM WO2 JCW Baxter

ALAMEIN TROOP

OC Lt KG Hudson

SSgt SSgt MJ Tiplady

Alamein Troop would like to bid farewell to Sig ‘Fat Bob’ Innes

and Sig Ben Fuery while warmly welcoming Cpl Shone, Sig

Hingley, Sig Green, Sig Lawless and Sig Bradley. Alamein Tphave been very busy with the preparation of the return of the twoSqns deployed on Op HERRICK 10 and the movement of the Sqnfrom Harewood to Hammersmith Barracks. This task proved verydifficult with Herford under approximately 15cm of snow.

However the snow cleared… returned, then cleared again for justenough time for the Sqn to successfully complete the movebefore the snow came back for a third time. Although very busy,the Tp managed to send a number of people away to represent

Sgt ‘Super Dave’ Wright on his wayto raising $1000 for a local

orphanage

SSgt Andy Moss, Sgt ‘DDD’ Draper and Cpl Lib Elgumaty take abreather from raking in €1000 for SSAFA


the Regt at the Corp Ski Camps, both Alpine and Nordic. The Tpnow continues the preparation for deployment to the CzechRepublic on Ex FLYING RHINO 10 in May.

EXERCISE MERCURY GLACIER – CORP SKI CAMP

- by Sig McKenna

On 14 November 2009, the Regt ski team set off on an 8 hr drivedown to Zell am See in Austria to take part in the 4 week longRoyal Signal Corps ski camp. The team consisted of 5 beginnersand 6 other skiers of mixed ability. During Week 1 of the skicamp, all 80 plus skiers were broken into ability groups and tookto the slopes with their instructors. We had 5 beginners, some ofwhom took to skiing straight away but unfortunately Sig Dobbins

and Sig Smith spent most of Week 1 on their backsides in thesnow. The rest of the skiers where split over 2 other groups.

Weeks 2 and 3 were pretty much the same for everyoneirrespective of their grouping, and as our skills improved weadvanced to a more technical level of skiing. At the end of Week3 all groups started to put what they had learned into practiceand progressed to training on the gates in preparation for Week 4– Race Week! After an initial seeding race on the Friday of Week3, everyone received the starting positions for the start of therace week. Sig McKenna had managed to have the highestseeding for the team and started off in 14th position and Sig

Dobbins had the prestigious honour of having the not so highposition of 86th out of 87 competitors.

Week 4 was Race Week for the Corps. For the Regt’s team itstarted off badly, sustaining an injury on the first day of racing.Unfortunately it was Sig Pitts who broke his collar bone on thefirst GS course of the week. However, towards the end of theweek things started to look up for the other less broken membersof the team, with 2 skiers in the top 15. The ski camp wasrounded off with a prize giving at the unofficial camp bar ‘CrazyDaisy’s’ where 21 Sig Regt stole the show, winning almosteverything. But not all was lost for us as Sig Williams took TopJunior for all events. All in all, a superb effort from all the teamand hopefully next year we will all do a lot better.

ALMA TROOP

OC 2Lt S McNeillie

SSgt SSgt P Smith

With the Christmas period past us, we started the New Yearsaying farewell to LCpl ‘Parky’ Parkhill who is leaving us to join20 Armd Bde but we welcomed into the troop Cpl Haigh from theRegt Ops team.

The Tp recently enjoyed a day out snow boarding and skiing atthe winter sports centre in Botrop. Staying with the winter theme,several Tp members deployed on the month long Ex MERCURYGLACIER in Zell Am See, Austria. Sig Foster was placed 3rd inthe novice competition but unfortunately Sig Pitts returned with abroken collarbone.

We now look forward to a busy 2010 with the introduction ofCormorant and Ex FLYING RHINO 10, the courses are comingthick and fast in preparation and the learning curve is going to besteep.

MINDEN TROOP

OC 2Lt R Bonner

SSgt SSgt T Raby

Minden Tp welcomes LCpl Mee who joins us fresh from Phase 2training at Blandford. Departing, we wish Cpl Dolan, LCpl Allen,Sig Seru and Sig Holmes the best of luck at their new units.Despite these farewells, both Cpl Dolan and LCpl Allen take anelement of the ‘Mighty’ Minden Tp with them to 3 (UK) Div HQ &Sig Regt, where they are both to join HQ Sqn.

Minden Tp played a significant part in the successful outcome ofthe Sqn Christmas party, receiving commendations all round. Cpl

Dolan and LCpl Proudfoot worked particularly hard throughoutthe planning phase and on the night itself, illustrated by the factthat LCpl Proudfoot was found clearing plates while wearing herball gown! At this point of course, she was told to down theplates and OC Sqn took over the plate clearing duty!

A great night was had by all and has set the benchmark for Sqnfunctions in the future.

The Tp wishes Cpl Boyle the best of luck on his Foreman ofSignals entrance exam and to Sig Jowers on P Coy, which he iscurrently training hard for. The focus for the Tp remains thepreparation towards Ex FLYING RHINO as the dates loom evercloser.

MONS TROOP

OC 2Lt R Painter

SSgt SSgt J Butler

It’s been a busy time for the Tp through the period leading up toand after Christmas leave. With the impending move across townto Hammersmith Barracks, the garages have been packed upalong with our vehicles. Everything was going smoothly untilmother nature in the form of a few feet of snow put a halt to ourbest efforts, and so while our vehicles remain in place onHarewood Barracks we set about our new home onHammersmith Barracks, fixing notice boards to walls and placingstores into their cages in preparation for the big thaw and ourvehicles finally arriving.

It hasn’t all been work though, the Tp had a little stand down timewith a trip to the local indoor kart track in Bielefeld, where Cpl

Joe Howell came out on top proving that not all old men areslow. We have also said a few goodbyes; Cpl Chris Bonnar,wife Nicola and family who leave us bound for civvy street after12 years service, LCpl Colin ‘Big Col’ Sutherland, wife Jasmine

and son Joshua who leave for 16 Sig Regt on promotion to Cpl,LCpl Jason ‘Sherman’ Herbert’s wife Sandra and son Dillon

who are UK bound to 2 Sig Regt in York. Although sad to seethem all go we must move on and say a big welcome to Cpl Carl

Hepworth, wife Sian and family who join us from the WhiteHelmets, Cpl Helen Drysdale and partner Jo who join us from 7Sig Regt, Cpl Paul Birkett who joins us from RSS Blandford, andfinally a belated welcome to SSgt Julian Butler, wife Jolanda

and family who join us from 264 Sig Sqn.

So with a lot of changes in personalities, we look forward to thenext few months of Tp level training and preparing for Ex FLYINGRHINO 10 in the Czech Republic. Think you need a haircut, LCpl Kelk!


CO Lt Col AR Knott MBE

RSM WO1(RSM) A Combe

As York eventually thaws after a long cold winter, the Regt is fullyimmersed in its preparations for deployment to Afghanistan in thesummer. Sqn level exs and in-barracks training arecomplemented by a high volume of courses and frequentoperational shooting practices on the ranges to ensure that eachsoldier is as prepared as possible for the ardour of the next optour.

Concurrent to this hefty training bill, elements of the Regt havesuccessfully completed the onerous task of supporting 4 (Mech)Bde in their Mission Rehearsal Exercise (MRE) on Salisbury Plain;a difficult feat given the size of the ex and the burden of theRegt’s other commitments.

The Regt continues to support the Senior British Military Advisorand his staff in Tampa, with some personnel deploying forward toQatar when required. The UK Node at Oakhanger is also currentlymanned by the Regt. A number of charity events, sportingsuccesses and the odd day-trip to Durham have ensured that it’snot all work.

EXERCISE PASHTUN RAT - by 2Lt Fairclough

214 Sig Sqn was tasked to provide a Cormorant network onSalisbury Plain for the 4 (Mech) Bde MRE in preparation for theirdeployment on Op HERRICK this year. The first step wasrecalling the Regiment’s Cormorant assets from Ashchurch, justone week after they were put in there as part of the Regiment’stransition to a Campaign Sig Regt.

The Sqn’s commitment to Ex PASHTUN RAT 10 was to be over 6weeks long, consisting of a 2 week PACEX in York, 2 weekssetting up and two 1 week FTXs. A recce to establish where toplace the Bearer Module dets and a lengthy PACEX back at Yorkwere both conducted to make sure that the Sqn was ready.

The preparation went as well as could be expected with 12 hrdays for all of the guys. It wasn’t all hard work though; as someof the lads found the time to take advantage of the wintryweather and make the CO and visiting Bde Comd an igloo!

Engineering links to other dets and setting up network resiliencetook up most of the first 2 weeks, which apart from personsunknown stealing 400l of fuel before being tracked down by theGurkhas, went well. This was also the first time many of the detcrews, drawn from across the Corps, had worked together.Some personnel within the Sqn brought themselves into thelimelight, in some cases for the wrong reasons. WO2(FofS) Read

decided to turn off WO2(YofS) Howie’s network after 4 days ofengineering which didn’t go down too well despite lame technicalexcuses about the shelf life of UPS batteries; and Sig Ockleford

managed to reverse a van into a wall whilst being marshalled outof a space rendering both the vehicle and himself useless.

During the second FTX all was going well until an RAF Chinookdecided to conduct a low flyby over a Cormorant det,unfortunately snapping a Cormorant mast and trashing a tent fullof disgruntled Gurkhas. Luckily the det was unharmed andrapidly re-established links whilst cursing the RAF, in particularexchange officer Flt Lt Bolan – despite him being entirelyinnocent and not involved in the slightest.

With sub -zero temperatures and 4 long weeks away from home,the lads did a fantastic job and look forward to all that lovely LSA.Playstation 3 anyone?

FORCE PROTECTION TRAINING - by Capt Johns

Sp Sqn have started the New Year with a bang as they begin theirweapons training in preparation for becoming the Souter ForceProtection and Transport Coy in Kabul later this year.

With many of those earmarked for the force protection role neverhaving touched a GPMG before, a day of classroom training wasrequired to get the Sqn through their weapon handling test priorto getting on the ranges. Cpl Ryder and SSgt Morrison wentthrough the necessary skills and drills required and managed toget a majority through their test on the first attempt.

There was a brief interlude to allow a reporter from BBC York tochat to a few of the Sqn about their pre-deployment training.LCpl Beverley and the LCpl Day brothers proved their potentialas a comedy triple act to the radio audience of York before theyswapped their guns for PRRs and joined a voice procedurelesson; the concurrent activity for the day. Brig Hill and Lt Col Knott enjoy a brew outside the 214 Igloo

A low-flying Chinook causes havoc with a Cormorant Det

2nd SIGNAL REGIMENT

YORK


The following day on a bitterly cold February morning, the Sqngot kitted out in most of their 1157 issue and took to the rangesat Strensall. Under the tutoring of WO2(SSM) Roberts, SSgt

Hoggard and Sgt Siddall, the Number 1 and Number 2 gunnersgot to grips with the newly introduced weapon system andmanaged to improve their accuracy, as well as their skills anddrills considerably throughout the day. A promising start to whatwill be a long and testing training regime prior to deployment toAfghanistan.

BONE OF CONTENTION - by Lt Park

The bone of contention match is always the highlight of theChristmas calendar at the Regt. There were rumours that thisyear it would take the form of a football match as opposed to thetime honoured tradition of rugby, however the officers knew thatfootball was not their forte and so decided to keep it as the latter.

The morning arrived and the officers were still trying desperatelyto find an extra couple of players to make a full team – the Padrewas nearly pulled out of retirement! When the 2 sides eventuallytook to the pitch, the officers’ side was augmented by a newlypromoted 2Lt who looked suspiciously like Cpl Storey.

The date of the fixture was obviously picked by the opposingteam, as the 2 Corps and Army level rugby players from theOfficers Mess, Lt Sayner and Lt Thompson were otherwiseengaged. This left the Adjt, Capt Chatman desperately trying toteach some of the more novice rugby playing officers that youwere not allowed to throw the ball forward or head the ball duringa last minute training session while the WOs and Sgts Mess teamlooked on in amazement. Their squad was nearly double the sizeand surprisingly also consisted of a number of last minutepromotions from the Cpls Mess.

The game got underway and the level of experience, or lack of it,was evident straight away. High tackles, arguments about rulesand a lot of shirt pulling ensued. Thank God that the scrumswere uncontested! After only a few minutes the cheering crowdwere treated to the first break when SSgt(YofS) Jones came

storming through the officers’ lines to score a worthy try, the firstof many for his side.

The other rankers looked dangerous and the officers struggled tocontain them. It didn’t take long for Sgt Necrews to capitaliseon some sloppy tackling to finish in style. Despite a singlehanded effort from Capt Chatman, that saw him crossing the lineand converting his own try, it soon turned into a rather one-sidedaffair. RCMO, Capt Overton was in enthusiastic form and startedto look dangerous in the back line before the hamstring snipersaw him hit the mud before being carted off the pitch.

The final score was 35 – 7 with the WOs and Sgts Mess takingmuch delight in their victory. The officers held their heads high asthe moral victors of the day, purely for having a team made ofofficers rather than of other ranks – bar 2Lt Storey of course. Itwas evident that there were no hard feelings as both teamsmoved to the Mess afterwards for a post-match tipple to numbtheir aching limbs!

EXERCISE SLEEPWALKER - by Sig Perkins

Ex SLEEPWALKER is a challenging 20 mile night race across theBrecon Beacons that takes place each year. Mad some mightsay, however it was a good way of raising money for worthwhilecauses, and the charity that I had chosen for the team to supportwas ‘Help for Heroes’. This event was open to all, not just themilitary, and a number of civilian individuals were competing aswell. Not only were we running across the Brecon Beacons atnight; but we were being timed as well!

It took a lot of organisation and persuasion to get members of theRegt to enter as a team. Eventually Capt Bickerstaff, WO1(RSM)

Combe, Sgt Dunn, LCpl Wynne, LCpl Smith, LCpl Rabindra,Sig Gyan, Sig Bipendra and Cfn Northall all accepted thechallenge.

We arrived at Talybont-on-Usk with time to spare before the startof the event and completed the mandatory kit checks andregistration. The kit check produced a lot of Spandex leggingsand plenty of warm kit to cope with the bitter Welsh wind. Wethen consumed as many energy drinks as possible beforestarting. We needed the sugar rush as it was so cold!

Sgt Siddall coaching the firers on Strensall Ranges

Bullseye!

Capt Skinner jumps for the ball in the ‘Bone of Contention’ match


The race started at 1815hrs and we set off en-mass, still holdingsome trepidation at the challenge ahead. I managed to fall downinto a swamp during the race and 3 steps later was followed bySgt Dunn. After regaining our composure, Capt Bickerstaff andSgt Dunn managed to up the pace and set off like a pair ofracing snakes only to find that they were lost in the wildernessand added an extra 4 miles onto the 20 mile gruelling course! Tomake matters worse, it started to snow during the race. Sgt

Dunn’s excuse for his detour is that he got people to sponsorhim by the mile and he wanted to raise more money than anyoneelse by doing the extra miles. He denied any and all allegationsthat he was navigationally challenged at any point!

Congratulations to the RSM for finishing in 7thplace overall in the whole competition with a timeof 3 hrs 13 mins, a fantastic achievement.Thankfully, all 10 of us managed to complete thecourse safely and successfully in under the 5 hrcut off stipulated, and raised close to £1000 for‘Help for Heroes’ along the way. I would like tothank all those in the team for taking part, Sgt

Wills for his assistance as the driver and all thosewho supported the team with sponsorship.

SEK KONG TROOP IN DURHAM

- by LCpl Suraj Gurung

After 2 hard exs in a row, Ex KHUKURI WARRIORand Ex KHUKURI TOOFAN, Sek Kong Tp were inthe mood for something a little more light hearted.Tp OC, 2Lt Carr, decided to organise aneducational visit to his home town, the historic cityof Durham, which is situated about 70 miles northof York. The Tp, along with a few soldiers fromthe tech workshop, arrived in the city centre ofDurham at lunchtime to be met by our guide whogave us a comprehensive history of the castle.Everyone was very interested to learn about thehistory of Durham castle.

This was followed by a visit to Durham Cathedral, situated next tothe castle. While there, we took time to pay our tributes to thesoldiers of the Durham Light Infantry who gave their lives in theBattles of Somme and Kohima.

It was a very educational visit and made us realise how importantit is to keep our history and culture alive. On behalf of the Tp wewould like to thank 2Lt Carr for organising such an interestingday out and we hope to get some more trips in prior todeployment later in the year.

INTER-SQUADRON BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT 2010

- by Sig Santanu Pradhan

In between preparations for Op HERRICK, 2 Sig Regt conductedan inter-sqn basketball tournament in January with the main aimbeing to select new players for the Regimental Basketball Teamfor the forthcoming Div Basketball Championship.

The competition was played in a league system between threesqns; 219 Sig Sqn, 246 (Gurkha) Sig Sqn and Sp Sqn.Unfortunately, 214 Sig Sqn could not take part in the tournamentas they were deployed in support of the 4 (Mech) Bde MRE. 246

and 219 were first up and it didn’ttake long before the Gurkha Sqnbegan to dominate the game andwon the match with a huge scoredifference of 40 points to 10.

The second game was playedbetween 219 and Sp Sqn with Spbeing victorious. The final matchsaw Sp Sqn crumble against anoverwhelmingly strong Gurkhateam. 246 dominated the gamethroughout, winning the match byan impressive total of 18 points.

After the final game, Capt

Hebindra, OIC Regt Basketball,thanked all the players andofficials. Without their support theevent would not have beenpossible. The final result wasannounced and 246 weredeclared champions. Thetournament concluded with theRegimental Second-in-Command,Maj Toze presenting medals anda trophy to the winners andrunner-up teams. OC 246, Maj

Dagless, congratulated the teamwith ‘Thulo Syabash’ beforewishing them luck in theupcoming Divisional tournament. Sek Kong Troop pose outside Durham Castle

246 Gurkha Signal Squadron Basketball Team following their victory at the Inter-Squadron Basketball tournament


CO Lt Col G Wilson

RSM WO1 A Torrington

THE COMMANDING OFFICER SAYS FAREWELL - by 2Lt Tope

27 January 2010 marked the day that the Regt said goodbye toLt Col Drew and welcomed in Lt Col Wilson. A day of activitiesacross all the Regt’s different depts gave Lt Col Drew theopportunity to say goodbye to the soldiers he had commanded.

He had the opportunity to slave over a hot stove, operatedangerous machinery and do a bit of good old tack bashing. Maj Westerman, SSM Witham and 2Lt Tope were all standingoutside the garages awaiting the arrival of the CO for his final visitto 206 Sqn. Having been told to expect him in an “unusual”vehicle, we were not disappointed when he turned up in the cabof “Swampy”, a WW2 recovery vehicle. After greetings wereexchanged, it was time to set him to work. In my short time withthe Sqn, I have already learned that DRASh repair is not a taskthat people look forward to. Conveniently enough there just sohappened to be some DRASh that needed to be repaired and aneager CO to repair it. An expert demonstration by Cpl Houlker-

Gordon, Cpl Muchnenje and LCpl Briggs enabled the CO to

find the broken poles and swap them out, all while wearing afetching pair of olive green coveralls. The hard work in thegarages was rewarded with cake and coffee in the SHQ, afterwhich was a goodbye speech by the CO.

Lashkar Gar Tp decided to have a Bulldog 432 ready to show theCO how hard track bash really was. As the CO was walking overhe had a smile on his face and seemed very keen to get started –this soon changed as he was told to climb under the vehicle withno coveralls on and diesel dripping in his mouth and on his face.The track seemed to take a while to come off, but with a littlehelp from LCpl Wade, the CO managed to get it off. While theywere easing the track off with the rope the CO was looking like hewas getting a bit hot, obviously not done much hard work for awhile. As the track came off the vehicle the CO looked happy butwhen he was told the track had to go straight back on, he didn’tlook happy at all!

While pulling the track back on with the rope the CO was wipinghis forehead and really straining to pull the track back on byhimself, as the sqn workaholics LCpl Ford and LCpl Wade wereobviously not pulling on the rope. As the CO was a beginner inhard work and had not got the track off quickly enough, he hadto leave rather conveniently before the track was back on. Hegave a greasy handshake and said thank you. He seemed toenjoy the track bash but this sort of hard work isn’t for a CO.

No leaving day would be complete without visits to the Officersand Sergeants Messes and upon leaving the latter, the entire Regtwas outside formed up waiting in what can only be described as“Snake” order. The CO made his way through the Regt beforecoming to a stop at Swampy again, where it was time for a fewpresentations. From the CO to the Regt a silver Tricorn trophy tobe awarded to the highest placed Junior Rank in the Kiwi Trophyand to the CO from the Regt, a silver Tricorn that lookedremarkably similar to the trophy he had just presented. It wasthen time to bid farewell to the CO and after a few “technicaldifficulties”, Swampy pulled away revealing his family waiting inthe Staff Car used by Field Marshall Montgomery. Flowers forthe CO’s wife and chocolate for his children, Monty’s car droveoff to the theme from The Great Escape playing from the RSM’scar. With everything finished it was back to work – there was anew CO about after all.

EXERCISE MERCURY GLACIER XIII – CORPS SKI CAMP 09

14 November 09 was an important date on all Corp skiers’calendars. With the Regt’s team bus packed and ready to departfor Zell Am See in Austria the ski ex was underway. After sharingthe 21 hr drive the team arrived at the accommodation in theearly hours of the morning.

Monday morning rolled round and bought with it the first day ofskiing. All skiers were split down into ability groups to begin racetraining. After the ‘ski off’, 2 of the more experienced membersof the Regt’s team secured their spots in the top group, Cpl

Daniel and Sig Abel. After an intense first week of training, thebeginners were already finding their ski legs and everyone’sconfidence was soaring – although some had aches and painsthat were crying out for a weekend break! After the Fridayafternoon team ski, the weekend gave the opportunity to exploreZell am See and gave some the chance to visit Salzburg.

The weekend was soon over and people were eager to return tothe slopes. With the arrival of more teams another Monday ski-off took place and the group with Lt Bottoms and LCpl Manning

were dismayed to find their Group 2 status disappearing towards3rd, possibly 4th! In the second week of training, the higher

3rd (UNITED KINGDOM) DIVISION

HEADQUARTERS AND SIGNAL REGIMENT

BULFORD

The Commanding Officers past and present

Chief Chips!


groups began gate training and the lower continued learning toski efficiently.

Week 3 arrived and brought with it dire weather conditions.Unfortunately this coincided with the CO’s and Adjt’s visit and toeveryone’s disappointment none of the lifts were open. Afterdeciding not to let the weather get us down, the team travelled tothe famous Christmas market at Salzburg. Fortunately Tuesday’sweather was much better and we were back on the slopes totrain and sneak an hour or two in with the powder! As the weekwent on all the groups were getting an opportunity to practiseracing through the gates – a scary prospect on the steep glacierfor the beginners. Cpl Cullern also found snowboarders weren’tto her liking after one careered into her head during training! Atthis stage of the game rivalry and banter was beginning to showbetween the teams. Friday was the start of the official seedingrace and all were nervous. In the seeding race everyoneimpressed and all improved their standings.

Monday of Week 4 arrived and with it the Individual Giant Slalom(GS). Tuesday’s races were then cancelled due to unsafe racingconditions – we had nonetheless achieved a good workout bysetting the course and completing the usual traverse at the top ofthe glacier however! This meant the timings from the previousday were carried over and counted towards the Team GS.Wednesday was the Individual Slalom race and everyone was outto impress. The final day of skiing arrived and the pressure wason. The final team races finished with notable results from allskiers.

The skiing was over and the Corps Ski Camp Presentation nightwas up and running with Cpl Daniel finishing 3rd overall and Sig

Abel finishing 3rd female in the Individual Slalom. After a greatnight and brilliant but challenging 4 weeks the team began themarathon journey home.

202 (ARMOURED) SIGNAL SQUADRON

OC Maj MP Parke

SSM WO2(SSM) W Scarrott

In early November 2009, 202 Sig Sqn, under the new commandof Maj Mike Parke were given confirmed news that they and theremainder of the Regt were to become a Campaign Sig Regt andwould deploy to Afghanistan in January 2011. This news meant ashift in focus for the Sqn and in order to become a deployableCampaign Sig Sqn, Sgt ‘Lenny’ Hendry began to take the leadon the back loading of the Sqn’s fleet including AFV 436 MK3sbetter known as the ‘Bulldog’, and the Panther CLVs. Thesevehicles would then be transported to Ashchurch where theywould be stored in a Controlled Humidity Environment (CHE).

During mid November each Bulldog was assigned 2 people as itspermanent handover crew. Their job was to account for everyitem of kit including Bowman radios, breakdown CES, masts, andgeneral spares. In charge of cam net counting was Cpl ‘Chunky’

Charnock who had developed his own unique technique ofcounting each net no less than 5 times. This period also involveda vast amount of essential serial number checks completed byCpl ‘Scotty’ Hawkes using his newly found BACMS skills.Running parallel with the checking and accounting for kit, was theextremely thorough clean required for each Bulldog det. This wasnot an easy task given that the Bulldogs had recently returnedfrom Ex RED TRICORN. As November came and went theBulldogs finally sat in the Sqn garages with all Bowman kit andCES breakdown equipment ready to be boxed up and loadedonto vehicles ready for Ashchurch. During early December, theQM’s department arrived to double check all of the equipmentneeded for each det. Obviously these checks were interspersedwith much needed breaks and the mobile guitar hero and tennisball football sessions were aptly led by LCpls ‘Wadey’ Wade and‘Fordey’ Ford. However this was also when the cleaning of eachBulldog really became a Sqn effort and to the dismay of many,working late became the norm, in order for the Bulldogs toachieve a pre-move inspection by both the ASM andrepresentatives from Ashchurch. The last week before Christmasleave centred on the inspection of the Bulldogs by the team fromAshchurch. On this occasion we were told the vehicles were tooclean and any excess oil that the team had spent the last dayapplying would need to be removed. Some were pleased we hadmet the mark while others had noticed that we may have missedan opportunity or two to get out of work early. It’s fair to sayeach Bulldog passed its inspection with flying colours which iscredit to the crew of each vehicle and the Sqn as a whole.

As the Sqn now enjoyed its Christmas function and got back toits electronic battle simulators (aka COD 6), we could all finallylook forward to early January when the Bulldog and Pantherswould be loaded onto the transporters to be taken away andSSgt ‘Gieudo’ Giddens reign of terror would cease for a fewshort weeks. The backload to Aschurch went without a hitch, buta team was deployed as a contingency and any minor issues thatdid arise, were dealt with there and then.

206 SIGNAL SQUADRON

OC Maj LC Westerman

SSM WO2(SSM) M Witham

RANK SWAP DAY

Monday 14 December 2009 saw a change in regime at 206 SigSqn, as members of the senior ranks handed over their dutiesand benefits, to those juniors lucky enough to have been drawnfrom a raffle the previous week. Arranged by SSgt Marie

Parkinson, the raffle had been drawn at the Sqn ChristmasFunction in aid of the BLESMA charity, giving junior ranks thechance to see what really goes on behind those closed doors. Intotal, 11 ranks of SSgt and above were handed over to juniorranks with the Sqn 2IC opting not to concede his – presumablybecause Capt Jim McMillan didn’t want his subordinates todiscover how little he really does on a daily basis! Or as heclaims, to ensure that an element of control was retained.

The day started, unsurprisingly, with an area sweep under thewatchful eye of the newly promoted WO2(SSM) Dawson. Whilstthis passed pretty much without incident, it was interesting toobserve Sig Ronnie Westerman, a former Sqn OC, questioningwhy it was our responsibility to clean the outside areas of anotherunit’s accommodation. Tsssk, signallers these days!

Sig Westerman’s rank had been handed to Maj Dau, one of theSqn’s Electrician Drivers, whose first action of the day was torevoke Cpl John Mercer, the oldest man in NATO, of his rank.Questions over the legality of such a move were raised, but Maj

Dau was not going to budge for anything less than a formalreview finding, and time did not allow for that. Unlucky, John!

The highlight of the day, undoubtedly, was the inevitable SSM’sinspection. With SSM Dawson the 5 foot nothing tyrantpresiding, it was no surprise that LCpl Jamieson (sideburns!)was joined for extra drill by every member of the former senior

The Regiment’s finest skiers


ranks present. After all, some of these people have evidently lettheir standards drop over the years! Sig Matt Witham, ourformer SSM, found himself kicked off the inspection for havingfluff on his beret. Lucky for him, however, that he had previousfilled in a sick chit in crayon for just such an occasion! Pinning itto his chest and hobbling off like a fat man on a PFA, he avoidedextra drill but was awarded a Show Parade instead. Thispresented a challenge for SSM Dawson, as Sig Witham refusedto sign the AGAI paperwork, claiming he was being bullied forbeing ‘ginger’. After some investigation, however, it was decided(wrongly) that ‘gingerism’ is completely acceptable in the Britishforces and Sig Witham completed his show parade later in theafternoon.

As an outside observer looking in, I wasn’t privy to all the goingson of every member of the Sqn for the day. However, I can tellyou that certain members enjoyed their induction into the Sgtsand Officers Messes and the day was a great deal of fun for all.Not only did the seniors all take a break from their usual routine(and play a lot of darts – Mr Witham, I believe you broke the ED’slast remaining good set!) and offer an opportunity for the juniorsto do some role play, it also raised a good amount of money forcharity! Well done to everyone involved!

SUPPORT SQUADRON

OC Maj DG Skimming

SSM WO2 D Cartledge

With the Christmas and New Year leave period now well and trulyover, elements of the Sqn have now begun the countdown toops; beginning with the transition to a Campaign Sig Regtstructure. In addition to many inter-sqn postings, we lookforward to welcoming a new Sqn 2IC, Capt McDonald, into apost that has been gapped for some time now. And we will soonbe saying farewell to WO2(SSM) Deano Cartledge as he headsto 1 Mech Bde HQ & Sig Sqn (215) as RSM.

AGC (SPS) DET – VISIT TO

RNAS YEOVILTON

- by LCpl Lisa Sutton

It was with trepidation thatwe stepped into the minibuson our way to RNASYeovilton to complete theHelicopter UnderwaterEscape Course. For manyof the AGC(SPS) Det, it wasour first time to experiencethe thrill of being fullysubmerged under water.

The Helicopter Dunk Tank isdesigned to prepare you in

case of an emergency landing while over water. There are 4stages, so you can progress and become more confident withdifferent settings. On arrival we were given a brief for the day’sevents and shown a video. From the look of terror on our facesyou could tell that we were slightly hesitant but also excited.

For the first stage we stopped half way through to practise thedrills in slow time. Holding my belt and the release lever for thewindow, we progressed under the water but could not escapeuntil the tank had rotated 180 degrees. This was the same forthe other stages.

Stage 2 – and I completely messed it up! Being the middlepassenger, it was my responsibility to push the window open forthe others to escape. However, as I felt the water slowly rise upover my chest and begin to cover my face, my mind went blankand panic set in. I pathetically doggy paddled trying to find anescape route, clambering over everyone’s heads reaching out foran opening. Little did I know that it was completely the wrongwindow. I had struggled out the opposite side pushing oneperson out of the way and kicking WO1 ‘Stan’ Matthews tosqueeze through. It was only when I surfaced I realised it wasPte Gilbert that had made the same mistake and forced her waythrough what felt like the smallest Lynx window. WO2 ‘Burt’

Lancaster was left oblivious, as he had escaped alone. As wemade it to safety, the RAWO with the brightest red face told ushow he was supposed to be first out and had ended up third butat least we had learnt how not to escape!

The other 2 stages were in twilight and complete darkness butthankfully everyone used the correct procedures and escapedsafely. The whole experience was brilliant. It was so enjoyablethat our det is going to do it again soon. This time we will havethe satisfaction in seeing some of the SPS Branch from HQ 3(UK) Div gasping for air. I might even release the window forthem to escape through, but that all depends on how our Docsinspection goes!

A/Maj Dau and A/SSM Dawson taking advantage of Rank Swap day to have a Squadron photo taken

7th SIGNAL REGIMENT

ELMPT

CO Lt Col A Long

RSM WO1(RSM) RD Heynes

The return from Christmas leave saw a new face leading theRegt. Lt Col Neil Makepeace had handed over the reins to Lt

Col Al Long who had arrived from his post within HQ SOinC(A).We wish Lt Col Makepeace, Georgie and the boys all the bestfor their next assignment in Washington DC and welcome Lt Col

Long, Fiona and Ellie and Tom to the Regt. As we had changedCOs, we thought we would make a few other changes anddecided that it was time for a new RSM within RHQ. Therefore,WO1(RSM) Mac MacDonald was selected for a commission andhas now departed with 3 pips on his shoulders and will now becalled Capt Michael MacDonald during his tenure as the Unit

Welfare Officer of 3 (UK) Div HQ & Sig Regt in Bulford. We wishMichael, Terri, Madison and Deacon all the best for the future.Step forward WO1(RSM) Russ Heynes who has arrived in theRegt on promotion from his post within 1 (UK) Armd Div HQ & SigRegt. We wish him, Tanya, Robert and Charlotte all the bestduring their time with 7 Sig Regt.

As is the tradition, both personalities have placed their mark onthe Regt, with the RSM having his first regimental parade and theCO ensuring that the Regt has his direction for the forthcomingyear. Both messes have enjoyed a Burns Night and the dining inof their respective Presiding Members, so the first few weeksback have seemed like an extension to the Christmas festivities!This has led to an increase in the numbers attending Regt PT as


the new regime have deemed that excuses will not be toleratedand maximum attendance is encouraged! Step forwardWO2(QMSI) Mark Galley with more imaginative ways to makethe Traffic Officer sweat his body weight out of his smock in 60mins on a Friday lunchtime!

EXERCISE WOODLAND HALO – OFFICERS AND WARRANT

OFFICERS STUDY PERIOD AT CHURCH HOUSE

- by Capt John Nixon

Four weeks into the tenure of the new CO, 40 members of theRegt deployed to Church House, Lubbecke to take part in a 3day study period to develop the understanding of values,standards and leadership. Under the guidance of the CO, 2IC,Maj Carl Ratcliffe, and Padre Pascal Hanrahan some of theOfficers, Warrant Officers and SNCOs of the Regt attendedlessons on morality, world faith and understanding personalvalues and beliefs.

Following an underestimation of the time required to get fromElmpt to Lubbecke, the main body arrived behind schedule andwere given dinner before retiring to the bar for drinks and a quiz.This was hosted by Maj Ratcliffe and a series of questions weredelivered with no real theme! After 30 questions, the closelycontested quiz was won by ‘Angels and Demons’ a team withPadre Hanrahan, Capt Joe Petty AGC Det Comd, Capt Tony

Grainger OC LAD and Capt Sally Rowberry RAO as themainstays.

On the next day following morning prayers and a fantasticcooked breakfast, we convened in the main lecture room for ourwelcome brief from the Warden – Padre William Lister. This wasfollowed by a presentation and discussion hosted by Padre Ian

Stevenson, the Deputy Warden on personal values and beliefs.The remainder of the periods were a mixture of presentations anddebates on understanding world faith and morality in conflict. Atthe end of the day there was a period of free time to allow thepersonnel from the Sqns to prepare their presentations for thefollowing morning, but for those of us that were not involved itwas an opportunity to go for a run on the very snowy and icyLubbecke Ridge!

At 1830hrs we gathered in the bar for pre-dinner drinks and itwas then into dinner for another excellent meal from the staff atChurch House. We then all reconvened in the bar to wish the COa Happy 41st Birthday! After being presented a cake by Lt

Haydn Aires, the CO took on 2Lt Donna Gavin at ‘Beer Pong’ agame which she and her travelling companion, Lt Tom Lord hadpicked up when they were travelling in China over the Christmasstand down. The festivities continued well into the night andwere rounded off by the singing prowess of Padre Pascal, Capt

Petty and Maj Ratcliffe giving the people of Lubbecke arendition of a number of Irish Folk Songs at the tops of theirvoices.

Friday morning began with some cloudy heads but the Sqnpresentations got everyone focused on the aim of the day. Upfirst were the WOs from Sp Sqn with their take on whether theArmy’s Policy on Drugs was outdated. Following the introductionby WO2(SSM) Stu Reynolds, the QMSI, WO2 Mark Galley ranus out of the lecture room and around Church House as wecompared the Army Policy against that of civilian institutions andcompanies. Up next were 229 (Berlin) Sig Sqn who dealt with thesubject of AGAI 67 and their experiences of the system.WO2(SSM) John Love reminisced about his experiences as ayoung soldier in 1991 while the OC, Maj Marcaus Mullen RASIGNALS compared the system against that of the AustralianArmy. Lt Craig Tee introduced 231 Sig Sqn’s subject, that ofwhether Officers, WOs and SNCOs were ever off duty. Upstepped Lt Rob Carnegie and WO2(YofS) Kev Tharby MBE todiscuss the arguments for and against. After a heated debate theCO informed us that we were never off duty and that we shouldnever be put into a position where our credibility could bequestioned. The final presentation of the morning was that of232 Sig Sqn who were to discuss whether leadership wassomething that could be taught. Lts Tom Lord, Abbie Lewis andHaydn Aires delivered a presentation on 3 individuals with verydifferent leadership styles.

The final activity of the study period was discussions covering theService Test and admin action. Each Sqn delivered their thoughtson a particular scenario and then opened the subject up fordebate. The CO wrapped up the study period just before lunchand then we set off for our return to Elmpt with our moralcompasses well and truly pointing north. Thanks to all of thestaff at Church House for their hospitality and we wouldcommend a visit to all units.

7 SIGNAL REGIMENT NORDIC SKI TRAINING AND

COMPETITION - by LCpl Kirsty Maughan

On 26 November 2009, 7 Sig Regt’s Nordic skiing team set off forthe REME training camp, Ex SUPREME TIGER in Norway. It wasa long journey comprising an over night luxury ferry completewith all the essentials which Sig Ashley Morgan took fulladvantage of! The accommodation lured us in to a false sense ofsecurity with typical Norwegian chalets and even a sauna – wethought we were in for a life of luxury, until the next day when ourfirst day of training commenced.

The 2 weeks consisted of 2 different styles of skiing; one beingclassic and the other skate. It became apparent which membershad never been on snow before when Sig Lauren McPherson

spent her first couple of days with her face in the snow. Thecamp was exceptionally well run and the REME were veryaccommodating to the 3 Royal Signals teams who were inattendance. Instruction consisted of technique lessons, gettingmileage under our belts and also learning to fire the .22 fromvarious positions. It took a while to get used to the rifle’s lightweight and sensitive trigger but overall we were glad we wereskiing around with the Anschutz rather than the SA80 on ourbacks! Overall the training was a fantastic experience and greatpreparation for the Div Championships in France January 2010.

Lt Col Long exercises his lungs celebrating his birthday with acake presented by Lt Hadyn Aires

The Regiment’s Nordic Ski Team training in Norway


After Christmas the team regrouped and headed from LesContamines in France, ready and prepared for the next 10 dayswhich would consist of a number of races. The boys’ teambecame particularly excited when they saw the skin tight lycraracing suits that everyone had to wear – the girls noticed theywere partially see-through too! Sig Sam Gill seemed to think helooked massive in his! The male and female teams took part in anumber of races including the dreaded biathlon! Using the skatetechnique while carrying the .22 rifle, the race includes shoots inboth prone and standing position. Accuracy on the ranges isvery important; for every target you miss you end up doing apenalty loop – a very good incentive for applying themarksmanship principles! Everyone enjoyed the relay races. Weall worked really hard for each other and it was great morale tosee the team cheering you on as you completed your loops.

To round off the Champs, both teams donned the white suits andentered a 25km patrol race. This was a weighted tab on skiscovering rough ground and included command tasks such asclimbing up a rock face and a stretcher race. Both teams didbrilliantly in all races considering the majority had never evenbeen on skis before. The female team ended up finishing thecompetition in 3rd place and sweeping up the bronze prize; Sig

Lindsey Raven deserving a special mention for her outstandingperformance. The male team, although not in a medal winningposition, enjoyed some healthy competition with 1 Armd Div HQ& Sig Regt and 102 Log Bde, with Sig Dan Stepney producingsome great races. The Regimental Nordic Skiing training andcompetition were incredibly worthwhile and fulfilling. It gave bothteams the opportunities to experience a new sport and pushedpeople outside of their usual ‘comfort zones’. However afterseveral week hard work on snow everyone was relieved to see nowhite stuff on the ground upon our return to Germany!

229 (BERLIN) SIGNAL SQUADRON

OC Maj MA Muller RA SIGNALSSSM WO2(SSM) J Love

Over the last couple of months we have seen the arrival a numberof personalities into the Sqn. Firstly, a warm welcome to the newOC, Maj Marcaus Muller, from the Royal Australian Corps ofSignals – in line with the Sqn’s tradition of having an AustralianExchange OC. New faces also include Capt Tom Robinson,

following his transfer from the Mercian Regt and 2Lt Jim Roberts

– both fresh from their Tp Comds Course in Blandford to assumetheir posts as Tp Comds for Brandenburg and Wilmersdorfrespectively. We have also seen the arrival of SSgt Woosnam

from 20 Armd Bde HQ & Sig Sqn (200), now Sqn Training SNCOand Sgts Wilbur and Smith who have taken up residency inBrandenburg and Wilmersdorf Tps. We wish them all the bestduring their time with the Sqn. An early departure in 2010 hasseen Sgt Dave Aitken leave 229 (Berlin) Sig Sqn to undertaketraining with the Army Welfare Service; we wish him and hisfamily all the best in his new career.

Planning for activities in the coming months has taken prioritywith many members of the Sqn getting the opportunity toundertake some adventure training and Trade Courses. ExSNOW WARRIOR 10 and MERCURY GLACIER, skiing andsnowboarding expeditions, are being coordinated across the Regtby Cpl Cassie Fewtrell. In trade, most of the Sqn have beenundertaking either BCIP 5.4 or Richelieu training.

EXERCISE SNOW WARRIOR - by Cpl Niel Bielby

Once everybody had been put into their groups and taken toOberjoch slopes in Bavaria, the fun began, bearing in mind thatmost of the students on the course had never skied before. Day1 was spent learning the essentials. Standing in thigh high snow,we learnt how to put on skis, how to move on skis and moreimportantly how to stop! With the essentials and the coursecoordinator happy, it was time to hit the blue slopes.

The Bavarian people seemed to forget the standard of Armyskiing, taking 3 to 4 days for them to realise that they required to

have eyes in the back of their heads when skiing in the proximityof novice Army personnel. If they failed to move out of the waythen they too would become an involuntary member of a humansnowball. Maybe a further hour on how to stop wouldn’t havegone a miss. It wasn’t helped by Sgt Jase Sheath makinghimself a human cannonball on numerous occasions, takingpeople out whilst trying to negotiate some of the blue slopes. Healso managed to break not 1, but 2 sets of skis during the 2 weekex. There were many worrying looks towards Sgt Sheath whenhe returned from a local ski store sporting a bright pink helmet,but his purchase decision seemed justified when he managed toface plant exiting the piste. Regardless of Sgt Sheath’s exploits,we were deemed proficient enough to move on to the morechallenging red slopes – the Student Breakers. Albeit minorinjuries, we did see a couple of twisted knees.

By the end of the 2 weeks, most of the course, both basic andadvanced had become quite proficient skiers. Even Sig Chelle

Pheasant, who had managed to get through the course by going1 mph and only doing snow plough turns, finally achieved parallelturns.

As is the norm with courses of this nature, one event topped allothers. This was when Cpl Louis Emslie was on his AdvancedAssessment. Halfway through, he managed to collide withanother student and come off worse! Having being warned byhis wife to be careful, he managed to return with a leg in plaster,with the other innocent party sporting a broken collarbone!Despite everything that took place, it was a successful course forthe Regt, with most participants gaining advanced qualifications.A big well done to all who attended Ex SNOW WARRIOR.

231 SIGNAL SQUADRON

OC Maj PRD Muir

SSM WO2(SSM) B Randerson

Over the pasted 2 months, 231 Sig Sqn has combined hard workwith the Christmas ‘silly season’ of parties and functions. Prior toChristmas, the Sqn conducted a full MATTs package and field ex.Since arriving back from POTL, courses and adventure traininghave been the main focus but coming a close second, has been acomprehensive equipment care programme. This was coupledwith leaving functions saying goodbye to our soldiers dueposting; we wish them all the best in their future assigned. Priorto Christmas we also welcomed 3 new Tp Comds; Lt Rob

Carnegie, Lt Craig Tee and 2Lt Donna Gavin and numerousother new arrivals. We are also in the midst of planning a largeLFTT package to keep the Sqn’s skills and drills at a healthystandard.

EXERCISE MERCURY GLACIER XIII - by Sig Josh Andrews

The Regt’s newly formed ski team met very early on a Sundaymorning to travel to Zell an See, Austria, to commence the 4week long Corps ski camp that would culminate in a number ofchallenging races. It was cold and it was raining, but no one

Cpl Bielby puts his new skills to the test on Ex SNOW WARRIOR


seemed to care – after all we were about to go skiing for a month!The team comprised Sig Josh Andrews, Sgt Kate Hopkinson,Sig Aiden Walker and Sig Robbo Robinson. Later Capt Rich

Bennett, Sig Kirsty Rathbone and Sig Sharnie Gooch-Hatton

joined the team for the last 2 weeks to support the Regt’s entryfor the final competition.

Having only taken part in a few days of holiday skiing previously,the first day of skiing was quite a challenge – the Glacier atKaprun was a bit of a shock! The climate was very cold withbiting winds, but this meant it was great for skiing. The campconsisted of 3 weeks’ worth of training in skiing groups ofdifferent abilities, all building up to the final week – Race Week.The first 2 weeks flew by, and my body started aching in places Ididn’t know existed! I now know why it’s called adventuroustraining. The team was progressing well until Sig Robbo

Robinson decided to slip on the toilet floor breaking his thumb.Fortunately this did not affect his skiing ability (much), anddespite his injury and being a complete beginner he battled onwith a cast round his thumb. The only problem being his refusalto change his bandage for 2 whole weeks! During the final weekof training we were assessed by the team captain, Capt Bennett,so he could decide who was good enough to make the team.Fortunately the intense training stood us in good stead and wewere ultimately ready for the Final Race. The races themselveswere quite a challenge, ranging from downhill races to Slalomand Giant Slalom. Some members of the team were definitelymore ready than others, but we all gave it our best shot. Theteam did very well with Sig Gooch-Hatton achieving 2nd place inthe junior Slalom, and Sig Rathbone also getting an award, ahandbag, for putting in the most hours gate keeping. Well doneto both! The team gained invaluable experience for next year,and more importantly had a brilliant time as well. All positive stuffin preparation for another successful Corps Ski Camp at the endof this year!

232 SIGNAL SQUADRON

OC Maj C Russell

SSM WO2(SSM) B Revell

TAC TROOP

Tp Comd Lt Lewis

Tp SSgt SSgt Cote

TROOP UPDATE - by Sig Kendell

It is the start of another busy year in the Tp with everyone lookingforward to everything that is coming their way over the comingmonths. The ‘mighty’ TAC are already in ‘the zone’ with involvement in the equipment care maintenance programme, withthe dets and still battling with the challenges presented after theRegt reconstitution. Many of the Tp have recently returned fromthe Nordic Skiing Div Champs in France and more have deployedon Ex SNOW WARRIOR in France so we’re all ready for the iceage breakout. The Tp has also got BCIP 5.4 conversion to lookforward to, a new challenge for the Tp and one of the first in theCorps to undertake it. Welcome to the mighty TAC Tp to Sig

Rogers and a massive goodbye and take care to LCpl Chinn,Sigs Kado, Raven and Rourke.

HOTEL TROOP

Tp Comd Lt Lord

Tp SSgt SSgt Milton

TROOP UPDATE - by Lt Lord

All members of H Tp have perfected the art of serial numberchecking this month, entertaining themselves with ever moreoriginal ways of checking the same kit over and over again. Sgt

Marlborough organised an intensive MATT week, ensuring thatthe Sqn were beasted back into moral and physical shape afterChristmas leave. PT continues to be an ‘emotional’ experiencefor some members of the Tp, with the phrase ‘when did we

become 7 (SF) Sigs?’ gasped out by a Sig as he dragged himselfround the airfield. Everybody is excited about the upcomingBCIP 5.4 uplift, something that will see H Tp be amongst the firstunits in the Army to test the latest incarnation of the Combat NetRadio system.

On the social side, we got together in the nearby town ofRoermond to bid a sad farewell to Cpl and Sig Brown, who weresent off in style with a fine restaurant meal and a not insignificantamount of booze! Happily we can take this opportunity towelcome Sig Graham into our fold – welcome and get ready towork!

CORPS WOMEN’S FOOTBALL - by Sig Gooch-Hatton

A total of 5 members of the Regt were selected to attend trainingfor the Women’s Football Team, in preparation for a game againstthe REME. Training began on the Wednesday afternoon and sawus all being put through our paces physically and putting ourfootball skills to the test. The Wednesday evening saw the teamgathering at the infamous Blandford Bowling Alley for a smallsocial prior to the game; it was a good chance for all the newplayers to get to know other team members.

The game against the REME took place on the Thursday evening,and after another training session mid-morning the teamdeparted for Bordon where the game took place. All members ofthe Regt were selected as squad members, although whilst LCpl

Rodway and Sig Gooch-Hatton started on the pitch, Lt Exell,LCpl White and Sig Graham were left warming the bench! Afterwarming up, the game was good to begin, after a shaky start itlooked like luck was on our side as the REME missed severalgolden opportunities to take the lead. However, this soonchanged and by half time they were 2 – 0 up. Things didn’t gettoo much better in the second half with 3 more goals beingadded to their tally!

It has been a tough start to the Women’s Football so far thisseason. However with games against the 3 strongest Corpsteam now out of the way we are looking forward to having somesuccess on the pitch, starting with our next game against theIntelligence Corps at the end of February.

SUPPORT SQUADRON

OC Maj R Pye

WO2 WO2(SSM) Reynolds

QM(T) DEPARTMENT - by Cpl Jarvis

It has been an extremely busy time for the dept over the lastcouple of months with the Board of Officers taking up themajority of the working day. This coupled with the looming LSImade for a frantic period before we managed to get some wellearned Christmas leave. On our return from this break, it wasstraight back into the preparation for the LSI and all the funactivities involved with making sure the Regt has all theequipment it needs to function like a well oiled machine.Over the last few months we have said goodbye to a few of ourfriends LCpl Marty Marsden goes to 1 Sig Bde on promotion toCpl, LCpl Budgie Burgess made the massive transition to 16 SigRegt on promotion to Cpl and Cpl Marc Holmes finally saidgoodbye to the Regt on posting to 1 Mech Bde HQ & Sig Sqn(215) in Tidworth.

One final matter to mention was the presentation of a SOinC’scommendation to Sgt Emma Standen for all her hard work onthe Regt’s tour in Afghanistan last year, a massive well done fromeveryone in the dept. So it’s onwards and upwards for the G4world here on Javelin Barracks for the rest of 2010, and as you’vebeen told many times before “Stores are for storing”.

NES TROOP - by LCpl Hollis

Koln Christmas Market provided a much welcomed break and achance for the less organised amongst us to do some last minute


Christmas shopping. NES Tp were deemed ready to be releasedinto the community but the community probably wasn’t ready forNES Tp! So, after a hard day of bumbling around not doingmuch, we just managed to squeeze time in for a few drinks at theAmerican Sports Bar – the Irish Bar next door wasn’t open.Unfortunately, some of the new guys didn’t make it to this as theyhad a GS course to go to instead…shame!

I will briefly mention Sp Sqn’s Christmas Party. The Christmascommittee did themselves proud and everyone made the most ofall the free drinks, the great raffle prizes, decent prizes on themoney tree and a band that seemed to have broken the volumebutton on their speakers – or maybe I’m just getting old. Dancingwas at a high, fighting at a low and it was a good environmentwith everybody having a great time until the small hours. Thanksfor the late start by the way.

Congratulations are certainly in order for our formidable leader,WO1(FofS) Ceaser who has just been selected for a commission.Actually, NES Tp itself has been a hive of activity with regards tochopping and changing personnel. First, I’d like to say good byeand good luck to a few of the old faces; Cpl Johnson who leavesus for Gutersloh, LCpl Baily who has gone to Blandford onpromotion as has LCpl Dubickas who has finally managed toescape NES Tp and moved to 2 Sig Regt in York. Also to SSgt

Sirignano who has not gone quite so far, only one building away

in fact, so for him, it’s less of a goodbye but more of a ‘au revoir’!To all of you, I hope you get what you want out of your new jobsand all the best for the future.

On to the new faces, LCpl Pratap Gurung, LCpl Maguire, LCpl

Allen, LCpl Attiwell and Sig Brady-Lavis who are all fresh fromthe factory and raring to go – little do they know – so good luck

to you all. Also, welcome to SSgt Paul Brown from 229 SigSqn and Sgt Andy Butterfield who has joined us from TheWhite Helmets.

We celebrated this end of year shake up with a meal atNostos, the fantastic Greek restaurant in Bruggen which wasa good opportunity for everyone to be properly introducedand get to know each other better without the confines ofbeing in work and having to pretend to actually be doingsome work! NES Tp has a busy couple of months aheadthis year with Second Line Inspections and preparing forRSIT’s impending visit, however, we are still hoping to begranted a little free time to build a Tp snowman and have animpromptu snowball fight.

REGIMENTAL MT - by Sgt Hopkinson

The soldiers of the MT have hit the ground running after theChristmas and New Year break. As always the dept hasnumerous on going projects that are keeping everyone busy.The Christmas period flew by in a rush of festivities and theTp enjoyed a function organised by Cpl ‘Monty’

Montgomery. All attending had a very enjoyable evening,so once again thanks Cpl Montgomery.

The next few months are packed with work and some greatadventure training possibilities for the lads as well. January hasseen Cpl ‘Revs’ Revelly attend his JCLM in Blandford, wewished him good luck and look forward to his return and the warstories that will follow – pull up a sandbag! We also saygoodbye to LCpl ‘Taff’ Dowle who is off to 7 Armd Bde HQ & SigSqn, we wish him good luck and every success in his new post.The MTO, Capt Watt has also been away at the Royal MilitaryAcademy Sandhurst for most of January completing the LEOCCourse and learning how to be ‘a proper officer’, SSgt ‘Johno’

Johnson is now eagerly awaiting his return, along with his cherryred moleskins.

The months ahead will be busy as usual for the MT, especiallywith the forthcoming LSI in mid-February. But we will push onthrough with our usual enthusiasm and team work and lookforward to a function organised by LCpl Cook at the end of theLSI and another chance for the members of the Regt MT to lettheir hair down.

Members of NES Troop shopping in Koln Christmas Market

CO Lt Col SL Copley

RSM WO1(RSM) A Watkins

The pace of work and change continues in abundance across theRegt, no less so than throughout RHQ. Maj Richard Craig hastaken on the mantle of Regimental Ops Officer in addition to hisduties as the ECM Ops Officer as the Regt bids a fond farewell tonow Lt Col Granville Yeomans who is off to sunnier climes asthe Senior British Officer at the NATO CIS School, Latina, Italy.Maj Adam Shakespeare has given up the life of garden partieswith the Queen to step up to the plate and become the Regt 2ICas Maj Paul Smith leaves on promotion to become SO1 Deliveryin BATCIS IPT. Last but by no means least, Capt Taff Jones hasmoved on to a new career in civilian life with his shoes being filledby Capt Ian Frame.

Life in RHQ is not all about change though as Capt Duncan

Chamberlain has recently returned from a task in BATUK that

may herald an additional task for the Regt. Nobody say that theMOD sponsors safari!

After the busy but rewarding year in 2009 the Regt looks forwardto an equally fulfilling year in 2010 with a look forward to therunning the Lanyard trophy.

225 SIGNAL SQUADRON

OC Maj B Bingham

SSM WO2(SSM) S Kenny

2009 ended using both our brains and facial hair to raise moneyfor charity. Ex BRUNO 118 (named after the two Moustachioedjoggers from the 118 118 adverts) started off from the Septemberbattle camp where Sqn members were encouraged by the OC togrow their best ‘slug balancing act’. This ended disastrously forsome individuals when their attempts were captured on film for

10th SIGNAL REGIMENT

CORSHAM


future mockery and blackmailing; as a Sqn photo of its membersadorning both real and false moustaches was taken before the‘tash off’ was carried out. A judging panel of females and anunnamed male Cpl who could not grow facial hair, judged the realmoustaches on their style, originality and unmilitary-ness. Fundsfrom both the photo and ‘tash off’ were given to Children in Need.

Sgt Tweedie and LCpl Lynch also raised £500 more for Childrenin Need as they tested the Sqn’s brains to their maximumcapability with a pub quiz and rank sale at the Sqn’s favourite on-camp bar, The Half Crown.

Everyone in the Sqn was relieved to find that LCpl Yaxley cameaway with no injuries from a nasty road traffic accident. Whiledriving the duty wheels, he was forced off the road by a civiliandriver. He had to use a hedge, a field and an old farmhouse as abreak to stop, so it was not surprising to find the car was a writeoff. If walking away from the accident was not lucky enough, apolice car had witnessed the entire incident as it was travellingbehind LCpl Yaxley at the time.

Deployments for the Sqn continue to both Iraq and Afghanistanwith many soldiers undertaking their first op tours while LCpl Dan

Thomas managed a 6 week attachment to Kenya as an IS Engr.The New Year started rapidly with fitness being stepped up to getover the Christmas leave bulges! Some of the Sqn went skiingbut most stayed down to earth with some good old fashionedloaded marches, boot runs and fartleks to get their fitness backto pre-Christmas levels.

January brought us MATTs wash up which included a range dayat Ballykinler. It was a perfect day for shooting with warmweather, no wind, clear skies and sunshine which was quiterefreshing after all the snow. After grouping and zeroing the Sqnshot the Infantry APWT. The real aim of doing the harder shootwas to select the shooting team. The best shots are now intraining for the Regimental shooting competition and are focusedon winning the CO’s cup.

241 SIGNAL SQUADRON

OC Maj SJF Ing

SSM WO2(SSM) PS Belcher

SURGING – IT’S A TOUGH LIFE FOR AN INST TECH!

Toward the end of 2009 241 Sig Sqn were tasked with deployinga surge team out to Brunei in order to flood wire 2 buildings,conduct cable pulls, install several drop wires and move commsequipment within the Permanent Joint Operating Base. Sgt

Green led a 7 person team on what was supposed to be a 4week deployment. However, at the last minute the surge was cutshort by a week and so the team were forced to work particularlyhard and put in extended hours to ensure that the tasks werecompleted on time and to a high standard – and to ensure theygot to spend their weekends in Malaysia and enjoy some of theadventurer training treats the base had to offer!

A couple of months later and another surge team was deployed,this time to Diego Garcia, led by Sgt Mark Vinten. The island isbased 7 degrees south of the Equator, just below the Maldivesand forms part of the British Indian Ocean Territories. There areapproximately 40 British Military personnel based on the islandmost of whom are Royal Marines. The rest of the personnel aremade up of the US Military, as the base is loaned out to theAmericans as a US Naval Support Facility. The task for the surgeteam involved the installation of 10km of fibre through variouslandscapes, which even included the jungle. The team wereforced to wear their PPE to avoid the hazards, in particular falling coconuts! A new Emergency Operations Centre has beenbuilt which will allow PJHQ to have access to Secure andInsecure comms as and when they deploy. The permanentlybased personnel on the island hosted the surge team well,including the Royal Signals Technician Sgt Chris Burr. In theirdown-time the permanent based military personnel are able toenjoy many activities including wakeboarding, fishing, paint-balling and excellent gym facilities. This very disgruntled surgeteam would like point out that much to the amusement of theBrunei surge team, that due to a very demanding work scheduleand dodgy pits and ducts, they were not able to enjoy any ofthese activities!

243 SIG SQN

OC Maj NH Smikle

SSM WO2(SSM) P Alford

OPERATIONS SUPPORT TROOP - by LCpl Andrew Luckman

The last 3 months have been extremely busy for the Tp althoughthe Christmas Stand Down period gave everyone a well earnedrest prior to picking up the reigns for Project Hyperion and themove of HQLF to Andover. It has been good to see that althoughbusy, the Sqn has been able to get guys away on courses andadventure training in this time.

Before Christmas we had 2 good events, the Sqn ChristmasFunction in Salisbury and the Juniors Christmas function. TheSqn function in Town was a great night out, very well organisedby Cpl Steven Lawrence, with plenty of wine and food to goround. The Juniors Christmas function, organised by Cpl Chris

Dooks was even more of a success, as there were more seniorsand officers to wait on than there were juniors, so good workfrom him to make the seniors and officers do something for once!LCpl Ross May has been nominated for the 2012 Olympics asjavelin thrower due to his display of brussel sprout throwing – atthe GSM no less. Early knock off and free drinks at the barfollowed a great way to celebrate the winter stand down.

As most people are probably aware, Land Forces HQ is movingto Andover in Project Hyperion, which 243 Sig Sqn are taking amajor part in. Naturally this means that we are also moving toAndover and to assist in this changeover period a visit to the sitewas organised, where we were able to investigate the workingpractices and see the changes that are almost upon us. It doesmean a significant change to the way we work, including openoffices (should be fun sharing an office with 1 stars!), hot deskingand swipe card access to certain buildings. More importantly, asof yet there is no junior mess or accommodation, but this will becompleted by the end of 2010 ‘apparently’.

In Wilton things are still manic though, with the Test and ReleaseSect headed up by Sgt Des Simpson, providing the final releaseand compliance test to software applications before they areintroduced into service for use by the wider Army. Over 50application installation scripts have been checked, so the lads areunderstandably busy. As is now standard for the Tp, new arrivalshave been packed off on civilian IT courses and have to endure asteep learning curve. Typically once these have been overcome,the guys are moving on into the Land Forces Environmentworking on the Active directory and system admin tools, includingcoming up with bespoke tools, such as the recent solution formanning at Upavon. This has been great experience using toolssuch as Oracle and DHCP. Brunei Surge Team enjoying work


Sgt Law’s sect Ops and Ex has been busy with the migration ofthe SharePoint sites from the LAND servers to the LANDFORCES servers. The continuing support of Standing JointCommand (SJC) has also kept the sect busy; notable highlightsinclude the creation of sites and technical support for the recentswine flu pandemic, the floods in Cumbria and more recently theproblems brought about by the heavy snow.

In more recent news Ops and Ex have also ceased their supportto JAMC in South Cerney, ending its long association with theSLE and 29 Regt RLC. This support is no longer required asSouth Cerney has now (at long last) been fitted out with DII (F)and DII SECRET.

For the Tps’ Inst Techs, planning has now been completed andthe work started for the camp’s move to Andover which will beour main job over the next few months. In November we carriedout the pit and duct surveys for this and have started our recordspackage for the camp, next in February we will be pulling morefibre into these pits and also sending Inst Techs to Andover dailyto continue creating the records.

The Sqn played its part in Ex SNOW WARRIOR in January asLCpl Ross May and Sig Chris Meredith went to Bavaria for 2weeks on a snow survival course which included building snowshelters, avalanche awareness and survival, search and rescuetechniques and of course, skiing.

For Sig Meredith this was his second time to the ski resort,Oberjoch, picking up his Advanced ski proficiency qualificationwith LCpl May awarded his Basic. WO2(SSM) Alford, Cpl Steve

Lawrance and LCpl

Kerry Graham alsodeparted on the coursefor 2 weeks. WO2

Alford instructed thebasic courses in thepicturesque area ofBavaria and Cpl

Lawrence and LCpl

Graham both workedtowards their Basic skiproficiency.

As ever the Sqn madeits annual effort to raisemoney for Children inNeed at HQLF bydressing up andcollecting money for thecharity. LCpl Ross May

was dressed as PudseyBear, which the boss’sdog didn’t think muchof, Cpl Steve Lawrence

going for the Wolverine attire, LCpl Kerry Graham as a fairy andLCpl Mudd going for the Wonder Woman approach. Normallymoney is raised by cars coming onto camp stopping and givingmoney if they wish, this changed however when LCpl May stoodin front of the traffic, dancing and forcing the drivers to pay up tomake him stop! Cuddles and pecks on the cheek were offeredfor large sums of money from both LCpl Graham and LCpl

Mudd. LCpl Paul Shaw organised the event and took photos forthe Sqn, which was a great huge success raising well over a£1000 for the charity.

Congratulations

Ops Sp Tp would like to congratulate Cpl Simon Crabtree for hisnew born son named Logan and Sig Gavin Ackrill for his newborn daughter named Chloe. We all hope the best for them andtheir children.

ALPHA TROOP

Alpha Tp continues in its preparation for its new role when it willre-subordinate to 38 (IRISH) Bde. Though reducing in size, theTp has been involved at many levels including support to opsurges, Community Engagement activities, recruiting events andjob fairs while enjoying the balmy November weather adventuretraining in Northern Ireland. As the outflow of personnel starts toslow down as we meet the desired manning levels, we arestarting to get people moving in as well as out. However we dosay farewell to LCpl ‘Stu’ Dalzell and LCpl ‘Dave’ Russell, whoboth move on promotion – congratulations to you both and bestwishes for the future from the Tp to all who have departed fornew challenges.

ADVENTURE TRAINING IN BALLYKINLER

- by LCpl Liam Knight

Alpha Tp held an adventurous training week at Ballykinler from 16– 20 November organised by Sgt ‘Paul’ Hayward, which saw theTp partake in many activities. Day 1 was rock climbing whichcreated the most bizarre event. The Tp went on their merry wayleaving Lisburn heading for Ballykinler eagerly looking forward tothe week ahead. On arrival we were told that due to the adverseweather conditions, we would be using an indoor climbing wall,which was in Lisburn! So with much shaking of heads andmorale being encouraged by Sgt Rod Rouchy, we headed backto Lisburn and started climbing. Star of the rock climbing wasCpl Paul ‘the monkey’ Colling who scaled the indoor climbingwall in a record time of just over 22 secs! LCpl May showing his on piste talent

LCpl Mudd dressing for the weekend! Cpl Colling climbs the wall in record time


Cpl Dave Moorhead used his new qualified skills in the openboating with J turns, draw-strokes and bow cutting manoeuvresbeing the flavour of the day for everyone except Cpl Eric

Richards who managed to master a new bow stroke and threwhimself in the water more often than he stayed in the boat. Otheractivities included surf kayaking for the brave, although the OChas been informed that the surfing actually was more like aninland paddle! On the last day the Tp was introduced tobouldering or ‘rock climbing horizontally’ according to LCpl Devs

Devey. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed it, although LCpl Francis

Lyness didn’t manage to make it round the first corner! Goodinstructors helped to make the adventure training fun foreveryone and a big thanks goes to the AT staff in Ballykinler.

251 SIGNAL SQUADRON

OC Maj A Crapper

SSM WO2(SSM) East

EXERCISE WINTER TEARS - by 2Lt Brendan Naugton

This year’s Ex WINTER TEARS was as varied and unpredictablean ex as the weather which accompanied it. The aim was todevelop JNCOs and give them experience of working in a multi-agency environment. The week itself emphasised the value ofrobust leadership, physical courage and mental agility.

Great pains were taken to keep the ex itinerary secret so thatsyndicates had no idea what awaited them when stepping offtheir transport. Physical activities ranged from a ‘gun run’ aroundPippingford Park in the rain, to a ‘retreat from Moscow’ typeevent on the Aldershot Training Area. Both were interspersedwith an array of command tasks that included a river crossing ina makeshift raft that would have made the A Team proud.

Various fears were overcome via the High Wire Assault Course atRMAS and the Helicopter Crash Simulator at RNAS Yeovilton.The latter concluded with an impact at speed in completedarkness whilst spinning submerged under 20 ft of water.Fortunately our Sigs emerged, albeit more like a gaggle ofdrowned rodents.

The ‘community phase’ of the ex utilised the Sqn’s uniqueworking relationship with the emergency services. We werefortunate to be given an insight into the workings of the Fire andPrison services – the latter also serving as a useful deterrent! Ahighlight of the week was partaking in public order training withthe Metropolitan Police at their Specialist Training Centre inGravesend. Having survived a football riot in their purpose builtvillage, a petrol bombing, the baton gun range and an arrestingencounter with a 7 ft behemoth known as ‘The Freak,’ the Sqn

underwent some enforced bonding via a collective ‘tasering,’much to the SSM’s immense glee.

The whole week was a unique experience and a good end to2009 for the Sqn. Whilst it undoubtedly placed many outsidetheir comfort zone, it gave everyone the chance to overcomefears and redefine their own limits and expectations. The exsucceeded in building a great esprit de corps, and above all elseit gave soldiers an opportunity to partake in something theywould not ordinarily have the chance to do.

Aim at the fire, not the other fireman!

251 getting hot under the collar


BLANDFORD

CO Lt Col JAL Vosper

RSM WO1(RSM) Mickey Yendell

The Regt has had a busy couple of months post thereorganisation with ECI, BOO and a 2nd Party Audit. We say afond farewell to the stand in Adjt, Capt Dave Phillips andwelcome Capt Anna Lewis into the job.

1 (OUSTON) SQUADRON

OC Maj RB Pun Queens Gurkha SignalsSSM WO2(SSM) A Doe

TOUGH GUY - by Sgt Durrans

Six members of 1 Sqn, organised by Sgt Dave Durrans and Cpl

Andy Hall, once again went forth to triumph in the mighty ToughGuy competition to raise money for Myeloma Cancer Research. The 1 Sqn Tough Guys


It was 8 miles of sheer physical pain for some. Trying to gasp forbreath after taking the plunge off the 15ft plank into the icy coldwater saw the team’s first casualty in Cpl Ross Fernie, as he wasdragged from the - 8°C waters by the divers. Cpl Mark Griffiths

started from the rear in the ‘Dickhead Squad’ and had to playcatch up with the rest of the team who were veteran Tough Guys.WO1 Phil Graham and Sgt Bucky Buckingham insisted ontaking their time and stopped at every opportunity to pose forthe cameras; now we know why it took them over 3 hours!

After 2hrs Sgt Dave Durrans had finished the course followed byCpl Andy Hall 3 mins later. Trying to drink the lovely hotchocolate at the finish line you couldn’t help missing your mouthas you stood there shaking like someone going into a fit! Wouldwe do it again? Now; yes, but at the finish line; hell no!

HARROGATE CUP - VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONS!

- by Sig Knowles

After work the team and I went down to the gym to start the inter-sqn volleyball competition, which was part of the Harrogate Cup.We were the first team on against Ulster Tp and also in my teamwere Sig Weatherall, Sig Agar, Sig Wilby, Sig Kent, Sig

Crooke, Sig Smith and Sig Burnett. We played extremely wellin the first game, winning 21 – 11. The game against thepermanent staff was more difficult, as by the end of the 8 mingame it was a draw which went into sudden death, with the nextpoint winning. It was a close one but we won the game 18 – 17.The final was the next game for us and it was against LightningTp. The game started off evenly and we then managed to pullahead. Then Lightning Tp pulled level with 1 min remaining butwe dug deep as a team and pulled back ahead and won thegame 18 – 14. As a team we played very well and gained theresult we wanted.

ALPINE SKIING 2009/10

11 Sig Regt put in a sterling performance at the Corps Alpine SkiChampionships, 14 November – 12 December 09, coming awaywith many trophies. We took a team of 10 skiers which included5 Phase 2 soldiers; 3 of whom had never skied before. Breakingour streak of only managing 4th place, the A team, comprisingCapt Jo Godfrey, SSgt Dan Smith, Sig Neil Harper and Mr

Mark Geddes, finished in 3rd place in the overall combinationcompetition, 3rd in team slalom and 4th in team GS. Individuallywe also did very well with particular success for our noviceskiers. Despite a difficult first day on snow, which saw him throwhis teddy out of the pram in frustration, Sig Ian Duggins won 1stGS novice, 2nd GS junior,1st slalom novice, 2nd slalom junior andwas first overall combination novice; for which he won a pair ofskis and poles. His arch rival was fellow Phase 2, Sig Ryan Bull

who finished closely behind Sig Duggins, winning 2nd GSnovice, 2nd overall combination novice as well as the MostImproved trophy. On a more humorous note Capt ‘Pedro’

Wilson won the prestigious ‘best dob’ award.

The Alpine Ski team then went on to have a successful Div SkiChampionships at Ex SPARTAN HIKE, 10 – 19 January 2010 inSerre Chevalier, France. We finished a creditable 6th overall, withSSgt Smith winning 2nd Combination Veteran, 2nd Super GVeteran and 2nd Downhill Veteran. Capt Godfrey, SSgt Smith

and Sig Harper all qualified for Ex LIONS CHALLENGE andmoved further up the Serre Chevalier valley to experience thelonger and more technical courses of the Army Championships.Although we all benefitted from the race experience we did notreturn with any silverware; finally accepting that we were totallyoutclassed! Overall it’s been a really successful Alpine season; astrong Corps and Divisional Championships resulting insuccessful qualification to the Army Championships and yet againthe Regt has introduced more novice Phase 2 soldiers to Alpineracing.

2 (CATTERICK) SQUADRON

OC Maj Andy Wilson

SSM WO2(SSM) Al Fraser

IRON TROOP

OC Lt Loz Wilmore

Tp SSgt SSgt Neil Grainger

EXERICISE CATTERICK DEFENCE - by Cpl Mark Barclay

On 20 November 2009, members of 2 Sqn deployed to BramleyTraining Area for a military skills weekend. It was a chance forthe Phase 2 soldiers to revise skills already learned duringtraining and to learn new ones alongside Phase 3 Upgradersacting as the sect comds.

The ex opening address was given by SSgt Neil Grainger on thearrival of the troops who had deployed late on Friday. They werethen swiftly split down into 3 Pls led by Sgt Naresh, Cpl Bishwa

and Cpl Ben Carter who were all filling in as Pl Sgts and aslightly bigger than sect size enemy composition led by LCpl

Matty Elliott. The Pls then left for their first locations with 1 Plgoing to the FOB led by Sgt Naresh, and 2 and 3 Pls to theEchelon hangar. The troops would spend their next 13 hrs thereconducting various ops and missions given to them by Capt Jim

Boyden in the FOB, and Lt Laurence Willmore in the Echelonhangar.

Over the course of the weekend the troops were getting tested tothe limits, constantly conducting patrols, VCPs and conductingthe daily tasks of defending a FOB. The enemy were subjectedto countless ruthless ambushes, and these were delivered withsome ‘creative flare’ as the plan met with contact. The soldiersand the JNCOs that lead them coped well with the rapid tempoof the exercise, and all were able to refresh themselves on somevital, basic military skills.

End Ex was called at 1230 hrs on Sunday to the delight of thetroops who had shown that they could operate in times of stressand with very limited rest. It was a peaceful bus journey home.

BEAUFIGHTER TROOP

OC WO1 Mark Morgan

Tp SSgt SSgt Matt Lee

The pace has been fast over the last couple of months inBeaufighter Tp. Cpl Holmes was posted into the Tp in October09 and hit the ground running by completing the AASAA courseas a welcome to the Tp. There he was met by Cpl Procter, alsoon the AASSA course, and given a warm feeling about life inBlandford.

Congratulations to Sgt Gaz Stewart on his promotion; he ismoving to 202 Sig Sqn, 3 (UK) Div HQ & Sig Regt. BeaufighterTp wish him and Karen all the best at Bulford. The Tp also took an active role in a Sqn charity event, raisingmoney for both military and local charities. This involved a hardThe A Team collect medals at prize-giving on Ex Mercury Glacier XIII


combination of rowing, biking and running over a long distanceand period. Well done to all those who took part in that eventand special mention to the Tp Comd, WO1 Morgan for winningthe Tp rowing competition on the day. After the welcomeChristmas leave period, the Tp came back fresh and ready fornew challenges. January has seen qualification courses attendedand final preparations for the re-vamped 2 Sqn military trainingplan starting in February 2010.

RHINO TROOP

OC WO1 Jase Lawer

Tp SSgt SSgt Shaun Hutson

EXERCISE CATTERICK CRACKER - by Cpl Ben Carter

On 28 November, 2 (Catterick) Sqn embarked on an epic journeythat would see us cover the distance between Blandford and themost northerly point accessible by road in the UK, Bluejibs on theShetland Island of Unst. However, none of the Sqn actually leftBlandford.

We were taking part in Ex CATTERICK CRACKER, a charity eventdesigned to raise money for the Army Benevolent Fund and theBlandford Opportunity Group. The latter is a local group thathelps the development of children with special needs from birthto 5 years.

To cover the distance, some 830 miles, we borrowed exercisemachines from the gym so we would row, run, cycle and ski toBluejibs. We started at 0800hrs and the cut off time would be1800hrs so we would have to keep up a good pace. Theexercise machines were positioned outside 3 busy shops inBlandford town centre which ensured maximum coverage fordonations from the generous Christmas shoppers.

After a measured start – the Blandford bypass was closed andmovement to and from camp was very laboured – the event gotunderway. The three Tps were determined to be the Tp whocovered the most distance. This gave the event an air ofcompetitiveness which caused the OC of Beaufighter Tp, WO1

Morgan, to protest that his exercise machines where not as goodas Rhino Tp.

Throughout the day the Tps kept their morale up by going to acharity shop and dressing up like drag queens, namely Sigs

Martin, Davis, Gornall and Godding. This brought moreattention to the event and undoubtedly more donations. Towardsthe end of the day, the weather turned for the worse but the ladsand lasses kept plodding on, their effort was noticed by thegeneral public who commented positively on their excellent effort.

Ex CATTERICK CRACKER was a great success. The targetdistance was achieved with 1 hr 30 mins to spare. Rhino Tpmanaged to travel the furthest distance, an impressive 100kmfurther than Beaufighter Tp and Iron Tp. All in, the Sqn raised£2500 and the charities where truly grateful.

3 (HARROGATE) SQUADRON

OC Maj Emma Bruce

SSM WO2 Rob Luke

The Sqn has been a rather hectic place to work during the lastfew months with the reorganisation of 11 Sig Regt and the RoyalSchool of Signals. However we are now getting used to the ideaand things are beginning to settle down. We said a sad goodbyeto the OC, Maj Rhidian Jones who has moved many miles to bethe Regimental 2IC. We give a warm welcome to his wife, Maj

Emma Bruce as our new OC. To be honest we do not thinkthings will differ that much as she was always the boss anyway!!

CHRISTMAS FUNCTION - by Sig Lewis

After yet another clean sweep of all the available silverware withinthe Regt, 3 Sqn refused to take their foot off the gas and ensured

the year went out with a bang! AFC Bournemouth was the luckyhost of our ‘Wild West’ themed Christmas function. The ideamust have been SSgt ‘Tank’ Anderson’s as he is a bit of acowboy! As everyone started to gather WO2(SSM) Rob Luke

raised his eyebrows at the fancy dress, especially Sig ‘Tink’

Hudson and Sig ‘Carli Marley’ Mantack as cows with theirudders on display! The atmosphere began to build, with songs,cheers and laughter – we were on our way to a well deservedparty! Unfortunately for Cpl ‘Craig’ Gardner he lost miserably in3 games of “Spoof” which cost him 3 rounds before even arrivingat Bournemouth...hard times!

We finally arrived at AFC Bournemouth and everyone keen to wetthe whistle with a cold pint! Soon enough bottles of wine filledthe tables and the tucker looked amazing. It was not long beforewe had a couple of hundred stuffed squaddies sitting back andrubbing their stomachs. Cpl Mark Middlemiss took his place onthe microphone, popped a few diabolical jokes before getting theparty under way...fair play, he tried!

Within an hour of the music starting, the dance floor was full andSSgt Anderson got in touch with his youth and had a dance offwith yours truly. It was a privilege to show him how it was doneand send him off with his tail between his legs! But he wasn’t theonly shocking dancer, Cpls Lofty Berry and Mark Middlemiss

could do with a few pointers too!

SSgt ‘Flo’ Watts had some trouble with the bucking bull......butit’s the taking part that counts! Sig ‘Colby’ Carr (now a memberof 2 Sqn, poor lad) rose above the rest with the best time of thenight. The raffle was outstanding and I won a digital camera, Sig

Alan King got an IPod Touch and Sig Carr ran away with the 1p.

As I mentioned before there was a variety of costumes, and ofcourse the best dressed would be rewarded for their efforts! Andof all the people who would make the most of the bottle ofchampagne on the night, it was the winner Sig Casey Allsopp.

As the saying goes, “time flies when you’re having fun” andbefore long the bar was dry and it was time to call it a night.When the transport arrived nobody actually wanted to leave,however as disciplined soldiers we all formed up with no fusswhat so ever...... ha ha!

CHARITY BOXING NIGHT - by Cpl Paul Gardner

After an extremely close and eventful inter-sqn BoxingCompetition the week before, Pte ‘Sid’ Cummins and I preparedthe selected team for the charity competition against 11 Trg BnREME. After losing our charity fight last year to 3(UK) Div HQ &Sig Regt, we were determined not to repeat the past.

The ring was set and all of our boxers were up and at ’em for0600hrs in the morning. The nerves built throughout the daywhile we were all waiting for the first bout that evening. The

Sigs Hudson, Lewis and Mantack show off their fancy dress at theChristmas function!


music was sounding and morale was high as the team preparedthemselves in their own ways. With the aid of Sigs Leon Carr,Callum Mulholland and Lewis Waryck, the first fighter Sig ‘BH’

Bethel-Hancock, who spends as much time on the sun beds asshe does in the gym, warmed up. This contest was personal forher as she had spent time in 11 Trg Bn REME before seeing thelight and transferring to the Royal Signals!

The gym was packed and the atmosphere was high. As the piperbegan, 11 Sig Regt entered dressed in black and in the bluecorner. The cheers and screams for blood came instantly as Sig

Bethel-Hancock entered the ring. In came her opponent, hereyes full of intensity. The bout got underway and you could seethe emotion had taken over Sig Bethel-Hancock and within thefirst round the referee stopped the contest. We were 1 – 0 downand this hit us like a bucket of ice cold water. It was déjà vu.

This first lost only made our team more determined. The secondbout got off to a flying start with Sig Dermaine of 2 Sqnproducing a polished performance and outclassing his opponent,bringing the score level. The tension was beginning to mount forthe coaches; you could tell it was going to be close. The next 3bouts up to the interval saw 11 Trg Bn REME go ahead by one,once more.

Sig ‘Beef’ Heath of 3 Sqn was up next and he knew what heneeded to do. Going from strength to strength he came out atthe bell with a ferocity never seen before. His aggression wasintense but his skills stayed slick, showing the REME fighter justhow tough we are with an impressive KO. The score was allsquare again. The REME came back so it was up to Sig Binks toget us back on track. He decided to take his opponent to schoolwith slick skills and great movement giving him an apparentlyeasy victory.

The atmosphere was tense for the last bout, the clincher thateveryone was waiting to see. Sig ‘Gaz’ Northam entered andthe crowd went wild. Just before the bell it seemed so quiet thatyou could have heard a pin drop. Unfortunately his opponenthad a height and reach advantage, and his style was sounorthodox and aggressive that it proved a little too much for Sig

Northam. A slip and a push saw Sig Northam go down, givingthe REME a KO victory.

Devastating. Although it was a loss, it did not take away anythingfrom the event. With a large amount of money raised for theArmy Benevolent Fund, both teams were cheered and praised forthe valiant efforts in the ring.

The Royal Signals show the REME how it is done!


(ELECTRONIC WARFARE)

HAVERFORDWEST

14 SIGNAL REGIMENT (ELECTRONIC WARFARE)

CO Lt Col TJ Carmichael

RSM WO1(RSM) G Topps

The Regt has again had a busy few months since the last editionof The Wire. 223 Sig Sqn (EW) is still deployed on Op HERRICK11 in support of 11 Lt Bde, while 237 Sig Sqn (EW) has beentraining hard in preparation for their upcoming departure forAfghanistan. Since their return to Brawdy in September 09, 245Sig Sqn (EW) have now fully recovered after their POTL and havetaken over the SLE/VHR commitment while concurrentlysupporting the Regt’s other tasks. 226 Sig Sqn (EW) have startedtraining in earnest to supply 16 Air Asslt Bde their much neededEW support at the same time as Ops and Support Sqns continueto provide the ‘power to the punch’.

226 SIGNAL SQUADRON (ELECTRONIC WARFARE)

OC Maj B Fitch

SSM WO2(SSM) M Collins

CO’S CHRISTMAS PT/AEROBICS

- by LCpl Wood and Sig Avison

After the success of the Regimental Christmas Day, it was theGym’s responsibility to make sure all personnel were fullyhydrated and free of alcohol before departing the camp for leave!It was decided by the PTIs, and agreed by the APTCI that wewould have a Christmas themed Aerobics session withmandatory Christmas fancy dress.

The hour long session was lead by Sig Treblecock and her 2lovely, fresh from the factory, PTIs, LCpl ‘Kids Frame’ Caine and

LCpl ‘Woodlar’ Wood. Those mean, green, keen, fightingmachines that chose to be scrooges and refused to dress up,were ‘volunteered’ to participate in a gruelling Tactical Advance toBattle (TAB) on the airfield. The fancy dress came in all shapes,sizes and styles! We had the original Army issued thermalswrapped in tinsel for effect, the CO, Lt Col Carmichael, dressedas a Christmas tree with working lights, the RSM, WO1 Topps, asthe Incredible Hulk with a Santa hat as well as a sheep, somepresents and even an igloo!

PTIs LCpl Sheerin, Sig Avison and Sig Rivers decided to givethe rest of the Regt an early Christmas present for all their hardwork throughout the year by serving them with free water andchocolates, dressed as Chippendales! Not only that, baby oilwas used for the full effect. Unfortunately for the new PTIsamongst us, while they were on course, the rest of the Gym Staffhad decided that all PTIs would be dressed as pink fairies. Sothey got a bit of a shock to find out that come the PT session,they were the only 2 actually wearing pink tutus!

After an hour of steps, turns, twirls and the famous “squaddie 2step”, it’s safe to say the Regt had thoroughly enjoyed thesession and were ready to start their long journeys home. Thesession was a great success, all thanks to the fabulous,gorgeous, hard working, spectacular and massive Gym Staff of14 Sig Regt.

THE PNCO CADRE COURSE - by LCpl Milson

The 14 Sig Regt PNCO cadre began on a cold January morning.Hidden away in a classroom were 31 students listening to variousbriefs covering all aspects of the upcoming course and thestandards expected of us. Unfortunately, this comfort wasn’t tolast and soon enough we were parading outside the gym ready to


run a 2.4 km route best effort. Once complete, the results gavethe DS a chance to see the varying fitness levels of the studentsand to form four uniform sects. For the remainder of the firstweek we completed command tasks, several discussion groups,a series of presentations on leadership principles and basicsoldiering skills, our own 5 min presentations on random topicsand 2 Practical Leadership Development sessions. These sawthe sects compete against each other in a burden retrieval and arace involving CEFO, burdens, command tasks, stretchers,mental agility tasks and of course, plenty of running!

The start of the second week began on Saturday 23 January witha quick kit inspection then straight on the coach to Sennybridge,or “Sennyfridge” as the lads liked to call it, for the ex phase andafter 2 non tactical days, we moved into a Forward OperatingBase (FOB). From here various patrols were launched and thisgave everyone a chance to be a Sect 2IC. The patrols came inmany different forms, all covering skills previously learnt such asprisoner handling, vehicle ambushes, sect attacks and casualtyevacuations. Needless to say, when we returned to the FOBeach day and got into routine, the enemy didn’t let up and wewere attacked at all hours of the night. Two days into the ex, LCpl

Luke Mortimer’s helmet started getting quite a name for itself,with it rolling down an embankment into a river and then on thesame night falling from the top of his bergen, smashing LCpl

Milson in the face and nearly breaking his nose! The final daysaw the troops getting formally tested on the duties of a 2IC inthe field and once complete we were back on the buses en routeto Brawdy.

On return to camp, we were pleased to hear that all students hadsuccessfully passed the course. This meant that all the actingLCpls could be made substantive and that those selected forpromotion would soon be wearing the rank.


OC Maj W Holbrook

SSM WO2(SSM) M Fairclough

SQUADRON CONFIRMATORY FIELD EXERCISE (CFX)

- by LCpl Pavelczyk

The CFX was an ex of firsts for me and a lot of my colleagues. Ittook place at STANTA, close to Norfolk, where some of the open

land has been utilised to aid in our training. On the training areathey have built replica towns and villages to representAfghanistan and there was also a large part of the area that wasdesignated the ‘Green Zone’. Every detail was meant to imitatewhat it would be like on tour. Well, except for the weather!

It was the first chance we had been given to do our job alongside the infantry units we will be deploying with on Op HERRICK12. Not only was it the first chance we got to see how theinfantry function whilst on ops, but it was also a chance for us toshow them how vital we are to the Afghan theatre. Throughoutthe duration of the CFX, it was not only our trade skills that weretested, but also other skills we had obtained through Pre-Deployment Training (PDT). We often found ourselves not onlydoing our trade, but also having to employ the basic infantry skillsand drills we had learned as part of the sect. Taking part in firefights and casualty extraction were just some of the highlights ofthis high tempo and challenging ex. The phrase you are alwaystold at basic training, ‘you’re a soldier first, tradesman second’,had never really rung true until now!

This ex was the first opportunity we had been given to work withAfghan interpreters which sometimes proved to be somewhat ofa challenge! It was often very difficult to extract what was usefulintelligence and what was worthless. Working with people fromdifferent nations, especially those whose first language isn’tEnglish, is always difficult; however, having an abundance ofpatience will help the intelligence gathering process. Overall, theex was a huge amount of fun but at the same time it was a hugelearning curve for everyone. Having learnt all these new skills,the Sqn are certainly well prepared and very excited about theprospect of deploying to put them into practice.


OC Maj M Crinnion

SSM WO2(SSM) P Jenkinson

EXERCISE LA TANIA DRAGON - by Cpl Bennett

On 29 January 2010, a number of members from the Regtdeployed to France on Ex LA TANIA DRAGON to take part in aweek of Regimental skiing. All started well in an agonising 24 hrdrive in the Regt’s ‘luxury’ coach, with some people managing tosleep, whilst others took advantage of the ferry crossing to get

CO’s Christmas PT – The Regiment in fancy dress


acquainted with the bar and duty free. When we eventuallyarrived at the chalet and after the kit and rooms had beenallocated, we soon descended on the local town of La Tania toorientate ourselves with the sights/bars. Initially we found theTiger Bar, which was hosting a band called ‘Bring Your Sisters’.The beer was flowing and the music was outstanding, with onemember of the Regt even managing to get a solo singing sessionwith them!

On the first morning, we descended onto the slopes to get ourlegs in and sort people out into groups depending on experience.By lunchtime, most of us had found their ‘ski legs’, except for theHealth and Safety Officer, Capt Karen Thompson from WO2

Nick Lean’s group, who unfortunately managed to cream in anddamage her Acruciate Ligament. By the evening, we were allfeeling relatively knackered from the altitude and retired for apleasant evening meal cooked up by our chef.

On Day 2, the Ski Tour proficiency group rolled out with Sgt

Simpson, and with skins attached, they set off up the hills andlearnt some valuable lessons such as: ‘when traversing across aslope, stay high and when going down, stay low’. This wasinstantly proved when he went too low whilst going down andhad to force the group back up the slope to avoid going off a cliff!Casualty number 2 came along just before lunch, again fromWO2 Nick Lean’s group, when LCpl ‘Taff’ Jones dislocated hisknee, thanks to a magnificent tumble whilst negotiating a hugemogul field. We luckily managed to flag a taxi ride from a snowmobile to stretcher him off the piste.

On Day 3, once again the Ski Touring group were putting in someserious graft with their skins on, before digging a rouge block totest for avalanches. WO2 Nick Lean’s group all got nervous justbefore lunch, thinking ‘who was going to next’ on the casualtylist. Lessons were going very well though and techniques wereall improving. Throughout the day, LCpl Emma Gullen’s ‘falling’technique was proving very hard to beat, as she always scored10 out of 10 for catastrophically bad falls!

On Day 4, Sgt Simpson decided his group would become onewith nature and tour through a forest, only to underestimate thedensity. An hour later and only 500m further in, everyone waslooking forward to ‘happy hour’ back in town. The CO, Lt Col

Carmichael, was in the advanced group where he also became‘one with nature’ with a bit of off piste skiing, only to crash in to atree! Unfortunately there was no through route so they also hadto tab back up to the piste in waste deep snow. WO2 Nick

Lean’s group however were casualty free by lunch, but then thegroup went off to sample a ‘black’ slope with LCpl Gullen

scoring a perfect 10 again for going top to bottom in the fastesttime – minus her skis!

On Day 5, the CO ventured out with the Ski Touring group to thehighest peak and sampled some fresh powder off piste skiing.News of the beginners group came through saying how wellthey’d picked up skiing and were venturing onto red runs. Wealso heard from the advanced group that they had membersfinally creaming in, namely LCpl Will Stacey and Sig Pawski,

who left some claret on the slope trying to use his face to stop!At 1500hrs all the groups met up for a big wacky race stylemovement down into Meribel, where we retired to a bar for ameal and to watch a band. The evening was excellent, with‘dance offs’ and ‘moshing’ done by all.

Finally Day 6 came and the heavens opened and we got a hugepowder dump. Lt Vicky Langston managed to venture out on tothe slopes for the second day in a row after being snowed underwith admin. Visibility was very poor, but the pistes were brilliantto finish off on. By the evening we all managed an early knockoff’ to hand back kit and clear rooms out ready for the 0800hrsdeparture. Once again we all piled into the coach for the returntrip with a slightly nervous start as the drivers fought the snow onthe way down and out onto the open road. As expected, the triphome was a lot quieter than on the way out, with most of thetroops hibernating all the way back to the UK. It was a fantasticexpedition which everyone enjoyed – bring on next year.

MY TIME AT 245 SIGNAL SQUADRON - by Cpl Nixon

I have served with the mighty 245 Sig Sqn from July 2006 untilFebruary 2010, this being my second posting to 14 Sig Regt. Iam now leaving after 3½ fantastic, action packed and extremelybusy and productive years. My time started with the LanyardTrophy pretty much straight away and then at the end of 2006,PDT for OP HERRICK 6 kicked off. Having previously served withthe Regt and deployed on AGRICOLA and OP TELIC 1, I waseager to get into the op tour. HERRICK 6 (March – September07) was the most challenging thing I have ever done in my careerto date. I was employed on a Light Electronic Warfare Team(LEWT) where the learning curve was practically vertical. Therewere many highs and lows on HERRICK 6; the lowest was thedeath of Sgt Barry Keen, who I had known since finishingtraining in 1996. I did however manage to shoot to fame too,with Ross Kemp in Afghanistan where a tactical tip off to theRoyal Anglians saved a pl from walking straight into an ambushand actually turning it around with a subsequent air strike.

After HERRICK 6, I was then ‘selected’ for SLE in the Decemberof 2007, which meant being on high readiness as the Army’s highreadiness EW element. Towards the end of the period, in May2008 the SLE was deployed to Kosovo as part of Op VALEROduring the election season. The tempo however was muchslower than from HERRICK 6, and I returned in the summer to getready for the Regimental Ex GRIFFIN FOCUS. This was situatedon Stanford Training area where I commanded an Odette platform(a medium EW sensor) on the airfield. The ex scenario wasHERRICK based, and went really well with the Sqn living up to itshigh standards. I was even awarded a Regimental plaque forbest specialist!

The next thing on the cards was preparing for the Sqn returningto Afghanistan for Op HERRICK 10. With PDT in full swing, eachmember of the Sqn had to fight for a place on the FET. I wasgiven a highly desirable position of det comd of a MediumElectronic Warfare Team (MEWT). Although working a MEWTisn’t quite as busy as a light team, we still had a fair fewmemorable moments, with the PB Comd becoming more andmore reliant on our work for G2. It was great to see EW makingits mark.

I am now at the very end of a busy assignment, and am off topastures new, due to start my second tour at JSSU (Digby).Going there as a Sgt is going to be a whole new challenge, as mylast posting there was as a LCpl. I leave the mighty 245 Sig Sqnand 14 Sig Regt with a whole new take on the Army. It’s hard tobelieve that a single posting can change your outlook on theArmy, but I can honestly say that the last 3½ years have beenrather extraordinary.

OPERATIONS SQUADRON

OC Maj M Keech BEM

SSM WO2(SSM) A Barber

OPERATIONS SQUADRON - ONE YEAR ON

– by WO2 (SSM) Barber INT CORPS

On 5 January 2009, Ops Sqn was officially stood-up; and Maj

Mick Keech unofficially became the busiest major in the Regt!Before this date, there had been a rag tag bunch of personnelhiding in the windowless ivory tower of Ops Block avidly avoidingcontact with the rest of the Regt, whose only mission was tothrow spanners in the smooth operations of the field Sqns, atleast, that was their point of view! But it came to pass that theRegt had seen the future and that future was very busy andwould require a change in thought and deed. Thus from fiveSqns, there came six. What was HQ Sqn became Sp Sqn, 223Sig Sqn (EW) was born out of the remnants of 224 Sig Sqn (EW)and added to the field Sqns of 226, 237 and 245. 245 Sig Sqn(EW)’s beloved armour was cast off to CHE and Ops Sqn wasformed from what everyone else didn’t want or couldn’t work outwhere to put: Romeo Tp, EW Training Team, Training Wing, TrojanTp, and the Ops Block.


The heads were not held any higher than on the Freedom ofHaverfordwest Parade, the first time the Sqn would march as aformed body of men in its own right. The first job was to find anofficer to take the Sqn on the parade. The TOT, Capt Ali

Duncan, was drafted in. Many secret sword drill lessons wereconducted at the back of the Officers Mess and only one ear hadto be re-sewn. The day of the parade went well until it halted onthe main street and it was here that we realised just how steep itwas; as the downhill leg took all the strain leaving one’s uphill legalmost weightless. This made the next right turn at the halt a featin itself. The other thing which hadn’t been taken into accountwas that on the day we were so far back, it made the logisticlines of the empire look short, and the enthusiasm of the crowdmeant that any noise emanating from the band was completelylost. We watched in awe as the rest of the parade moved off anddecided it best to conduct own miniature parade and took a morepersonal salute at the dais. Still, it was a very enjoyable andproud day for the new Sqn. This was to be Capt Ali Duncan’s

final starring role as he handed over to Capt Carl Heath duringthe summer.

After this, the Sqn fell more into the normal routine; MATTs Weekswere run both at Penally and Castlemartin and certain membersof the Sqn got to find out from the AIO what kind of dress wearmade her feel human on a CACI course and that RAF drivertraining is conducted by Stirling Moss judging by the way SAC

Jimmy Harrison drives a minibus!

With a hierarchy containing so many Officers and WOs, theaverage age is somewhat more towards fortyish, so the regularPT sessions can become a bit more like a Chelsea Pensioners’outing, but the Sqn tends to hold its own ok – sort of. A lot ofeffort is put in and the sessions are pretty arduous. We haveparticipated in coastal runs, relays along the coast involving tabs,burden retrievals and ending in a raft race, and the annual watersports, water activities day. We were not doing too badly afterthe canoeing and rowing races but then came the raft race! Sgt

Sammy Sambrook was the Team Capt, and his hastilyconstructed raft raised a few eyebrows from the OC and theSSM, but as they weren’t going to be in it, they let him crack on.It was a tight race for 3rd and 4th, right up until the Sqn’s raft fellapart about 70m out! However by sheer grit and determination,Sammy led his team in, pulling the raft around the buoy andbeating 226’s Para team in, aided in no small way by the veryaccurate broadsides of apples let off by Sgt Merv Griffiths! Afterthis, the Sqn held its first real social function in the garden ofCapt Daphne Brett and WO1 Ed Mortimer, and a fine eveningof BBQ and beer ensued. A short walk into town later in theevening left people feeling slightly dodgy the next day!!

After 11 months, the designfor the Sqn emblem wasfinally decided. After wideand varied suggestions, itwas decided that a Batwould be the basis for thedesign, having long beenassociated with EW.Despite the hopes that theBacardi Bat might inspiresponsorship, the final designof the profile of a bat in flightwas approved.

The final social function ofthe year was the Christmasbash held at Picton Castle;very grand indeed. Sgt

Wallace Stephenson and histeam did an excellent job of organising the evening and I think itwill be remembered for along time to come, if only for the dancemoves. A sight once seen never forgotten! But the year was notofficially over until the CO’s PT, which this year was fancy dressaerobics, and the newly-qualified PTI, LCpl Caine showing off hisfinely-honed physique in a fairy outfit. Best outfit of the day hadto be between Sgt Merv Griffiths in his tight and short kinky Bee

outfit and Cpl Goose Harris for his superb representation of aChristmas tree.

So, one year later we are a fully functioning Sqn and we have justwon our first trophy in the CO’s Cup for Hockey. The Teamcaptained by Flt Sgt John Stocker (aged 68½) and led by Capt

Ian Elliot (at least until the CO joined the team and showed whyhe is a CO) beat all-comers with an age difference of at least 20years and earned Flt Sgt John Stocker his first trophy, ever! TheSqn is now in the midst of a huge changeover of manpower; theSSM slot is being taken on by WO2 Badger Arundel as WO2

Andy Barber moves to 245 Sig Sqn on promotion and the OC isdue to handover to Maj Paul Randall in the summer. It has beenan interesting and fast-moving year, and hopefully the Sqn canmove on from strength to strength in the future.

SUPPORT SQUADRON

OC Maj C Kidd

SSM WO2(SSM) D Windsor

EXERCISE DONNINGTON DRAGON - by Cpl Rayner

The aim of Ex DONNINGTON DRAGON was to conduct a SkiCamp for personnel throughout 11 Sig Bde to further their skillsat Alpine Skiing. We were based in La Tania, surrounded by theThree Valleys Region of the Alps.

We left from Cawdor Barracks, South Wales at 0900hrs on the‘Brawdy Bus’ heading towards the M4. After many stops andmany pick-ups later, we arrived at Dover ready for the crossing tothe beautifully boring roads of France. Twenty one hours aftersetting off from Brawdy, we arrived in the chalet clad village of LaTania to a glorious sunrise. We transferred the equipment fromthe coach to the chalet via a 500m walk in the snow. Onexploring the chalet, everyone was delighted to find that themajority of the rooms had only double beds. This was greatnews for the person sharing with Cpl Davis as his 0500hrs snorewas a perfect wake up call! As the whole group had variousqualifications and different abilities, the instructor split us downinto groups. Equipment issue was the last task for the day beforestand down.

As everyone woke on Day 1 looking forward to a beautiful Alpinesunrise, they were very much disappointed, as you could barelysee the front of the skis. There was one plus, the poor weatherhad naturally brought with it a nice big dump of fresh snow. Asour first day was a Sunday, the piste had not been groomed, afull day of off piste in low light was to follow. The poor visibilityprovided a challenge to navigation, as we were on what isrenowned to be the biggest ski resort in the world. Thankfullyafter midday, the weather cleared and we were all skiing likedemons with no one falling over or getting lost . . . . . honest!The day closed off with a debrief and a little après ski in the localbar at the bottom of the Red run in La Tania.

After a few days getting used to the local area and trying to getthought as many runs as we could, our group finally managed toget hold of the lift pass for the whole Three Valleys area whichincluded Courchevel, Meribel and Val Thorens. To leave theCourchevel alley we had to travel up what is known locally as the‘James Bond Lift’ as this is thought to be where they filmed oneof the scenes in a James Bond film. The views from the top weresomething special, looking out towards the towering peak ofMont Blanc. Also, at the top of the ‘James Bond lift’ is a blackrun called the ‘Grand Couloir’ which for many groups was a littletoo advanced. We were successful in reaching the furthestpossible run from our base location, but we were unfortunate notto be able to reach the highest point in the Three Valleys, as theweather closed in for the second time of the week. I’m unable togive an exact distance we travelled on that particular day, but bythe time we arrived at the familiar bar in La Tania we could barelyfinish our Vin Chaud.

The penultimate day comprised of ‘fun skiing’, where we skieddown to the family fun park and attempted some of the small

The new Ops Sqn emblem


slalom runs and some ‘small’ jumps. Although this wassometimes a heart in mouth moment, it was very enjoyable andwe all did what we were told, just what adventurous training is allabout, putting you out of your comfort zone. On the evening ofsecond to last day, we had all agreed to meet at the top of the‘James Bond’ lift for a leisurely ski down into the neighbouringvalley of Meribel for some après ski in a bar known well by QMSI

‘Tony’ Leece. When we arrived at the bar, it seemed a pleasantenough place and everyone sat outside with a drink, but as theevening drew on and the live band began to play, the whole placeerupted into a frenzied Indie club. After an hour or so in the bareveryone who was still competent to ski, skied down to a localrestaurant for some food, which I can tell you was eventful, andat the time not particularly pleasant! After a typical French meal,we left the Mexican Restaurant and got onto a coach supplied bythe QMSI, which to the ‘Brawdy Bus’ drivers, was like sitting in anew Lamborghini! We all arrived back to the chalet for a goodsleep before the last day of skiing.

The final day was a consolidation of what we had learnt in theweek, doing various exercises to show our instructors that wehad taken everything in. After half a day on the hill we all arrivedback at the chalet for some food provided by ‘Abbo’ the chef.After dinner the equipment was handed back to WO2 Martin

South and then loaded onto the bus for the drive back. I am toldthat everyone who attended the week ski camp, managed to geta qualification, be it BSP, or ASP, with people expressing aninterest in furthering their qualifications in the near future.

The last day started with a clean up of the chalet and personal kitto be loaded onto the coach. Everything was stowed in theluggage bins, all except sleeping bags, softie jackets andblankets, as the coach’s heating system had gone haywire. Asone of the drivers, I was told that the back of the coach wascolder than the top of the ‘Grand Couloir’ on a cold day. By thelook of some people getting off on the many stops on the return, Iwas certain it was that cold!


ELMPT

CO Lt Col AM Fallows

RSM WO1(RSM) G Sinclair

For over 6 months the Soldiers and Officers of the Regt have been conducting extensive training – both military and technical – in preparation for the deployment toAfghanistan.

In the last few weeks of January and February, the preparationhas come to a conclusion, and the Regt was been tested on ourfinal Mission Rehearsal Exercise (MRX). Visits from our old andnew Bde Comds, and from the GOC Theatre Tps, confirmed thatwe are ready to take on the job in theatre.

The huge task of deploying the Regt into theatre has also beensuccessfully completed – though not without a few delays; RAFflights and the weather in Germany can both be veryunpredictable.

Of course an important part of 16 Sig Regt has remained behindin Elmpt. The 2IC, Maj T Keates, is heading up the GermanyBased Element (GBE). This group will be kept extremely busyproviding direct support to those in theatre, and looking after thewives, families and wider community that remains behind. TheGBE will also keep the in-barracks aspects of regimental lifeticking over to set the conditions for continued success as aCampaign Sig Regt on our return. Finally, as part of the re-structuring of 16 into a Campaign Sig Regt and in order to allowthem to continue to support the ARRC as it moves back to theUK, 252 Sig Sqn have recently left 16 Sig Regt and transferredover to 22 Sig Regt.

MISSION REHEARSAL EXERCISE

Between 11 and 22 January the Regt ran a MRX, a chance to putall the training and preparation to the test before finally headingout on deployment.

Sgt McCrone and his team in front of their impressive Ridgeback vehicle


The 2 week ex was held in a series of simulated ForwardOperating Bases (FOBs), HQs and other locations across theElmpt training area and allowed all elements of the Regt to getsome practice and experience in their various roles and skills.

Whilst the Ops teams and the comms specialists worked hard, itwas those training on Force Protection who got the mostattention. The lads in FP Sqn will be performing an infantry roleout of Camp Souter, protecting convoys and personnel moves,and providing base security.

“Their drills have to be really slick,” said Capt Bruce Scott, OCFP Sqn. “We’re getting as much practice as we can here, so thatwhen we get into theatre it’s something that we don’t have tothink about.”

The weather was an unexpected bonus. In Afghanistan thetroops will be subject to extremes of weather; and whilst it ismore likely to be hot than cold, the mountainous regions ofAfghanistan can see quite a lot of snow as well. Capt Scott said“It’s a good chance to do some training a little bit outside of theircomfort zones.”

The GOC Theatre Troops, Maj Gen Brealey visited the ex andgot a chance to see first-hand what the soldiers of FP Sqn will bedoing in Afghanistan. Sgt McCrone, one of the RidgebackPacket comds, talked through the training that his troops wereundertaking.

In terms of the equipment that they are using, the general opinionwas positive. Cpl Richards briefed Maj Gen Brealey on what it’slike to operate in the Ridgeback: “Some of the technology inhere is like nothing we’ve seen before. It’s got cameras so thatyou can see what’s going on all around outside from the safety ofinside. It’s a really good bit of kit.”

CHANGE OF BRIGADE

In preparation for 16 Sig Regt to become a Campaign Sig Regton 1 February 2010, 16 Sig Regt moved from 1 Sig Bde to 11 SigBde. Coming under the comd of Brig A Hill, the move puts uscloser to the other Campaign Sig Regts and rationalises 1 SigBde.

Brig Hill visited the Regt on 21 and 22 January, getting to seeeveryone in action on the MRX shortly before we came under hiscomd. While the focus for the majority of 16 will be with 11 SigBde, 252 (Hong Kong) Sig Sqn will remain in 1 Sig Bde as theyhave recently moved under the comd of 22 Sig Regt.

LONG SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT

On Friday 22 January, 4 soldiers from the Regt were awardedtheir Long Service and Good Conduct medals. Awarded for 15years service with no blemishes on their conduct sheet, theLS&GC presentation is a chance for the Army to say thank younot just to the soldiers for their commitment and service, but tothe soldiers’ families for their support and tolerance as well.

The RSM introduced the proceedings with an alternativeinterpretation of entitlement for the medal: “15 years’ undetectedcrime”, before congratulating all 4 recipients on their award.

The Regimental Foreman, WO1(FofS) Draper, and the RQMS,WO2(RQMS) Woodall were first to be presented with theirmedals by Brig I Hooper, Comd 1 Sig Bde. Sgt Vernon and Cpl

Wood also collected their medals from the Brig.

“I’m really pleased to get this”, said Cpl Wood of his LS&GC.“It’s really nice to be recognised for all the time you’ve put in”. Ofcourse he can now aim to match WO1 Jenkins, who a fewmonths earlier managed to earn a Bar to his LS&GC, aftercompleting his 30th year of adult service!

Brig Hooper also took the opportunity to join in with the Regt ina photograph – the last chance before the Regt leaves his Bdeand moves to 11 Sig Bde.

DEPLOYMENT

Finally it came time for the Regt to deploy. It was phased over aweek, with the first 115 troops leaving camp bleary-eyed butapprehensive at the unsociable hour of 0330hrs on 30 January.Ninety seven left the following Thursday, and 54 went the dayafter that. Some of the troops went via Hannover straight to

Sig Upton and Sig Orme practise their Op BARMA drills – clearing avulnerable route of IEDs

The Ridgeback packet commander, Sgt Stu McCrone briefs MajGen Brealey on their drills

Cpl Richards shows Maj Gen Brealey around some of the featuresof the Ridgeback


theatre and some flew from Dusseldorf back to Brize Norton inthe UK before flying out.

There are always final checks and assurances to be completed atthe MCCP before anyone is allowed to walk out the door, and theRAO’s dept – despite many of them deploying themselves – tookon this job magnificently.

Going out to command the Helmand ICS Sig Sqn is Maj H Scott

with WO2(SSM) Wheeler at his side. The RC(South) deploymentin Kabul is covered by Maj K Barker and WO2 (SSM)

Nowosielski, while Maj M Nuttall and WO2 (SSM) Korba runthe Souter Force Protection and Transport Coy.

The snow in Northern Europe caused a number of delays, withthe last individuals reaching Afghanistan a week after they wereexpecting to, probably feeling as though they had alreadycompleted the hardest part of the tour! However eventuallyeveryone reached theatre and got stuck into their takeovers.

With the Regt now firmly bedded into Afghanistan, you can lookforward to hearing more from the Sqns and Tps about life inAfghanistan and the view from the desert in the next issue of TheWire.

Who checks the Checkers? The AGC Det Comd, Capt ScottBooty, goes through the process as well, alongside the QM, Maj

G Hailstone

No-one is exempt! The CO, Lt Col Fallows, shows his ID card tothe docs Clerk, Miss Nancy Mairy

21st SIGNAL REGIMENT (AIR SUPPORT)

COLERNE

CO Lt Col GN Addley

RSM WO1(RSM) McBean

REGIMENTAL TRAINING WING

OC Capt J Markendale

RTWO WO2 M Robinson

This has been a very busy period for the Training Wing, as wecontinue to support the Regt on the numerous taskings that theSqns require. India Tp of 244 Sig Sqn were delivered their PDTpackage in November/December 09 at Longmoor Training Areawhich was broken down into a 2 week package containingranges, navigation, detainee-handling training and an ex inpreparation for their deployment in February. Congratulations goto SSgt ‘Popeye’ Doyle and his wife Helen, on the birth of twinson 17 December 09.

PNCO CADRE – EXERCISE COMMAND BEAUFIGHTER

- by SSgt Doyle

Ex COMMAND BEAUFIGHTER is the first of the PNCO coursesto be run at the unit this year.

The first week for the 28 strong course consisted of mostlyclassroom based lessons, which Lt Mortimer kindly volunteeredto instruct. Being a young officer, he was more likely to enjoythat than the rest of us! The fitness element of the course wasvaried. The gym staff consisting of the ‘Zanone’ twins providedsome quality fitness motivation, in the form of the burden retrievalPLD. The students were directed to various locations on thecamp to retrieve some rather awkward items and return them tothe starting point which of course was the other side of the camp.

Well done to Sgt ‘Taff’ Langley in motivating Sect 3 to win thispart.

Sgt Dinsdale pushing his section to mirror signal, then overtake

Another successful Command Task


Command tasks were another favourite with the students whomI’m sure must have a book on ‘How to complete Command Tasksin the fastest time’, as most of the sects managed to do this onall of the tests.

The latter part of the first week saw the students give 15 minpresentations on subjects of their choice, such as football,nutrition and car drifting. Most did very well with only a fewending up dry mouthed and rather red faced.

For the second week the course moved to Caerwent training areato complete the ex phase of the PNCO Cadre, which was a teachand test phase, teaching subjects such as vehicle contact drills,detainee-handling procedures and contact drills on foot. Sgt

Sean Dinsdale initiated the attacks on the FOB with a wellplaced L111 Grenade by the thunder box in the FOB car park, asit was pitch black at the time. After many rockets and mini flareswhich were choreographed by Cpl Chris Day and his team ofenemy, peace was restored in anticipation for the final attacks onthe following day.

The final attacks saw the Sect 2ICs being put through their pacesand putting all that they had been taught into practice. It has tobe said LCpl Clark that your grenade will work better if youactually remove the pin! Congratulations go to LCpl Patmore of3 (UK) Div HQ & Sig Regt for winning the Top Student prize andto LCpl Reynolds of 21 Sig Regt for Top Field Soldier!

244 SIGNAL SQUADRON

OC Maj PJ Hale

SSM WO2 J Thompson

The last few months have been packed full exs and training asthe Sqn re-adjusts to being the only Air Sp Sqn in the Regt. TheSqn itself is growing by the day and we have welcomed a fourthtroop, India Tp from 220 Sqn who will deploy to Op HERRICK inFebruary to continue the support for the Joint Helicopter Force(Afghanistan). In addition, we have continued to support JointHelicopter Command on ex and deployments all over the worldincluding Kenya, Morocco and California. As we write we havejust returned from a second Sqn level Air Sp comms ex, this timeworking with Merlin, Sea King and Puma on Salisbury Plain, withIndia Tp completing the last bit of PDT supporting JHF on the 4Mech Bde MRX. Despite all the work a number of members ofthe Sqn have found time to get away and compete in sportingevents or adventure training, with some excellent successes. Thefocus now is ensuring the smooth RiP of India Tp in Afghanistan,and then the cycle of support to JHC exs, PDT and opdeployment as we maintain the Corps’ only Air Sp capability – achallenge we are thoroughly looking forward to.

EXERCISE MERCURY GLACIER XIII – ROYAL SIGNALS

ALPINE SKI CHAMPIONSHIPS

- by Cpl Kirsten Gunn and Cpl Damien Shepherd

On a dismal Saturday in late November, 8 members of 21 SigRegt departed the green rolling hills of north Wiltshire for thesparkling snow covered peaks of Zell am See in Austria to attendthe 2009 Royal Signals Alpine Skiing Championships.

On arriving at the Club Kitzsteinhorn Lodge, the team linked upother teams and most importantly with our top skier Cpl Chris

Day who, along with Sgt Ritchie Harris, had already beeninstructing there for a week. The next day it was straight to theslopes of the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier and a morning spent findingour ski legs, before the dreaded ‘ski off’! It may have been agood omen of things to come, as despite some disbelief 3members of the team were selected to join the top ability groupand be coached by the ex-Austrian racer, Mr Ristto Mekic, whois a long time friend to Corps skiing.

With the team split into ability groups, it was now up to theinstructors who over the next 2 weeks, would teach and perfectindividual’s skiing techniques and prepare them for the final weekof racing. Although the ski training was physically demanding it

wasn’t all hard work and on Friday afternoons ‘Team 21’ wouldcome together to show off all they had learned on the slope thatweek in a free skiing session. For some this involved a trip to theFun Park, where Cpl Damien Shepherd demonstrated his styleand confidence on the rollers, ably assisted by Lt Libby

Holmstrom, WO1 Lyndon Box and the not so co-ordinated LCpl

Billy King.

After a hard 2 weeks training, the team took part in some welldeserved après ski, including a cultural visit to the ChristmasMarket in Salzburg and an evening with the crowds on the streetsof Zell am See to celebrate the annual ritual of Krampus. In atradition that dates back many years, the local men dress up asfrightening trolls and descend from the mountain to the village.They then proceed to scare the young children to make themmore worthy of receiving gifts in the festive season – to theoutsider it’s a weird and sometimes painful experience!

With all the training completed the camp moved into thecompetition phase. The week started with the individual GiantSlalom Cpl Day won in dramatic style, with Capt Simon Gray

placed 3rd by only one hundredth of a second. In the Femalecompetition, Maj Bee Bryan reigned supreme again winning theindividual title and also the Veterans’ title. The next race wasscheduled to be the Team Giant Slalom, the first of 2 team races.Alas due to adverse weather conditions the event was cancelled,with the decision accepted by all teams prior to the race to useresults from the previous days skiing towards the Team event.This meant that the 21 Sig Regt A Team, which placed all 4 skiersin the top 15 racers on Day 1, took the title of Team Giant SlalomChampions, with Capt Gray, Cpl Day, Sgt Phil Eaves and LCpl

Ryan Claughton all contributing. The B Team also has asuccessful day placing 5th out of nineteen teams.

Wednesday again saw inclement weather on the race piste and adelayed start, but the individual slalom still went head, albeit in areduced 1-run race. The pressure was cranked up again, but trueto form the members of ‘Team 21’ performed excellently with Cpl

Day winning the men’s event and Maj Bryan winning the femaletitle.

The final race day came around all too quickly and the teamheaded to the glacier for the final event, the Team Slalom. With aslight change to the team sheet that saw Maj Bryan drafted intothe ‘A Team’ for the more technically demanding course, we setabout the task of going for the clean sweep. Again all the skiersdominated, posting fast times on the first run. However at thetop to the second run and lying in 3rd place, the temptation topush too hard got to Capt Gray and he popped a ski on the 4thgate, relegating him to finish dead last in 63rd place. Thankfullythe other members of the team shouldered the burden andposted fast times, with Cpl Day again taking top spot individually.

The final event of the Championships. Congratulations go to Cpl

Day who took the top spot in all the Men’s races and the CorpsChampion title. In the female competition Maj Bryan won all herraces to retain the title of Female Corps Champion and was theinaugural racer to be presented with the newly commissioned LtCharlotte Pitstra Memorial Bowl. The highlight of the eveningwas collecting the team titles, and despite not all members fromthe Regt counting towards the team success, we are all one teamand all shared in the celebrations of winning the Team GiantSlalom, Team Slalom and Corps Champions Titles.

CO’S CHALLENGE CUP – BASKETBALL

- by Cpl Lisa Hislop and 2Lt Alex Cave

The latest event in the Regt’s CO’s Challenge Cup was the inter-sqn basketball competition and despite a busy work schedule, agood turnout ensued, complete with a rather vocal crowd. Rivalrybetween sqns is very much alive and well at this Regt! Twoteams from Sp Sqn, 2 from 244 Sig Sqn and just 1 from thepartially deployed 220 Sig Sqn took to the court to fight it out.

The competition opened up with a fast paced game between 244‘A’ and Sp Sqn. From the off, 244 dominated the court with


SSgt(SQMS) Ibinson posting a few sneaky shots, testing the SpSqn defences, but the team of WO1(FofS) Lyndon Box ,Sgt Jae

Binnie, Cpl Lou Binnie, LCpl Tatman and Sig Hardy took thegame to 244 Sig Sqn and came out on top as worthy winners.

Next up were the 244 ‘B’ team against Sp Sqn B team. Someflashy round the body passes and dummy moves created spacefor the far from novice ‘B’ team and following the shock of Sgt

Lafferty and Sig Harding finding the basket from beyond the 3point line, Sp Sqn B had to concede and admit defeat. It took alittle while but once the team got their eye in, 3 pointers werebeing sunk with regularity from the likes of Sig Pearcy and LCpl

Collins, enabling the team to build a healthy lead over Sp Sqn.244’s revenge was sweet with a solid 16 – 7 win.

Spurred on by the performance of 244 ‘B’ team, the 244 ‘A’ Teamtook to the court with some fast paced play and good use ofavailable space in their second game. Unfortunately they failedto translate this dominance into points and come half time,scores were even. The second half saw a flourish of play from220, allowing them to pull away to a comfortable win 22 – 10,much to 244’s disappointment.

The 5th and final round was between 220 Sig Sqn and Sp Sqn‘A’. Despite a strong game played by the 220 team theexperience of the Sp Sqn team and the sheer height advantageand presence of Sgt Jae Binnie and of course the relentless

encouragement and team orders being yelled from Cpl Lou

Binnie, carried them to victory.

Overall, everyone put in a good performance and it was good tosee such a high level of participation during such a busy time.Bring on the next event!

CO’s Challenge Cup Basketball Winners - Support Squadron ATeam

22nd SIGNAL REGIMENT

STAFFORD

CO Lt Col S Nesmith

RSM WO1(RSM) Pritchard

WINTER TOUGH GUY 2010 - by Lt Jones

On 31 January a team of 10 from across 22 Sig Regt travelled toPerton near Wolverhampton to take part in the Winter Tough Guy2010 Challenge. Those who volunteered did so imagining thegreat sense of achievement which would come from completingthe arduous test and raising money for charity.

The willing volunteers were not feeling quite so eager at 0700hrson Sunday morning however when they opened the curtains tosee a blanket of snow and ice. The idea of spending 2 hrs hurlingthemselves over icy obstacles and swimming through a frozenlake suddenly seemed a little less appealing. We arrived at thecourse and went to register, to chants of “you’re all going to die”.We got changed and made our way to the holding pen for the1100hrs start. Standing around with the other 6000 volunteers,we already had numb toes and fingers.

However, the camaraderie which comes from the knowledge thatwe’re all about to share a quite ridiculous experience made for acarnival like atmosphere. Also, no matter how hard it was goingto be for us, it was surely nothing compared to the guy in themankini or the giant Rubik cube!

For some reason Maj Courage and LCpl Sullivan receivedstarting numbers which placed them 3000 places ahead of therest of the team. They claimed that this was because the adminof the Tough Guy team was efficient and recognized that theywere past competitors, and so had given them higher startingpositions. However, the rest of the team thinks the organizershad probably heard of Maj Courage’s reputation and didn’t darestart him in a non-competitive position!

The rough outline of the course was 6 miles of cross country andhill reps with 10 zigzagging river crossings, followed by 2 miles of‘swimming’ and obstacle courses. There were bails of flamingstraw to run through, dangling live electric cables to negotiateand a leopard crawl of 20m, through deep puddles under aceiling of barbed wire less than 2 ft off the floor.

One part of the course required competitors to submergethemselves under the sub zero water and swim under 4strategically placed tree trunks laid across the surface, coming upfor air after each. Most team members agreed that freezing waterup to the chest was painful, but complete submersion was adifferent sensation entirely. The shock resulted in many peopledropping out, or being pulled out by the medics at this stage.LCpl Khagendra completed the first dunk and then wasovercome by his self-preservation instincts. He scrambled out,but continued to complete the rest of the course.

There was one final icy swim and a hill sprint to finish, withcompetitors quickly being wrapped up in bubble wrap and foil,then being directed through to a hot chocolate and shed full ofmake shift warm showers. Sig Ramesh Punn’s shivering at thispoint was so violent that, in attempting to drink the hot chocolate,he ended up throwing it over his face!

We gathered back at SSgt Dharma’s team minibus where he hadhot soup, tea and sandwiches waiting. We were comparingmedals when Cpl Prabeen produced not one, like everyone else,but two. He claimed the organizers insisted he had two; theymust have seen his attempts at swimming across the lake.

Finished and warm again after a good effort


The sense of elation and satisfaction which followed after everyonehad defrosted made the day’s efforts suddenly seem quite fun andit didn’t take long for talk to start of ‘same time next year?’

EXERCISE ALPINE DRAGON - by Maj Mark Rouse

Ex ALPINE DRAGON was an opportunity for elements of theRegimental Management Team to further bond, while rompingtogether on skis and completing adventurous training in andaround the French Alps, which back on to the beautiful resort ofLes Arcs 1800.

Eighteen personnel deployed including the CO, Lt Col Sharon

Nesmith and the 2IC, Maj Laurence Fowkes, who attempted to‘take out’ every member of the group and almost did! Ourinstructors for the week, Capt Gerry McGachy, Capt Neil Pollitt

and SSgt Stu Sharman impressed throughout, especially with alltheir skiing and girl guides badges sewn neatly on every piece ofclothing they owned. They also impressed by the way theywarmed us up on a daily basis by smashing us down the nearestred route! Everybody seemed to have a good time though,especially SSgt John Blowes who broke the worldrecord by falling asleep in every pub in the resortduring a single week and who grew so fond of hishire skis he decided to keep hold of them! TheRCWO, WO2 Jimmy ‘Chips’ Cooper and theSSM, WO2 Mason, may not have necessarily setthe world alight with their skiing prowess but didhowever look fabulous in their Army Issue skiclothing flown in especially from Guantanamo Bay!Even Capt Adrian Fletcher had a good time, albeitmost mornings he felt as though he had been in acar crash and that he wished that the snow wouldmelt quicker!

All in all a most exhilarating and fun week (manythanks to our sponsors from Paradigm whosupported us with funding) was had by all and nowthat the new 2IC Sp Sqn and SSM have agreed toorganize next years trip, this should ensure that theex becomes a permanent fixture in the RegimentalForecast of Events.

217 SIGNAL SQUADRON

OC Maj Richard Byfield

SSM WO2(SSM) Al Finn

CHRISTMAS FUNCTION - by SSgt Eastlake

On 16 December 2009, the members of 217 Sig Sqn wereaccompanied by their partners and wives to the annual SqnChristmas Function. The venue was a stunning hotel full ofcharacter and friendly staff; the turnout from the Sqn was equallyas impressive, with roughly 100 attendees.

The aim of the night was twofold: to bolster Sqn cohesion andmorale while also raising money for a well known services charity.

For some it was the final function before they would be posted inthe New Year; so to LCpl Archer, LCpl Lane and Sig Hinks, wewish you all the best in your future endeavors and we will missyou dearly.

In a successful attempt to raise money for charity, many localbusinesses showed their support for our troops in need bydonating gifts for the raffle prize draw. In total, the Sqn raised£320 for a brilliant cause, donating to the ‘Help for Heroes’services charity. The night was an outstanding success and athoroughly good time was had by all those involved. The year for217 Sig Sqn ended on a high note.

J1/J4 IOS EXERCISE DEPLOYMENT - by Cpl Stu Taylor

Charlie Tp was called upon to carry out the first tasking of theyear. Elmpt was the location, and it was 16 Sig Regt who requiredthe J1/J4 IOS system. The task was to assist them in their pre-deployment training before they headed off to Afghanistan inFebruary. To help out in this tasking LCpl Wills and Sig Vijay

were brought in to pass on their experience.

Our nightmare journey started as we left Staffordfor Germany when we found the major motorwayswere closed or packed, as is typical on a Mondaymorning coming back from the Christmas break.Nevertheless it was hard to believe that the ‘speedrestricted’ van managed to reach the ferry beforethe car carrying the J1/J4 crew! It was a mysteryto us all!

Things were running smoothly once we finallyreached Javelin Barracks, until the followingmorning when we found that the winter weatherhad come upon us unexpectedly. After everythingwas set up it was ready for 16 Sig Regt to gettheir hands on the J1/J4 IOS equipment. After 3long weeks of training and testing, the ex came toan end and the tear down commenced in theusual quick Army fashion and the next day we leftthe melting snow and made our way back to rainyBlighty!

Charlie Tp has since got everything back in onepiece and continues to be on high alert for thenext deployment. What a great way to start anew year – 3 weeks in the snow on ex!

EXERCISE LONDON VISIT 21 – 22 JANUARY

2010 - by Sig Anup Gurung

Early on the morning of 21 January theexcitement was obvious among A Tp personnelas they prepared to board the minibuses headingfor London for a 2 day tour of cultural education.As SSgt Dharma and Sgt Anil busiedthemselves setting up the Tom Tom to get us toRAF Uxbridge, the tour organizer Cpl Udaya

gave a quick brief on the program before wefinally set off at 0830hrs.

After 4 hrs spent cooped up in the minibus we eventually arrivedat RAF Uxbridge, where we were to be accommodated that night.As time was short and there were many things to see, wedumped our kit in the 20 man rooms and left without delay in thedirection of the Imperial War Museum. Disembarking from thetube, there was a brisk walk to the museum itself: the secondlargest war museum in Britain. The 2 hrs we had in the museumwere not sufficient to explore the huge building and all of itsexhibits in detail, so we quickly scanned through the LargeExhibits Gallery, which housed some of the most importantweapons and vehicles used in both World Wars. In here were theMk V tank from 1918, a British 9.2 in howitzer and a 4 in gun fromthe destroyer HMS Lance, which fired the first British shot of theWW1. The Art Gallery was another interesting exhibit, but manyof us were captivated by the Holocaust Exhibition. The beautifully

The Dream Team 2010

Sig Vijay persevering despite theweather


displayed photographs, documents, newspaper articles, artifacts,posters and films of those dreadful days were certainly not to bemissed.

By 1530hrs everyone assembled outside ready to move to oursecond destination, the Science Museum. Before we did so,however, LCpl Avinash demonstrated his photographic skills witha few group pictures. Back on the tube for 15 mins and we werethere. Everyone was fascinated by the amazing inventions butsome of the exhibits, of engines, a computerized floor andassorted digital equipment, stretched my knowledge somewhat!The main lesson I took from the Science Museum is that scienceand technology is constantly evolving and new advances aremade every day. Some of the more interesting exhibits were thefirst automatic calculator (bigger than a 4kV generator!) and theApollo 10 capsule that took 3 astronauts around the moon. TheIMAX 3D cinema soon became the centre of attention, however,and “Deep Sea Underwater Adventure” and “Journey to theMoon” felt very close to real life experiences.

At 1715hrs Cpl Udaya called it a day, and we were on our ownuntil midnight. Not surprisingly we descended on China Town fora substantial buffet before heading back to RAF Uxbridge,satisfied and looking forward to Day 2.

On Friday morning after a short brief and the inevitableaccommodation cleaning, we departed for Buckingham Palaceand Westminster at about 0930hrs. Spending nearly 2 hrs stuckin traffic did nothing to dampen our enthusiasm. The guidesshowed us the Commons Chamber, the Lords Chamber, theQueen’s Robbing Room, the Royal Gallery and the Prince’sChamber in a tour which lasted for about an hour. The manypaintings on the walls and the magnificent silver and bronzecoated statues showed the richness of artistic talent that wasonce a feature of palace life. The tour guides constantly fed usinformation about the history of the palace, the lifestyle, the Kingsand Queens and various chamber rules, which all served to widenour knowledge.

The aim of the visit was to build teamwork outside of the workenvironment and to gain further understanding of British militaryand political history. This was certainly achieved with 2 daysaway from normal garage routine. Everyone thoroughly enjoyedthe visit and we extend our gratitude to Cpl Udaya, withoutwhose effort the visit would not have been such a success.

222 SIGNAL SQUADRON

OC Maj I Rodger

SSM WO2(SSM) Fraser

EXERCISE HOPTON RANGER - by Sig Webster

We deployed out early on the Monday morning hoping theweather would hold for us. After around 2 hrs we got to rest at

the services with most of the journey done. Unfortunately for Cpl

McLeish, it was still too early for Burger King to be open. Wehad caught up with India Tp’s packet so we had a longer waitthan originally planned but otherwise the going was good. Wearrived at around lunch and took our place in line for the POLthen waited for the nod to head out to our first location. As wearrived India Tp’s packet were waiting at the entrance surveyingthe route in. It was boggy and wet with deep ruts in the groundand it would be tricky getting full Bedfords with heavy trailersthrough. But one at a time with skill and a bit of luck we did getthrough, Cpl McLeish doing half the route sideways. Then it wasall hands to the pump setting up the cook house tent and adminarea. The next morning we were up and ready to go, 3 days oftraining before the main ex phase. We started with commstraining, checking that the journey down hadn’t affected the kitand also discovered the eco toilets – not very pleasant.

A day on the ranges next with the WO2(SSM) Fraser taking usthrough an APWT plus some extra firing to help some of the lads

improve on their shooting. Despite the cold, morale was stillhigh as between shoots we huddled for warmth by rangecontrol. Day 4 and we rehearsed our SOP training coveringanti ambush drills, cam and concealment and Hide locations,then headed back for the recce briefs from Cpls Thorburn

and Fowler. We then double checked everything beforedeploying out that night. It started with a long slow drive onconvoy lights to the first LO location. Recce took the firstdet to its location, a nice cozy patrol house on top of a hilland we set up with plenty of time to spare and got intoroutine. With the first shift in hand and routine well underway we found out that the kero heater makes a handy stoveand got started on the egg banjos. Listening to the net wasquite entertaining as I heard reports of vehicles gettingbogged in the mud and breaking down with Cpl Thorburn

being one of the unlucky ones bogged in for 23 hrs.

That night we met the Marines, when they snuck into ourlocation and tried to kidnap us. They apologized and headedoff into the night, other dets weren’t as lucky as we heardover the net, Cpl Matzke sending another contact report andcomplaining that the Marines keep landing in Chinooks and

attacking him.

After a mortar attack we bugged out to a hide location where wewaited for Sig Devonport to join us as Cpl Thorburn had injuredhis ankle and was returned to camp. We then moved to our lastlocation for the comms phase of the ex before heading to a barnwith the rest of the Tp to set up a weapons collection point fromwhich we mounted a QRF until the end of the ex. When peacewas declared between Westmanistan and Lugdershallia, theglorious words of ENDEX were called over the net and it was timeto leave the training area.

SUPPORT SQUADRON

OC Maj M Rouse

SSM WO2(SSM) Mason

EXERCISE ROAD MASTER - by Sgt Alderson

As a Regt we entered 2 teams into Ex ROAD MASTER held atSwynnerton training area. LCpl Joseph and Sig Noack made upTeam 1 and Sig Smith and LCpl Hawkins made up Team 2. Thiswas the first time the Regt had entered the competition, socompleting the course in a respectable time and position was theaspiration of the 2 crews.

Both crews were entered into the novice category, a total of 15crews out of 62 entrants. On completing the 2 day course whichconsisted of 8 stages, both challenging for the driver andnavigator, the final brief of the ex was given and then it was on tofinal placing and prize giving. Overall the 2 crews finished arespectable 34th out of the 64 teams. The biggest shock for themwas to find out that they had won the Royal Signals Cup, whichhad been previously won 6 years in succession, by a team from43 Sig Sqn(V).

Alpha Troop at the Imperial War Museum


EXERCISE RICKSHAW RAMBLE - by Sig Lyth

Ex RICKSHAW RAMBLE was the Regt’s second event in as manymonths. The Regt entered 2 teams into the event which was heldat Longmoor training area. They travelled down on the Fridayafternoon ready for registration and checking of the vehicles. Sig

Noack was still in very high spirits and was hoping to repeat hislast success on Ex ROAD MASTER. On Saturday morning theteams were ready and eagerly waiting to go. Team 1, made up ofSig Santander and Sig Lyth were first to set off followed later byTeam 2, LCpl Hopton and Sig Noack. The first event was theScatter where teams were given a map with 55 points on it andan hour to collect as many as possible. LCpl Hopton and Sig

Noack were soon defeated by the terrain and were unable tocomplete the stage, unlike Team 1 who managed to complete thestage with maximum points. The rest of the day continued withsimilar events culminating in a night nav.

Day 2 started with an orienteering ex on Bordon Recce Mechtraining area, which consisted of knee deep mud and sand. Afterthe orienteering event it was back to Longmoor Camp for finalbriefs and the prize giving. At the prize giving, Team 1 noticedthe absence of Team 2 who were apparently still stuck on thetraining area awaiting recovery as they were bogged in again!

The prize giving carried on regardless of several teams beingabsent due to the need for recovery. Awards were given fordifferent categories and events. Sig Santander and Sig Lyth’s

were very pleased when their vehicle number was called out toreceive the award for best trial and also 2nd placed newcomers.Overall it was another successful event for the Regt and the 2teams that competed gained some valuable driving andnavigational experience over differing terrains and conditions.

248 SIGNAL SQUADRON

OC Maj T Courage

SSM WO2(SSM) Nimbahadur Pun

EXERCISE DRAGON HIMALAYA – TREKKING EXPEDITION TO

EVEREST BASE CAMP - by Sig Premkumar Rana

Ex DRAGON HIMALAYA took place in the arduous region ofKhumbu, Nepal over the period 12 November – 30 December 09with 15 people from 22 Sig Regt taking part. The aim was todevelop leadership, teamwork and individual physical fitness,while reaching the Mt Everest Base Camp at 5364m and thesummit of Kalapathar 5545m. The planning started as early asDecember 2008 under the eyes of Capt Lokbahadur Gurung.The ex included trekking to the Mt Everest Base Camp, takingpart in the Everest Marathon, cultural visits and a duty trek.

The bulk of the ex was a 13 day trek in the Khumbu region ofNorthern Nepal, running along the Mt Everest Base Camp (EBC)route starting from Lukla, 2,840m, up to the Mt Everest camp at5364m and back to Lukla. The trekking expedition is describedin diary format below.

Day 1 All the members of the expedition teamdeparted MOD Stafford via London Heathrow to Kathmandu.

Day 2 and 3. After a tiring 18 hr long journey wefinally arrived in Kathmandu. On arrival, we were warmly greetedby staff from the Trekking Agent, who offered us garlands andKhattas to mark a traditional welcome into Nepal. Aftertransferring to the Hotel Marshyandi, as part of acclimatizationand admin preparation in Kathmandu, we flew to Lukla to startour expedition. In the evening of 13 November, our Expeditionguide, SO3 G2/3 BGN Kathmandu, Capt Danish gave us abriefing on current G2 issues in Nepal. The expedition leaderCapt Lok collected 2 satellite phones and submitted all thenecessary documentation including evacuation plans to theAssistant Military Attaché.

Day 4. We left Kathmandu for Lukla and trekked toPhakding, 2640m. It was a short 30 min flight to Lukla, but it wasquite a treat for all of us. We enjoyed the panoramic views of thehills and the Himalayan peaks while the experience of flying lowin a small twin engine plane over the hills with breathtaking cloudformations was simply amazing. At Lukla airport, we met ourporters who were to carry our luggage bar rucksack throughoutthe expedition. After some quick administration in Lukla, westarted our first trek to Phakding. This was a 4 hr trek down agentle descending trail overlooking the canyon of the DudhkoshiRiver. High hills, rolling farmland and exhilarating suspensionbridges were a large part of the day. The experience of trekkingthrough this beautiful region of Nepal was quite fascinating.

Day 5. We left Phakding and headed towardsNamche Bazaar, 3440m. It was a 6 hr trek, but the trail wasmuch steeper as it ascended into the high hills. The trek again

The winning Royal Signals team on Ex ROAD MASTER

LCpl Hopton and Sig Noack going nowhere fast

The team was welcomed into Kathmandu with garland and Kaatas


displayed some fantastic scenery from little local villages clingingto the hillside, winding stone paths and steel suspension bridges.In the distance, we also had a first glimpse of Mt Everest andenjoyed a view of Mt Kusum Kangaru. We finally reachedNamche Bazaar to see a beautiful and dense settlement withoffers bustling shops, restaurants, lodges, local health posts andimportantly, banks for visiting tourists.

Day 6 and 7. As planned, we had anacclimatization day in and around Namche Bazaar and trekked toKhunde, 3840m and Khumjung, 3730m. According to Sherpalegends, Khunde is the oldest Sherpa village in the Khumburegion. Khunde also has modern hospital facility initiated by Sir

Edmund Hillary in the 1960s and run by Himalayan Trust. One ofthe Sherpa doctors gave us a quick brief about the hospital,which was equipped with X-ray machines and other modernappliances. There are great peak views from Khumjung:Kwnagde in the west, Thamserku and Kangtega on the south andAma Dablam to the east.

By early evening Cpl Jelf, was the first of our expeditionmembers to experience some minor Acute Mountain Sickness(AMS). Overnight she began suffering from the nastiersymptoms, meaning one more day in Namche Bazaar in order tobetter acclimatize. Cpl Jelf was admitted to the local clinic fortreatment shortly after. To make the most of this spare day, wetrekked to Thamo, 3440m which is approximately a 2 hr treknortheast from Namche.

Day 8. Unfortunately, Cpl Jelf was still suffering andit was decided to leave her with medical assistance and LCpl

Manindra for company at Namche. We started the trek toTyngboche, 3867m further northeast from Namche Bazaar. It wasanother 6 hrs trek through the arduous hilly region. On our way,we saw magnificent views of the Himalayas especially of AmaDablam, Thamserku and Yaboche peak. In Tyngboche we visitedthe biggest Gumpa of the Kombi region. By the evening,although Cpl Jelf’s condition was improving, she was stillsuffering from acute headaches and it was decided that sheshould climb down for her own safety.

Day 9 and 10. Cpl Jelf was accompanied by LCpl

Manindra down to Lukla, while the rest of the team continuedtowards the next destination of Periche, 4280m, further northeast. Periche is the last medical aid post en-route to the EverestBase Camp, which is run by the Himalayan Rescue Association(HRA) and Tokyo Medical College. On 21 November, we spentthe day trekking around Pheriche for acclimatization. We had anAMS and Gamow bag training demonstration by the members ofthe HRA followed by the training about AMS treatment and somemap reading practice.

Day 11. After a 5 hr trek from Pheriche, we arrived lateafternoon in Loboche, 4910m. On the way up, we ascended theridge of memorials at Chukpi Lhara, 4840m, which is a memorialfor mountaineers who perished on missions to climb Mt Everest.Though most of us had begun experiencing mild AMS. The

expedition leader issued some DAIMOX tablets to those sufferingfrom symptoms.

Day 12 and 13. When Cpl Ranson, one of the JSMELinstructors, reported that morning suffering from mild AMS and D& V, it was extremely bad news for the team. This meant that theteam needed to be split into 2 halves. One half of the teamtrekked to Everest Base Camp via Gorek Shep, while the othertrekked to Gorek Shep and returned back to Loboche. The firstteam moved on to Everest Base Camp the following day. It wasapproximately 2 hrs from Gorek Shep and a precarious route. Wewalked along the Khumbu Glacier, cautiously avoiding potentialcrevices in the ice. During the ascent the air was getting thinnerand it proved the toughest walk of the entire trek. Finally, halfway to the Base Camp we saw a glimpse of Mt Everest hidingbehind Mt Nuptse. It was an amazing feeling to be able to seethe world’s highest peak from such a close distance. When wereached the Base Camp, we were overwhelmed by the sense ofachievement and beautiful scenery.

Day 14 – 17. The last 3 days were spent trekkingmaking a descent down the familiar route. We arrived back toNamche Bazaar and stayed the night before 4 of the team leadby the OC, Maj Courage joined the runners for the EverestMarathon. After a demanding 13 days trekking, the remainingmembers continued to descend down to Lukla; flying back toKathmandu. The 4 members who stayed behind for themarathon, carried out further trekking and took part in an epictest, the Everest Marathon. This took place on 4 December 2009starting from Gorek Shep and finished at Namche Bazaar. Oncewe had returned to Kathmandu SSgt(SQMS) Gurung coordinated2 different visits to the wildlife in Chitwan National Park, Lumbini,birth place of Lord Buddha and Pokhara.

Ex DRAGON HIMALAYA was an extremely successful andrewarding experience for all. It developed our physicalboundaries, moral strength, and team spirit. With a physicallyand mentally challenging lifetime achievement completed, thewhole team enjoyed every moment.

252 (HONG KONG) SIGNAL SQUADRON

OC Maj S Steven

SSM WO2(SSM) A Watson

“There will always be a place in our hearts for 16 SignalRegiment,” said the Sqn OC, Maj Steven, at a Regimental Dinnerto mark the departure of 252 Sqn from 16 Sig Regt, “But we mustnow look to the future with 22 Sig Regt”. Since 15 January, theSqn has been part of 22 Sig Regt.

The Sqn remains working at JHQ in Rheindahlen, Germany, andwill be moving over to Innsworth, Gloucestershire, from mid April.This will enable 252 to get the CIS services set up and runningbefore the HQ ARRC Advance party arrives.

The whole team en-route to base camp

The hardy team members celebrate at Everest Base Camp


Preparations for the move are gathering a great head of steam, asthe entire ARRC group prepares to move. 252 are in thevanguard of that move, and so are going to be the test case formany of the move procedures. There have been few moves intoor out of the Sqn in the recent months, to minimize the G1headache of moving twice in quick succession. However, we dowelcome Sig Clare and Sig Cowling, both joining us in their firstunit from Blandford.

As well as the preparation for moving HQ ARRC, the Sqn’s on-going tasks continue. Singapore Tp has been running a busySystem Control Point in Rheindahlen supporting 1 Sig Bde exs,as well as providing training links for 4 Bde’s MRX, and theprovision of live comms links from Afghanistan to several traininglocations around the UK.

Kowloon Tp has continued to work hard, running the ServiceDesk and OpsCen in HQ ARRC. In addition, the whole Tprecently undertook best-practice training in ITIL, which shouldensure that they continue to improve upon the service that theyprovide to the staff.

The training experts in Javelin Tp will be undergoing a name-change soon as well. Javelin Tp was named after the building itoccupied, which was the former RHQ of 16 Sig Regt, JavelinHouse. After doing a little bit of digging into the Sqn’s history, itappears that 252 (Hong Kong) Sig Sqn used to be made up ofSingapore, Kowloon and Borneo Tps. Once the Sqn has movedback to the UK, we will re-name Javelin to Borneo Tp, just in timefor them to start ramping up operational software training for theARRC staff that will be deploying the following year.

Lt Col Fallows from 16 Signal Regiment says goodbye to theSquadron OC, Maj Steven, as our new Regimental signs are put

up

Always happy to help – Cpl Ndegwa manning the ARRC ServiceDesk with a smile


BRAMCOTE

CO Lt Col RJB Spencer

RSM WO1 Morris

SUPPORT SQUADRON

OC Maj P Griffiths

SSM WO2 Hodgskins

Yet another busy period for the Sqn with loads of activities tokeep the lads occupied. In addition to the routine taskings thatkeep the Regt going, the majority of the Sqn have been involved,in some shape or form, with Public Events, adventure training,Leadership and Development Training and various sports.

WO1 (FofS (IS)) Wardrope plays the Lament during the Nuneatonand Bedworth Service of Remembrance

Station Health Fayre – The Medical Officer, Maj Tom Johnstoneadvising soldiers on diet and nutrition


250 GURKHA SIGNAL SQUADRON

OC Maj Corkery

SSM WO2 Un

INTER SQUADRON VOLLEYBALL COMPETITION

- by Sig Pritam

Two teams from 250 Gurkha Sig Sqn participated in the CO’sCup competition; Team 250 A was lead by Lt Meite and Team250 B by Cpl Govinda. Since 1994 this event has always beenwon by 250 Sqn. This year was no exception as Teams 250 Aand B from went head to head in the final. Both teams displayeda very high standard of skill and it was an eye opener for manyspectators. In a close 3 set game Team B managed to grab 1stplace by winning the 1st and 3rd sets. Once again 250 GurkhaSig Sqn OC received the trophy from the CO for the 2009/10volley ball competition.

TAC HEADQUARTER AT CAMP ARIFJAN - by LCpl Boachie

250 Gurkha Sig Sqn deployed to Op TELIC 14 in May 2009. TheSqn deployed to 2 different locations. One of which was a Tpstrength det based in Baghdad and a Tp plus was based inCamp Buehring as a part of Kuwait Support Facility (KSF) toprovide CIS support to JFLogC HQ for the withdrawal of theBritish forces from Iraq. Small elements of dets were alsodeployed to different locations in theatre.

After the closure of KSF CIS sp at the end of August 2009, TACHQ was set up in Camp Arifjan in Kuwait to provide CIS supportto JFLogC in order to assist the final successful withdrawal of UKpersonnel and equipments from theatre. After the closure of TACHQ on 3 September 2009, Cpl Tejman and LCpl Boachie weretasked to maintain the CIS equipment at a high readiness state.This was necessary to provide a smooth reinsertion of CISequipment for IraqTraining and AdvisoryMission (ITAM) Navyshould they be calledback to Iraq to helptrain and mentor theIraq Navy.

In early October2009, ITAM Navy wasreactivated and thecommand groupdeployed into UmmQasr with LCpl

Boachie providingthem with bothsecure and insecurevoice and datacomms.

Cpl Tek Rana and LCpl Meharsingh Gaha also deployed on 23October from the UK to install the VSAT link in Umm Qasr inorder to provide strategic comms to the UK. Overall thereinsertion of the CIS equipment for ITAM Navy into Umm Qasrwas a complete success and our mission was achieved within theset time frame. OpTELIC 14 has come to an end for 250 GurkhaSig Sqn and the last remaining personal returned to UK on 12December 09.

The year 2009 was a very busy year for the Sqn as a whole, withmany challenges but the squadron stood up to all its challengeswith excellent teamwork and professionalism. Overall we couldproudly say 2009 was a rewarding year for us and we are lookingforward to deliver a better service in 2010.

“Jai Queen’s Gurkha Signals”

256 SIGNAL SQUADRON

OC Maj Short

SSM WO2 Stowell

ALPHA TROOP

OC 2Lt Barrett

SSgt SSgt McDougall

OP PANLAKE – HAITI

Just before lunch on Monday 19 January, the call came to standup the 4 hrs det for possible deployment to Haiti. This was not adrama, the Tp sits with 2 operators on 4 hrs notice to brief and afurther 4 on less that 24 hrs NTM. We did not get too excited – ithappens from time to time when the world has a problem andonly the best can help, but normally ends in being stood downdue to politics.

Through that night it gained momentum and it became a definiteop with a 4 or 8 man team deploying with the Early Entry HQ. Amorning of budgets and weight management for a C130 decidedthat a 4 man light HQ would be the preferred option and that wasour A Team – Cpl ‘Tina’ Turner, LCpl Tam Coleman, Sig ‘Becks’

Beck and Sig Tom Myzak. The new Tp Comd, 2Lt Barrett whohad just got off a plane from a recce of Ascension Island for afuture deployment was told: “Get you R1 kit from the QMs –you’re going”, only to be told no your not – he was nearly intears! The A team who are supporting 20 staff from JFHQ on afact finding op to allow future planning by our Government will bebased in the Air Port at Port-au-Prince and deployed at 0200hrson 21 January. The team deployed with 20 Day Support soshould be back soon.

BRAVO TROOP

OC Lt Munn

SSgt SSgt Bithell

EXERCISE HIGH RAM - by LCpl Robson

After a long arduous Christmas, Bravo Tp had a well-deservedcouple of days adventure training when the troops had thechance to show off their map reading skills and overcome theirfear of heights. Lead by Sgt Harris and Cpl Chaisty, Bravo Tpdeployed to Great Malvern where we began our expedition of theMalvern Hills. We were all given the opportunity to plan andnavigate the group around the hills and peaks. When it came toSig ‘JT’ Talbot taking the reins and leading the group, he kindlytook the most direct route and walked straight up the hill. After along day of walking and a beasting off ‘JT’, we settled in the localpub for a swift one before hitting the road back to camp. Day 2of the Tp’s adventure training was at RAF Holton where we hadto brave the High Ropes. We were split down into groups, takingon various challenges such as the High Wire and the Leap ofFaith. Sig ‘Larry’ Langton was trying hard to conquer his fearby reaching the top of the pole with a little help from ‘JT’. Theygot extremely close, hugging and begging each other not to let

Team A and Team B with the Trophy

Cpl Tejman and LCpl Boachie at Camp Arifjan


go. The biggest challenge was trying to get them both backdown, but thanks to a team mate they were given a helping hand.Despite people’s fears, the troops succeeded in completing all ofthe tasks and were happy to get their feet back on the ground.

CHARLIE TROOP

OC Lt Bilney

SSgt SSgt Hopkins

EXERCISE PASHTUN RAT

As the rest of the Sqn prepared for their last week of leave, anelite group of volunteers left Bramcote in convoy to York onMonday 4 January 10 to join forces with 2 Sig Regt for ExPASHTUN RAT PACEX. To our amazement, all vehicles made inone piece! After a quick POL, wagons were locked away and itwas on a coach to Queen Elizabeth Barracks, Strensall. It was atthis point that we realised that we had not packed the right way;we were carrying bergens, roll mats, pots and pans, they werecarrying wide screen TVs and a Sky dish! Lucky for us Sig Keith

Doran was prepared to do as little work as Mechs usually do andpulled out CD player, TV and PlayStation 3. We soon settled inafter that; well done that man!

The pattern of life was the same for the next week. Coach toImphal Barracks, work through a list of serials set by 214 Sig SqnOps, resolving any issues with the ever reliable CormorantSystem and establish the network that we would be replicating

on Salisbury plain. Snow and the constant cold have been theonly gripe but that was easily solved with the daily snow ballfights on the way to scoff. Morale took a slight knock when weall had to move into Imphal Barracks Gymnasium, as theaccommodation was double booked at Strensall. However, apartfrom LCpl Charlton, who was treated to 5 star accommodation,the rest of us had to put up with the demonic snoring of LCpl

Levitt. We returned to Bramcote on 15 January for a well earnedlong weekend. Sig Doran and LCpl Levitt declared that theywere not deploying on to the SPTA with us (some poor excuseswere made!) and off the ex they went. Monday came all toquickly and we were on the move again to West Down Camp, allto familiar to C Tp, for deployment on the Plain. After a wellearned sleep, we were lead of to our respective locations.Salisbury had its usual weather delights in store for us andwaking up to snow the next morning wasn’t the ideal start. Thenetwork went in with relative ease, a couple of moves later wewere into routine and being looked after by daily visits from 214Sig Sqn Ops or SSgt Glaves, 30 Sig Regt Ops and his DAF.

LCpl Connarty showed his NCO qualities once again when hewas asked to complete a recce by Cpl O’Brian. Off he wentready as ever to please, only to return a few minutes later to thedet. “That was quick!” said the det comd. “I got scared in thedark, will you come with me?” was the answer from LCpl

Connarty. As brave a 26 year old as there has ever been! Thegood news is that the MRX is about to begin proper, the badnews is that we will be going straight onto a Tp ex when we getback – no rest for the wicked.

32nd (SCOTTISH) SIGNAL REGIMENT (VOLUNTEERS)

GLASGOW

CO Lt Col PT Donegan

RSM WO1 B Thornton

NEWS FROM RHQ

This has been yet another busy period for the Regt. Although wehave not taken part in any more UK ops, the workload hasremained high. The newly formed Regt is really starting to gatherpace. The focus is on developing our UK Ops capability with allSqns training hard. The CO was proving that he firmly believed inleading from the front and setting the example by entering the UKTough Guy competition in coldest, deepest, darkest and quiteprobably wettest Wolverhampton in January. I am not sure if itwas leading from the front or total insanity! Unfortunately thephotographs will not make this edition, however they willdefinitely be in the next Wire.

52 (LOWLAND) SUPPORT SQUADRON

OC Maj T McVey

SSM WO2 K Swan

SCHOOL DONATION

Our Master Chef WO2 John

Wren’s wife, Tina, asked to takepart in one of our functions to raisefunds for the children of the MountKilimanjaro school. Tina herselfwas going over to visit Kilimanjaroand would be taking the donationswith her. The Sqn held a cabaretnight with a raffle. The funds raisedhelped Tina buy essentialequipment for the kids, theequipment included: first aid kits,mosquito nets paper pencils andmuch more. Tina received severalthank you letters from the children,

and a Saltire Flag that was accompanying the equipment signedby all those involved hangs proudly on their wall at school. Welldone to all, the picture tells a thousand words.

REMEMBRANCE DAY

We paraded at the TAC on an unusually bright and beautifulmorning. SSgt Gordon Stewart sized the Sqn off followed bysome drill just to blow the cobwebs away, rehearsed a few eyesright, eyes front etc. The A/OC, Capt Jim McNaught theninspected the troops, straightened a few of the young soldiersout, briefed his officers then everyone headed off to the CityCentre.

The Sqn marched past the cenotaph at George Square torapturous applause from the public with the CO taking the saluteon behalf of the Regt. As the Sqn paraded at the city centre theremaining Officers and WOs attended the memorial service heldat Erskine Hospital, where the Regt presented a cheque for

£1,389 to the hospital appeal.

After the Glasgow Parade, the Sqnreturned to barracks and marchedalong the legendary Jardine Streetwith our piper LCpl Beaton,complete with our GlasgowBranch, Royal Signals AssociationMembers and the 2 dets of ACFmembers, who are co-located atJardine St. This parade alwaysdraws the locals and neighboursout. Sig Ross Keddie receivedour annually awarded ‘The RabNeil Trophy’.

This is a commemorative plaquededicated to a young, popular Sgtwho sadly passed awayunexpectedly after an Annual Camp

A thank you message to Tina and 32 Signal Regiment fromAfrica


held at Scarborough many years ago. It is presented to the BestImproved Young Soldier. After the presentation it was off to therespective messes for a family lunch prepared by the Sqn Chefs,who once again produced outstanding hot and cold food with avery small budget. A great day was had once again.

33 (LANCASHIRE) SIGNAL SQUADRON

OC Maj R Fitzpatrick

SSM WO2 Hopkinson

TRADE CAMP - by LCpl Pinnock

Comm Sys Op (V) Trade training course was held at SwynnertonTraining Camp between 22 – 31 January 2010. This was the firstopportunity for many within the newly formed 33 Sig Sqn to beginthe conversion training from being Area Systems Operators toCommunication Systems Operators (V). The trade course alsofocused on ensuring that the Sqn could establish itself within itsnew UK Ops role.

The training began with an initial introduction as many of the newmembers to the Sqn and Regt had not previously met.Containing a mixture of trades, ranks and levels of experience,this was the first chance for the Ops Team to assess the newlyformatted trade structure. With a program syllabus thatconcentrated on all aspects of the Comm Sys Ops (V) role, theDS Staff were both approachable and subject matter experts.Consequently this facilitated a learning environment that wasproductive and enjoyable. The mixture of different ranks andlevels of experience was a positive aspect of the week, asknowledge was shared and passed onto Class 4 soldiers with noprior trade skills.

For evening entertainment the Sqn Ops Officer, WO2 Tony

Murphy had a cinema set up with a variety of films to keep thesoldiers entertained. There was also a bar run by our Scottishcousins and socializing was highly encouraged. Towards the endof the week WO2 Mick Hanna arranged a quiz, with the profit

from the bar used as prizes. The first prize went to the techiegeeks (surprise, surprise!); however 2 of the only 3 girls on campshared 2nd Prize (a whole £10), LCpl Natasha Pinnock provingto be the driving force and brains within her team.

The week culminated in a series of tests which were of both atheoretical and practical in nature. Top student was awarded toour very own Sig Barry Sewel, who displayed a confidentattitude and a willingness to help others throughout the course.We now look forward to the coming year to put into practice ourdeveloping skill sets. With the end of one training year and thestart of another the new 33 Sigs Sqn can only gain confidenceand momentum within its new role.

50 (NORTHERN) SIGNAL SQUADRON

OC Maj A Black

SSM WO2 P Standing

January arrived with some serious snow-fall; however this didn’tstop the 50 Sqn massive from starting their Comm Sys Optraining. Initially the training was delivered by the Regular staffwith soon to be WO1(YofS) Rob White at the forefront of it all. Itwas then up to the YofS (V) to take the helm. 32 Sig Regt ran theJanuary Trade camp which proved to be a huge success enablingan element of the Sqn to be re-traded and pass on their newfound skill to the others.

January also saw the arrival of some UK Ops comms equipment.50 Sqn received all of their Airwave and Command Support Teamkit to start training on. We were also lucky enough to receivesome Bowman radios. This was the first time most of the Sqnhad ever seen Bowman and compared with Clansman – theywere quietly impressed!

The Sqn is focussing all of their efforts now on CS Op (V) training;it is a challenging time in this environment but the Sqn remainsfocussed on progressive training to give us the capability to fulfilour new role as a UK Ops Sqn.

CO Lt Col AE Percival

RSM WO1(RSM) CM Ogg

A REGIMENTAL TRIBUTE TO LT COL JOHN MACFARLANE

COMMANDING OFFICER 1992 – 1994 DIED 18 NOVEMBER

2009

Lt Col John Allan MacFarlane assumed command of 37th(Wessex and Welsh) Sig Regt in June 1992 with HQ and a sabresqn in Bristol and other sqns in Bridgewater, Cardiff andStratford-upon-Avon. No sooner had Marcia and the familysettled into a lovely quarter overlooking the Downs in Clifton, thenchange was on the way.

It was decided that the Regimental HQ would move to Redditchin Worcestershire in December 1992 and take over the Drill Halloccupied by 4th Bn Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters andre-fashion an infantry company into a HQ Sqn fit for RoyalSignals. At the same time the Bridgewater Sqn would pass to anew parent, replaced by 93 Sig Sqn in Blackburn.

The new Regt, 37th Sig Regt (V) was born.

The move to Redditch was not the end of the transformation byany means. The relocation had been very successful and thegreat majority of the former infantry unit chose to remain withinRoyal Signals; much influenced by ‘Big John’s’ inimitable sellingskills. The bigger problem to overcome was the lack of radioequipment and how to train for the coming 2 – 3 years before

new equipment was promised. Col John took on the task ofscrounging a quantity of former radio relay vehicles on a 4 tonchassis and transformed these into Comms Utility Vehicles,equipped with all types of radio and trials were undertaken usinglap-top computers, with great success, even in the very earlystages.

The training was realistic, rewarding and served to bond the newRegt together, with a mixture of hard work and that importantingredient, the social side of weekend training especiallyimportant when trying to weld a new Regt together. Thisbringing together of the Regt was in no small measure due to thetenacity and enthusiasm of John and established the Regt as thelead in the Bde for early computer skills and technical ability.

Col John is remembered with great fondness and genuinerespect by the seasoned officers and soldiers who continue toserve in the Regt, and by the many ex-members who paradedwith him for the final time at the Great Malvern Priory 1on 1December 2009. The Regt’s thoughts are with Marcia and theirchildren.

36 (EASTERN) SIGNAL SQUADRON

OC Maj Rowson

SSM WO2(SSM) Pun

The last few months have been a time of considerable change forthe Sqn, formerly 45 (Essex & Cinque Ports) Sig Sqn, part of 36

37th SIGNAL REGIMENT (VOLUNTEERS)

REDDITCH


(E) Sig Regt. We are now part of 37 Sig Regt, having bid a fondfarewell to the TACs at Southend and Ipswich and gaining a newTp located at Cambridge TAC. We wish all the best to our oldcolleagues at 36 Sig Regt and now look forward to the future withour new colleagues at 37 Sig Regt.

EXERCISE RED FREUNDSCHAFT

The late summer was a busy period for all members of the Sqn.August saw the Sqn host 25 German Reservists on the secondleg of Ex RED FREUNDSCHAFT, our annual training exchangewith the German reservists of VBK 51 in the Baden-Württembergarea of southern Germany. The 3 day training package focusedon core military skills, offering the German reservists theopportunity to see how we do our business. Stands includedcontact drills, casualty evacuation, mine strike and prisonerhandling and a tough but enjoyable time was had by all, no doubtaided, much to the Germans surprise by sunshine throughout.

A break from the military training was organised by PSAO, Capt

Steve White, who tapped up one his innumerable contacts andarranged a visit to the Tower of London for the German reservists,rounded off by the Ceremony of the Keys and a drink or two inthe Yeomens’ bar in the Tower of London. Our thanks go to theYeoman Gaoler, John Keohane BEM, for arranging this.

The visit also provided the opportunity to recognise the hard workput in over many years by 2 individuals who have beeninstrumental in developing the relationship between the Sqn andVBK 51. Oberstleutnant Bernhard Kempf presented a bronzeaward from the German government to Sqn 2IC, Capt Gordon

Bathurst, whilst the OC, Maj Stuart Rowson, presented a PaceStick to Hauptfeldwebel Hermann Franz as a small token of ourappreciation for his friendship over the past 20 years. The OChas even grown to love Hermann’s recurring comment over theyears on waking up at 0500hrs in the pouring rain in yet anothersoaking wood – “Very fine – Infantry weather!”

SKYDIVING WITH THE ROYAL SIGNALS SPORT PARACHUTE

ASSOCIATION - by Lt Kim Mason

In 2005 as a newly transferred OCDT to the Royal Signals, andBasic Category 8 qualified skydiver (the first qualification inskydiving), I approached the now retired, Maj Simon Bristow ofthe Royal Signals Sport Parachute Association (RSSPA), andfound the team more than happy to welcome new members (TAand Regular) into the team and sport at whatever level you havecurrently reached.

Throughout 2006 and 2007 when TA commitments allowed, theteam coached me to FS1 (the first formation skydivingqualification) and accommodated me in the rookie andintermediate teams, developing my personal flying and canopyskills among many progression weekends ran by Capt Rob

Campbell and Maj Mark Crinnion.

In 2008 I was selected for the Senior Royal Signals FormationSkydiving Team, with significantly more experienced skydiversand ex-Red Devil Adele Murray, which following a short trainingcamp at the Bedford Wind Tunnel, we won. This was the firstyear the Senior Armed Forces Parachute Championships had notbeen won by JSPC (N) who skydive on a daily basis as part oftheir job or the British Army team.

In 2009 whilst balancing mobilised TA commitments to Op Toscaalongside competing for the British Army intermediate team(Nemesis), I also kept my place on the Royal Signals Senior Teamand we went on to retain the Armed Forces Formation SkydivingChampions Title.

For this I have received Corps colours for Sport Parachuting, andcontinue to support the Royal Signals team and all its members.

WELCOMES AND FAREWELLS

We would like to welcome to the Sqn: SSgt Justin Medcraft andSgt Ian Murray, who join as SPSI at Cambridge and PSI atColchester respectively. We also welcome back Cpl Shona

Peachey and LCpl Sam Thatcher from Op OCULUS and LCpl

Dan Tyler from Op HERRICK. We also welcome back fromsunny Corsham, LCpl ‘Fridge’ Freebody after his spell on FTRS.

We say farewell to SSgt Paul Bury, who finishes his tour as SPSIat Colchester, although no doubt we will continue to see plenty ofhim as he remains within the Garrison, moving to 216 Sig Sqnand to Lt Louise Clark, who leaves the Corps to remain atIpswich TAC with the RLC: we wish them both well. We also bida temporary farewell to Sgts Adam Witcomb and Elaine Evans

as they begin a hopefully rewarding year on their FTRSattachment to 7 Sig Regt in Elmpt, Germany and to Capt Rob

Price and SSgt Michael Goldsack, currently enjoying anextended vacation in the sunny climes of Kandahar. We lookforward to their safe return.

‘Buzz’ Bury surrenders to the Germans

Lt Kim Mason with the winning team

The CO presents Lt Kim Mason with her Corps Colours


Finally, we say congratulations and farewell to Lt Kim Mason.Congratulations as she was awarded her Corps Colours havinghelped the Royal Signals Freefall Parachute Display Team retainthe Four Way Formation Skydiving Gold title in the Armed ForcesParachute Championships and farewell as she leaves the TA inJanuary to attend her Regular commissioning course atSandhurst.

48 (CITY of BIRMINGHAM) SIGNAL SQUADRON

OC Maj Rodenhurst

SSM WO2(SSM) Proffitt

A CHALLENGING SUMMER

On 28 April this year 35 Sig Regt like many others received thedevastating news that it was to be disbanded and although itseemed an age at the time, this was followed by news that 48(CoB) Sig Sqn was to survive and transfer to 37 Sig Regt, with anew and challenging role to get our teeth into.

With Ptarmigan assets already withdrawn, 48 continuedundaunted to train hard and prepare for the transfer. Followingsome periods of build-up training, Ex RUBBLE ANVIL saw theSqn take over Whinney Hill OBUA village in Catterick. It wasdawn on the Saturday, the mist swirled around the stationaryWarrior AFVs and nothing but the twitter of birds could be heard.At H-3 the 3 sects stealthily disembarked and took up theirbreak-in positions at the wire entanglements. At H hr thebangalores were detonated and that was the start of atumultuous 4 hr assault on the village! Sgts Truman, Colledge,Jones and Mulligan could be heard from a distance givingboisterous encouragement to the troops. Lt James Stein ledone sect crawling through 200m of underground tunnels toassault the final stronghold from an unexpected direction andLCpl Chinery, LCpl Johnson and Sig Mahmood kept attackinguntil there were just no more buildings to take.

Annual Camp quickly followed, seeing the final deployment of 35Sig Regt to Garelochead. This was an ex which culminated in anambitious live firing package maintaining a continuous blockingaction for 5 days, with pls rotating through from a FOBcommanded by Maj Rodenhurst until he used his “I’m aCelebrity get me out of here” card. Cpl Price deserves a mentionfor his swift and thorough dealing of the “suicide bombers” thatattacked the main gate while he was on duty and Sig Hathaway

and Sig Hussain both thoroughly enjoyed the daily routine ofcrawling out through the sluice gates to go out on clearancepatrol in the cat and mouse tactics of trying to deal with themortar attacks on the FOB, followed by the ritual drying of socksafterwards. Sig Hunter deserves a medal for protecting the restof the pl from the ferocious Scots midges by allowing them tobite her from head to toe.

After camp the preparation was all about the Regimentaldisbandment parade in Birmingham City centre and the Sqn

handover parade on the pitch at Birmingham City Football Clubduring half time. The disbandment parade went without a hitchand, following the lowering of the Regimental standard for the lasttime, the Lord Mayor declared his wish to maintain close ties with48 Sig Sqn. The handover was a similar success and Capt Steve

Cherry, the Sqn 2IC led the Sqn out at half time during the matchwith Bolton. 2Lt Luke Cawston managed to miss some vitalwords of command, lost in the cheers and applause of thecapacity crowd and continued marching until he grew tired! Theevent raised a massive £14,000 for ‘Help for Heroes’.

We are now rapidly gaining both equipment and necessary skillsto fulfil our new role, aided immensely by the addition of 896 (Cityof Coventry) Tp, led by Lt Anna Reed. They have joined us asthe survivors of 96 Sig Sqn, based in Coventry and we welcomethem warmly.

With new roles, a bigger footprint and strength in depth the futurelooks bright for the Sqn, the New Year will no doubt bring furtherchallenges and we look forward to meeting them head on.

53 (WALES and WEST) SIGNAL SQUADRON

OC Maj Cosgrove

SSM WO2(SSM) Webb

After the restructure of the Regt and the reduction in budgets, itwas positive to see that the turnout of the Sqn in both Cardiff andStratford was so high. Forty odd volunteers at the Sqn’s 2locations paraded to honour and remember the sacrifices madeby those before us. Many ex-Sqn members along with familiesand partners also joined the Sqn, both at the bitterly coldcenotaph and afterwards in the bar for a hot curry.

In Cardiff, 832 and 833 Tps along with elements of SHQ led theArmy behind the band of the Royal Welsh which for was missingits Goat Mascot, Shenkin, who died earlier this year. The marchpast around Cathays Park went faultlessly with members of thepublic lining the route.

In Warwickshire there was an added poignancy as thousandsgathered to pay tribute. As well as remembering those killed inthe World Wars and other conflicts around the globe, those whofailed to return from the on-going war in Afghanistan were alsovery much in the thoughts of those who took part in parades andservices.

Pte Joe Whittaker, 20, from Stratford, a former member of 67(QOWWY) Sig Sqn, serving with the 4th Bn Para Regt, was killedby a mine in June 2008. Warwickshire Royal British LegionCounty Manager, Sebastian Hargreaves said: “The serviceswere particularly poignant. This year was particularly to rememberthose who had fallen in Afghanistan, but obviously while also notforgetting those who lost their lives in WW2 and other conflicts.”

Lt Stein and Sgt Colledge preparing for the assault

Bayonet training over the summer


67 (QOWWY) Sig Sqn (V) has now become a remote Tp of 53 SigSqn which has renamed to 53 (Wales and Western) Sqn (V) whichin turn has lost 900 Tp and its Brecon location.

54 (WORCESTERSHIRE) SUPPORT SQUADRON

OC Maj Gurung

SSM WO2(SSM) Mansell

THE KNIFE AND FORK COURSE…….THAT WASN’T

I recently attended the Late Entry Officers Course 09/2 along with42 TA and NRPS (Non Regular Permanent Staff) from a multitudeof regts around the UK. The course is designed to ensure that allLate Entry (LE) Officers have an equal grounding into the skillsand knowledge required to help them in their new job roles. I wasexpecting to be taught how to speak proper’, which fork to useand when, and of course how to open a champagne bottle with asword…easy life!

I was reliably informed before attending that it would be a funcourse, “Hard work, but you’ll enjoy it”, I think were the finalwords from our RAO who attended the previous course. I left theRegular Army a few years ago and have completed a fair fewcourses in my time, so I had a rough idea of what ‘could’ lie

ahead. What I didn’tappreciate was how mucha) knowledge fade I had, b)how much the Army hasmoved on it that time and c)how many abbreviations I’dforgotten!

We covered militarydiscipline, war studies,Counter Insurgency (theory),Equality and Diversity, AGAI67, roles of all the otherCorps and the 7 questionsestimate. We completed aTEWT, were given a guidedtour of Sandhurst, gave 2

presentations, and were fortunate enough to visit the Houses ofParliament as well as have a couple of presentations at the MoDMain Building. We attended lectures on leadership in ops, ArmyDoctrine, MS and career progression, report writing, JSP 101, aswell as a multitude of other subjects including the qualities ofleadership. The standard of nearly all the lectures was excellent,not just the subject matter but the lecturers as well. Theknowledge that the Sandhurst military staff and academics haveis truly inspiring.

The course was a much needed injection to bring me into theway the 21st Century British Army operates. It was not easy; thedays were long in they were followed by evenings of homework,but the camaraderie and coursemanship of the syndicates, aswell as the DS made it enjoyable. In honesty, the good partswere excellent and will be remembered for some time.

Good points; quality of instructors, being at Sandhurst, and manyinsightful lessons.

Funny points; Lining up for the course photo and watching the£20,000 camera being blown off its tripod (cruel but funny) andthe story by Maj Gen Marriott of his introduction, as a youngsubaltern, to the other methods of being “disciplined” by a SgtMaj, priceless.

53 (Wales and Western) Signal Squadron (Volunteers) at the Cardiff Remembrance 2009

38th SIGNAL REGIMENT (VOLUNTEERS)

SHEFFIELD

CO Lt Col AJ Parsons

RSM WO1(RSM) AJ Wyatt

FAREWELLS

Primarily as a result of the re-structuring of the Regt last year, theWOs & Sgts Mess dined-out a large number of Mess memberson Saturday 30 January 2010. Those leaving the Army wereWO2 Buz Small, SSgt Stephen Burke, SSgt Mick Hodds, SSgt

Cindy Meller, Sgt George MacGregor and Sgt Paul White allfrom 93 Sig Sqn (V). In addition, SSgt Stu Taylor, NRPS SQMSwith 46 Sig Sqn (V), has taken up an appointment as CAA withLeicestershire, Rutland & Northamptonshire ACF while Sgt Ray

Boulton of 46 Sp Sqn (V) has retired having reached themaximum age for service.

In addition to those leaving the Army, the following Messmembers have transferred to other units: WO2 Kev Bedford,WO2 Jo Hartwell, SSgt John Dye, SSgt John Simpson, Sgt

Andy Kermode, Sgt Paul Mitchell and Sgt Dan Waterfield, allformerly of 46 Sig Sqn (V), and Sgt Dave Rogers-Pooley from 93Sig Sqn (V).

Finally, SSgt(SPSI) Dave Knowler left on posting. He wasformerly SPSI with 89 Sig Sqn (V) in Rugby which has beenreduced in size to become 891 Tp, 1 Sig Sqn (V).

A number of officers are also leaving the Regt. Maj Robin

Fitzpatrick, OC 93 Sig Sqn (V), and Capt Jim Batchelor, 2IC 46Sig Sqn (V), are leaving on postings to 32 Sig Regt (V) and 73Engr Regt (V) respectively and both Capt Les Jordan, PSAO 64Sig Sqn (V), and Capt David Edmunds, Regimental Ops SpOfficer (ROSO) are retiring.

We thank all of them for their contribution to the success of theirSqns and the Regt over many years. We wish them and theirfamilies health and happiness for the future.

FREEDOM OF ENTRY TO THE CITY OF SHEFFIELD PARADE

– 23 JANUARY 2010

Over 120 personnel from 38 Sig Regt (V) supported by theCambrai and Heavy Cavalry Band, based in Catterick, marchedthrough the streets of Sheffield on Sat 23 Jan 10 with swordsdrawn and bayonets fixed.

Freedom of entry is an ancient honour granted to militaryorganisations, allowing them the privilege to march into the city“with drums beating, colours flying, and bayonets fixed”. Thishonour dates back to the laws of ancient Rome that made it acapital offence for Roman legions to enter the city in formation orwith weapons without permission to prevent ambitious generalsmounting a military coup.


Similar laws were passed by cities throughout the Medieval erafor the same reason but legions, regiments, or other martialgroups that had given heroic service or whose honour wasbeyond question, could be granted this Freedom City which gavethem the privilege of not having to disarm or break ranks beforethe city gates were opened to them. Given the serious risk thatthe city would be running, this was a rare honour. Today, Freedomof Entry to the City is an entirely ceremonial honour, but remainsthe oldest and one of the highest civic honours.

It was only the second time that the Regt had exercised itsFreedom of Entry to the City of Sheffield since it was granted on7th November 2001. The parade was an opportunity to welcome1, 2 and 41 Sig Sqns to the Regt last year and to mark thefarewell to 46 and 93 Sig Sqns which are to be disbanded on 31Mar 10. All 7 Sqns were represented in the parade.

On a cold winter morning, preparations and rehearsals of rifle drillstarted at Sqn & Tp locations before Christmas but it wasn’t untilthe morning of the parade itself that all participants came togetherat the Manor Top TA Centre in Sheffield to coordinate their timingsand drill movements under the eagle eye of WO1(RSM) Andy

Wyatt before completing the final rehearsals before lunch anddeparture for the city centre.

The limited space in front of the City Hall restricted the Regt to amaximum of 121 personnel on parade and they were organisedinto 5 Sqn groups which were commanded by Maj Robin

Fitzpatrick, Maj Mo Fisher, Maj Will Carr, Maj Jason Fensome

and Maj Kevan Flanagan.

Once formed up outside the City Hall,The Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor ofSheffield, Cllr Graham Oxley made avery supportive speech which wasresponded to by the CO, Lt Col Andrew

Parsons. The Lord Mayor then inspectedthe front rank of the Regt, taking time tospeak to every soldier, before grantingpermission for the Regt to march throughthe City with “swords drawn, bayonetsfixed and band playing”.

Shoppers broke out into spontaneousapplause as the proud members of theRegt marched from the City Hall to theCathedral and then back to the Town Hallwhere the Lord Mayor took the salute.After the parade the City Council hosteda reception and buffet, with 3 barrels ofbeer donated by Sheffield’s KelhamIsland Brewery, for all ranks, their familiesand friends of the Regt in the Town Hall.

Mention must be made of theoutstanding contribution to the successof the event by the normally unsung

admin staff, without whom the parade would not have beenpossible. They were ably led by the Regt’s QM, Capt Stan Kelly,

and QM(V), Capt Gary Cundy who were primarily supported bythe Regt’s senior chef, Sgt Ann Gibson, and SQMS 64 Sig Sqn(V), SSgt Paul Ingram and his counterparts from the other Sqns.Mention must also be made of ACF cadets from the RoyalSignals affiliated detachment based at our Manor Top TA Centrein Sheffield who collected almost £422.19 from the crowds duringthe parade for the ABF and SSAFA.

All members of the Regt, whether on parade or working in asupport role, felt a tremendous pride in both the Regt andthemselves. Considerable positive publicity was also generatedby the parade which has already resulted in a greater number ofenquiries being received by our recruiting team in Sheffield. TheCO, Lt Col Parsons, was interviewed for the local commercialradio station Hallam FM and the local papers printed excellent,positive coverage of the event. A photograph was on the frontpage of both the South Yorkshire Weekly Gazette and Sheffield’sevening paper, the Star, which also devoted the whole of its page3 to a write-up and photographs,

The parade was a great success in cementing the relationshipbetween the Regt and Sheffield’s Council and promoted the Regtand the Army to the citizens of Sheffield who demonstrated theirsupport through their spontaneous applause during the march. Itwas also a great success as an ex in team-building and forgingthe newly re-structured Regt into an effective and cohesive entity.

1 SIGNAL SQUADRON (VOLUNTEERS)

OC Maj MC Fisher

SSM WO2(SSM) MJ Gott

MK DONS – ARMED FORCES DAY

- by Sgt Nick Vernon

Former Rangers man Peter Leven, an MKDons midfielder, pledged to donate £5 to‘Help for Heroes’ for every MK Dons goalscored this season. Before long his teammates followed suit and the fundraising tookoff. Inspired by this generous pledge, MKDons decided to designate a home game asArmed Forces Day. The date chosen wasSaturday 5 December 2009 when MK Donsplayed Yeovil Town. MK Dons invitedrepresentatives from all the local militaryunits including Regular, TA and Cadets. TheRoyal British Legion and other veteransassociations were also invited.

Ten personnel from 1 Sig Sqn (V) took upthe kind invitation and we were soon lookingforward to “a day at the Dons” – especiallyme, Sgt Nick Vernon a true Dons

The Regt awaiting the officers in front of the City Hall

The CO escorting the Lord Mayor forward toinspect the Regiment

The Regiment saluting the Lord Mayor at the Town Hall


supporter. Before the match we were given an excellent touraround the stadium and took advantage of the lounge facilities onoffer. Effectively we were Club Red members for the day. Thehospitality shown to all military guests, whether serving, Regular,TA, Cadet or veteran was excellent and made for a fantasticatmosphere.

A party of 6 from each unit and veteran representatives wereasked to take part in a half time parade. This was to be a verysimple march around the perimeter track then straight back intothe stand. However, the FA has strict rules which state that halftime cannot be any longer than 15 mins so as we had veteransmarching, and sadly some of them are not as light on their feet asthey used to be, we had a dry run before kick off to ensure that itcould be done with plenty of time to spare.

The match day ball was ceremoniously marched onto the pitch bymembers of the RAF from RAF Halton. As they marched out, theplayers from both MK Dons and Yeovil Town formed a guard ofhonour from the tunnel. The RAF then saluted the Mayor ofMilton Keynes and marched back to the tunnel.

The game itself was fast and furious with Yeovil going aheadwithin 40 secs then the Dons coming back to equalise within 5mins through Sam Baldock their No 11. Again Yeovil managedto get a goal ahead before the break. When the half time whistlewent it was time for the parade. Sgt Nick Vernon, Cpl Dan

Yates, Cpl Steph Quantrell, Sig Dan Syed-Hussain, Sig Steve

Burling and Sig Mark Prockter were the chosen 6 to represent 1Sig Sqn (V). As we marched around the perimeter track 3 RoyalBritish Legion standards were marched out to the centre circle.Everyone in the stadium was on their feet and applauding. Thenoise from the crowd was terrific. It was a very proud time for allinvolved and it really made us feel that our troops are beingsupported, no matter what differing opinions there may be aboutthe UK involvement in current ops.

The second half of the game was also played at a very fast pace.When a penalty was awarded against Yeovil Town it was Peter

Leven who stepped up to take the penalty. After he hadsmashed it into the back of the net, he turned to the guest standand saluted the Armed Forces, dedicating the goal to them. Thematch ended as a 2 – 2 draw, but without it being too much of acliché, everyone felt like a winner. Following the post-matchpresentations, the man of the match Aaron Wilbraham andPeter Leven met and thanked all the military representatives.

1 Sig Sqn would like to thank MK Dons, and especially Peter

Leven, for putting on the MK Dons Armed Forces Day and fortheir fund-raising efforts. Peter has so far raised almost £5,500for ‘Help for Heroes’, including £2,165 collected in a singleafternoon at the MK Dons Armed Forces Day. Yeovil Town havevery kindly offered to mirror the event and the return match on 27February, will be designated “Yeovil Town Armed Forces Day”. Toshow your support for Peter Leven go towww.justgiving.com/peter-leven

2 (CITY OF DUNDEE AND HIGHLAND) SIGNAL SQUADRON

(VOLUNTEERS)

OC Maj B Williams

SSM WO2(SSM) WD Smith

SQUADRON BURNS SUPPER

The traditional Officers, WOs and Sgts Burns Supper was held inour Dundee TA Centre on Saturday 30 January 2010. The functionwas well attended by members of the Sqn and their guests.

The invited dignitaries were the CO, Lt Col Parsons, who wasgiven some ‘special’ Scottish hospitality, and the new Sqn Col,Col (Retd) Eric Blyth, who was dined-in. Col Blyth is a formerOC 2 Sig Sqn (V) who went on to be CO 32 Sig Regt beforeserving at HQ 2 (NC) Sig Bde, during which time he served on aop tour in Iraq. His final post before retirement was as awatchkeeper with 51st (S) Bde.

NAISMITH TROPHY

The Naismith Trophy is awarded to the most improved junior rankwithin the Sqn who has demonstrated a level of performance thatis above and beyond what is expected of a soldier of their currentrank and experience.

The trophy was purchased by the Officers, WOs and Sgts of theSqn. This year the award went to Sig Ruaridh Macleod of Sp Tpwho was presented with the trophy by the OC, Maj Bledd

Williams.

41 (PRINCESS LOUISE’S KENSINGTON) SIGNAL SQUADRON

(VOLUNTEERS)

OC Maj J Fensome

SSM SSgt S May

SQUADRON CHRISTMAS PARTY

The Sqn Christmas party was well supported this year and thanksgo to Capt Bob Goulding, Cpl Chris Page and LCpl Sam

Murkin for its organisation and set up. We also thank and allthose that were drafted in at the last minute to help with theminutiae that goes into making these occasions so successful.Over 100 officers, soldiers and guests sat down to dinner andthey were joined by Maj Andy Powell, 2IC 38 Sig Regt (V) whorepresented the CO.

A special mention goes to Sgt Ollie North for taking away thebottle of champagne awarded to the biggest winner at the casinotables after dinner. Clearly the G4 cell is spending too much timepractising blackjack. We just haven’t caught them at it yet.

In the best of traditions, the evening was rounded off with thestandard display of bad dancing. Unfortunately the nominees inthis category were too numerous to mention individually!

SSgt(SPSI) George Cowan addressing the haggis

The OC presenting the trophy to Sig Ruaridh Macleod


VISIT OF DEPUTY COMMANDER 2 (NC) SIGNAL BRIGADE

Immediately following our return after Christmas, the Sqn weredelighted to receive a visit from the 2 (NC) Sig Bde Deputy Comd(V), Col Mark Smith TD who spent the evening visiting Sqntraining. At the end of which he presented Cpl Warren

O’Driscoll with his Op TELIC medal and the OC, Maj Jason

Fensome, with his VRSM. The Sqn was pleased to have madesuch a positive impact and were heartened by Col Smith’s kindwords at the end of parade.

WELCOMES

The Sqn is very pleased to welcome Sgt Dave Gunter to theRoyal Corps of Signals. After 29 years service in the REME, Sgt

Gunter has re-badged to Royal Signals to take up the post of ED Sgt. Although already well known to the Sqn from his time asour Fitter Sect Comd, he is already making his mark in his newrole.

FAREWELLS

The Sqn says goodbye to SSgt Sandra Evans, our PSI. SSgt

Evans will be sorely missed throughout the Sqn as her dedicationand hard work had won her many friends at both Coulsdon andKingston TA Centres. The officers and soldiers of 41 Sig Sqn (V)wish her every success and good fortune for the future.

64 (CITY OF SHEFFIELD) SIGNAL SQUADRON

OC Maj KM Flanagan TD

SSM WO2(SSM) T Grant

887 TROOP MATTS AND BOWMAN TRAINING WEEKEND

4 – 6 DECEMBER 2009

The weekend training started promptly at 1925hrs on the Fridayevening with a quick head count and a check of the ‘R UComing’ sheets to see how many extra soldiers had turned up! Ithas even been known on the odd occasion for less soldiers toturn up than expected. Would you believe it?

The weekend’s training was based at Sheffield University’s OfficerTraining Corps’s Somme Barracks, which is located close toSheffield city centre. On arrival we were greeted by an eversmiling SQMS, SSgt Paul Ingram, and were quickly shown ouraccommodation and given the timings for the weekend’s training.Without much further ado the soldiers handed their money over to the SQMS and LCpl Lisa Mayfield for a bottle of pop ortwo!

Saturday morning started bright and early with a muchappreciated slap-up breakfast, courtesy of SSgt Ingram and hisbright-eyed assistant LCpl Mayfield. Straight after breakfast itwas into MATTs training for those that still needed these subjects.A det led by SSgt Sharon Mitchell and Sgt Jim Berridge wentoff to Totley training area, on the western outskirts of the city tocarry out Bowman training.

Back at Somme Barracks all soldiers were given the opportunityto get ‘eyes on’ the Bowman vehicle, and were given a briefintroduction to its working capabilities by Sgt Berridge and Cpl

James Fowler. It was a relief to actually see the kit that we haveall heard so much about. There was also the opportunity for 2 ofour soldiers to attempt their PFT as the UOTC were runningMATT 2 and they agreed to our guys taking part.

Saturday evening saw the glad rags coming out and beingdonned by the soldiers in readiness for the Junior RanksChristmas Party. Those not attending it, namely the SNCOs andOfficers decided to sample the delights of Sheffield’s nightlife.

Sunday morning’s lie-in was much appreciated but no time waswasted getting straight into the final stage of the MATTs wash-up.Did we really see Sgt Theresa ‘TC’ Freeman from 46 Sig Sqnand in uniform?

This was a thoroughly enjoyable weekend. It was well thought outwith varied training and with the added bonus of being able toget to know our fellow Sqn members from 849 Tp in Leeds, whomay be new to our Regt but hopefully after this weekend now feelpart of the family.

COMMS TRAINING WEEKEND 5 – 7 FEBRUARY 2010

- by LCpl Michael Morley

On Friday 5 February 887 Tp gathered at Nottingham TA Centreready for deployment to our respective ex locations. The chosenfew who were on Initial Operational Capability (IOC) training wereoff to Manor Top TA Centre in Sheffield where they were toPACEX and load their dets prior to deployment to Chilwell,Beckingham and Sheffield. LCpl Stu Rowell and I drove up in aLand Rover. SSgt Bal Ross drove up in style, getting familiarisedon the new Pinzgauer Puch 6x6 vehicle by LCpl Chris Stokes,who over the course of the weekend also managed to get severalothers familiarised on Wolf and Pinzgauer.

On arrival at Beckingham we located SQMS, SSgt Paul Ingram

and his assistant for the weekend LCpl Lisa Mayfield, whohelped us unload the back of the Land Rover. It wasn’t longbefore the rest of the Tp arrived and helped us out. Soon thetask was completed and we were sent off to unpack our kit fromthe vehicles and locate our accommodation.

The briefing at 2230hrs informed us that we had a camp full ofcadets, that there would be a fire alarm at 0715hrs for the cadetsonly and that there was only one block of ablutions on the campthat we could use. Unfortunately this block was some distancefrom our block which meant we needed to walk some distance inthe freezing morning to get our daily personal admin sorted out.

On Saturday, the fire alarm which was supposed to go off at0715hrs for the cadets, and we weren’t supposed to respond to,went off at 0645hrs. This upset a few individuals who were tryingto squeeze in an extra 15 mins sleep following a previously longday at work and the subsequent late finish the night before.

Breakfast started at 0700hrs and there was a queue that seemedto stretch forever. Fortunately the staff at the cookhouse were onthe ball and the queue dissipated quickly, enabling plenty of timeto get a much welcomed breakfast. Slightly less fortunate newsarrived when attempting to get a coffee from the machine in theform of a message that the boiler was empty and we would haveto wait for the water to boil again but 5 mins later. Coffee inhand, we sat down to a fine breakfast.

At 0800hrs we were all on parade where we were joined by theother Tps of 64 Sig Sqn (V), from Sheffield and Leeds and theTps of 1 Sig Sqn. We were then split into our syndicates for theday’s training. I was placed in Syndicate 2 and we were givenour day’s lesson plan.

We started off with some much needed training on the Light FieldGenerator (LFG) from LCpl Steve Unwin, moved on to welcomerevision on Voice Procedure (VP) by SSgt Sharon Mitchell whichwent well, probably because as a teacher she is used tocontrolling primary school children. To much amusement, wewere informed via the PA system that the cadet tuck shop wasopen and some of us wondered if we could pass as cadets. A bitof PT led by SSgt Ibby Nevill before lunch went down a treat andleft us all with hearty appetites.

Lunch was again a surprise with generous portions of pie andchips to put back all those calories that we burnt only 30 minsbefore when killing ourselves on the PT run. It was nice though.The Antennas and Propagation (A&P) lesson from WO2 Pete

Cooper went down well, and was a much needed refresher forpeople like myself who have spent many of the previous year’sICS weekends communicating on other means such as IT basedand satellite systems.

The final lesson was run by Sgt Tony Wressell, who provided uswith an excellent introduction to the new VHF Bowman


equipment we have received. This was a real treat for all of us,and we are all looking forward to get more hands on training asour new role is based around the Bowman system.

Sunday started with another fire alarm going off – this time it wasnot a drill! Fortunately when the building was inspected it wasfound to be a false alarm. After breakfast we embarked on thefirst of the confirmation lessons: VP, led by SSgt Graham

Roberts with the assistance of SSgt Sharon Mitchell. It wentwell and confirmed what we were taught in the Bowman and VPlessons the previous day.

In the confirmation A&P lesson led by WO2 Pete Cooper, we gotpractice putting up various types of dipoles. The masts we areusing for the Bowman system are different from the 8m and 12mRacal masts that we used with the old Clansman radios. Thisgives us some initial difficulties, but we soon adapted andovercame. That said, at this point I wouldn’t feel overly confidentabout putting one of these new masts up in the dark on my own,although I am sure that we all soon will all be as confident on thenew equipment as we were on the old.

And so to the end of yet another fine weekend of training and wewere all sent home for tea, biscuits and medals.

In summary, the weekend went well, with everybody gettingvaluable training, whether this was on driver training, exposure tothe new radio system or going through training to reaffirm ourskills as operators. A big thanks to all the training and sp staffwho helped make this weekend such a success, and a specialthanks to SSgt Chrissie Bull who organised the weekend, andwhose hard work ensured that everybody brought backsomething useful in the form of new skills. I am sure I speak forthe rest of the Sqn when I say I am looking forward to Ex SQNREFRESHER II in a few weeks time.

FREEDOM OF ENTRY TO THE CITY OF SHEFFIELD PARADE –

A VIEW FROM NOTTINGHAM - by SSgt Phil Howes

On Saturday 23 January 2010, the Regt exercised its Freedom ofEntry to the City of Sheffield. However, before the members of887 Tp in Nottingham could take our part in this grand occasion,we needed to be whipped into shape. This started beforeChristmas when WO2(SSM) Trevor Grant paid the Tp a visit toremind us, in his unmistakeable style, of the subtle differencesbetween shouldering, sloping and presenting arms. As one whohas not done much ‘gun-juggling’ in the last 10 years it was morethan welcome! With several Tuesday nights and a bitterly coldSaturday in early January turned over to further practice, webecame, to be frank, very nearly OK.

887 Tp provided a healthy 20 or so soldiers of all ranks to help fillthe parade, but for a few unlucky souls other roles wereforthcoming; guard, pan bash, photographers and the paradesecurity detail to name but a few. They may have been acombination of lame, shy, unshapely or uncoordinated but theirefforts were essential to the smooth running of the whole eventnonetheless. Thanks.

To ensure the Regt functioned as one, WO1(RSM) Andy Wyatt

put us all through our paces on the morning of the parade. Thisstarted at 0800hrs with a bit of light marching under SSMs toblow the Friday night cobwebs away. This was followed by rifledrill at the halt and we then moved on to progressive practices forthe parade. We even had a couple of stand-ins for the LordMayor of Sheffield for good measure.

Special mention must go to LCpl Nakita Marshall who made itinto the front rank after only 2 training sessions and someimpromptu practice with a cardboard poster tube back at our TACentre. Anyway, it was soon time for a mid-morning bowl ofsoup, a bread roll and a brew, all courtesy of the hard workingchefs and Regimental admin team. After a quick change into ourexquisitely pressed kit, the call came to ‘get on the bus’ and aftera swift journey that took in the delights of the Sheffield one-waysystem it was followed by a ‘get off the bus’ too!

The tensions grew as we waited for the off. There were lastminute run-throughs of individual drill movements and a fewnervous smiles and waves to the odd passer by. Then, after afinal pep-talk to us by the RSM, it was time for the main event.We stepped off to the beat of The Heavy Cavalry and CambraiBand and smartly marched to the parade location outsideSheffield City Hall. After the parade was handed over to the COwe all settled in to await the arrival of the Lord Mayor of SheffieldCllr Graham Oxley. After a couple of glowing speeches, theLord Mayor reviewed the assembled troops and, following acouple of change arms to relieve tiring arms, he finally arrived atyours truly, the last man on the front rank and commented onhow tall I was. Oh my mother will be so proud!

Marching through the streets of Sheffield was a great experience,even for those who didn’t quite manage to avoid the warmbusiness that fell from the rear of the police horses that clearedthe route ahead of us. We passed cheering and clappingonlookers along with some bemused shoppers too but wepressed on and the Lord Mayor took the salute having moved hislocation to the front of Sheffield Town Hall.

After the parade concluded we were all invited into the Town Halland greeted by the Lord and Lady Mayoress where a delicioushot-cob buffet and a number of highly refreshing barrels of locallyproduced real ale were laid on. We were also joined here byfamily members, friends of the Regt and local dignitaries. All inall it was a really good day and every man and woman was proudto be on parade.

46 (CITY OF DERBY) SIGNAL SQUADRON (VOLUNTEERS)

OC Maj JS Hubbard

DISBANDMENT - by Capt Carolyn Ryan-Gilbank

Following to the announcement last autumn that the Sqn was tobe disbanded on 31 March 2010, all soldiers were informed thattheir last training day was to be Tuesday 30 September 2009.Most soldiers have been proactive and found alternativeemployment, the majority with 73 Engr Regt (V) which already hada Tp established at the Kingsway TA Centre, Derby. A re-badgingceremony was carried out on the evening of Wednesday 13

The Lord Mayor talking to SSgt Howes


January 2010. This auspicious occasion was well supported by73 Engr Regt (V), who ensured that soldiers from its Sqns basedin Chesterfield and Chilwell were in attendance to welcome onboard the 21 soldiers who were transferring in from 46 Sig Sqn(V).

A further 4 soldiers have been successful in securing positionswithin 887 Tp, 64 Sig Sqn, based at in Nottingham. They havebeen welcomed, integrated into the Tp and encouraged to attendall training, MTDs permitting.

Looking forward; a busy time lies ahead for the remaining 46 SigSqn (V) personnel, all 3 of them. Between them, the OC, Maj

James Hubbard, the PSAO, Capt Carolyn Ryan-Gilbank, andthe Finance Clerk, SSgt Jane Batchelor; will be ensuring that all

loose ends are tied up and dealt with appropriately beforedisbandment.

The Sqn’s Disbandment Parade will take place at 1000hrs onSaturday 20 March 2010. It will start with a service in DerbyCathedral and will culminate in the title “City of Derby” beingformally accepted back by the Lord Mayor from 46 Sig Sqn (V)and then bestowed upon 73 Engr Regt (V).

The parade will be followed by a Disbandment Party within theKingsway TA Centre in the evening. Such has been the demandfor this once in a lifetime, ticket-only occasion that a strict criteriafor the allocation of tickets has had to be applied – no favouritismat all, honestly. There will be a report on these events the nextissue of The Wire.

39th (SKINNERS) SIGNAL REGIMENT (VOLUNTEERS)

BRISTOL

CO Lt Col CM Lankester TD

RSM WO1(RSM) SM Lithgow

The early part of 2010 has been busy for RHQ and RegimentalOps in the run up to the CO’s handover of command. TheRegimental Officers will dine out the CO, Lt Col Lankester on 27February with Lt Col Sharkey taking over the reins on 8 March,just in time for the new Regimental establishment to go livebefore Easter.

The RAO, Maj Rick Lock and the QM’s Senior Storekeeper Bob

Gleed have been in an out of hospital over the last few monthsso the Regt wishes them both a full and speedy recovery.

SUPPORT (NORTH SOMERSET YEOMANRY) SQUADRON

BRISTOL

OC Maj P Smith

SSM WO2(SSM) C Jones

Asst Comd Theatre Troops, Brig Beacom, visited Horfield TACentre on 08 December. During his visit he observed training onCASSIM carried out by Cpl Ken McNally, assisted by othermembers of the RAMC team, Pte Laura Morris and LCpl Ian

Bailey. The visit ended with an all ranks buffet in the ‘JimmyClub’ where Brig Beacom had time for an informal chat withmembers of the Sqn.

The Sqn is busy preparing for Ex WESSEX DRAGON which is dueto take place 12 – 14 March. The aim is to practise all elementsof the Sqn in their op role in support of UK Ops.

The Sqn was well represented at the 39 Sig Regt Annual BurnsNight Supper, organised by Maj (QM) Phil Abbott on 30 January.The evening began with drinks in the bar, followed by a traditionalHaggis and Neeps supper in the Officers Mess. Cpl Andy

Badman paraded the Haggis into the mess, preceded by thetraditional piper. Entertainment was provided by mess membersgiving (attempting) recitals of poems by Rabbie Burns, whichbecame increasingly less poetic as the evening and sampling ofvarious fine Scotch whiskies progressed.

Congratulations to Sig Barry Saunders on passing his TARecruit’s Course at ATR Pirbright with flying colours; a first classreport – good effort! Good luck to Sigs Steven Appleton, Lee

Merriman, Josh Stawrowski and Polly Gilder, who are startingtheir Phase 2 Training early next month. Sig Stawrowski’s dad,Sgt Michael Stawrowski is the unit Master Chef, and he isfollowing his son’s military career with interest. Let’s hope hedoes credit to the family name!

Sgt Kerry Hill has recently returned from a week long attachmentto 40 Sig Regt in Ireland, where her assistance with their drivertraining for Op TOSCA was gratefully received.

The Regt bids farewell this month to WO2(RQMS) ‘Dickie’

Dickinson, who is leaving the Army after 23½ years to start anew career in civilian life. WO2 Dickinson’s ready wit and hisassistance to the Sqn in general and our ‘Q’ staff in particular willbe sorely missed. We wish him all the best for the future.

93 Sqn’s SPSI, SSgt Sean Kelly is also leaving the Army inMarch after 22 years of service with the Corps in variouspostings, including 7 Armd Bde, 11 EOD, 14 Sig Regt and of late39 Sig Regt (V), as SPSI of 57 and 93(NSY) Sp Sqns. Sean istaking up a new career in project management on commsinfrastructure for the MoD. Hopefully he will have more time toenjoy his hobby of motorcycling. We wish Sean and his family allthe very best for the future.

We would like to give a warm welcome to SSgt Glyn Ansell, whojoins us in March from 14 Sig Regt, to take over as SPSI. It is hisfirst posting with the TA. We hope he will enjoy his stay with usand get used to the many and varied characters for which the TAare by now famous or is it infamous?

56 SIGNAL SQUADRON EASTBOURNE

OC Maj I Holland

SSM WO2 G Windham

Training has continued to tick along slowly, even with last year’sfinancial and MTD restrictions in place. WO2 Gary Windham andhis team have managed to familiarise over 15 soldiers on the newLand Rover Wolfs. Over half the trained soldiers have nowcompleted Bowman PET and we are slowly getting the newclothing store up and running in the TA centre. Recruitingcontinues to be the main effort and slowly the numbers are risingwith the emphasis on quality rather than quantity.

Col Ray Wilkinson TD, Comd SGRS and a former Sqn Comd at56 Sqn, visited Eastbourne in December. He presented a VRSMmedal to Sgt Joanne Reader for her loyal service to the TA andthe Sqn.

Ten members of the Sqn provided CIVPOP to 229 Sig Sqn atLydd Ranges, Kent, in early January. It was a great experiencefor those involved and a chance to show off their acting as wellas fighting skills for some. Several soldiers ended up withbruises and ripped clothing but fun was had by all. One of thefunniest moments was when LCpl Millen’s jacket melted when asmoke grenade was set off next to it! It was also a good insightinto some of the other areas that Royal Signals soldiers work in.

Our SPSI, SSgt Mac McMullen and Sqn 2IC, Capt Keiron

Francis made up part of the 39 Sig Regt ski team that took partin the Corps championships in Kaprun, Austria. It was great tosee TA soldiers volunteering as well, even though they would notget paid for the ex, unlike their Regular counterparts. Anyone


who thought it would be a “holiday” was mistaken! It wasapparently quite physically demanding. 39 Sig Regt won theTerritorial Army Ski Cup in both Slalom and Giant Slalom. Fivemore members of the Sqn are going back in February for theRegimental skiing ex.

The all ranks Christmas party was fun as always, with a meal at alocal hostelry after a day of MATTs testing. This was followed by aSqn rugby re-match against a local side. A last minute try by theother side ended in a loss by 7 points to 6. However, they alsohad one player evacuated by air ambulance and another withconcussion. The helicopter was called in by Cpl Gareth Hulin

who was also playing, but put his “paramedic” day job hat on torequest the helicopter. Apparently the Ops WO, WO2 Steve Hall

was heard shouting that this would be the only helicopter the TAwould see in this training year!

Several promotions have taken place since the autumn.Congratulations to Sgt Tim Still on becoming a SSgt, and Sig

Patrick Mays and Sig Eddie Boys who are now LCpls.

Congratulations to Cfn Matt Phillips on the birth of his new babygirl just before Christmas.

On a sadder note, one of our previous Tp Comds, Lt Andrew

Jelinek has recently arrived back in the UK after a severeaccident in a Mastiff armoured vehicle whilst chasing insurgentsin Afghanistan whilst serving in the HCR (Blues and Royals). Hehas multiple fractured bones and a broken back. We wish himand his family all the best and a speedy recovery.

We have the prospect of a whole new change in the Sqnmanagement in early 2010. The OC, Maj ‘Dutch’ Holland

finishes his 3 year tenure and the present 2IC, Capt Keiron

Francis steps up to the mark. A new SPSI comes in Januaryfrom 11 Sig Regt, so welcome to SSgt Mark Anderson and thePSAO, Capt Gary Jennion finally gets to work full time in the TAcentre after closing down 31 Sig Regt in London.

57 (CITY & COUNTY OF BRISTOL) SIGNAL SQUADRON

BRISTOL

OC Maj B Ruthven (also 2IC Regt)SSM WO2(SSM) R Sharp

57 Sig Sqn has had a welcome quiet period since our last report.With the Sqn Freedom Parade and Remembrance Parade out ofthe way, it was time for the soldiers to let their hair down andenjoy the Christmas festivities. The Christmas weekend wasenjoyed by all and is explained in greater detail in the excerptbelow. January has been a month of consolidation with MATTstraining and Ex HORSESHOE KNOWLEDGE which the OC and2IC attended at 2 Sig Bde HQ in Corsham. As we move intoFebruary, the Sqn is starting to ramp up for another busy year,kicking off with CLM training for the current and aspiring NCOsand the 43 Bde CAST. From there, we move on to Bowman

training for the soldiers and some UK Ops refresher training forthe officers, before a Bowman Test Ex in March. As this will bethe first opportunity for the Sqn to deploy its green kit for sometime, we are looking forward to getting out into the field andblowing off some cobwebs. A report on the ex and any amusingepisodes, of which there are sure to be many, will follow in thenext edition.

BAH HUMBUG - by WO2(SSM) Sharp

As the end of the year drew to a close it was time once again forthe Sqn to have its Christmas weekend. Traditionally theweekend gives the officers and SNCOs the opportunity to servethe junior ranks their (first of many) Christmas dinners. Theweekend is organised with the emphasis on all participantshaving fun and enjoying themselves, generally letting their hairdown and blowing off a little steam!

This year the Sqn was joined by Sp Sqn – the more the merrier!Saturday’s activities were organised at a local outdoor eventscompany ‘Max Events’ where all attendees were able to partakein clay pigeon shooting, archery, quad biking, rage buggies, andfor those who liked a more sedate pace or were afraid of burstinga colostomy bag or needed somewhere to put the Zimmer frame,hovercrafts.

Due to recent rainfall most of the site resembled the Somme, withmud knee deep in places which made interesting conditions forthe wheeled events! All of those who drove the rage buggiesfound steering was not the hardest thing to do, being able to seethe course with a face full of mud was the challenge! The Quadbikes also proved a little interesting to handle in the conditions asyours truly can vouch for.

The afternoon’s activity was paintballing and in the freezing andwet conditions this was going to prove interesting! Those withthe mettle would stay and play, while those needing the warmthof a radiator and a cuddle from the Sp Sqn PSAO waited at theTAC for the brave to return. The Regt 2IC was Packet Comd forthose throwing smoke and going left flanking back to TAC for teaand cuddles, leaving the rest of us to prepare for war. Safetyequipment, goggles and overalls were donned, with the officerskindly selecting the most lime green coloured ones they couldfind, just in case anybody was really going to struggle to seethem through misted goggles!

Teams were decided and the battle lines drawn, then the whistlewas blown and battle commenced. Casualties began to fall oneach team, whether this was down to accurate marksmanship orthe ability to unload a full pot of paintballs into the generaldirection of the enemy! All too soon the last game was upon us,a last man standing game for those who still had Ammo left. Alldeployed onto the battlefield once more to individual hidingplaces, the soldiers at one end and the officers at the other –coincidence? The whistle blew and Capt Trevelion and Capt

John kindly acted as Figure 11 targets – although Figure 11s aresupposed to fall when hit, rather than scream, jump around andclutch various parts of their anatomies!

39 Signal Regiment winning ski team – Maj Humphries, CaptFrancis, SSgt Sullivan, SSgt McMullen and LCpl Haines

Capt John – Vindaloo before Rage Buggies was not a good idea


After the final whistle had blown it was back to the TAC to showerand pretty ourselves for the evening entertainments. Thanks toCpl Andy Badman and his team for producing a top class meal,his thorough attention to detail and presentation. After the mealeveryone retired to the bar for a ‘few’ drinks, disco and a displayfrom Cpl ‘Herbie’ Hyde and Lt Andy Peters showing why theywere not selected for this year’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’.’A special thanks must go to SSgts Sean Kelly and Chris Cant,for organising an excellent day.

94 (BERKSHIRE YEOMANRY) SIGNAL SQUADRON WINDSOR

OC Maj A Hawes

SSM WO2(SSM) C Dean

With the Christmas break and the flurry of snow in the New Yearthis has not been the busiest period for the Sqn. RemembranceSunday saw the Sqn parading at both Windsor and Aylesburywith the standard high turnout for this key event in the calendar.December brought a MATTs wash-up at Knook Camp with therequisite wind and driving rain. All this was soon forgotten,however, with the exuberance of the Sqn Christmas Meal; thenew 860 Tp now initiated into all the unique Berkshire Yeomanrytraditions.

The snow at the start of the year has caused delays in work-uptraining towards being operational in April. Despite the challengeincreasing, however, the training continues apace for all Sqnmembers. More recently, more PSI movements see us losingSSgt(YofS) Chochangi to an op posting – we wish him all thebest for a safe tour.

The reorganisation of Aylesbury TAC continues with changes on aweekly basis as the new working environment evolves. Howeverthe Tp is settling into its new routine and responding well evenwith the enduring changes.

The 860 Tp Christmas function also served as the final 60 (RBH)Sig Sqn function with a number of ex-colleagues coming alongfor the party. It ended up being gate-crashed by a ‘Sig

Christmas’ complete with red suit and white beard and sack!Sig Christmas and his helpful elf gave out presents including aspecial gift of a photo of Maj Knight in his natural element ofrunning a Rifle Range.

The New Year saw the country grind to a halt due to weather but860 Tp’s soldiers still made it into the TAC for drill nights.Bowman training will continue in February and the Tp is keen toget back to signalling skills.

40th (ULSTER) SIGNAL REGIMENT (VOLUNTEERS)

BELFAST

CO Lt Col SJ McConnell

RSM WO1 Coates

HILLSBOROUGH CASTLE ROYAL GUN SALUTE

6 FEBRUARY 2010

To mark the Accession of Queen Elizabeth II, a Royal Salute isfired by the guns of the King’s Troop, RHA in Hyde Park and bythe HAC at the Tower of London. Salutes are also fired atWoolwich, Colchester, Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle, Cardiff,Hillsborough Castle in Belfast, York, Plymouth and Dover Castle.

Members of 40 (U) Sig Regt hosted this year’s Accession Daysalute at Hillsborough Castle, which was presided over by Dame

Mary Peters DBE, Lord Lieutenant of the City of Belfast. Theguns were fired by 206 (Ulster) Bty, 101 Regt RA (V). Invited asguests to the event were the civilian employers of TA soldiers whoare about to mobilise for Op TOSCA with 40 Sig Regt Gp. Aftersome chaotic ‘it’s off, it’s on, it’s off, it’s on’ due to theparliamentary talks taking place the week prior to the salute, thego ahead for the event was given with about 18 hrs to go. In truemilitary style, after much running around at last minute,everything was set up in time for the guests arriving, even leavingtime for everyone to get a sneaky photograph posing in theThrone Room…

The event was an excellent opportunity to meet some of theemployers and to express our gratitude to them for allowing theirpersonnel to take time out of busy and demanding jobs to deployto Cyprus in support of the UN.

OP TOSCA PRE-DEPLOYMENT TRAINING

After many months of preparation for disbandment as well asdeployment, 40 Sig Regt Gp commenced full-time pre-deployment training at the beginning of February, shipping lockstock and barrel to Magilligan Training Centre on the North coastof Northern Ireland. With some unseasonable Cypriot-stylesunshine helping morale along the way, the training commencedwith a comprehensive MATTs package, replacing the MATTs thatare normally completed at RTMC Chilwell for reservists whomobilise. A large number of external UK units contributedinstructors to make this training possible and approximately 230personnel were put through their paces over the week.

For many of the TA personnel, this will be the first time that theyare mobilised and for some of the younger soldiers it will be thefirst time that they have spent a long period of time away fromhome, so there is still a small element of culture shock at themoment!

The Honorary Colonel, Dame Mary Peters DBE and the COinspect the guns

The Regt Yeoman, WO2 ‘Smudge’ Smith is a dangerously longway from the Ops Room


However, this package is but part of training that has beenrunning for the last 6 months, so once the MATTs are completed,the focus will shift to special-to-role training for the UNdeployment, once again based in Magilligan.

So with everything running to schedule thus far, there was eventime to say a fond farewell and bon voyage to Brig David

Hargreaves, Comd 2 (NC) Sig Bde who managed to travelacross for a final visit before he hands over comd and departs forhis next post in Saudi Arabia.

Sig Preston receives excellent first aid during MATTs training

SSgt Beckett ushers the next group into the ‘chamber of horrors’

Looking good after finishing the CBRN MATT!

71st (YEOMANRY) SIGNAL REGIMENT

BEXLEYHEATH

CO Lt Col Tim Allen

RSM WO1(RSM) Paul Kinsey

47 (MIDDLESEX YEOMANRY) SIGNAL SQUADRON

OC Maj MPN Smith TD

SSM WO2(SSM) MH Gilfrin

With Christmas barely gone, the Sqn launched its efforts intopreparing for Ex YEOMAN TROT in January 2010. Those whowere still suffering the effects of excess were rapidly thrust intothe unforgiving and cold world of the DZ Huts Training area onLongmoor Camp.

Ex YEOMAN TROT was the first of the year’s exs designed toassess and test the mettle of the Sqn’s ability to deploy comms ina tactical environment. Departing from Uxbridge on the night of15 January, the Sqn endeavoured to get vehicles and personnelthrough arduous conditions to the training area. Capt Alex Orr,

Sqn Ops Officer was on hand to ensure that maps and directionswere available, however this didn’t prevent one convoy headingoff in the direction of central London instead of Hampshire andnaturally all concerned blame the Ops Officer…

However, the Sqn succeeded in reaching the training area whichwas still under a good foot of snow. This obstacle failed tohamper spirits and much energy was expended in setting up detsin appropriate locations. In the early hours of Saturday morning,the training area seemed serene only interrupted by the odd mastappearing out of nowhere and gentle humming of generators, andif it hadn’t been -8°C, then the Sqn might have appreciated itmore. Instead, there was much experimenting to see how manysleeping bags could fit into another in an attempt to seek warmth.

Reveille brought with it a slight increase in temperature, whichwhile welcome rapidly led to serious problems for Cpl Gary

Espirt’s CST which now appeared to be situated on a fastgrowing lake. However, all was not well either for SHQ, where thecombined ability of the Sqn’s officers and WO2s had alsosuccessfully located the tents on what was now a fast flowingstream...

However, with visitors appearing in the form of the CO, Lt Col

Allen and WO1(RSM) Kinsey, the SSM, WO2 Marc Gilfrin andSgt Abbi Crown managed to do a sterling job in distracting theirattention from the ever increasing tide, by giving an Ops brief.

SHQ tries to move the command tent away from the river whichappeared beneath it overnight


By midday and after several det moves, the Sqn was finally ableto find some locations which were neither underwater nor on theside of a hill and fortunately the kind words of advice frommembers of 68 (ICC&EY) Sig Sqn were not required; though nexttime it is agreed that horses might indeed be better than CombiVehicles. Nonetheless the ex was good preparation for theRegimental ex in February; although no snow would beappreciated…

February commenced with the first Regimental ex of the year andindeed the first time that both Sabre and Sp Sqns deployed themajority of their recently changed assets. The training area thistime was STANTA, new for many of the recent recruits in the Sqn,but very familiar with others; in particular the 4 hr drive fromUxbridge to West Toffs Camp.

It would be good to say that the packets departed on Friday nightand arrived without dramatics, but Lt Gary Taylor, OC of Y Tpmanaged to have a moment of confusion and almost took his Tpon a visit to Cambridge proper. However, sense soon establisheditself and Y Tp eventually arrived at the Regimental Release Pointwithout further ado.

Meanwhile SHQ had arrived in location and under the control ofOps Officer Capt Alex Orr, decisive direction on exactly wherethe twin fit 4.5 kW generator should be sited was given. Thiswould have been achieved with ease had it been possible tomove the trailer, but unfortunately SHQ personnel failed toremember to take the air brake off and much effort was expendedtrying to move 1.75 tons of solid trailer!

Other Sqn assets, including the newly received Bowmanplatforms, continued to arrive and be located across the trainingarea throughout the early hours of Saturday morning. Equally,newly arrived SPSI, SSgt Dean Wilkinson (no stranger to the TAhaving come from 33 Sig Regt) was discovering some of theSqn’s true characters in the form of Cpl Manni Ghandi and LCpl

Mark Bint who were manning the Bowman platforms; needlessto say he won’t be forgetting this weekend for a while.

Dawn had broken by now and the true picture of the det locationswas now becoming clear. For the most part the siting of assetswas consistent, ranging from the standard TA “5- Land Rovers-around-a-tree” to the more elaborate efforts of CST 47A’s“Camnet-over-a-crater”.

SHQ had the delight of struggling with the efforts of “Super-Cam”, a net made up of 4 large cam nets stitched together anddesigned to cover up to 6 Rovers, the TC OPO and a twin fit4.5kW trailer. Taking it down is difficult, putting it up with theassistance of 4 officers is much harder. On this occasion SSgt

Claire Goodwin currently transferring in from 31 Sig Regt was onhand to ensure that efforts were productive.

The ex was the first opportunity for personnel across the Regt touse Bowman platforms on their own, after training and limited useover the last 12 months. This proved both frustrating whencomms failed to be established and enormously satisfying whenthey did. However, the ex provided sound and useful training forall concerned in preparation for the next Regimental deploymenttowards the end of the month.

68 (INNS of COURT & CITY AND ESSEX YEOMANRY) SIGNAL

SQUADRON

OC Maj JA Evans

SSM WO2(SSM) SP Healey

The last quarter has seen a tremendous amount of changethroughout the TA Corps, but closer to home we have witnessedthe successful merger of two historic Sqns, 68 (Inns of Court &City Yeomanry) Sig Sqn and 70 (Essex Yeomanry) Sig Sqn.

Following on from the “Merger Dinner” held in October, the firstchance for the newly merged Sqn to work together was on ex inDecember, training in Epping Forest. The ex format followed aseries of comms based comd tasks and leadership challengesthat saw members of both Sqns working together to compete forthe OC’s Cup. Such was the enthusiasm to ensure the weekendwent without a hitch, SSgt Paton and Sgt Griffiths were up at0400hrs marking orienteering courses! The weekend workedextremely well resulting in a gruelling “OC’s challenge” and 110%effort from all involved. Cpl Parker and his team obliged byproducing a top rate Christmas dinner for all back at the WhippsCross TAC. The SQMS even managed to dig out some festivecrackers for the occasion! Congratulations go to LCpl McCarthy

and his team on winning the competition and receiving thecoveted OC’s Cup.

January gave the opportunity to shake off the festive spirit as theSqn deployed to Longmoor for a field comms ex. With asignificant proportion of the Sqn on the ground, the det comdshad an excellent opportunity to get back into the saddle and Cpl

Barrett was particularly proactive in setting about helping thenewer members of the dets settle into their roles. The snowadded an extra touch to the proceedings and the rumours that2Lt Wiggins addressed the issue of morale by making snowangels is entirely unsubstantiated. A number of the Sqn also hadthe opportunity to get back up to speed with Reebok andBowman training, provided by 265 (KCLY) Sig Sqn.

February will see the Sqn honing its field skills as we begin tofulfil our IOC commitments through deployments on Ex PHOENIXGALLOP 2, a Regimental level deployment to STANTA where wewill test our ability to man the dets to our IOC requirements andalso to deploy into the field using Bowman as a whole Regt forthe first time.

Following this we will deploy on a 4 day ex at the end of themonth to confirm and consolidate all the previous Sqn and Regtlevel training we have conducted over the last 6 – 8 months.

265 (KENT AND COUNTY OF LONDON YEOMANRY

(SHARPSHOOTERS)) SUPPORT SQUADRON

OC Maj AA Church

SSM WO2(SSM) AD Keeble

The new decade brought new challenges for 265 (KCLY) Sp Sqn.We entered the New Year as a leaner, slicker force to be reckonedwith, following the reorganisation of the Sqn towards the end oflast year. That said, the year got off to a false start as the recentbout of heavy snow prevented many soldiers parading for the firstdrill night of the year. Quite a lot of the Sqn live as far away asHampshire, Lincoln and Norfolk.

Luckily the snow had started to clear by the time the Sqndeployed on Ex SHARP TROT 2, a comms based Sqn training exin preparation for the regimental exs to be held in February.Under the watchful eyes of the Sqn OC, Maj Andy Church and

OC 47, Maj Mike Smith shows off his carefully applied cam creamunder the “Super Cam” covering SHQ


SSM, WO2 Adrian Keeble, the radio det and electrician/driversdeployed to Hankley Common for some training in the field. Metby the ever cheerful SQMS (V), Sgt Steve ‘Zebedee’ Wise, thewelcome sight of a roof over our heads and a hot brew ensuredwe settled in quickly before the training on Saturday morning.However the sight of virgin snow on the ground did scare someof the “townies” in the Sqn before the OC pointed out that it wasperfectly harmless and quite a common feature out in the sticksduring the winter. The SVWO, WO1 Ian Lapidge, was also onhand to help out with driving duties to Hankley Common andvarious G4 tasks. He soon wished he hadn’t, as he discoveredthe SQMS (V) has a fantastic habit of providing a runningcommentary on everything he is doing. With the SQMS (V) eggedon by the SSM, the SVWO soon found an excuse to go and visitthe dets deployed out in the field.

Led by SSgt(YofS) Engleby, Bowman training commenced as theoperators were joined with members of 47 and 68 Sqns.Meanwhile Cpl Bob Myers took the lead on ensuring the EDswere up to speed on their field electrical skills, by providing lights

to the abandoned watch towers that surround the DZ huts. Atleast the guard that night would be able to see where they weregoing, even if they would be lit up like a Christmas tree.

Late afternoon saw the OC and SSM trek back from the snow towatch the Reebok operators being put through their paces underthe guidance of Sgts Ray Jopling and Georgie Keogh. Sundaybrought an end to training and some maintenance and equipmentcare in preparation for the various inspections coming up in thenext month. The troops knuckled down with Sig Stuart Hill

drawing the short straw and having to start checking through theweapons in the armoury for any signs of rust or dirt, although hewas told to ignore any rust he found on the SQMS! After afantastic effort from the guys, the SSM finally called “stumps”,allowing the guys the chance to enjoy the last few hours of theweekend before heading back to Civvy Street the following day.The rest of the month was taken up with preparation for ExPHOENIX GALLOP 2, held at STANTA in the first week ofFebruary, as well as starting to develop the newly qualifiedinstructors within the Sqn.

NEWS FROM THE SQUADRONS

1 MECHANISED BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS AND

SIGNAL SQUADRON (215)

TIDWORTH

OC Maj MJ Morton

RSM WO1(RSM) SM Watts

INTRODUCTION

After the carnage that was “silly season”, everybody at 1MechBde HQ & Sig Sqn (215) has returned from a well earned, andlonger than normal, Christmas leave period refreshed and eagerto get stuck into the New Year. It has been a hectic start with theimpending garage move finally taking place over the first 2 weeksback, closely followed by a number of exs aimed at dusting offthe cobwebs before the Bde Staff start to ex in our HQ. Despitethe obvious frictions, the garage move has been relativelysmooth, given that we are now all squeezed into a space abouthalf the size of where we used to fit and this is due to the hardwork of all of the soldiers of the Sqn. The exs have identified afew points for improvement but it has been a while since we wereemployed in our core role and it is all slowly coming back toeverybody.

So given the 4 weeks most of us took on Christmas leave and the2 weeks moving garages we have decided to take theopportunity, this month, to catch up with our detached soldiersserving all over the world. The next deployment of 1 Mech BdeHQ & Sig Sqn to Afghanistan is in 2013, which seems a long wayoff. But the fact is that because of this delay between tours weare busier than ever supporting a large number of exs all over theworld and a number of our soldiers are serving on ops with otherunits in a number of diverse roles. Add this to the impendingdeployment of a significant proportion of the Sqn to backfill anupcoming Afghanistan deployment. So if you want a posting fullof opportunity, variety and the chance to get away, you could notdo much better than a posting to Tidworth. As always ourthoughts are with our deployed soldiers: ASgt Day, ASgt Smith

and LCpl Mackie with 11 Lt Bde and Capt Taylor who will bementoring potential Officers at the Afghan Officer Training Schoolin Kabul. We wish them all a safe return.

BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS CHRISTMAS DAY - by Sig Green

As the year came to an end it was time for a day of fun with a bitof a competitiveness thrown in for good measure. So bright and

early in the morning all of the Officers and Seniors came roundthe blocks in a rather jolly spirit armed with glasses of gunfire tokick start the day for all the juniors. With the feeling of gunfireburning down our throat, it was time to get ready for the first partof the day.

The first event would be the fancy dress turkey trot. The ideabehind the run was that you had to beat the turkey, who had aminute head start but did have 3 feeding stops around the raceand conveniently got a little lost on the way round, oh and he waswearing a ridiculous turkey outfit! Every one who beat the turkeywould be entered into a draw for a Christmas Hamper withanother prize going to the best fancy dress. A lot of effort wentinto everybody’s costumes, though straight away there was aclear crowd pleaser which was LCpl ‘Granny’ Smith, who cameas an OAP, naked under her gown and not afraid to showeverybody! Next was the prize draw and since most people(conveniently) beat the turkey, there were plenty of eager peoplewaiting to see if they would be in luck for the hamper. As usual,however it was a senior from Sp Tp who walked away with it: Sgt

‘Fix’ Calendar.

The Officers from Tedworth House Officers Mess are let out for theirdaily exercise!


So the morning was off to a good start and every one got readyfor the most important and anticipated football match of the year.Juniors v Seniors where the Juniors would get their chance tohave their moment of payback against the Seniors at theTidworth Oval. The Seniors have not had the best track record inthe last few years but with SSgt Smith calling the shots, they hadhigh hopes of a victory this year. But true to form those dreamssoon faded as the juniors scored their first goal: a screamer fromoutside the box from LCpl ‘Sniper’ Smith. The juniors lookedwell in control at the back with LCpl Gutadaro doing well on theleft and with Sig Usher in the centre foiling the few attacks theSeniors managed to muster. The Juniors really started to runaway with the game with a helping hand from an own goal fromthe Seniors! But they did not give up and with a lot of pressureon their defence the Juniors also gave away an own goal to makethe final score 5 – 1! The Juniors were champions for yet anotheryear. Better luck next time old men!

It was now time for every one to sit back and enjoy being waitedon by all the Seniors. As the food started to come out, so did thereplens of beer. We did get warned that the sprouts had to beeaten and not thrown like the legendary food fight back in 2007.As all the plates and the empty cans were being taken away, itwas time for everyone to head home with bags full of left overbeer and the knowledge that the year was nearly over.

4 RIFLES INFANTRY SUPPORT TEAM - by Sig Todd

This time last year, 4 members of the Sqn were selected to forman Infantry Support Team (IST) in sp of 4 RIFLES as theAfghanistan Election Stabilisation Force. On turning up in Bulfordand proudly taking on various parts of the Rifles’ uniform, wewere thrown into 8 weeks of hectic and arduous pre-deploymenttraining with excellent packages put on for us in Lydd, Caerwentand Brecon. We also experienced the ‘Tartan Trophy’, an inter plcompetition involving tabbing in full CEMO for 36 hrs betweenvarious military skills stands, testing important skills like casevacdrills and sect attacks.

On 8 and 9 June the Bn deployed to Afghanistan and on arrivingin Camp Bastion our team was broken down into pairs and wewere sent forward with the companies. Cpl Robinson and Sig

Todd worked with R Coy and LCpl Roberts and Sig McTaggart

worked with B Coy. R Coy left Camp Bastion after a 2 weekRSOI package and flew to the Nad e-Ali District and settled intoFOB Argyle. Six weeks later, after finally settling in to our lessthan comfortable surroundings we moved 50m across the road toa new FOB Shawqat as the school FOB Argyle was built aroundwas handed back to the Afghan locals.

Nad e-Ali District is in the extreme south of the UK area of ops inHelmand Province. ISAF moved into the area for the first timelate last year, so it is still in the early stages of development. RCoy’s role during the 4 month tour was to increase security to thearea of the Nad e-Ali District Centre, pushing the insurgents fromtheir usual hides around the bazaar to allow normal life to

continue as best as possible for the local Afghans and encouragedevelopment to take hold. The Coy sent out daily patrols toenhance the security of the area around the market town which islocated 15km to the north west of Helmand’s provincial capital,Lashkar Gah.

Because we were pushed forward into the Coys, we experienceda lot more than we would have done sat in an ops room at BGHQ and I took many chances to get out on the ground with theinfantry patrols. Our role was to monitor the Coy and BG nets inthe Ops Room, deploy as the Coy Comd’s operator and also, onoccasion, to fill in on a patrol when the pls were short of men. Iwas unlucky enough to be in caught in 2 IED strikes in one day,after which the vehicle comds banned me from travelling withthem again – as they considered me bad luck! Overall, it gaveme a better perspective on how the infantry work and Ithoroughly enjoyed this role as their operator. It gave me thechance to experience a completely different side to being anoperator and I proved that I could do my core role even underimmense pressure in some of the worst conditions.

There were many different memories I can take from the tour, butone that comes to mind was when the FOB came under attackone mid-morning. Everybody was running round grabbing theirbody armour and sprinting to their relevant sect posts in theirMk1 flip flops and pyjama bottoms to return fire – this is a side tothe infantry that I had never seen. As the election got closer,each day got more intense with patrols coming under contactquite frequently and the FOB location coming under small armsfire and IDF on a number of occasions.

The chance to really get stuck into my trade and soldiering forreal was an irreplaceable experience and it was excellent to havebeen integrated so well into the 4 RIFLES BG. It was a realexperience for all of us but the important thing is that, despite anumber of close calls, all 4 of us made it home and back to theSqn in one piece.

DETACHED TO BATUK - by Sgt Hannam

In July 2009 I arrived at the Sqn and within one month I wasinformed that I was to be deployed to British Army Training UnitKenya (BATUK) for a 4 month tour as the unit Bowman SystemManager. This sounded like a good little number and dutifully Iflew out to my new unit.

Due to the present operational climate, Kenya has been identifiedas the perfect training area for light role BGs and as a result runs7 large exs every year. Consequently, BATUK is working overtimeto facilitate this and it could certainly not be considered an easyposting for any of the permanent or temporary staff. I was luckyin that I had already spent time in Kenya as pre-deploymenttraining for Afghanistan and so I had a fair idea of what to expect.Ex GRAND PRIX, which was the name for BATUK exs, are alwaysa good lick out for the exercising BGs and I was hoping that thiswas not going to be the case for the whole time for the staff.Maybe a spot of R&R wouldn’t go amiss?

Brig TR Urch OBE presents LCpl Smith with the golden boot forthe Juniors’ victory

Sig Todd poses next to some comms equipment to make it looklike he knows what he’s talking about!


BATUK is split into 2 main camps. Rear is based on the outskirtsof Nairobi and is responsible for the admin support required torun BATUK. Rear is also where most of the CIS sect live andwork. The second location is 3 hrs drive to the north and isknown as Nanyuki Showground or NSG. This is where all BGpersonnel work from, all exs are run from and is the centre ofmass for BATUK. There is a small CIS presence of 2 people herewho act as the CIS Forward element of BATUK. They areresponsible for the maintenance of the LAN back to Nairobi aswell as being a point of contact for any other J6 issues that comeabout. My role changed slightly to become the SNCO J6Forward based out of NSG. This involved being the ‘eyes andears’ for the YofS who is based in Nairobi. I acted as the point ofcontact for the BG CIS Pls and provided close sp for any issuesthat they may have had. Second to this I provided ‘top cover’ toa Comms Sys Engr who was used in a IS role to oversee theBATUK LAN system.

Obviously spending 4 months in Kenya isn’t all work though andthere is a fair amount to see and do. All the local hotels, most ofwhich are 5 star, have special discounted rates for BATUKpersonnel, so most people will at some point head away for asafari during the odd weekend. Depending on the area that yougo to, you can see families of giraffes, hippos, lions andwarthogs. Other things to do include Quad biking across theKenyan countryside, an animal orphanage in Nairobi where youcan hold orphaned lions and other animals including a hippo, ifyou are feeling particularly buff, and there is excellent nightlife.Plenty of adventure training can be had out here too. Rockclimbing, trekking up Mount Kenya, mountain biking and variouswater sports are all available.

As both 215 and 228 Sig Sqn are both in their training cycle atthe moment, personnel are currently trawled from these 2 units toprovide the CIS manpower within BATUK. They include 3 CSOps that do the vehicle maintenance required for the next BG, aCrypto Corporal, a Bowman storeman, Bowman system managerand a YofS. BATUK is a great balance between extremely hardgraft and really good R&R.

JOINT COMMUNICATIONS UNIT FALKLAND ISLANDS – WISH

YOU WERE HERE! - by Sgt O’Mahoney-Doran and LCpl Bierman

Having personnel from 215 Sig Sqn deployed to JointCommunications Unit Falkland Islands (JCUFI) is becoming acommon feature for the Sqn with no less than 7 deploymentswithin the last 18 months. Most recently in December, Sgt ‘OD’

O’Mahony-Doran deployed to work in the JCUFI ConfigurationManagement Cell and LCpl Bierman to Syscon. Both aredeployed for 6 months and will return to the Tidworth in June2010.

The year started dramatically for Sgt OD. Turning up to watchthe annual New Years Day raft race in Stanley Harbour, he wasquickly conscripted to take the place of another competitor who

hadn’t turned up. The craftwas mostly well built buthad one area of weakness:the part Sgt OD occupied.The craft broke twice duringthe race sending him headfirst into the icy SouthAtlantic water, where he thenhad to repair the craft whilestill in the water, beforebeing pulled aboard by themostly laughing crew. Theyfought on to 4th place out of14 teams and to make it ahat-trick the boat brokeapart once more just nearthe end sending him into thefreezing water once again.He was then finally pulledout of the South AtlanticOcean by a rescue boat whotook the blue, almosthypothermic Sgt to safety. Unfortunately for him they justdumped him on the shore and left him shivering and unable tofeel his feet for a few days.

LCpl Bierman in the meantime has been enjoying competing onland. Much the same as in Tidworth she has been successful incompetitions on the squash courts, swimming pool and on road.Competing in the Annual 10km Turkey Trot, she came 2nd in thefemale category. Her next challenge will be the Cape Pembrokecross country Half Marathon and she is also now training for theStanley Marathon, where her team will be the only all female teamentering the relay event.

Not to be outdone, Sgt OD has come out of running retirement tocomplete the Half Marathon as well and against his betterjudgement will be one of the few competitors attempting tocomplete the most southerly marathon in the world solo.Fortunately for him there will be paramedics at several placesalong the route, he’ll probably need them!

The Falklands has enjoyed a warm Christmas and New Year incontrast to the snow in the UK. Surprisingly there is more to theFalklands than just looking at penguins, although you will get tosee quite a few, there is loads to do. JCUFI as a tri-service unithas a wide spectrum of personnel, and a strong work ethic. Thespirit and cohesion of the 80 personnel is exceptional, unique andit creates a very rewarding environment to work in whether for 4months in the RAF! or 6 months like real soldiers. This is anexcellent opportunity to experience yet another facet to life in theCorps.

Cpl Butler, also from 215 Sig Sqn, chills out round the camp fire…pull up a sandbag young-un!

Sgt O’Mahony-Doran reconsidersvolunteering to get into the South

Atlantic Ocean

LCpl Bierman poses for the obligatory penguin shot


OC Maj S Y Richardson

RSM WO1(RSM) McCall

Since coming back in the New Year, the Sqn haveworked tirelessly in support of the Bde MRX serials inpreparation for Op HERRICK 12. This has meant 1week building the HQ set up followed by a 2nd weekexecuting the ex for 8 weeks! Morale has been on aroller coaster ride helped through by Haribo, 6 Nationsand Sgt Wrightham’s cakes, not to mention Sig Chick

driving the OC and RSM from Catterick to Warminstervia Birmingham NEC carpark and Bath – the Tom Tomwas clearly at fault!

During the execution phases of the exs, Main Tp werethrown straight in the deep end, with a taste of whatwill come, monitoring the nets and feeding incidentsinto the Battle Captain. Whilst the log book looks likea spider dipped in ink ran across it, the passage ofinformation went very well and at last VP is becomingsecond nature.

For some months the RLDs have been teasing MainTp with tales of daring do, mainly focused on how wellthey shot with the UOR weapon systems, or how quickly theydrove a Viking or Quad Bike. The FTX presented the perfectopportunity for Main Tp to feel better placed, as when the RLDsmoved into the FOBs with their BGs, the snow started to fall andthe temperatures dropped to - 6°C, perfect preparation for acampaign in an Afghan summer.

By the time these notes come out the unit will have deployed andtaken over from 11 Lt Bde HQ & Sig Sqn (261). The last 7months have been frenetic but invaluable, with every man andwoman heading out the door mentally and physically prepared,having received excellent military and comms training. We shallkeep you posted in the coming months about how we are gettingon – so until the next edition Certa Cito.

BRIGADE CAST EXERCISE - by LCpl Bellwood

Every ex has an early start and this was no different. We startedthe CAST build with every man, woman and Sig Trenwith

mucking in. First off we started to arrange the tables and tohump and dump over 100 computer terminals, under the controlof LCpl Hanley, and everything started to look good... Untilsomeone from high above came down to say that we had done itall wrong. So we restored our morale with a McDonalds breakand started again. After the hard work of LCpl ‘Beefy’ Henstock

and LCpl Jock Docherty who installed Bowman, the IS geekskicked on and installed the terminals and it was time to leave ourhard work for a few weeks of well earned Christmas leave.

Returning to work it seemed obvious that a few of the lads hadadded a couple of pounds to their bellies! Without time to pointand laugh, we were thrust straight onto the shift pattern led byCpl Ireson. We expected the first night to be the busiest soeveryone was ready to roll and with Sig Woodward on the netnothing could go wrong – and it didn’t. The ex went well; wedusted off the comms cobwebs, enjoyed the free food andafterwards retired back to the block for some well deservedbeers.

DANISH BATTLE GROUP REAR LINK DETACHMENT ON

EXERCISE - by Sgt Danny McGillivray-Jones

As part of 204 Sig Sqn’s deployment on Op HERRICK, one of itsRear Link Detachments (RLDs) will be attached to the Danish BG(DANBAT). In order to integrate ourselves before deployment,

Team DANBAT took part in 2 BG exs at Oskboel Range TrainingArea in Denmark during December and January.

At the start of the ex, the Danish BG were unsure how to fullyutilise our expertise, as the concept of having a foreign nationproviding their comms during ops was alien at best. Thereforewe began the task of ensuring that the Danish Comds would seeBowman and its capabilities as more effective than their currentsystem.

We attached a Bowman operator to each Danish patrol as theComd’s operator and for the first few days it proved difficult tostop the DANBAT Comds from using their insecure VHF means –the Danish Signals do not have any secure VHF – and to startusing Bowman. My operators gradually managed to convince theDanes that Bowman would make their life a lot easier with itsgreater range, no need for Location Codes, Authentication Codesand the ability to speak in clear knowing the signal wasencrypted.

By the end of the first ex we had become an integral part of theDanish patrols and the Comds were fully utilising our operatorsand insisting they never leave their side. We would deploy for upto 10 hrs on patrol, which doesn’t sound too long but intemperatures that reached - 29°C with wind chill and being kneedeep snow, this was no easy task and of course the perfectpreparation for a summer tour of Afghanistan!

We were instantly welcomed back when we returned in Januaryfor the second ex and the DANBAT call signs started to debatewho had priority over our assets. The comms traffic was fast andfierce which all the operators were able to handle with absolutecontrol, and we would send various reports before the Comdsconsidered such a requirement which made their lives easier andgenerated a great deal of trust in our abilities. We hadsucceeded in becoming a formidable asset and my operators hadsold themselves and Bowman to the Danish BG Comds and wewere now considered part of the team.

BATTLEGROUP (NORTH) 40 Cdo REAR LINK DETACHMENT

- by LCpl ‘Dylan’ Randall

Baluch Tp are the Rear Link Detachment (RLD) Tp and we are theBG(N) 40 Cdo RLD which is headed up by Sgt Jez Skelhorn, his2IC Cpl Jim Walker and 9 others.

4 MECHANIZED BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS AND


CATTERICK

Team DANBAT


The last ex before deployment was the Mission RehearsalExercise on Salisbury Plain, but there was time for some of theRLD to sign up for a nutritional experiment which consisted offitness tests, body fat tests and a food diary, for which they willget paid over £1000 at the end of the tour.

We completed a Team Medic course and then deployed toCopehill Down as part of the advance party to help set up of theForward Operating Base and its Ops Room.

Cpl Walker was tasked with providing a rear Echelon Det atLuggershall Camp with LCpl Dylan Randall, LCpl Ross Wilson

and Sig Taff Kayll, where they would enjoy being centrally fedand showered whilst everyone else had 10 man rations andpuffing billys.

During the ex we were bombarded with realistic serials, both over the net and on the ground. This tested everyone’s skills and drills in the Ops Room, in the sangars and as part of theQRF.

It was all too much for Sig Chappers Chapman who fell off ofthe top of a sangar while setting up the PRC 506 dish, he triedgallantly to stop himself by holding on to the end of thecorrugated roof and only managed to take the end of his fingeroff! He then spent the rest of the ex with the largest bandage youcan imagine on a finger.

4 MECH BDE MISSION REHEARSAL EXERCISE

- by LCpl Docherty

It was a cold day at the end of January when a select few fromNuristani Tp deployed to Westdown Camp on Salisbury Plain,which would be our home for the next 5 weeks. It took us 6hours to travel south and once there, we spent the next week onshift during the CATT ex. After enjoying their weekend off, the restof the Tp arrived bringing with them the Bowman Land Roversand Armoured Bulldogs, which would provide the comms for theBde HQ.

Sgt Blackburn, Cpl Smart, Cpl Vickers and LCpl Bird swankedoff to start 2 weeks training with the Medical EmergencyResponse Team, while the rest of us jumped on shift. LCpl

Reynolds had the familiar task of 117 TacSat training to the BGsand some of the lucky ones completed MATT training in theirdown time!

We were visited by HRH the Prince of Wales, which broughtsome much needed glamour to Westdown Camp and our ownLCpl Bellwood was part of his Close Protection team whoescorted him around the Plain. The ex is far from finished but sofar it’s been good and we have given the junior Sigs vitalexperience using the equipment we will be have on Op HERRICK.Everyone is now looking forward to ENDEX and the chance forsome well earned time with loved ones before deploying on tour.

11 LIGHT BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS

AND SIGNAL SQUADRON (261)

ALDERSHOT

OC Maj IR Hargreaves

RSM WO1(RSM) Morris

As we come towards the end of Op HERRICK 11, we look backat when we first deployed. It is a distant memory in everyone’seyes and the focus is the successful completion of the tour andhanding over to 4 Mech Bde. The final weeks are certainly notgoing to be quiet with a major op, Op MOSHTARAK taking place.The role for the Bde Sig Sqn is an outstanding one and with somany different roles, there is something for everyone. Eachinfantry BG has a Rear Link Detachment (RLD) of CS Ops andEngrs providing Subject Matter Expert (SME) Royal Signals sp.261 Sig Sqn soldiers are deployed all over Helmand and areinvolved in every op and a multitude of patrols. Main Tp providecomms for the Joint Operations Cell (JOC) in HQ Task ForceHelmand. Based out of Bastion but deploying to all ForwardOperating Bases (FOBs) and Patrol Bases (PBs) are the ForwardRepair Team (FRT) of Electricians and CS Engs. In Lashkar Gah,Sqn personnel run the Helicopter Landing Site, manage the wholecamp including the QMs, RQMS and SQMS depts, MT and workout of the LAD. After an exceedingly intensive 18 month pre-deployment package with 11 Lt Bde who were purely formed todeploy on Op HERRICK 11, it has been a superb tour whereevery officer and soldier has developed and been tested in amultitude of situations. More details follow on what the guyshave been up to.

MAIN TROOP - by LCpl Holt

We are now into the 2nd half of our tour and the countdown hasstarted for our return to the UK. Christmas has been and gonein Main Tp and we were lucky enough to get a visit from FatherChristmas and one of his (her) little helpers. Well in actual fact itwas Capt Thompson as Santa and Lt Morris as Santa’s littlehelper! After all it is a long way for the real Father Christmas tocome. They handed presents out to everyone in some clever lastminute costumes – well Lt Morris’ costume was very last minute– it was held together with safety pins! Thank you from us all atMain Tp to the rear party for the time and effort you all put in tosending out the parcels. Once presents had been handed out,there was a delicious Christmas dinner laid on for everyone.

Although it wasn’t the same as being at home with your lovedones, but it was the next best thing.

We would like to say big congratulations to LCpl Dixon after thebirth of his 2nd child. He and his wife had a little baby boy andhe was lucky enough to go home for Christmas and New Year tospend it with the new addition to his family. It also gave his wifethe chance to get a good night’s sleep; it was LCpl Dixon’s turnto get up in the middle of the night!

We have had to say good bye to LCpl Travis as she has gone offto join The Grenadier Guards and sleep with all the camel spiders!I’m sure she will be happy about that. All is not lost however, herreplacement is Cpl Tuppen. The terrible two, Cpl Tuppen andLCpl Holt, aka The Chuckle Sisters, had to be separated for thesanity of the rest of the MOB. Miss Tuppen is on days and Miss

Holt is on nights, while these two look forward to HOTO, the restget their ear defenders out!

The last plot of R&R guys have left to enjoy 14 days in green andpleasant lands – that’s the UK believe it or not; once they getback we will be back to full strength and on the home straight.Not long until decompression in Cyprus with our 5 beers. Somepeople may think that’s not enough alcohol but after being dry forso long it will probably be plenty!

Afghanistan and Cyprus are not the only foreign lands the Tp arevisiting this year. Cpl Tuppen and LCpl Holt are planning to trekthe Great Wall of China in September in aid of raising money forSCOPE. The whole Tp are backing the two brave souls (well itgets them out of our hair), and we hope to raise £6000 for thecharity.

BG (N) RLD – CHRISTMAS IN AFGHANISTAN

The festive period was rather different this year and not what weare used to at this time of the year. The RLD spent ChristmasDay in the wonderful FOB Nolay, which is not quite as bad as theguys thought it would be. The FOB regularly receives fresh food,so our Christmas dinner was rather nice; the chefs did a crackingjob as per usual with the limited resources they had. Parcels sent


out early were wrapped, ready to open in the morning, with Sig

Bruce opening them at 0030hrs before his early morning stag!Christmas dinner saw the traditional routine of seniors serving thejunior ranks with soup, a traditional roast and Christmas pudding– the day was as good as it could be! All enjoyed a feast of ameal with the TV blurting out the usual Christmas songs.

Despite making the most of the day, we all knew that as soon asdinner was over it was back to the usual hard work of FOBsecurity, daily patrols and stagging on. The day was over beforeit began. New Year’s Day was no different, we celebrated asmuch as we could, but in the back of our minds we knew sooneror later there was work to carry on with.

Before the festive season kicked in, the BG had been very busysetting up patrolling from the 4 new PBs alongside the 611. It’sbeen an immense task, but they have succeeded and can nowboast that FOB Inkerman has taken more ground than everbefore. Even the locals have said they feel safer and happier withthem there! The maintenance of controlling the comms duringops for the PBs and the FOB itself gets very stressful at times.However, it is still amazing how much they have achieved in sucha small amount of time!

With just over a month to go, everyone is looking forward togoing home. In the meantime there are still some late nightsahead. We can’t wait to get home to our families, and willdefinitely be going home with a sense of pride, and a feeling ofaccomplishment in playing a small part toward the overall goal ofHERRICK 11.

BG (C) RLD - by LCpl Mee

The beginning of the New Year saw some new faces on the RLDand sadly the loss of an old friend. Sig Dan ‘Hagman’ Harris

returned to the UK shortly after the New Year for his new postingin 1 Civ Div. His replacement saw Sig ‘Gash’ Greenhalgh arrive,who had just finished a 3 year tour with the White Helmets andSig Chris Roberts from 215 Sig Sqn. Although the Hagman

didn’t actually do the work of two men, we appreciate the extraman power during this busy period!

Sig ‘Daisy’ May is coming close to 6 weeks at PB Zumbalay –where he is the only British soldier at this location. He must besuffering now, especially after his legacy adopted pet cat, namedIron Brew, unfortunately had to be put down after injuring herselfon barbed wire.

On returning from R&R, LCpl ‘Brad’ Mee

joined Cpl Carl Ara at FOB Budwan to helpout with the busy period of ops.Unfortunately neither of them ended up beingdeployed, but it was still good to see howthings worked there.

The festive period saw Sgt ‘JW’ Jordan-

White deploy out to Theatre, he came out tocover Sgt Richie Eveleigh while he was onR&R. In the short time he was here hemanaged to complete the Dancon March in avery quick time, leaving him currently in 9thposition on the leader board. He alsomanaged to convince half the RLD to attemptthe mighty 264. This sparked a sharp, butshort lived rise in members of the RLDputting in extra work in at the gym!

Sig Dave Coupe is currently shivering in the UK and enjoying allthat a proper winter has to offer, while we are enjoying the sun in20°C degree heat! Another one jumping the ship for a while isCpl Gary ‘Chadders’ Chadwick who has gone home for somewell needed R&R, and maybe a little more, with a specialrendezvous on the cards. . .

In the last few days the majority of the RLD have received postingorders. With 3 of us posted to 251 Sig Sqn, it is looking like a

new Danbat Tp is already in the making!! LCpl ‘Yossi’ Beynon isposted to 21 Sig Regt and was looking forward to 3 years inNuneaton, until he was informed 21 Sig Regt is in Bath! We areall looking forward to returning back to the UK, and are secretlycounting down the days! Not long to go now . . .

UK DRB 1 R WELSH - by Cpl Mansell

Since September members of 261 Sig Sqn have been attached to1 R WELSH BG on Op HERRICK 11. For the first 3 months,however, the R WELSH were back in the UK waiting anxiously tofind out if they were going to deploy at all. They finally deployedin December and since then the guys have been rushed off theirfeet!

This last month has been one of the busiest with multiple opshappening across Helmand. Cpl ‘Nige’ Mansell, LCpl ‘Deano’

Stallard and LCpl Andy Eyers have been spearheading the Coysignals to ensure comms knowledge and expertise is maintainedacross the BG.

Cpl Mansell has spent the last month bouncing between FOBsand PBs, conducting strike ops from Jackals with the MRF Jackalgroup. However the Jackal is soon to be replaced with the Mark1 boots and a Chinook.

LCpl Stallard is one step ahead on the Chinook front as he hasbeen an integral part of Delta Coy, providing comms for OC’s Tacin multiple Heli asslts. LCpl Eyes has conducted similar work aspart of Alpha Coy.

LCpl Allen, armed with only a soldering iron and co-ax, hasplayed a massive part in the Sigs Pl fixing various bits of kit. Hehas also had the very important job of looking after the youngermembers of the group, Sig Walsh and Sig Sullivan. Both havebeen working hard with the painful job of stagging on, with noreports from Sig Sullivan regarding lost kit!

Sgt Heathcote has enjoyed his second trip to the UK during thetour, this time for his R&R. I am sure he is having a wonderfultime, with a nice pint of beer! All members of the RLD arelooking forward to returning home next month so they too canhave a beer, but more importantly, to see family and friends!

BG (CS) RLD - by Sig Johnson

Five months into the tour and the RSOI package in Bastionseems so long ago. Sig Johnson’s time living in a PB has

almost been erased from her memory andshe is now living the high life in FOB SQT.Being straight out of basic training shequickly learnt the essentials. In her words“Admin is the name of the game. If youdon’t have that sorted you will suffer!”Any new sprogs reading this take note!

The RLD has said goodbye to Sig Clark,who has been posted to 1 Civ Div. He isoff to enjoy the lifestyle of being astudent; we wish him all the best. I’msure he will miss being in the Army whenhe is poor and in need of a decent meal!

The days of working in the BG Ops room,monitoring the VHF and 117 nets, mixedtogether with a few sangar duties haveflown by, and the time is fast approaching

towards the hand over to the next BG. Lt Morris and Sig

Johnson have however managed to fit in a small half marathon inaid of raising money for injured Grenadier Guards personnel.Forty six and a half laps of the FOB seemed an epic challenge,but they both made it without getting too dizzy! Well done toboth, others should give it a go – it’s fun honestly!

The saying “We are going home next month” is a welcomestatement and everyone is looking forward to chilling out in


Cyprus for a bit of decompression before being re-united withloved ones back home. We miss you all, and will be home beforeyou know it.

BG (NW) RLD - by LCpl Hodson

When we arrived at FOB Edinburgh, a long time ago now, wedidn’t know what to expect as you never hear too much aboutthis place in the news. As soon as you get here the reasonbecomes apparent, it’s in the middle of nowhere! Even so, therealways seems to be plenty of work to be getting on with. LCpl Hodson quickly found himself the Bowman/ECMaccountant, which has kept him busy over the last 5 months. Sgt

Smith had a cushy job down in Musa Qala DC before he wasdragged back to be watch keeper here. He is now kept verybusy! Sig Ward has kept himself busy on his down time bypractising his ”Kick yourself in the head” routine!

The HCR has had a fairly quiet tour in comparison to other AOs,but no one here is complaining! We do have a number ofdifferent units providing force protection coming through our area,so we have seen a huge variety of vehicles with different faults.Now LCpl Hodson can now probably tell you how to start mostof the vehicles in NATO! We also have comms kits coming out ofour ears, so most of us will be bilingual in the black art of radiosand ICS by the end of tour which is rapidly approaching.

We are all counting down the days until we go home, but notbefore a small stop off at Cyprus. At least we will be back for allthose Easter Eggs! To everyone back home, not long to go!

THE MIGHTY FINE BJI BG RLD - by Cpl Brown

Time for the BJI warriors, how things have changed! Firstly Cpl

Col Brown deployed to PB2 to start the BG HQ move, whichinvolved the Signals speciality; tent building. We have seen thereturn of LCpl Michael Long from PB4 which was good foreveryone’s morale; his sense of humour never fails to put a smileon everyone’s face.

Sig Lloyd Loftus loves his life down at PB3, deploying out onnumerous patrols and enjoying being the only Royal Signalsperson at the location. He has had an excellent tour in everyaspect, volunteering for many different roles like Valon man,Radio Operator and Rifleman.

Sig Josh ‘Rooney’ Evans has spent his tour at PB1 and hasdone a tremendous job in a very remote location. He has askedhis girlfriend to marry him on his R&R and she accepted. Wewould all like to say congratulations to him and all the best for thefuture. LCpl Emma Dempsey is currently counting down thedays to her R&R where she can spend the thousands of poundsshe has saved up. Oh the joys to be single and no children!

LCpl Danny Younge has found his feet here too; he was the lastperson to leave FOB “Nice” to join us at PB2 and is enjoying hisrole as an operator rather than a tech. He recently celebrated hisbirthday here, where he was welcomed with a mosquito net full ofballoons and food on his return from his stag. What a way tospend your 21st!

Finally this will be the last instalment until we are back in the UK –well it had better be! The tour has gone fast and very smoothly.For the majority of the RLD this has been our first tour; all themembers of the team have had an enjoyable time, learning newskills which will be invaluable for future tours.

We have enjoyed our time with the Coldstream Guards and wouldlike to wish them a safe rest of tour. We hope to meet up withthem back in the UK.

BRF RLD - by Cpl Richie Andrews

Cpl Andrews and LCpl Donny Donegan returned from their opon Christmas Eve, just in time for Christmas! Once back inBastion, they gave their weapons a good clean and knocked off

for some admin time before opening their presents on Christmasmorning. The RLD Comd however had reports to write, plan forthe next op as well as his normal admin, so he didn’t get to beduntil the early morning!

Christmas morning came and Cpl Andrews decided to put on hisSanta suit, which included his Mark 6A Helmet. He thenproceeded to drive round on his make shift sleigh (his Quad bike)to give out sweets and Christmas wishes! On his travels henoticed a lot of smiling faces, well it’s not every day you see aCombat Santa!

Christmas dinner came around and all were getting into thefestive season when out of nowhere the first sprout waslaunched, with a cry of “Incoming!” Soon after that came theCranberry Sauce! Christmas was soon over, and on Boxing Daywe cracked on with work, preparing for the next op. Cpl

Loughran was kept back in Bastion to await the arrival of thenew SQMC (SQMS in our world) so a good HOTO could beachieved.

The BRF RLD are all looking forward to R&R in January, a wellneeded break for all; even Cpl Loughran who has been busytrying to sculpt his body in Bastion for the whole tour! He justlooks like he’s getting chubbier to me! Hopefully he will soon beissued with his florescent belt to stop him getting injured to andfrom scoff!

We are also looking forward to our replacements, who should behere at the beginning of March. We looking forward getting hometo family and friends.

FRT CAMP BASTION - by LCpl ‘Tyronne’ Sutherland

Straight out of his Trade Training, LCpl Sutherland gives his viewof life in Afghanistan:

“Wow! Afghanistan, my first posting; only a month on the job andhere I find myself. What do I make of it? Well I guess you cansay I had to get to know the work and people I work with indouble quick time.

Based in Camp Bastion I was sent to join the FRT in October.Initially I formed part of the Sqn Rear Party, working under Sgt

‘JW’ Jordon-White on welfare duties. However, I got the call to deploy to Afghanistan and within days, I joined the Sqnoverseas.

The RLD Comd, SSgt ‘Tippers’ Tiplady, a great Leader even ifhe does like to state the obvious, looks after all Bastion basedelements of the Sqn. He has been instrumental in keepingmorale high, especially over the Christmas and New Year period.

Standing in charge of FRT is SSgt ‘Twiz’ Twizell. He works andplays hard. In fact, he works so hard he likes to ask “what areyou doing?” just before he gives you the job he wants doneregardless of what you are actually doing!


I was placed within the workshop under the incredible Sgt Jim

‘Chuck’ Gollop. Chuck can do pull ups on only his forefingers.Within the workshop I learnt all I needed from Cpl ‘Boggle’

Rumsey. Just make sure you get him to look at you when youask, it’s harder than you realise.

Cpl James Gilbert, what can I say, this guy has so many skillsit’s hard to list them all! That’s why he is called WO3 Gilbert! It’sa shame we lost him to Lashkar Gar, but I am sure he is workinghis magic up there.

Everyone works hard to repair the comms kit the BGs manage tobreak; I thought this stuff was “Squaddie proof.” Most peoplealso get to visit FOBs and PBs to fix the kit that can’t betransported back. It’s nice to do some sight seeing, but it’s even

better when everyone is safely back in their beds in Bastion. TheForeman keeps us on our toes, with endless tasks to complete.Thank you Foreman!

Our electricians are a hard working team, powering up the wholeof Helmand with only 4 men! That’s right only 4 men; they are avery popular bunch as no one wants a cold shower – that is ifthere are showers in the locations they visit!

All in all, the FRT plays a vital role in supporting the BGs inAfghanistan. The whole team work hard, and I have certainlyseen that in my time out here. Everyone is looking forward togetting back to the UK now to see family and friends. Wewelcome the sight of 4 Mech Bde personnel and wish them asafe tour.”

12 MECHANIZED BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS AND


BULFORD

OC Maj Niall Stokoe

RSM WO1(RSM) S Crooks

EXERCISE ACE MOUNTAIN TIGER - by Sig Wilkins

On a wet January Friday, 23 personnel from 228 Sig Sqndeparted Bulford for the long journey to Flaine in France, to takepart in EX ACE MOUNTAIN TIGER which was a level 3 adventuretraining ex, organised by SSgt Lucy Mason. We arrived in snowyFlaine mid-afternoon on Saturday 16 January. After being issuedour equipment, we all got an early night ready to begin skiing thenext day which was interesting as there was so much snow fallingthat visibility was virtually nil.

As a novice skier, I was put into one of the 3 Basic SkiProficiency (BSP) groups and soon found snow to be ademanding surface on which to move while on 2 planks andholding a couple of sticks! However, after the first day, most ofus had got to grips with the basic snow plough. UnfortunatelySig Sam Terry, having negotiated all the downhill slopes of theday, fell over on the dead flat just in front of the hostel and brokehis collarbone in 3 places!

Six skiers who had already completed their BSP undertook thedemanding Ski Touring Proficiency Course. By all accounts thiswas a tough week for them; we saw glimpses of them at the startof each day touring up the side of the mountain. Apparently thetrek was worthwhile when they skied from the top of the slopesto the bottom, 6 hrs trekking for a 45 min ski down!

The week was a great mixture of challenging physical exertionwhich took everyone out of their comfort zones – whether that beskiing off piste for the first time, getting down a blue run in onepiece or dodging an avalanche whilst touring, and with a bit of

après ski thrown in for good measure. I am looking forward togetting out on the slopes again next year.

EXERCISE SNOW JACK 09 - by Cpl Denise Swift

Sgt Phil Mulligan and Cpl Denise Swift from 12 Mech Bde HQ &Sig Sqn (228), Bulford took part in the annual ArmySnowboarding Competition. The ex started with an epic journey.After a 0300hrs trip to the airport, we flew to Austria, caught atrain to Innsbruck and then took the ski lift from Innsbruck Stationto the resort at Stubai Glacier, Austria.

The first race was a Parallel Giant Slalom (PGS) qualifier whereboth of us qualified for the finals. Due to weather conditions thePGS final was postponed and individual training was carried out.To us, this meant 2 days of powder riding with very limited visionbut, as the Corps team captain WO2 Dom Graham informed us:“Seeing is over rated”. Once the PGS finals had taken place itwas onto the Boarder cross training.

The rest of the ex continued with the boarder cross qualifiers andthe freestyle training and qualifiers which saw a few competitorsfinish the competition with dislocated limbs and broken bones.Fortunately there were none from our Sqn and we both qualifiedfor the finals. We had good results with Sgt Mulligan finishing12th and Cpl Swift getting 2nd.

The ex ended with the freestyle finals, a couple more brokenbones and a good result for the Sqn with Sgt Mulligan finishing7th overall and Cpl Swift winning overall female. Both alsogained a place on the Army team along with Capt Kat Jones, 1Sqn and LCpl Vicky Fox, 1 Mech Bde.

Following the Inter-Service Ski and SnowboardingChampionships in Meribel in January 2010, Cpl Swift was placed9th female overall.

Novice skiers from 228 Signal Squadron on Ex ACE MOUNTAINTIGER

Action from the Army Snowboarding Championships


16 AIR ASSAULT BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS AND


COLCHESTER

OC Maj AR Fawcett

RSM WO1(RSM) S Spink

EXERCISE GRAND PRIX IV NOVEMBER 2009

- by LCpl Lowden

I deployed on Ex GRAND PRIX lV in early November 2009 with 3other members of the Sqn all of whom were working as part of a4 man det with the 2nd Bn The Parachute Regiment (2 PARA).This involved me, Sig Liam Ibbetson, Sig Mike Harrage, Sig

Tom Brand and our Det Comd Cpl Bart Dunseith, who hadalready been in Kenya a week before we arrived.

After a long flight from Stansted Airport we finally arrived in aBritish Army camp in Kenya’s capital city Nairobi, where we weremore than happy to get a few hours sleep before our road movethe following morning. We woke the next day to the irritation ofhundreds of mosquito bites and the thought of our journeyahead. The journey began with the packing of our kit into theKenyan vehicles that would be transporting us to Nanyuki, a good5 hr drive on the Kenyan roads, however not all of the det wereheading that way. Sig Brand was attached to 2 PARA’s Patrols Plwhich meant it was just Sig Harrage and myself who were toembark on the journey.

We arrived in the Nanyuki Show Ground early in the afternoonand were thrown straight into setting up the BG HQ, under thecontrol of 2 PARA’s RSWO and Cpl Dunseith. For the next weekor so we spent most of our time trying to rectify any faults we hadwith the vehicles we were given, which was a much more difficultjob than expected! Once we had found our way around thesevehicles and managed to get a sufficient amount working, it wastime for Sig Harrage to deploy to Range Control to providesafety comms and Cpl Dunseith to head down to Archers Postto help assist the artillery. I alone would be stuck in the BG HQfor the next few weeks.

After 3 weeks in Nanyuki, I was sent to Archers Post with the restof 2 PARA Sigs Pl, where I helped out with the comms in the BaGHQ as well as being a member of an echelon det. It was inArchers Post that the rest of the RLD were reunited and sent offto do other jobs with the Bn. Cpl Dunseith and I where taskedwith establishing several manpack and vehicle RRBs, while Sig

Harrage and Sig Brand carried out various other tasks.

The most memorable part of my time in Kenya was when Cpl

Dunseith and I were flown in by helicopter to a manpack RRBposition in the middle of an African plain. The RRB wassuccessful and the rifle pls were able to carry out their tasks, atwhich point we were then able to take a pause and admire themany exotic animals on the plain.

To conclude the ex, Cpl Dunseith and I were tasked with settingup another manpack RRB on top of an enemy position. This taskbegan at around 2200hrs, in which we carried out an overnightpatrol with C Coy 2 PARA lasting until around 0500hrs. At thistime we were involved in the final Coy attack. Once the attackwas complete and we had finished climbing and running aroundKenya’s mountainous terrain we set up the RRB.

To conclude our time in Kenya the RLD and the rest of 2 PARASigs Pl were sent to a 5 star lodge to relax for the last few days inthe country. During our stay we saw lots of different animals andhad the time to enjoy a few well deserved beers.

EXERCISE DRUIDS DANCE AND WESSEX WARRIOR

- by LCpl Liam Ibbetson

On 22 November 2009, Sgt Hernon, Cpl Dunn, LCpl Lowden,Sig Swithenbank and I deployed to the Salisbury Plain TrainingArea to assist 1 R IRISH and the Household Cavalry Regiment(HCR) with part of their Adaptive Foundation Training. Thesepersonnel were attached as Rear Link Detachments (RLDs) to aidand assist the vital comms links back to the 16 Air Asst Bde HQ.During the early stages of the ex their subject matter expertisewas required when giving lesson to members of 1 R IRISH andHCR Sigs Pls and other elements of the regts in the use ofvarious SatCom systems.

The ex was conducted using the AWES and TES (Basically LaserQuest in the field) for real time combat casualties and trooptracking whilst on the area. The comds were able to test thesoldiers with scenarios and to review using after action re-playsto show them what to improve on next time.

Sgt Hernon and LCpl Lowden were working with the HCR andwere plunged into a new world of strange vocabulary and oddnames for ranks many of which were very confusing. Forexample it took them a good few weeks to realise that when theHCR where talking about “Squimps” they meant the SQMC andnot as was previously thought a classy way of cooking shrimps!This was clearly normal for the cavalry but was strange for themand the new ranks slides made it a common mistake for them toconfuse the young toms with SSgts which was occasionallyembarrassing.

Meanwhile Cpl Dunn, Sig Swithenbank and I had to rough it outwith the Royal Irish on the ground. Mostly we worked from BnHQ, however Sig Swithenbank had a brief escape to the PatrolsPl where he provided SatCom support during a 60km longconvoy across the area and back again. Working in the HQ wasnot easy, the constant pace of the battle meant that every 24 hrsthey had to move location to keep up with the troops,continuously re-establishing the HQ and exhausting the pl. Therewas a large focus on hearts and minds which meant thateverybody had the opportunity of getting to meet with localnationals from Afghanistan and practise a little diplomacy.

When endex was called on 11 December the members of 216(Para) Sig Sqn had been embedded for 3 weeks, forging strongrelationships with the regts. A very testing ex in all, which madefull use of the high standards of both soldiering and comms skillsthat are associated with and expected from members of 216. Sig Ibbetson enjoys the sunrise on the plain


OC Maj JG Hill

RSM WO1(RSM) P Jordan

The last 12 months have been entirely focused on Afghanistan.Since returning from ops and post tour leave, the Sqn has beenpreparing for its first “green” ex in some time. The PinzgauerFFRs were lined up and most got the chance to use their newlyacquired driving licences to put them through their paces both onand off road.

BCIP 5 is also just over the horizon and is likely to consume us allfor the next couple of months before we start the Ascari Thunderseason which will require about half a troop each time – 6 weeksin Kenya 4 times this year.

It isn’t all work though. A team will shortly deploy to Austria toparticipate in the Corps snowboarding championship and thenlater in the year another expedition to Corsica is planned. Anumber of the troops have been sailing in Strangford Loch (rathercold at this time of year) and preparations have begun for bothMercury 500 and the Lanyard Trophy.

EXERCISE PANTHER SKILLS

After a long Christmas and New Year’s leave it was time for theSqn to get back into shape both figuratively and literally. Januarywas an intense time during which just about everything wasissued from the QM’s Dept to the Tp stores in order to prepare forthe training package that was put together by the Ops team.

The first week of PANTHER SKILLS involved the Sqn embarkingupon all manner of lessons, which were mainly conducted withinthe classroom environment. The lessons ranged from vehiclerecovery, drivers’ hours, convoy drills, rolling Replens and otheraspects of the green side of life which the Sqn has been awayfrom for some time. Other lessons consisted of comms trainingall of which would be put into practice during the confirmatoryphase of the ex conducted at Ballykinler Training Camp.

The second week began in earnest on a bitterly cold Februarymorning and typical of the Northern Irish weather it only changedwhen the wind and rain turned up……fortunately we all had ourwaterproofs and warm kit, so we set off in convoy. To their creditthe MT had taught us well as no one managed to get lost enroute. Upon arrival we set about building the tented HQ complexand then spent the next couple of days putting into practice allthat we had revised within the classroom.

19 LIGHT BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS

AND SIGNAL SQUADRON (209)

LISBURN

Capt Clayton takes time out to give fieldcraft advice to theSNCOs

The first deployment of the new Pinzgauer FFRs

The light HQ begins to take shape

Cross country driver training on Ballykinler Golf Course!


With the momentum building into the final quarter, Sgt Rogers

was finally rewarded with the goal he deserved, and hecelebrated in style. The final whistle was in sight and things gotmore heated with some fans even getting sent off and a couplemore yellow cards for the players. With 5 mins to go, Sig ‘SJ’

Sartorius-Jones slid in to make it 3 – 0 and the game was over.The Football Team now have their sights set on 7 Armd Bde. Thisone should be a cracker…

EXERCISE GAUNTLET RIVALRY 2009

- by SSgt(YofS) Paul Taylor

Just prior to a well earned break for Christmas, the Sqn held itsinaugural Inter-Tp Games Night in the Sqn bar. Ex GAUNTLETRIVALRY was designed as an arduous test of team spirit combined with grit, determination and a huge serving of troop pride! The initial test was to choose a strip to wear for the night. Sp Tp went with desert combats, Euphrates Tp opted for the pyjama party approach, and the imagination was really stretched by Tigris Tp arriving in matching Banner burn bags!

The games were soon were underway and the Tps were pittingtheir wits against a number of traditional pub games with a twist.Table football became a 4-man left handed game and pool was a2-man one-handed competition, which levelled the field – to thedisappointment of the usual pool sharks. A nail biting Wii Boxingfinal ended in a tie break between Euphrates and Tigris SSgts.The capacity crowd then watched a modern day David andGoliath situation as SSgt Shaun Fielding defeated SSgt Chris

Moore to lead Euphrates Tp to victory. The more sedateblindfolded Jenga then bought an element of calm to the night.

Up jumped WO2(RQMS) Charlie Kama with a glint in his eye.He wound the crowd up to a frenzy with shouts of “Who are we?”prior to the Boat Race, which was a fairly uncivilised affairinvolving pickled eggs, gherkins, porkpies and a lot of grimacingfaces! The culmination of the evening was a Chariot Race. EachTp had spent hours preparing their chariot which had to bepushed or pulled, with a passenger riding on top. Dirty tactics

Valuable training was delivered over the next couple of days,whether it was comms orientated enabling the Sqn to workthrough their advanced signaller’s workbooks or driver orientatedenabling everyone to refresh their driving drills and skills. It is atthis point that a special mention must go out to Sig Danny Taylor

who, whilst competing in a team time trial wheel change of aLand Rover managed to lower the jack and wheel of the Roveronto his own hand. Whilst the opposing team took pictures ontheir phones like a bunch of happy slappers, Sig Taylor displayedhis selfless commitment by urging his team mates to carry onwith the wheel change. It must be said that at no time was Sig

Taylor at risk of injury and he actually emerged unscathed from

his experience. Congratulations must go out to the winning teamof the wheel change time trial, well done to the following;

Cpl ‘Johnny’ Howes, LCpl John Mudie, LCpl ‘Tac’ McArthur,LCpl Kelly Bradley, LCpl Holly Jackson and LCpl ‘Daz’

Pickersgill.

Having conducted further training in the field we then set aboutpracticing all our skills and drills in a confirmatory ex whichconsisted of moving the HQ complex, establishing comms andmoving again, which is all good practice and as we allknow………..practice makes perfect!

20 ARMOURED BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS AND


PADERBORN

OC Maj SW Whittley

RSM WO1(RSM) CA Hook

The last few months have certainly seen a good mix of the ‘workhard, play hard’ ethos. A fun filled run up to Christmas leaveincluded several adventurous training expeditions, and the Sqn isnow looking forward to taking the lead for the imminent BCiP 5.4conversion for the Bde. The training burden is intensive withmany soldiers earmarked as Train the Trainers for each Bde Unit,and specific Tiger Teams which will assist BOWTAG in themaintenance and setup of the training fleet. With all this going onand a continuing commitment to the Bde Ex STAFF FIST series,we also managed to squeeze in a very successful CombinedInspection Week, which ensured the QM was up burning themidnight oil, and involved a huge amount of hard work fromseveral members of the Sqn.

The senior Sig Sqn has also managed to fit in a number of extracurricular events in recent weeks, many of which can be readabout below. Finally, as this issue goes to print, the shootingteam are pitting their skills against the several other units in theBde SAAM, results to follow in the next edition.

THE ROYAL SIGNALS CUP – 200 SIG SQN v 102 LOG BDE

- by LCpl Marty Brand

This first round tie was a good opener for the newly formed 200Sig Sqn squad, which had completed very little training for over ayear. The team was picked and put through their paces by itscaptain, SSgt Chris Moore, and Capt ‘Mac’ McCallin.

Match day dawned and the opposition arrived looking fresh. Ourreferee for the battle was Cpl Craig Jinks, who got the matchunder way in good order. After only a few minutes, Sgt Mick

Rogers was unlucky not to score with a dash towards theopposition goal but the keeper made a decent save. This initialchance sparked the team into action though and SSgt Moore

used his weight to dominate the central midfield. His hard graftpaid off when a perfect corner was swung in from Sgt Matty

Anderson, which SSgt Moore managed to scissor kick into theback of the net.

The opposition’s defence started to tire and Sgt Rogers hadnumerous opportunities to find a gap, but to no avail. In the dyingminutes of the first half, Cpl ‘Robbo’ Robertson was booked fora reckless challenge which led to 102 Log Bde getting their firstshot on goal but thankfully they missed. The half time team talkwas short and sweet as everyone knew their task for the secondhalf – stay ahead!

Predictably, 102 Log Bde came out fighting and broke throughthe middle on several occasions, but were stopped in their tracksby a solid defence led by LCpl Brand. A handy lob at goal fromthe 102 Log Bde striker, LCpl Williams, was carefully watched byour Keeper, Cpl Bob Yuille, and he pulled off a great save, whichwas lucky as it was his only save of the game!

The victorious 200 Signal Squadron team


were everywhere, and the race organiser looked concerned forthe safety of everyone as they dashed round the course, with TpComds perched precariously on top of their respective chariots.

The winning team was Sp Tp, and the OC presented a ‘noexpense spared’ trophy to their captain. It was a thoroughlyenjoyable event which has already been pencilled into thecalendar for next year – however, I am not organising it!

EUPHRATES TROOP BERGEN-BELSEN VISIT

- by Sgt Mark Carlisle

On a very cold morning in early February, Euphrates Tp left thegarages and headed off on the 2 hour road trip to Bergen-Belsen.On arrival in the notorious grounds, which had previously seensome of the most horrific acts of WW2, it was immediatelynoticeable how quiet the surroundings were.

We headed into the nearby visitor centre and with the aid of ascale model, our guide Herr Felix Hoefinghoff explained in greatdetail each area of the old site. We then had the opportunity towalk around the exhibitions, which ranged from videoautobiographies, many photographs, and prisoner documentationranging from POW status sheets to extermination reports andletters to family members.

There are no visible remains of the old camp and the sites of themass graves are now entombed with a simple message statinghow many bodies lie there. A few family members have erectedsimple headstones, including the Uncle of Anne and Margot

Frank who has dedicated a stone to his nieces.

Herr Felix explained how in Germany all school children betweenthe ages of 14 and 16 now visit Bergen-Belsen or a similarlocation to learn about what happened in WW2 and The ThirdReich. This was a very interesting and sombre visit. RIP all wholie there.

NEW YEAR PARTY - by Sig Marcus Mayes

The theme for the event was a Casino Night and the wholefunction was meticulously planned by SSgt Ritchie Brown andSgt Matty Anderson, supported by their small team ofcommittee members: Cpl Mark Hernon, Cpl Steve Lawrence,LCpl Del Lynch, LCpl ‘The Kilt’ Hill and Sig Jonno Johnson.

The majority of guests arrived at the venue without a hitch,except for a bus which forgot to pick some passengers up – wellrescued LCpl ‘Princess’ Lear – and another bus which droppedpassengers at the wrong entrance. There were a few grittedteeth and ruined shoes after the short tab in knee deep snow withthe RSM calling out “It’s all good training!”

Sgt Mick Rogers certainly had luck on his side as he and hisguests managed a near clean sweep of the raffle prizes. He wasonly stopped by WO2(FofS) Dave Bain, who won his 4thtelevision in a row from various raffles since last year. Sgt Chris

Doyle had a brainwave and made the LAD lads hand him their

casino chips, so he could win the bottle of Moet Champagne onoffer but the chips were down and they were beaten by Cpl

Robertson’s good lady after the casino organisers smelled foulplay…unlucky LAD!

Capt ‘Travolta’ MaCallin was certainly the star of the dancefloor, impressing the ladies with his slick moves, and apparentlyhe auditioned for “So you think you can dance” but narrowlymissed out in a “dance off” with a 90 year old with a Zimmerframe.

Cpl Mark Porter’s wife Amanda and her band provided somefantastic entertainment before the DJ took over, and then as longas you liked the Foo Fighters, it was fine! The buffet was a littlechaotic as people didn’t know whether they were supposed tostockpile all 3 courses at once, or go back up later...I bumpedinto Cpl Si Goddard who must have worked in a circus beforejoining the Army as he had at least 6 plates, and came out withthe lousy excuse that 3 were for his missus!

The evening was a total success and a few individuals, includingmyself, were nursing big hangovers in the morning! I would liketo thank SSgt Brown and his committee again for a trulyexcellent function. I have recently joined the Royal Signals after13 years with the Infantry, and I must say that this was the bestfunction my wife and I have been to. Bring on the Summer Ball!

BA(G) SQUASH COMPETITION - by Capt Frost

The Sqn’s finest squash player, YofS Nick Hill, who had beentraining for weeks in keen anticipation, was sadly unavailable atthe last minute to play in the BA(G) Squash competition, held inPaderborn. So it fell to 2 female novices, Capt Hannah Frost

and Lt Ali Sargeant, to represent the Sqn.

The turnout for the ladies competition was somewhat smallerthan for the men’s competition, and after some close matches,Capt Frost was placed 3rd and Lt Sargeant lifted the BA(G)

Euphrates Troop sporting some very dodgy nightwear!

Sig Johnson counting his winnings

Sig Pieniak gets his head squeezed by the MT crew


Women’s title. The prizes were very generous and the wholeevent was well organised.

EXERCISE WINTER GAUNTLET 2010

- by SSgt (Art Veh) Jamie Gardner

Day 1 of the management ski trip began at 0630hrs on a snowyWednesday morning, which itself was a challenge due to LS&GCpresentations the previous night. With seats assigned and SatNavs programmed (more to follow) we set off in excitedanticipation. After an 8 hr drive, 2 of the buses arrived at theresort, and a posh looking hotel. It was then sadly discoveredthat our resident CSE(I) Sgt Matty Anderson, had programmedthe Sat Nav with a wrong postcode, and we were 35km from thecorrect resort of Pillersee! After a short pause in proceedingscaused by Sgt Mark Carlisle going for a wander, we eventuallygot to our destination, and met up with the remainder, who hadmanaged to eat their way through all the arrival kafee andkuchen, cheers lads!

As hotel rooms were assigned, there were a few raised eyebrowsabout the solitary double bed in 2 man rooms. The OC, Maj Stu

Whittley, discovered that he was in fact too big for his bed, andhad to rough it on the floor. After the initial briefings, we took fulladvantage of the Austrian hospitality, keeping the hotel bar openuntil the small hours.

Day 2 began with ski and boot fitting then onto the slopes ofnearby St Jacob. For those who didn’t know which way was up,our guide Phil Fluck kindly gave up his time to give the novicemembers of the group some well received tuition. The remainderof the party then scattered across the pistes depending on theirability – some more gracefully than others. Everyone met up forlunch and tales of ‘air’, ‘wipe outs’ and ‘bloody snowboarders’were told over generous helpings of goulash soup andcurrywurst. At the end of the day, everyone had managed toescape injury, and Capt Paul McGarry was awarded most wipeouts.

Back at the hotel for a quick sauna and dinner, we then wrappedup for the first of the evening’s events, Ice Karting. This closelyresembled Go-Karting, but was conducted on an icy track withkarts which definitely lacked winter tyres. After a worryingly shortsafety brief, the first group mounted their chariots, and carnagefollowed. Sgt Helen Goodall was verbally admonished for verynearly running over the safety staff and while trying to avoid her,SSgt Jamie Gardner received rapturous applause for his arialacrobatic slip on the ice. We then went to the local karaoke barwhere the good, the bad and the ugly were on display; good fromCapt Eddie McCallin, bad from Sgt Anderson, and ugly from Lt

Grant Wallace. The night was stolen however by SSgt Ritchie

Brown when he scaled the polished tree trunk in the centre of thebar and proudly collected his free drink. As the night drew to anend, there were also special guest appearances by the snowgymnastics team and WO1(RSM) Chay Hook.

Day 3 involved blowing away the cobwebs with some fantasticskiing in the Fieberbrunn area, which had challenging runs for allexperience levels. WO2(FofS) ‘Worzel’ McDonald and SSgt Phil

Roby both had frightening experiences on the nursery slopebutton lift and the more competitive members of the Sqnimagined they were on Ski Sunday with the timed slalom run. Theaprès ski band was literally unforgettable and we danced theevening away with good beer and good company. The night wasretraced for those who made it to breakfast the followingmorning, and special mentions must go to Capt McGarry, Maj

Whittley and the WWF combination of SSgt Chris Moore andWO2(YofS) Nick Hill.

On the final evening, we assembled for a ‘lavish feast’ of fondue,which was heavily supplemented by French bread and aseemingly endless supply of vino-collapso. We were all delightedwhen the OC chose the meal as the fitting occasion to promoteLt Ali Sargeant to Capt; she gladly rang the bell (withencouragement) only to find the hotel wine we had been suppingall night was in fact €25 a bottle. It was agreed that she wasfortunate to be able to afford it now!

The week was a fantastic opportunity for the Sqn to unwind aftera very demanding period, and a chance to get to know ourcounterparts in a social environment. Special thanks go toWO2(YofS) Hill for organising the trip, and also to ex-RoyalSignals SSgt Phil Fluck of Tyrolean Adventures, who providedtuition and guidance throughout. We are already looking forwardto next year!

The OC was happy with his birthday T-Shirt this year!

SSgt Gardner fighting the wheel

Lesson 1 – Always keep 4 points of contact and try to look soberwhen exiting the beer hutte!


Comd BATUK Col N Hutton CBE late PARAIC Sect WO2(YofS) B Rawlings

- by LCpl Joe Higgins

Some of you will be familiar with BATUK if you’vebeen involved in Ex GRAND PRIX or in Kenya onadventurous training. The role of the unit is toprovide training sp and act as ex facilitators toBGs conducting warm weather training in Kenya.The unit consists of around 14 permanent staff ona 2 year posting, supported by around 45Temporary Duty Staff (TDS) who are attached forvarying lengths of time – usually 6 weeks, 3months or 6 months. CIS Sect work mainly fromBATUK Rear which is situated around 10kmoutside Nairobi in the Kenyan army base ofKahawa Barracks. We have our own little slice ofBritain in the top corner of the base called KafaruBarracks which means Rhino. BATUK Main (NSG)is situated further north in Nanyuki which is just onthe equator. Once the BGs start rolling in, theymove from BATUK Rear (Nairobi) up to NSG anddeploy to one of the areas reserved foracclimatisation and dry training. Once this iscomplete, the BGs move onto the final training exat Archers Post. The unit work extremely hard,working long hours to make sure when the BGsarrive, they have everything ready for them to signfor and drive away with, so they can achieve all their trainingobjectives.

CIS Sect is made up of YofS, WO2 Bri Rawlings, BowmanCQMS, Sgt Ian Spence, 1Scots, Bowman Fleet Manager, SSgt

John Paterson RLC, CSE (Tech) LCpl Joe Higgins 30 Sig Regt,CSE (IS) LCpl Alex Tann 1 Div HQ & Sig Regt, Crypto NCO, Cpl

Ian Hare, 30 Sig Regt, Tech Storemen, Cpl Danny Roserie, 216Sig Sqn and LCpl Stevie Lyle, 5 Scots , Infantry Sig, Cpl Matt

Broadway, 1PWRR, Javelin operator/tank crewman, LCpl Kirk

Raines, 9/12 Royal Lancers and BMETS operator (weatherman),LBdr Aaron Lee, 3 RHA. We are still looking for positions withinthe Sect for a Javelin operator and a weatherman/boy. We alsohave 11 Locally Employed Civilians (LECs) on whom we rely tocarry out the more day to day type of tasks, allowing the militarypersonnel to concentrate on the Bowman Equipment.

At the moment we have a fleet of 89 FFR vehicles of various fits.Due to the heavy usage of the FFRs, we always need to havevehicles ready to role out of the gate as others come into be

repaired and kit replaced as necessary. The work load is veryheavy.

Of the 5 Royal Signals personnel in CIS Sect, WO2(YofS)

Rawlings oversees the day to day running of the Sect, Cpls

Roserie and Hare work the stores, LCpl Tann is tasked withmaintaining all the IT assets on both camps, and I maintain theBowman aspect of the FFRs.

Although the unit is very busy, there are opportunities to take partin activities such as white water rafting and safari. Alex and I dida 60m bungee jump. Another perk of working at BATUK issoaking up the “colourful” nightlife in Nairobi where we havemade many friends and acquaintances. An evening in Nanyukihowever is not always to everyone’s taste. Trying to go for a‘quiet’ drink in the Sportsman’s Arms after a hard days work canonly be described as an ‘experience’.

I would like to mention the outgoing members of the Sect. At thebeginning of March, Cpl Roserie, LCpl Raines, and LBdr Lee

will be leaving CIS Sect.

OTHER UNITS

BRITISH ARMY TRAINING UNIT KENYA

The BATUK CIS Section – LCpl Joe Higgins, Cpl Ian Hare, Cpl Matt Broadway, LCplStevie Lyle, LCpl Alex Tann, LBdr Aaron Lee and Cpl Danny Roserie

JOINT COMMUNICATIONS UNIT

(FALKLAND ISLANDS)

OC Maj Ben Howarth

USM WO2(USM) Steve Carley RLC

UNIT HEADQUARTERS

October saw the replacement of WO2(USM) Young with analtogether different breed from the usual J6 creatures, WO2(USM)

Steve Carley of the Royal Logistics Corps. We also said farewellto our XO, WO Barry Ashworth RAF, who is ably replaced byWO Dave Nolan RAF. The Tp Comds also rolled over with Capt

Gareth Davies handing over to 2Lt Georgina Merchant freshfrom her Tp Comds course. Continuing on the youthful theme itwas time for Flt Lt Andy Fleming to say farewell and for Flt Lt

Nick Harris to step into the breach as Ops Officer.


Amongst our sections, the IT Cell have said farewell to Sgt Claire

Old RAF and Sgt Dave Thirlwell RAF, and welcomed theirreplacements Sgt Jerry Newby RAF and Sgt Rhys Williams

RAF. In December, Tac Comms waved off Sgt Mick Qualtrough

and greeted Sgt Percy Thrower, while in January CMIS saw thedeparture of Sgt Mick Partridge and received Sgt Chris Craven.

THE BFSAI CUP

Twelve units from across theatre battle it out each year for theBFSAI Cup. The competition comprises 11 sporting events: aswimming gala, 5-a-side football, cross country, Super Teams,volleyball, racket sports, netball, kwik cricket, uni-hoc, the TurkeyTrot (a 10km race) and a 10km march and shoot. ISS SAI didwell and came 4th at the close of the competition in December,despite lying in 10th position in September! Our admittedlymixed performance nevertheless yielded some very strong resultsas well, as we came a resounding 1st in the March and Shoot,2nd in the Turkey Trot and 3rd in the swimming gala, racketsports and uni-hoc events. Special mention must be given tothose individuals who excelled in the Turkey Trot: LCpl Mandy

Kidd was first female, AB Michael Whelan came in 7th with SAC

Lance McMahon coming in 14th.

SWIM FOR LIFE

Charity events are another part of life here at Mount PleasantComplex and ISS SAI’s contribution for the last quarter was the“Swim for Life” in aid of MacMillan Cancer Research, organisedby LCpl Ben Mills. ISS SAI personnel swam a grand total of1,412 lengths in 1 hr – the equivalent of almost 30 miles. Again,special mention must be given to LCpl Mills, Sgt Kara

Rokovada and Sgt Maddie Tysoe who swam 60 lengths apiece,Cpl ‘Clazz’ McClarence who excelled with 70 lengths and finallythe OC, Maj Ben Howarth and the Ops O Flt Lt Nick Harris

who, at 100 lengths each, were simply showing off.

DETERRENCE AND REASSURANCE PATROL WITH 2 PARA

- by Sig Graham Loney

D Coy, 2 PARA were to deploy on an op patrol 65km across theNorth East Falklands on foot, carrying all required equipment onperson. They requested for any individuals who would like aninsight into infantry tactics and felt up to the challenge to comealong. I volunteered, keen to see the harder side of life so Iwould appreciate the little luxuries of a 6 day working week andhaving a warm single bedroom to relax in every evening!

We started off at a chilly 0530hrs, firstly heading onto HMS Clydefor 3½ hr of smooth sailing round the North East side of thecoast. Here the 100 strong patrol was heli-lifted off to ourinsertion point at Macbridge Head. As the final chalk was beingdropped off, the weather changed from calm to wet and windy.This brought about smiles on everyone’s faces, coupled with thethought of the oncoming tab to Green Patch!

It was interesting to see how the infantry conduct a tacticalpatrol; though I remembered much of it from basic training, therewere a lot of hand signals that I had to pick up on quickly. In theevenings I was shown certain ‘tricks of the trade’ on everythingfrom lightening Bergen weight and ‘Gucci’ must-have kit, tospicing up the ration packs. Luckily the local Falklandspopulation welcome the patrols and at times allow them to usetheir barns rather than bashering up in the elements.

On the first day, by 1700hrs, it was blowing a gale and snowingheavily and this continued for the next 5 days, gettingprogressively worse. On the second night, after doing a fewclearing up jobs for the local farmer, he supplied us with somegeese. Immediately a theory and practical lesson on preparing agoose was laid on, then the lads wasted no time in making a fireand getting the geese added to the rations. During our travels wehad the pleasure of meeting some of the locals who were hereduring the Falklands war and had our picture taken with one ladywho during the conflict patrolled with 3 PARA to point out wherethe Argentine Forces were holding up.

Overall, I thought it was a successful experience and certainly anenjoyable one, even though the patrol was cut short by one nightdue to the inclement weather. In hindsight, perhaps that wasluck, as on the final day we were to tab the furthest distance fromMount Kent to MPA.

The 2 PARA lads were very welcoming, and although the wholetime was spent in freezing, wet and snowy weather they werealways in a good mood. When relaxing they give the impressionof a bunch of brothers having a mess around, but when they arein role they were serious, professional and always keeping on topof their drills. This has been a great experience for me and onethat I will remember long after I have left the shores of theFalkland Islands.

THE FALKLANDS - by LCpl Alan Larman

It all began with a fairly innocuous question from my FofS, WO2

Grey, ‘How would you like to go to the Falkland Islands?’ I hadbeen pestering for an op tour for some time, having just missedout on the last Op OCULUS.

The main requirements for this post were a Class 1 Tech, Cpl orSgt. Being a Class 2 recently promoted LCpl, my posting wasapproved after a flurry of emails and the paperwork went toGlasgow to set up the FTRS post, as this was usually a Regularslot. I had to attend a month long residential course at Blandfordand my civilian employees were extremely helpful and allowed meto give them 3 day’s notice.

I was contacted by the current incumbent of the post Sgt

Murcott and was quickly provided with detailed pre-deploymentnotes and a rough idea of what the job entailed. I was to deploy to Mt Kent as the sole Army presence there alongside asmall team of RAF personnel. The description of the place left me feeling I was at the frontier of the remaining BritishEmpire, a bit like Beau Geste but with penguins and nicerneighbours.

Upon arrival I was shown the site and briefed about theprocedures in the case of high winds, which is a great deal of thetime. The facilities at my disposal for my off-work time were verygood. These included a cinema, a well stocked gym, a saunaand access to the internet. The bad news was the internetallocation for the 12 people on site had recently been droppedfrom 10 GB to 6 GB per month, they had been snowed in untilrecently and they had also lost water for a week due to the water pipes freezing. On the plus side it must be said that themeals provided by the 2 resident RAF chefs have been second tonone.

As a civilian, the transition to deployed soldier was a strange one.In some ways deploying as the sole Army representative among10 RAF personnel who had deployed at similar times wasprobably more difficult than deploying to a Regular sigs unit. TheRAF has a slightly more relaxed attitude, which was confusing atfirst, but I experienced none of the inter service rivalry I often readabout in the tabloids. Once I completed my baptism of fire andafter a few e-mails, phone calls and social nights, I felt part of theteam and capable of filling the role for which I had beendeployed, namely the maintenance of the LAMBETH radios andthe site phone system. Everyone on site has additional duties, alegacy of when there were 30 plus people on site; mine includethe welfare PCs, phone cards and the gym.

Having settled in, I began looking at the options I had for trainingand continued development. I have been able to make use of theDLP in order to complete a variety of on-line courses and havebeen able to arrange for me to work through the lessons andassessed practical exercises required for me to complete myBowman Advanced Signallers qualification, useful as my homeunit 1 (RBY) Sig Sqn (V) were due to be Bowmanised in myabsence. Unfortunately, I have not been able to participate in theleadership development courses provided by the Joint EducationCentre at MPC for SACs and Ptes but there is scope for Cpls tocontinue Phases 2 & 3 of their JCLM in theatre.


The range of extracurricular activities available for theatrepersonnel is extensive and MPA has its own go-kart track andpaintball arena, as well a golf course for the career orientated. Ihave signed up for the Falklands Challenge which comprises638.25 km: 575.35km on land (walk, run or bike) and 62.9 km onthe sea (swim or rower). The prize for this is a T-shirt, so I canadd this to the one I got for doing the Dew Pond Run the lasttime I was in Ascension. I was also recently tasked withresearching the Battle for Mt Kent by the SNCO Eng, Sgt ‘Shark’

Jones, and have visited SAS Point where the SAS had an OP in1982 monitoring the Argentines in Stanley.

Overall I am enjoying my deployment and as the weatherimproves I will take my R&R to look around at the naturalwonders here on the island including orcas, 5 types of penguins,sea lions and seals, as well as the wealth of historical sites.Professionally, I hope to return to my unit a more confident andcompetent technician than when I left.

JOINT SERVICE SIGNAL UNIT (CYPRUS)

CO Lt Col Dooley

RSM WO1(RSM) Walledge

OLD v BOLD RUGBY MATCH - by LCpl Sadler

During the build up to the Christmas festivities the JSSU(Cyprus)Rugby club, called the “Staggs”, had their annual Old v Bold(older v younger players) rugby match. The ideas was that it wasa farewell match for the coach Cpl Jim Oram RAF Police, whodeployed to Al-Udeid in Quatar in the New Year. The game wasboth competitive and exciting, with the Adjt, Capt ‘Izzy’

Bangurah and CO, Lt Col Dooley having a fair few tacklesagainst them. Unfortunately the final score didn’t go so well forthe Old team with Sgt Ross Stanley scoring the only try andconversion.

1 SQUADRON CHRISTMAS PARTY - by LCpl Sadler

On 18 December, 1 Sqn had their annual Christmas party at theSalamis Bay Hotel and Casino in Famagusta, Northern Cyprus.The Venue was excellent and a welcome change from the usuallocal bars in southern Cyprus. The event was so good itattracted a number of guests from the other Sqns. Everybodygot a 3-course meal, which was very tasty but not the usualChristmas turkey meal everyone is used to, and as much tablewine and Efes as they could drink. Many of the Naval CPOs tookthis to be a challenge and were the only people seen drinking thewine; most people had given up after the first vinegary sip thatmade you try and suck your teeth down your throat. There was asuitably cheesy disco/karaoke, a money tree raffle and for thosethat were feeling particularly lucky or rich there was the Hotel’sCasino. Cpl Lafford, LCpl Parry and LCpl Wise, all of who wereleaving the Unit the next day, were forced to sing a farewell songby the Sqn 2IC, Capt Glover. He chose the Village PeopleYMCA for them. They looked a little hesitant to start with but itsoon became apparent that they all knew the words and actionstoo. The winners of the night were Cpl Andrea McMurray andFlt Lt Sharpe RAF who scooped the jackpot. Some peopleextending their stay at the Hotel for the night to make use of their

excellent Turkish Baths. Finally, a big thank you to Sgt Adam

Nelson and his committee for arranging a great function.

JSSU CAROL SERVICE - by LCpl Sadler

The annual Christmas Carol service took place on 18 Decemberin the Combined Mess. The Service was lead by the Unit Padre,Flt Lt Pete Edwards with the help of the children from the localPrimary School. They delighted us with their musical talents,each year sang the song they performed at the School’sChristmas Service. There were also some great readings by CPO

Brian Gill and LCpl Sadler. To top the service off, the Padrecalled the Officers to form a choir and had them bobbing up anddown to perform the ‘12 Days of Christmas’. After the servicethere was a cake sale lead by everybody’s number one Naval PTI,LPT ‘Maggs’ Maguire, who got stitched up and made to dresslike a pixie. All of the cakes were made by the Unit’s chefs andentered into the Cyprus Christmas Cake competition, where theydid very well coming 2nd overall on island. The bidding startedslowly but soon the money started to flow as the competition tobuy cakes increased. This was helped by the kids who soonrealised that it would be fun to bid on their parents behalf and gota little carried away; there were a number of worried lookingparents at the end of the auction. All the money raised form theauction went to the charity ‘Help for Heroes’.

AYIOS NIKOLAOS BURNS NIGHT 2010 - by Flt Sgt Anderson

Friday 15 January saw the Combined Mess transformed into aScottish festival of remembrance for the great man himself,“Rabbie Burns”. It was an excellent turn out with over 100personnel coming to enjoy the evening. Sig Motherwell from theband of the Royal Corps of Signals Pipes and Drums entertainedthe guests as they arrived.

Sgt Petchy tackles Adjt Capt Izzy Bangurah

LPT Maguire dressed as an elf auctioning the Christmas cakes


Assembled guests awaited the arrival of the CO, Lt Col Mike

Dooley in the usual manner for a Burns Night by consuming asmany arrival drinks as possible, which for some would indicatethe night which lay ahead. Before entering the dining hall, theMaster of Ceremonies, Capt Dave Longmuir requested arendition of, “Cock up your Beaver” from WO2 Ian Collins.Despite being as English as they come, Ian gave it his all andwas rewarded by rapturous applause by all.

The first of the formal parts of the evening, the Address to theHaggis was delivered by WO1 Gordon Tibbetts who despite anynerves pulled off an excellent rendition, which set the tone for therest of the evening. The traditional fayre was enjoyed by all, asimple menu of Cock-a-leekie soup, Fillet Steak and Haggis withChampit Mash and Veg and followed by a dessert of WhiskyFlavoured Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce. The quality of the foodwas second to none with the head chef, LCpl J Colville and histeam receiving nothing but praise for their excellent efforts.

During the evening the Chairman for the function, Flt Sgt Dougie

Anderson, called upon the Master of Ceremonies for poems.These of course were not undertaken by volunteers but more by“voluntolds”. Individuals were selected for their misdemeanourseither prior to the function or during it. All those selected were,either with the help of the wine or whisky or in some cases bothgave an impressive rendition of their chosen poem or song. Asthe evening progressed the Chairman delivered the key notespeech of the night, The Immortal Memory. For those not fully aufait with a Burns evening this is the speech which describes thebard’s life from his humble beginning in Alloa, Scotland to hisdeath in July 1796. Due to the number of guests from south ofthe border, it was kept relatively short and light hearted whichwent down well with the assembled guests.

Those who have been to a BurnsNight know that the highlight of theevening is the toast to the Lassiesand the reply from the Lassies, givenby SSgt Kenny Smith and CPO

Kimberley Wyche respectively.Between them they had multipleguests crying with laughter and fromsomeone who has been to many aBurns Night, they were by far thebest I have heard.

As the tables were cleared theguests returned to the bar for moredrinks and it was obvious that thefree whisky had taken its toll onsome. The piper and DJ continuedto entertain long into the night with amixture of traditional Scottish andmodern music resulting in the bar

remaining full, a good indication of a highly successful evening.With guests paying 5 euro for a chance to see just how difficult itis to play the pipes, over 100 Euro was raised for ‘Help forHeroes’. All in all, an excellent evening which the committeeshould be justly proud of.

JOINT MESS ARMY NIGHT – ARNHEM 65th ANNIVERSARY

- by Maj Kevin Byrne

Hot on the heels of a very successful battlefield tour to Arnhem16 – 21 September 09, it was decided to hold a dinner night inthe Joint Mess at JSSU(Cyprus) to continue the theme of OpMARKET GARDEN. A lot of imagination went into organising thenight; the Mess was decked out as the Hartenstein Hotel atOosterbeek, complete with burnt curtains, debris and woundedsoldiers, ably played by the Unit’s Defence Section. We evenmanaged to acquire over 20 weapons for displays around theMess. However, without doubt the highlights of the event werethe life sized Horsa Glider and the MK1 Tiger Tank that were builtas props to complement the night. Both the glider and the tanktook nearly 3 weeks to build, but together they really made thenight go off with more than one bang.

The guest speakers for the evening were Brig Chip Chapman

and Mr Nick Kelso, who had been the Unit’s official war walkerfor the Arnhem battlefield tour. Both speakers graciously agreedto fly from the UK and Europe respectively for the night andeveryone agreed their presence made the night very special. Thefunction finished around 0500hrs and a grand time was had by allwho attended. A special thanks from Maj Kevin Byrne to allthose who worked so hard to make the night very memorable; inparticular SSgt Dave Laurence and Sgt Stan Stanley.

Burns Night

WO1(FoS) Tibbetts addressing the haggis

The Mk1 Tiger Tank made for the eveningwith a mystery commander


OC Maj M McCorry

USM WO2 N Elliot

INFRASTRUCTURE TROOP

Tp OC Capt Matt Tremelling

Aki SSgt SSgt Dave King MBE

Dhk SSgt SSgt Kips Fisher

Epi SSgt SSgt Ian Farrow

Spt Flt Flt Lt Paul Grimes

AKROTIRI SECTION - by Sig Hopkins

The Sect has been going though some changes in the past fewmonths adjusting to working alongside Bailey Teswaine (BTes)civilian contractors. BTes have taken the lead with fixing faultsleaving us to get on with ongoing projects. Firstly we say a fondfarewell to Sgt Bridger who left us for 2 Sig Regt and Sig

Malerek who left us on promotion to 10 Sig Regt, Cpl Al

Mousley to 18 Sig Regt and last but not least Cpl Thompson to7 Sig Regt. This has left the Sect with no PTIs, much to thedelight of some of the Sigs. SSgt King and LCpl Hardy swiftlyaddressed this by completing the Endurance Training Leaderqualification.

December saw the very well organised last ever CCU Christmasfunction at the Amathus Hotel in Paphos – we got to seeeveryone polished up in their dinner outfits. Good food and raffleprizes were just a few things among many, which made anexcellent night.

The Section 10-pin bowling team have been back in action forthe start of the new league – let’s hope they land some betterresults than last year. All that aside, the Sect has been able tofulfil its role within CCU dealing with RFCs and projects giving ouryoung Sigs the opportunity to gain more experience and fill inthat Class 3 to 2 book. Also we are nearing the completion ofproject Welchman.

To summarise it has been a demanding but fun couple of months,so let’s hope for more of the good things in the near future.

DHEKELIA SECTION - by Sig Phillips

Dhekelia Sect has had a few events worth mentioning recently.We have said goodbye to 2 members of the Sect: LCpl

Matthews has now moved on to RAF Henlow, so we wish him allthe best and Sig Van Zyl has moved to 10 Sig Regt; all the bestto him too. For Sig Van Zyl we decided we would go to the localbowling alley for a leaving get-together which brought out thecompetitive side of a lot of people. The overall winner was Sgt

Poole who had an outstanding score of 222; so from all the boysin Dhekelia well done and better luck next time to Sig Van Zyl

and Sig Downey who were the shockingly bad losers.

Two members of the Sect successfully gained their motor bikelicence, so well done to Cpl Watson and Sig Loney.

Unfortunately Cpl Murney wasn’t as successful and we wish himthe best when he sits his re-test in the near future; until then stickto your scooter!

Congratulations to Cpl Murney on his selection for instructor andimminent posting to ATR Winchester to instruct Phase 1 recruits.We are sure he will do well there when he arrives in June.Also putting normal work aside for a minute, Sig Loney and Sig

Downey have been attached to the ESBA Resident Inf Bn, 2PWRR for some interesting and challenging inf training. Morefollows below on their experiences.

Lastly we would all like to congratulate SSgt Kips Fisher for hisselection for promotion. We all hope Jamie, Megan and Logan

all enjoy Oman.

EPISKOPI SECTION - by LCpl Buley

The winter months of 2009 have seen Epi Sect focus on work inprogress, maintenance of records and keeping warm. Thingshave been quiet on the social front for us other than the usualChristmas functions during “silly season” and the island ‘Mech’Christmas gatherings. Even the leaving function for Cpl

‘Thommo’ Thompson was surprisingly civilised. Upcomingfunctions include farewells to SSgt ‘Norwich’ Farrow, and LCpl

Hamilton. Normal service will be resumed.

Many of us found the Christmas flight situation a problem withthe UK airports coming to a stand still and airline companiesgoing bust. Luckily everyone who wanted to go managed to gethome in the end, with a little extra expense or overnight stays ona bench at Gatwick Airport.

Many of the Sect made it all the way to Las Vegas for Cpl

‘Johnno’ Johnson’s wedding and New Year Celebrations,returning with a few tales about SSgt Farrow going on a “Fearand Loathing” style bender around the casinos and managing tocome out with some winnings! We also believe there are a few“what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” tales we have not heardabout. We would like to congratulate Cpl Johnson and his wifeKatrina on their marriage and wish them a long and happy lifetogether.

We have recently said goodbye to Sig Billingsley who has left usto 241 Sig Sqn on promotion. Well done on your promotion andcongratulations to your new Unit’s football side who are gaining agoalkeeper! Maybe you will fit some work in around your footballcommitments? LCpl Hamilton has left for the 10 Sig Regt andshortly SSgt Farrow will join him there as CPO.

BACK TO BASICS WITH 2 PWRR - by Sig Loney

The 2nd Bn Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment (2PWRR) haverecently completed their time as Theatre Reserve Battalion (TRB)and following a well deserved period of leave and reconstitution itwas time for the lads to get back into their fundamental training.Following some relationship building by Sgt Dino Simpson fromAki Sect and SSgt Fisher the opportunity was presented forsome of CCU to deploy on ex with a coy for a week. Sig

Downey and I volunteered to participate and learn whatever wecould from the experienced troops.

The ex itself was 5 days and 4 nights and covered 85 km up inthe Troodos Mountains here in Cyprus. The terrain wasobviously hilly, rocky and with countless bramble bushes. Thismade movement difficult and hazardous which became apparentafter 2 men suffered injuries: one with a broken arm and one witha broken leg. This happened within the first 2 nights and wewere surprised at how much effect this had on the fighting forceof the sects.

As this ex was based on the experience gained by 2 PWRR onops, we completed an insertion ‘TAB’ into the harbour area where we waited for further orders. Once the ‘int’ was received,the comds formulated their plan, deployed recce patrols, and set up OPs. While on patrol we searched for IEDs, raided enemy positions, established ambushes and got ambushed inreturn.

The sect, pl and coy attacks taught us a lot. The enemy had wellthought out, dug-in positions and always had reserves in depth

DE&S - CYPRUS COMMUNICATIONS UNIT


that sprung to life just as the lead sect rolled through the firstpositions. They were cunning and widely dispersed over themountains and all the attacks were completed at dusk, night orearly morning, as you would expect.

During the ex, Sig Downey was tasked with becoming the PlSgt’s runner and also completed a task of 2 IC Coy HQ. I was

tasked with the Pl Comd’s runner and shared the position of radioman with the Pl Sig.

Overall we both really enjoyed our time with the troops from 2PWRR and found the experience a real eye opener. We wouldlike to thank 2 PWRR for this opportunity and for sharing their opexperiences with us.

SPORT

EXERCISE EXTREME SURF DAHAB 2010

- by Capt Jon Markendale OIC Corps Windsurfing

The end of January saw 38 personnel from across the Army travelto Egypt on the Royal Signals led windsurfing training camp, ExDAHAB EXTREME SURF. The training camp had been puttogether to allow windsurfers from across the different capbadges a chance to have consistent training conditions in whichevery class of sailor would be able to learn and hone their skills.This would be under the diligent eye of ASA Windsurfing TrainingManager Jon Metcalfe, in preparation for the Joint Servicescompetition to be held in May. Seven personnel from the Corpswere lucky enough to be selected to attend the training camp,from complete novices (“What’s a windsurfing board?)” to theAdvanced (“Yeah, I just pulled off my first flat forward”).According to the instructors, the weather was unseasonablywindy, blowing at least a force 4 – 5 every day and actuallyunseasonably cold. Here are some of the experiences from theguys:

START COURSE - by Sgt Graham Lafferty

After a quick welcome to the resort on the first morning and thena short walk down the beach to the big equipment shed, thiswindsurfing idea definitely seemed to be a good one. The 5 hrflight and a bit of drama at an Egyptian police check pointseemed a million miles away now as we sat in the sun waiting tomeet our instructors. The START windsurfing group wasintroduced to James, Will and Hasan who would be ourinstructors for the week. The group consisted of 16 peopleranging from a Lt in the Gunners to a Sig from the Corps. Firstthing was some dry-land simulator training where we were givena bit of an introduction to windsurfing and then we grabbed ourboards and moved down to the sea for a bit of practical. Gettingon and staying on the board which although all sounds prettystraight forward was a little more complicated than it looked!

However, after some falls and some sound instruction, by the endof the morning we were all, just about, there. After lunch it wastime to add sails and get moving – luckily followed very closelyby the safety boat. With the wind on our backs we all sailed offto the open lagoon before realising how incredibly difficult it wasto come back with the wind in your face! With our instructors onhand, and a lot of use of the safety boat, we all made it back tothe shore happy with our first day of windsurfing.

Day 2 and we were straight back into the sea for a bit of a recapon the previous day’s instruction. We then went back to thesimulator for some theory on how to steer our windsurfing boardsin the correct direction. Again this all sounded pretty straightforward but out in the water after lunch, things didn’t seem to begoing quite as planned. A good day’s windsurfing and a lot offriendly banter in the START group led to a well deserved nightout in the local town where one or two of the local cocktails weresampled and some of the girls perfected their bartering skills withthe local merchants.

By the third morning, although a little tired from the previousnight’s excursion, all the START windsurfers were up and raring togo; unfortunately the wind was up too and, due to the conditions,the START group were stopped from going out on the water.Although this wasn’t ideal, it gave us all a chance to explore thelocal area and in the afternoon take a quad bike safari throughthe local hillside.

Day 4 brought better news and with wind conditions dropping,we were able to get back on the water. After a spot more theoryand a lot of explanation, we were all taught how to tack and jibewhich is basically turning the board towards and away from thewind; however this was a lot more complicated than theinstructors made it appear. Again by the end of the day we had aventured out across the lagoon and managed to return safely.Day 5 was time to put it all together and though a strong wind

Team photo – Sig Ricky Robinson, SSgt Rob Hickley, Capt JonMarkendale, Maj John Fradley, Sig Andy Mitchell and Sgt Graham

Lafferty

Sgt Graham Lafferty attempts full ramming speed against the jetty


meant that although conditions weren’t ideal, they were testingand ensured the START windsurfers would get a lot out of theday. Out and back from the lagoon meant a good but tiring day’swindsurfing for all. The final day meant it was time to pit ournewly found skills against each other in a team race which meanteveryone’s competitive streak came out – as well as a bit ofcheating! Nevertheless the race went well and was both testingand a lot of fun. No doubt my skills will be tested again duringthe Joint Services Novice competition in the summer!

INTERMEDIATE GROUP - by Sig Andy Mitchell

We awoke nice and early to be at Gatwick airport for 0745hrs tocheck in to fly to Sharm el Sheikh airport. After a long 4½ hrs,we eventually landed to be greeted by a hot overcast evening.We met our rep who took us to our hotel, the Corallia, we wereshown our rooms and where the restaurant was. After some localcuisine we met in the bar for a few drinks to get to knoweveryone.

As I had previous windsurfing experience I was put into theINTERMEDIATE non planing group. The aim for the week was toimprove on our existing skills and learn a few new things. Themorning session started with a lesson on the simulator showingus how to sail close to the wind. This was important as the windcame from an offshore direction. The rest of the morning andafternoon was spent on the water putting into practice what wehad just learnt.

Day 2 saw us getting to grips with hooking and unhooking in theharness. This is especially important if you want to go fast andnot tire your back and arms quickly. The rest of the morning andafternoon led to a lot of frustration as our group were hookinginto the harness and being catapulted, falling on top andunderneath the sail, which meant a lot of swimming.

Day 3 and we woke to a very strong wind and were told by theinstructors that only the advanced sailors were allowed to goonto the water. We took the opportunity to do some sight seeingand decided to go for a quad bike ride up into the mountains –not a bad alternative!

Day 4 and 5 saw us concentrate on race winning manoeuvres.First we worked on the quick tack instead of the slow static turn.Again a lot of frustration on the water as the sail kept knockingpeople off their boards while trying to get to grips with this trickymanoeuvre. The next day we spent learning how to fast gybe inthe morning. The plan was to do it on the water in the afternoonbut as the wind picked up quite a bit, the emphasis changed toblasting (going really fast!) and harness work. That evening wasspent learning a little bit about the local area and a camel ride upinto the mountains, where we enjoyed the local cuisine.

The day everybody looked forward to race day. The morning wasgiven to practise everything we had learnt in the week. The windwas kind enough to allow us to practise the difficult fast gybe.Time soon went and it was time to race. There were 2 fleets; theADVANCED and the INTERMEDIATES. It consisted of 3 races outto a buoy and back – known as the master blaster. This was agreat experience as it was the first time I had raced andsurprisingly got on OK. Hopefully I will go into theINTERMEDIATE fleet and will race around the same circuits asthose in the ‘top-flight’!

ADVANCED AND ADVANCED PLUS - by SSgt Robert Hickley

The guys in the ADVANCED and ADVANCED PLUS groups weregiven some expert tuition from the Neilson instructors and Jon

Metcalfe, the ASA windsurfing manager. The ADVANCED groupwere continually hammered on their quick manoeuvres, shortboard tacking and carve gybing, which involved taking a lot ofspeed into turns and, more often than not, being spat out andover the top of the board. By the end of the week theADVANCED guys progressed onto chop-hopping, jumping, (thetheory behind) forward loops and the duck gybe – passing thesail over your head as you turn. Capt Markendale clearly

missed the bit of instruction of not attempting this transition withanything more than a 6m sail; he was last seen chewing thebottom of his 7m before taking a lengthy swim in the sea. TheADVANCED plus group were straight at the deep end, learninghow to perform the flat water forward loop (no mean feat), duckgybing, slam gybing, the completely pointless upwind anddownwind 360 and ‘how to look good whilst pointing at thecamera’.

A trip out to ‘Kamikaze’ saw head to mast high waves and someawesome manoeuvres, and the majority of the group had somekind of encounter with either rocks, the reef or sea urchins –including one encounter on the first day that saw one of the guysreceive a peppering of spines from the tip of his toes to the endof his heel. The advice given by the local doctor was to walk onit so that the spines would be broken up – not a pleasant sight foranyone to see! On ‘racing Saturday’ the ADVANCED andADVANCED PLUS groups were put into the same racing fleet; 3rounds of master blaster and hold down as big kit as possible.Maj John Fradley showed the younger members of the team

how to do it with anexcellent 3rd place,although we were allgiven an educationby the ASAwindsurfingmanager as hecame 1st in everyrace! Prizes wereawarded that night,where I wasawarded the (Toilet)Duck Advancedaward for my duckgybing, Capt Jon

Markendale a pairof rubber gloves toprotect his handsfrom beingdestroyed further –windsurfing withbleeding holes inyour palms andfingers looks painful– and Sig Ricky

Robinson awardedthe prize for mostrubbish hat of theweek.

Capt Jon Markendale chop-hopping with some free boardadvertising shots thrown in

SSgt Rob Hickley plays ‘catch me if youcan’


- by Sig McInnes and Sig Parker 216 Sqn

Ex KESWICK RUNNER (KR) is the annual Royal Signals CrossCountry camp held in the Lake District for the benefit of all cross-country and running athletes of all standards. This year’s ex washeld between 11 – 16 October in the ‘hilly’ area of Keswick. Theweek consisted of various different training sessions as well aslessons in nutrition, foot care, running posture and yoga. Inaddition there was a sports therapist on hand to massage ourweary legs!

The first challenge was a 3.5 mile hilly run in Windlater Forest. Itwas supposed to be a ‘shake out’ from the weekend but turnedout to be quite a challenging run. However, as would beexpected Sigs Brand, McInnes and Parker from 216 werealways at the front leading the way! The afternoon consisted of a4 mile recovery run along a disused railway which was nice andrelaxing after the first session.

Day 2 started with a 5 mile fartlek training session aroundThirlmere Lake, followed by a 3 mile orienteering competition inthe afternoon again held in Windlater Forest. The orienteeringcompetition brought out the competitive side to everyone andproved that the fastest runners don’t always win, as a team fromGroup 3 won the competition by 11 mins! They were rewardedwith New Balance Training shirts as prizes from the OIC,WO1(YofS(EW)) Jefferson.

Day 3 consisted of ‘different’ types of team building exs with lotsof clothes pegs and string which caused a lot of laughter! Thiswas followed by a 7 mile ‘best effort’ race. Lt Col Forrest,Chairman Cross Country Committee, certainly gave us a run forour money setting the standard for all of us youngsters to try andbeat! The afternoon consisted of a lecture on nutrition, corestability and yoga enhanced fitness which had us all in stitches aswe discovered that our sense of balance and flexibility weren’tquite what we imagined!

As the week went on it felt like we were all back on P Coy again,as we were doing PT twice a day; although every session wasdifferent and believe it or not, enjoyable! In one particular eventon Day 4, we took part in a 8.5 mile undulating run whichWO1(YofS(EW)) Jefferson challenged Sig Brand to complete inunder 52 mins. Now this may sound easy for somebody from216 Sig Sqn, but taking into consideration the previous 3 day’straining and the undulating terrain, it was going to be tough! The carrot dangled was a night out in Keswick with a lie-in foreveryone, so he was keen to succeed, especially as he had toldthe Boss that it ‘was a dead cert’! We were set off in groups of 2at 4 min intervals with Sig Brand starting at the back. Hemanaged to claw his way past every group, massivelyencouraged on the way by everyone desperate to get a lie-in. Hecompleted the run in just over 53 mins but WO1(YofS(EW))

Jefferson gave us the lie-in due to the sheer determination andhard work Sig Brand put in for everyone. This prompted one ofthe PTIs to ask, “Why is it, all you lads in Maroon always try andwin?” Our reply was, “Because that’s what we do best!”

We had 2 chefs kindly provided from 14 Sig Regt who exceededall expectations. We were fed like kings every meal time whichwas well needed and deserved after a hard day’s training. Anyperson put off by the thought of running twice a day would bepleasantly surprised if they attended Ex KESWICK RUNNER. Itwas hard work but also educational, relaxed and most of all lotsof fun!

All of the runners from each of the different Units benefited fromeach training session and lesson and are keen to take part again.We would like to thank WO1(YofS(EW)) Jefferson for planningthe ex, WO2(QMSI) Oakes APTC for conducting the lessons, Cpl

Lynch for the well needed sports massage and the Chefs forproviding the fantastic food.

If anybody requires any information regarding Ex KR, contactWO1(YofS(EW)) Nicky Jefferson on 95571 2841.

EXERCISE KESWICK RUNNER

Group Photo on Ex KESWICK RUNNER

Ex EXTREME SURF has been a massive success providing acamp that has seen new sailors being brought into the sport,those that have been doing it for long really polished their skillsand those in the advanced fleets are now capable of challengingthe top flight across the Joint Services. A massive thank youmust go to Maj John Fradley for all his time, effort, blood, sweatand tears that went in to organising the training camp – not an

easy task ensuring that 38 windsurfers from across the Armywere in the right place, at the right time with the right kit and hadreceived all of the funding available to them. The Corps will berunning a camp in the first quarter of next year; if you areinterested in taking up windsurfing please get in touch:

[email protected]


Branch notes. We were sorry to hear of the sudden death inJanuary of David Warner, who was Hon Secretary of theShropshire Branch at the time. John Abram has kindly offeredhis services as the new Secretary. Ray Williams has succeededBob Peake as Secretary Poole Branch. Bob has been electedVice Chairman of the Branch. Ron Simmons has stood downafter serving as Secretary Sheffield Branch for the past 16 years.Ms Gail Leach succeeds Ron in office. Our thanks go to Bob

and Ron for all their good work for the branch and Corps. Mrs

Caroline Addison is the new Secretary of the Dorset Branch.

Annual Reunion. A reminder that this year’s reunion will be heldat Blandford over the weekend 19/20 June. Instructions are onthe RSA website, but for those without the Internet, a hard copycan be obtained from Assn HQ. We strongly urge that thoseplanning to attend, to get their car passes sent to them inadvance. This will save lengthy queuing at the Camp entrance onthe Saturday morning.

Corps Memorial. A DVD showing 22 of the Corps relatedmemorials at the National Memorial Arboretum is now available.The DVD also includes shots of the Armed Forces Memorial, thededication of the Corps Memorial in May 2008 and a map of thesite. Cost is £5.00 plus 50p each for p&p. Cheques payable to“PF & M Soward” to: Pat Soward, ‘Shipton’, The Hollow, ChildOkeford, Blandford Forum, Dorset DT11 8EX. All profits to beshared between the Air Formation Signals Assn and the RoyalSignals Benevolent Fund.

New Life Members. The following members have been enrolledsince the last issue of The Wire:

Rank/Name Service Branch/unit

Sig Norris Keightley 1953-55Cpl Anne Murphy 1987-96LCpl Ian Millar 1975-86WO1(RSM) Mick Yendell 1991-date11 Sig RegtCpl Ray MacLeod 1986-01Cpl ‘Billy’ Baker 1986-10Sig Stewart Blevins 1993-00Sig Michael Clarke 1958-60 Colchester BranchCpl Jim McPhee 1963-73Cpl Stephen Hope 1980-92LCpl Ronald Bee 1960-62LCpl Craig Coombs 1989-94Sgt Sandy Acathan(Shore) 1958-72Sig Peter Williamson 1983-88

Sig Simon Rayner 1984-89Sig Neil Singleton 1972-77WO1 Stephen Brown 1986-10SSgt Dave Gosney 1976-00 Poole BranchWO1 Steven Mayell 1984-08Sig Paul Greed 1976-87Cpl Mary-Jo Robson 1990-dateLCpl Royston Edwards 1984-95Sgt Paul Morgan 1978-91LCpl Ian Hewer 1958-60Sig Trevor Riley 1959-61Sgt Stuart Brown 1969-93SSgt Bruce Wagstaff 1981-05Sig Ron Reeve 1942-46 Brighton BranchSgt Derek Hannan 1972-83Sgt Jim Walmsley 1975-86Sgt Paul Elgenia 1983-00Cpl Dave Bartlett 1978-94Sgt Nathan Hadley 1993-07Sgt Margaret McMillan 1986-date N Ireland BranchLCpl Noel McBride 1968-82 N Ireland BranchCpl Peter Hewitt 1957-59Sig Mick Culverhouse 1953-55Cpl Don Reynolds 1971-78Sgt Geoff Taylor 1966-77Cpl Steve Dixon 1978-94SSgt Paul(Monty) Moore 1979-03Maj Dave Catchpole 1976-99Cpl Pete Vowden 1976-85 Poole BranchWO1 John Paterson 1980-04Cpl Baz Stark 1978-00LCpl Alex Hindle 1975-83Cpl Steve Cook 1975-87Sig Ian Steel 1980-88Sig Victor Howson 1964-70 Sheffield BranchSgt Neil Howarth 1988-10WO1 John Bathe 1969-92Sig Leslie Quarmby 1952-55Sgt Paul Donovan 1966-88Sgt Neil Crane 1989-dateSgt Robert(Taff) O’Connor 1987-10LCpl David Cox 1956-59 Air Fmn Sigs AssnSSgt Gareth Prydie 1994-10 52 Inf Bde Sig SqnSSgt Tony Cecil 1988-10Sig Dean McGrath 1990-93Sig Ian Lucas 1951-55WO1 Chris Green 1985-10LCpl Roy Cleaver 1950-52

THE ROYAL SIGNALS ASSOCIATION

General Secretary and Treasurer: Col (Retd) T CanhamAssistant General Secretary: Maj (Retd) IN Greig

Welfare Secretary: Mrs L SizelandMembership Secretary: Mr PJ Cuckow

Patron: HRH The Princess Royal

President: The Master of Signals

Chairman: Brig NF Wood

Association OfficeRHQ Royal SignalsBlandford CampBlandford ForumDorset DT11 8RHwww.royalsignlalsassociation.co.uk

Welfare SecretaryTel (mil) (9)4371 2089

Tel (civ) 01258 48 2089Email: [email protected]

Membership SecretaryTel (mil) (9)4371 2090

Tel (civ) 01258 482090Email: [email protected]

Col (Retd) Terry CanhamTel: 01258 482081

Maj(Retd) Ian GreigTel: 01258 482082

Mr Peter CuckowTel: 01258 482090


Cpl John Pratt 1949-52 Scarborough BranchSig Chris Parton 1985-94LCpl Tom McDonald 1985-93SSgt Jaffa Martin 1983-07LCpl Mike Custance 1958-60Sgt Chris Benson 1987-01Sgt Marc Ebanks 1987-10 RSSLCpl Mick Abbott 1954-56LCpl Mike Richardson 1969-74Sig Eric Frith 1953-55Col Phil Whitemore 1969-95 Salisbury BranchCpl John Campbell 1963-73Cpl David Ahmed 1986-95Sig Derek Wiseman 1961-70WO2 Stephen Cooper 2003-date HQ ARRCCpl John Kavanagh 1956-65Sig Stuart Hirst 1959-61

members of the ATS who served alongside her in Royal Signals trades in WW2 £25.00Jennifer Pinney in memory of Lt Col Victor McNaught-Davis £10.00

DONATIONS

Arthur Lennon £10.00Kathleen Pilton in memory ofLt Col Victor McNaught-Davies £25.00Mrs EM Thomas in memory of her husband Maj Norman Edgar Thomas £300.00Mrs M L Britt £25.00The Ten Tors Event 2010 from Abbey Charitable Trust £720.00Mrs A Morris in memory of Lt Col Lionel Victor McNaught-Davis £25.00Ronald Lester in memory of his dear wife Pam £200.00Edgar McCall in memory of H Stanley and B Chambers NI Branch RSA £20.00A & P Aeron-Thomas in memory of Lt Col Victor McNaught-Davis £100.00‘The Wanderers’ Masonic Lodge in memory ofSam Elliott £50.00Reading Branch RSA in memory of George Hickmore £15.00Certa Cito Lodge £20.00Donations totalling in memory of Maj John Heard £405.00Stewart May £3.00Alan Lewis £21.00Steve Cartwright £10.00Donation in lieu of 50th birthday present for John Bland £40.00Vernan Thomas in memory of RC Wright RAF died Dec 1940 £10.00Capt (Retd) Jim Esson in memory of Lt Col (Retd) Peter McNaughton OBE £25.00East Kent Branch RSA £600.00Lincoln Branch RSA £50.00Bournemouth Branch in memory of Maj (Retd) JD Heard £20.00Jim Banks to mark his 75th birthday £75.00Caroline Tibbits in memory of Lt Col Louis Victor McNaught-Davis £20.00Malta/Libya/Egypt Comd Assn in memory ofDennis Croot and Peter Taylor £50.00Huddersfield Branch RSA £100.00John Fryett £15.00Cheques in memory ofCol Herbert James Thompson OBE £495.00Collection at the funeral of WO1 John Goldsworthy £100.00Donations totalling in memory ofLt Col Lionel V McNaught-Davis £90.00James McNaught-Davis in memory of his father Lt Col Lionel V McNaught-Davis £20.00Alison Schofield in memory of Junior Commander JC Knight and the 11,497

ALDERSHOT BRANCH

Chairman Noel Moss

Secretary Mary Pagan

A flurry of branch activities in the last months of 2009 included aguided tour of the Royal Opera House, our Autumn Lunch inOctober and attendance at a Band Concert in Fleet in support ofthe Gurkha Welfare Fund.

The main meeting in November was a talk by Dr Mike Smith, aretired consultant surgeon, on the controversial subject“Cholesterol and Other Myths.” Our members, who turned up insome numbers to hear this, were no doubt hoping for some goodnews and were not disappointed. By means of a complex set ofgraphs and other data, Dr Smith demonstrated that highcholesterol is in fact necessary for the body’s correct functioningand the idea that it is responsible for heart attacks and strokes isbased on false statistics. Unsurprisingly this led to a lively Q&Asession.

In early December “Mercury”, our Branch Newsletter, containedour complete programme of events for the year ahead. Membersare now looking forward to the first of these, a visit to the Mill atSonning for dinner and a light hearted theatre performance of “It’sNever Alright on the Night.” Other events in 2010 include visits toHever Castle and Penshurst Place in addition to our regularfeatures such as the Annual Quiz Night on 13 May.

The turn of the year has been saddened by the loss of 3 muchrevered branch members. At the time of preparing these notes wehave just heard of the passing of Philip Akass who wascommissioned into the Corps but later transferred to REME. Hewas brother to Brig John Akass who died some years ago andwhom many will remember. We also greatly miss the positive andcheerful presence of Pat Larke, wife of John, who died after ashort illness in September. Finally, we must record the loss of ourvice president, Jane Knight, who was well known throughout theAssociation. She had served for almost 20 years on ourcommittee and remained active right up until the end of her life.We were joined by members of West London and ReadingBranches at Jane’s funeral in The Royal Garrison Church. Weextend our condolences to the relatives and friends of them all.

Members gathering in the foyer of the Royal Opera House


EAST KENT BRANCH

Chairman Trevor Allison

Secretary John Ballantyne

On 13 December, 79 members from various parts of the countyassembled at The Marine Hotel in Tankerton for a very goodChristmas lunch, complete with crackers, hats etc. This wasfollowed by a very successful raffle organised by Marian

Ballantyne.

Our January meeting, which should have been the AGM had tobe cancelled due to the inclement weather.

Our belated AGM was held at The Grangemoor Hotel inMaidstone on 7 February. Sixty one members attended this. Wewere honoured to have Brig Ted Flint, Signal Officer in Chief andhis wife Gillian join us for this meeting, after which Brig Flint

addressed us on “The Corps Today” and answered questions.Gillian was presented with a flower arrangement and Brig Flint abranch tie. This was followed by lunch and ended with Marian’s

popular raffle.

Gillian and Brig Flint with our President

LINCOLN BRANCH

Chairman Mr Fred Patman

Secretary Mr David Hambidge

January 2010 has been a sad month for the branch. First, welearned of the deaths last year of 3 of our members who had notattended meetings for some time; Jack Sergeant, Robert McVey

and Tony Sunderland. On 17 January John Rapley diedsuddenly at home. His funeral was held at Lincoln Crematoriumon 1 February and was attended by 10 Branch members as wellas representatives of the Beverley Ex-Boys Association. On 27January, Lt Col (Rtd) Peter McNaughton OBE sadly died.Peter’s funeral was held on Friday 12 February at Bretby inDerbyshire. The branch was represented at the funeral by Maj

(Rtd) Derek Wood MBE; the funeral was also attended bymembers of the 254 Association and members of Peter’s localRBL branch. Although some who have passed on had not beenseen at Branch meetings for some time, their passing was feltthroughout the Branch.

On a lighter note, Maj (Rtd) Frank Philp has stood down fromthe Branch Presidency after nearly 18 years. Frank was one ofthe founder members of the Branch in 1976 and has served theBranch continuously since then in a variety of committee posts,latterly as President. He is succeeded as President by Maj (Rtd)

Derek Wood MBE. At the AGM Frank was presented with aCitation by Derek Wood marking his service to the Branch andappointing him an Honorary Life President.

The presentation to Frank Philp by Derek Wood as he hands overthe Presidency of the Branch

NORTHERN IRELAND BRANCH

Chairman Mr J Reilly

Hon Sec Capt I Wolfe

APOLOGIES FROM THE BIM

Due to a sudden family bereavement in South Africa, the BIMapologises for there being no insertion from Northern IrelandBranch for the December edition of The Wire.

TA CUTBACKS

Dominating the headlines is the bad news of cutbacks in manyRoyal Signals units across the UK. The host Regt for our monthlymeetings at Clonaver Park TA Centre is 40 (U) Sig Regt (V), whichis one of those affected by being reduced to a Sqn. That willsoon become part of 32 Sig Regt in Scotland. We hope tocontinue to use the Clonaver TA Centre for our monthly meetingsfor some time to come. Being optimistic, we may get some newmembers from the Regt, as ex-members look for ways to keep intouch with old pals in familiar surroundings.

Our speaker in October 2009 was Mr Derek Nash talking about“The Battle of Passchendaele.” This was an inspired talk basedon the experiences of the troops involved. Copies of some oftheir letters were read out to add poignancy.

Our speaker in November 2009 was the military historian George

Busby who gave a most interesting talk on the history andpurpose of Gilnahirk Radio Station. During WW2 this radiostation was part of the Radio Security Service listening networkwithin the British Isles – the primary target was the GermanAbwehr organisation. It was a known fact that Germany washoping to establish a network of spies within the UK. Keeping intouch with Berlin would be established using radio sets. Listening for these illicit wireless transmissions and assisting thefull time professionals at stations like Gilnahirk was a group ofradio amateurs, members of the Radio Society of Great Britain(RSGB) who had been quietly recruited as Voluntary Interceptorsor VIs for the duration of the war. Once a radio transmission hadbeen intercepted, the content of the Morse Coded message, plusfrequency, date and time was recorded on a paper log sheet.This information was then passed to a mysterious PO Box 25,where every aspect of its interception became part of adiscrimination process. The encrypted or coded message wasalso sent to Bletchley Park in the hope that it could be brokenand read in plain language. Over time the VIs and full time radiooperators discovered the complete German Abwehr network,which existed not only in Europe, but further afield in places likeCanada, the USA and South America. There is too much to thisamazing wartime story to give a full account of George’s talk in


this article, but over timeour intelligence servicebegan to play a game ofcat and mouse with theenemy and throughvarious ways andmeans, we deceivedHitler and the Germanswhich gave us atremendous advantageduring various stages ofthe war. If the RadioSecurity Service (RSS)has one claim to fame, itmust be the success ofD Day.

The Christmas functionat Clonaver TAC wasespecially successful thisyear with a terrific quizand a raffle with lots ofprizes. Suggestiveremarks were overheard as many prizes were won by committeemembers! Hon Sec, Capt Ian Wolfe and wife Debbie, HonTreasurer won several between them, as did the Hon ChairmanJim Reilly. In fairness to each of them, they had bought moretickets than anybody else! There were plenty of other winnerswho were less obvious. Debbie and Ian provided the buffet laterwhich was a feast, enjoyed by all present.

Before this submission goes to press, we have the AGM to lookforward to on 17 February 2010.

As usual, we issue an invitation to all serving or ex-members ofRoyal Signals, regular or TA and ex-members of ATS/WRAC whoserved with Royal Signals, to join us at Clonaver Park TAC,Belfast, on the third Wednesday of each month.

Bob King, a former VI and full timemember of the Radio Security Servicewas recruited at the age of just 16. Heis one of only a handful of VIs still alive

to day

SWINDON BRANCH

President Lt Col (Retd) David Gent

Chairman Rod Ashman

Secretary Peter Howells

January 30th was the highlight of the year when we had ourannual dinner. It was extra special this year because we had 2special guests, WO1 Mark Morgan and his good wife Ceri. Mark is still a serving soldier and the Swindon Branch has madeMark an honorary member of the Branch. We met Mark whenhe was stationed at Tidworth and the Branch was invited asguests for a BBQ and a friendship was formed.

WO1 Mark Morgan receiving a diploma from our Chairman RodAshman

WEST LONDON BRANCH

We’ve begun 2010 on an unhappy note. Sadly we lost 2 of ourmost loyal and longest serving members towards the end of lastyear. Mrs Patricia (Trish) Stephenson, the wife of our treasurer,John, lost her long and very brave fight against illness inNovember. She was a good friend to us and we all miss herkindness and company at our monthly meetings and all the otherevents she used to attend. It’s just not the same without her.

Then as the year was about to end we heard the sad news thatCapt Jane Knight had passed away. Her funeral was held atthe Garrison Church in Aldershot and was attended by 10members of the Branch. Jane had a long and distinguishedcareer throughout the war. She had joined the ATS soon after itsformation and later transferred to the Signals and served in theUK and Italy.

We also owe a debt of gratitude to our standard bearer, Norman

Pearce, for his professionalism and efficiency at Jane’s funeraland at all the other occasions when he parades.

So we carry on with our meetings on the last Friday of eachmonth at the Royal British Legion premises in Richmond uponThames. We are always happy to see new faces and will bepleased to welcome any former Royal Signals personnel shouldthey find themselves in the area.

The writer has the considerable task of filling Capt Jane Knight’s

shoes as The Wire correspondent and I do wish to clear up amisunderstanding in the December issue. I am not a recentaddition to the Royal Hospital (yet!) but was introduced to Madge

Cole who had recently taken up residence there.

BEVERLEY EX-BOYS

ASSOCIATION

Chairman Mr Mick Teague

Branch Secretary Mr Tony Hull

Sadly we lost a number of members who passed away during thewinter months. However, looking forward to summer, Beryl andTony Hull will once again be holding a BBQ in their garden inBournemouth on Sunday, 18 July at 12.30 pm for 1 pm. Anymembers living within travelling distance would be mostwelcome. Please ring Tony on 01202-770261.

Our 2010 Reunion will be held on 24/25 September at theStaverton Park Hotel, Daventry, Northamptonshire which is a DeVere Hotel. Reservations should be made with Georgina Porter

on 01327-302002.

LAST POST

Name and Rank Served Years DiedMaj PC Akass 1938/48 16/01/2010Sig K Bent 1985/91 14/10/2009Maj JC Bradbury-Williams TD1946/48 15/02/2010Sig JD Bridge 1951/81 20/02/2010Sgt MW Broadbent 1950/60 23/11/2009Sig JR Broomfield 1945/48 25/01/2010Sgt HAL Buxton 1948/69 26/01/2010Sig RE Cains 1945/48 10/01/2010Sig FJ Childs 1940/47 19/11/2009Sig H Clarke 1955/57 16/11/2009


Name and Rank Served Years DiedSSgt RF Coleman 1940/46 01/10/2009Sgt LE Cooper 1941/45 04/08/2009LCpl F Crompton 1939/46 24/10/2009Maj L B H Custance-Baker 1936/58 27/12/2009Cpl D Dickinson 1958/62 01/10/2009Sgt JB Donaldson 1964/75 20/12/2009Sig L Earl 1957/59 10/02/2010Sgt AL Gambles 2003/05 21/11/2009Drv RE Gibson 1951/62 24/11/2009WO1 J Goldsworthy 1953/78 31/01/2010Brig KD Gribbin OBE 1939/69 01/05/2009Sig FG Hare 1939/46 21/02/2010SSgt D Harriott 1943/67 05/12/2009Sig W Hawkes 1936/46 ??/01/2010SSgt EWH Huntley 1936/54 12/08/2009Maj LCP Jaggard 1942/76 18/02/2010WO2 G Keeton 1952/77 23/01/2010LCpl WA Law 1940/46 ??/??/2009Sig JT Lloyd 1940/47 27/01/2010SSgt PG Lori 1953/76 29/11/2009Lt Col P McNaughton 1943/83 27/01/2010Sig RN McVey 1952/54 19/08/2009Capt AW Medhurst 1946/48 01/11/2009Cpl LJ Morris 1964/72 18/02/2010Lt ARD Murray CBE 1940/44 17/10/2009Maj JD Norfolk 1938/59 14/01/2010Sig S Noyon 1954/58 12/01/2010Sig RMC Prangnell 1972/73 25/11/2009Sig R Proud 1950/60 17/01/2010Sgt D Pudsey 1966/95 01/11/2009Capt EA Ranger 1949/46 ??/12/2009Sgt GJ Rapley 1953/75 17/01/2010Sig DFJ Reason 1939/46 24/12/2009Sgt SP Robinson 1942/47 08/02/2010LCpl EA Rowe 1938/46 25/04/2009Capt GOS Schreiber 1939/48 ??/??/2009Sig JH Sergeant 1939/45 ??/??/2009Maj RG Shears BEM TD 1938/48 17/11/2009Sig R Sowler 1942/47 14/08/2009Cpl T Sutherland 1950/55 ??/??/2009WO2 DG Turner 1942/?? ??/12/2009Cpl W Unsworth 1950/74 21/02/2010Sig D Walker 1941/46 06/02/2010Sgt FJ White 1939/45 30/01/2010Sgt AM Wilcox 1961/75 02/02/2010Sgt JJ Wilkins 1940/46 01/02/2010Sgt ME Wright 1952/55 17/09/2009

Magazine about 6 (Boys) Training Regiment and Michael andGillian were able to attend the 50th Anniversary of the forming ofthe Regt. From then on Michael and Gillian were staunchsupporters of the Beverley Ex-Boys Association, attending all theReunions and also get-togethers in Guernsey. Michael’s funeralwas held on 14 December 2009 and was attended by Mary andJohn Wardle. John Wardle was on the permanent staff of 6(Boys’) Training Regiment. We extend our deepest sympathy toGillian and the family.

OBITUARIES

BROADBENT – Michael W Broadbent died on 23 November2009.

Michael was born in 1934 and joined theArmy in 1950 at the age of 16½ whenhe went into 6 (Boys) TrainingRegiment at Beverley. He joinedmen’s service in December 1951 andwas sent to Catterick. He servedwith 1 Air Support Signals Unit atLemgo and Bielefield before being sent to Malaya. When he returnedto the UK he went to Bulford Campand was demobbed in 1960.

He met his wife, Gillian, whilst hewas serving in the Post Office andthey went on to run a local Post Officeuntil they retired. They have 2daughters, Maria and Kathryn, and twogranddaughters. In 2000, his brother, whohad also served in the Royal Signals, saw an advert in “Yours”

COLEMAN – Yeoman Anthony Leslie Coleman died on 5January 2010.

Tony Coleman was born on 14thNovember 1932 in Twickenham.Unfortunately his father died whenTony was 2 years old. He has a halfbrother and sister, Richard, wholives in Switzerland and Hilary, whomoved to Alderney 20 years agoand who both attended the funeral.

In 1949 at the age of 16, Tony

joined the Royal Corps of Signalsas a junior signaller moving toBeverley in the East Riding ofYorkshire in 1950. Indeed it wasmuch later that he became a member of the Beverley Ex-BoysAssociation which he enthusiasticallysupported. Boy’s service was a very hard lifeindeed, particularly at the age of 16, I have to say that most 16year olds today can’t even get out of bed let alone join the Armybut Tony persevered and the Army set his path for his future life.

In 1951 he underwent training at the Signals training schoolCatterick, after which he became a communication specialist, atrade which he loved and he excelled in. Tony had a long anddistinguished military career as a signaller, serving his country inboth peace and war, in the Far and Middle East and with NATOforces in Europe; indeed he became a comms expert, in securityand long haul radio comms, rising to the warranted rank ofYeoman of Signals. Later he was seconded to the Sultan ofOman Land forces where he was promoted to Capt.

On retirement from the army he made another career with localgovernment, finally retiring to his home here in Bournemouth in1995.

Tony was a devoted and loyal family man, his lifelong partnershipwith his wife Joan spanned 50 happy and productive years,indeed during their long marriage they were blessed with a son,Ian and grandchildren, Thomas, Billy and George. Tony marriedJoan in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, while serving with MalayCommand Sig Sqn. They were married in 1956 in the GarrisonChurch in Seremban Barracks. He devoted many years to nursingJoan, who he tragically lost in 2006, after a long debilitatingillness.

The funeral which was attended by between 50 and 60 peoplewas held at Boumemouth Crematorium on 19 January. The coffinwas draped with the 6(BTR) flag and a guard of honour wasformed by members of the Beverley Ex-Boys Association plusother military friends. Lt Col (Retd) Alan Davies read the eulogy.

LEA – Capt Arthur Lea died 23 December 2009.

Arthur was born in 1923 and went from Tonbridge School toGonville and Caius College, Cambridge. He joined the RoyalSignals in 1943 and was sent to 150 OCTU at Catterick. After hegained his commission, he was posted to 13 LoC Sigs in comd ofa Line Sect and served in Europe until the end of the war.

He was then posted to India and joined a draft sailing on theDuchess of Richmond in January 1945. After passing throughMhow, he was sent to GHQ India in New Delhi, where he took


command of a high speed wireless section in “Plot 30”. He waslater transferred to Poona and Bangalore. Arthur came home viaDeolali in the summer of 1947 and returned to Cambridge. Aftergraduating, he took up a position as assistant editor of “Nature”.Later he moved to teach physics at Kings College School,Wimbledon, and then to become a college lecturer.

He was an active and popular member of the Indian SignalsAssociation and met for lunch with fellow members of the“Duchess of Richmond” draft until shortly before his death. Hisunfailing good humour will be sadly missed and our deepestsympathy goes to his wife Mila and his daughters Monica andUrsula.

EMLEY – Col Derek Brereton Emley OBE died 10 December2009.

Derek Emley was born on 15 September1921, the only son of Col MW Emley

OBE TD, who as a Territorial ArmySignals Officer had the distinction ofcommanding the first TA Signallers(GG Airline Section) to go toFlanders in 1915. His impeccablemilitary family backgroundextended to his grandfather whowas Col of 1st NewcastleVolunteers, a Regt in the RoyalEngineer Sig Service.

Derek Emley was educated atLancing as a scholar and joined theArmy Class with a view to enteringWoolwich in September 1939. However,the cadet entry was discontinued that summerand instead he presented himself at the London Universityrecruiting centre. There he was told that his qualifications wereinsufficient for consideration as a Signals Officer; but a letterwhich he happened to be carrying from Brig Rawson – one timeChief Signals Officer persuaded the Recruiting Staff to make anexception and in due course on 9 September1940 Sig Emleyreported to the Depot Bn at Catterick.

In August 1941, he was commissioned from 152 OCTU andposted to 55th (West Lancs) Div Sigs in Sussex. Active warservice began with 78th Div at Algiers in November 1942 andtook Emley through the North African and Italian campaigns andthe final withdrawal from Palestine in 1947, with the 1st Armd Div.

Selected for further education at. Cambridge University, heentered Queens’ College in 1949 where he obtained a "Two One"in the 1951 Mechanical Sciences Tripos Part I and the next year aPass with Distinction in Part II. This was followed by a tour asInstructor at the School of Signals where his lectures on LineCommunication were frequently enlivened with thunderflashesand other pyrotechnics.

On a second tour at the School, he was a member of the newlycreated Planning Wing and was co author with Lt Col Norman

Porter of the 1970 Plan (Hobart) which gave rise to both thePtarmigan and Clansman ranges of equipment and he waspersonally responsible for defining the Military Characteristics (theprecursors of Staff Requirements) of the latter. This planstemmed directly from Derek Emley’s sound engineering logicand foresight. The importance of this plan was reflected in theCorps’ history in The Vital Link : “Looking back at this time, it was a real moment of inspirationand the decisive point at which the right or wrong turning mighthave been taken…….Emley concluded that the plan was the onlypossible way to proceed”……

He always remained at heart a practical soldier and wasimmensely proud of commanding 14 Sig Regt. At that time 14Sig Regt was responsible for the UK stations of theCommonwealth Communications Army Network (COMCAN)which provided long range wireless links to stations around the

world. While commanding the regiment between 1963 to 1966,the Army's UK main Terminal Tape Relay Centre was convertedwithout break in service from manual operation by some 250military,WRAC and civilian operators to full automation by STRADa large, valved, computer, built and installed by STC. In 1966 theRegt was granted the Freeedom of the City of Gloucester inrecognition of a long and happy association. Yet he displayedthis soldierly pride with immense modesty and dismissed hissignificant contribution “as only doing my job”. This was not theview of his seniors officers as he was awarded the OBE at theend of this tour.

The width of his experience at regimental duty was exceptional,having served at various times in Gunner Regts, Bde, Div andCorps Sigs; L of C, AA Comd and Air Formation Sigs; inCOMCAN and as Commandant of the RAC Signal SchoolBovington. He spent the last years of his service within the MODas Head of Signals 37, latterly OR 22, responsible inter alia for theintroduction into service of the Clansman family of combat netradio with which he had earlier been so closely associated.

On retiring after 36 years' service, Emley immediately joined theMarconi Company in Portsmouth and spent 10 years as an activeconsultant travelling extensively round the world promoting thecompany's military comms equipments, including the ClansmanVRC 353. This involved visiting 22 foreign countries in his first 3years with the company, lecturing on 3 occasions in French.

Derek Emley was a keen athlete and a high hurdler of somestyle, having been Sussex Junior Champion in 1940 and NorthernCommand Champion and Army finalist in 1954. While in BAORhe worked successfully to advance the status of the MorrisonCup Athletics. On, becoming athletically retired he qualified as ajudge and on several occasions refereed the Army Inter Unit andIndividuals Competitions. He was chairman of the Inter ServiceOfficers Milocarian Athletic Club from 1974 to 1975.

A Fellow of the Institution of Electrical Engineers, he was a cleverengineer with a sharp brain who was always fascinated by semimathematical puzzles and was the author of several of the BrainTeasers published by the Sunday Times during the 1950s andwas someone who regularly completed The Times crosswordbefore breakfast.

He married in 1948, Georgina (Gina) Lovelace and they had 2sons and a daughter. On his final retirement, they remained inDorset where he was able to indulge his pursuits of fly fishing andplaying the bagpipes but not at the same time.

After Gina’s death in 1996 he remarried to Una Thomson andthey continued to live in the thatched cottage in Marnhull. Hebecame one of the mainstays in Marnhull village life. As a manDerek Emley was always a gregarious individual and generoushost, especially with his famous concoction of vodka and gingerbeer called the Emley Moscow Mule.

Derek Emley died after a comparatively short illness. He wasvery open about it which made it very much easier for everyoneelse to deal with. Typical of him! In the event, his end camemuch quicker than expected and one of his friends said that “hemet his end with his usual stoicism and bravery – a reflection ofthe man”. He never lost his mischievous, infectious and boyishsense of humour. He remained extremely proud of his Corps andfollowed closely its performance in operational theatres, knowingthat they were benefitting from the results of his endeavours togive members of his Corps the right tools to do the job in hand.The present Corps owes him a great deal.

WOOLLARD – Maj Gen RP Woollard AO died on 20 December2009.

The Royal Australian Corps of Signals have advised that Maj Gen

RP Woollard AO passed away on 20 December 2009 atCanberra, Australia. Maj Gen Woollard was revered within theAustralian Signals Corps as a loyal and dedicated Signaller to theend. He succumbed to an aggressive bout of cancer.


During his considerable career in the Australian Defence Force,Maj Gen Woollard served in WW2, Korea/Japan and SouthVietnam. His service also took him to the United Kingdom firstto the School of Signals, Catterick and further postings and visitsassociated with his senior appointments within the militarycommunications sphere. He served with the BritishCommonwealth Sig Regt as 2IC in 1953 and was appointed Aide-de-Camp to her Majesty the Queen 1972 – 1974.

Maj Gen Woollard will be remembered as the ultimateprofessional soldier, who was afforded great respect andunwavering loyalty by all who served with him. He neverwavered in his support for his beloved Royal Australian Corps ofSignals’.

KNIGHT – Capt (Junior Commander) Jane Knight ATS

Jane Knight, who died on 30December 2009 aged 88, enlistedin the Auxiliary Territorial Serviceimmediately its formation wasannounced in September 1938 andserved with them throughoutWW2. Her skills as a Pitman-trained touch-typist were badlyneeded and, after retraining as ateleprinter operator, she wasattached to Royal Signals units,thus beginning a life-longassociation with the Corps.Initially employed in small signalcentres, she attained the rank ofCpl before gaining a commissionas a war substantive subaltern in October 1942. She then tookon wider responsibilities in larger communication centres and by1944 was in London District. There she survived the direct hit bya V1 Flying Bomb on the Guards Chapel in Wellington Barracks.Following a posting to 8th Army in Italy, she served as one of thefirst female Signalmasters in 11th Sig Regt (LofC).

At war’s end in 1946 she resigned her commission, but continuedin public service as a member of the United Nations Relief andRehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) in Germany. In this roleshe travelled widely in former Axis-occupied countries, assistingwith the repatriation of refugees. After 3 years she joined theP&O Steam Navigation Company with whom she sailed the worldmany times, working her way up to become the first femaleassistant purser in the company. After 12 years she left for acareer on dry land, serving first in the Women’s Voluntary Servicein Germany, then in the office of the Agent General for New SouthWales in London and finally in the property letting business. Inlater life she devoted great energy to the support of the RoyalSignals Association and the associations of other regts she hadserved with.

Born at Woolwich on 10 November 1921, she arrived into amilitary family – her father eventually serving 29 years with thecolours, initially in the Royal East Kent Regt, the Buffs. Hermother died when she was 9 but her father remarried and Jane

enjoyed a loving relationship with both her father and step-mother. Christened Joan Constance Sandy, she was universallyknown as Jane and after her marriage in 1969 became Jane

Knight. In her last years she added her maiden name to hersurname to become Knight Sandy.

Her very positive decision to sign up for the ATS in 1938 was alife-changing moment for her and her experience of 8 yearsservice, including the war years, was never forgotten.Undoubtedly the most traumatic event of her life was thebombing of the Guards Chapel on Sunday 8 June 1944. Thebuilding was packed for morning service at 11.00am. A fewminutes later the V1 struck killing 121 military and civilians andseriously injuring 141. Jane was posted as missing but was infact, injured, having been dug out of the rubble by the Guardsand taken home. Her injuries were fortunately not severe and inonly a few months, she was on board a Cunarder converted as a

troopship, bound for Naples. She arrived in theatre shortly afterthe epic battle for Monte Cassino and the ruins of the monasterymade a lasting impression on her; she returned many times to laya wreath at the memorial. Also at this time she came into contactwith Indian signallers of 8th Indian Div with whom she formed abond that was to last throughout her life.

As an Army child she became used to moving around and this,coupled perhaps with her voyage to Naples led her to a secondcareer in P&O, a period of her life she greatly enjoyed. On onememorable return voyage, the Australian cricket team were onboard and Jane got on famously with them. Her favourite seemsto have been Neil Harvey but she thought the captain, Richie

Benaud, a bit stand-offish! Back in the UK she went to watchsome of their matches and they responded by inviting her to anexcellent dinner in the team hotel in London.

Jane had a real affinity with all the Regts she came into contactwith. At dinner nights in recent years Jane was noteworthy forstanding up for almost all the regimental marches! She alsothrew herself wholeheartedly into the Associations of those Regtsincluding the ATS, WRAC, Royal Signals, Indian Signals andseveral of the Regts of Foot Guards. She certainly marchedproudly and smartly with their veterans down Whitehall onRemembrance Sunday for many years right up until 2008. Shewas well known throughout the Royal Signals Association andgranted Honour Membership. In particular she supported the 3branches local to her home: Aldershot, Reading and WestLondon. She served on the committee of Aldershot Branch foralmost 20 years, latterly holding the appointment of VicePresident and regularly making the long journey from Maidenheadfor meetings.

Jane Knight was very much an individual from a hardy andresolute generation who lived life to the full. She was a uniqueblend of humour, compassion and generosity but beneath thesesofter qualities was a steel core of courage, toughness andresilience. Above all she was guided by her personal code ofservice to monarch and country, and intense dedication andloyalty to all of the organisations to which she belonged over theyears. Her distinctive figure and her spirit will be greatly missed atCorps functions.

The Standard Bearers salute at the funeral of Jane Knight

HEARD – Maj John Derek Heard died on 7 December 2009.

John Heard was born in Kent on 31 July I928 and after leavingschool he joined Boys Training Company Royal Signals in 1943.After training he was posted to I War Office Sig Regt and then to3 GHQ Sig Regt in Egypt. On his return from this tour he marriedhis wife Dawn. After further tours with 1 War Office Sig Regt andBAOR he attended the first Sig Centre Supervisor course atBlandford.

Further tours followed to Singapore and Cyprus. He wascommissioned as a Traffic Officer in October 1966. After 2 furthertours in BAOR and postings to Thatcham and Old Sarum, he


retired from active service in 1983 and continued to work atThatcham as an RO until 1993. He continued his connection withthe Corps as Treasurer of the Bournemouth Branch of the RoyalSignals Association and as a volunteer at the Corps museum atBlandford until his death at home on 7 December 2009. Hisfuneral took place at the Bournemouth Crematorium on 15December 2009.

Amongst the mourners were 6 ex-members of Boys TrainingCompany who were with him in 1943 – 1946. Our sympathygoes out to Dawn, sons , Brian and Michael and his wife Karen

and Grandchildren Lydia and Richard. Donations in his memoryto Royal Signals Benevolent Fund.

ROBINSON – Sgt Sydney Peter Robinson died 8 February2010.- by Sgt Langley REME

It is with a heavy heart that I wish to informmembers of your Corps of the passingof Sgt Sydney Robinson. Syd servedwith the 8th Army from July 1942until March 1947 beginning hismilitary career in North.Africa andending up in Whitehall Signalshaving gone via Cairo, Salernoand Monte Cassino.

Syd was my sponsor when I joinedthe Army in 1997 and I’ll miss hisstories, his anecdotes, his advice andfriendship. He is the father of my bestfriend and will be sorely missed by all hisfamily, his children, their children and his manyother friends.

Syd ran out of time on 8 February after suffering a heart attackearlier that week. He was 86 years old.

NOYON – Stephen Noyon died on 12 January 2010.

Steve Noyon joined the Army atSelby in May 1954 and was thentransferred to Beverley in August1954 until 6 (Boys’) TrainingRegiment was moved to NewtonAbbot in 1955. He went to 1Training Regt as a radio mechanic in1956 until 1957 and was thenassigned to Eastern Region TankRegt at Crowborough, Sussex untilhe was medically discharged in April1958.

He emigrated to Canada andworked for 30 years at IBM as ahardware specialist. Steve wastreated for cancer and had been inremission but sadly we heard fromhim before Christmas that the cancer had returned. His eldestson, Andrew, advised us that Steve had passed away on 12January surrounded by his family, namely his wife, Beryl, andchildren, Andrew, Tina and Mark. A Memorial Service is beingheld on 6 February at Henderson’s Funeral Home in Abbotsford,British Columbia, Canada. We extend our sincere condolences toBeryl and all the family.

RAPLEY – Sgt Glenville John Rapley died 17 January 2010.

John Rapley joined 6 (Boys) TrainingRegiment at Beverley in 1951. In 1954he was sent to Germany to 7 ArmdDiv until 1956. He then went to 18Sig Regt in Singapore for 3 years.From 1962 until 1964 he wasstationed at Fontainebleau, France,and lived at Margival. It was therethat he met Cliffe Coultish andthey worked at a FrenchCommunication Centre which wasin one of the bunkers that hadbeen built by the Germans.

In 1965 he spent a year in Borneoand was then posted to BAORHerford until 1972. He attained the rankof Sgt and spent his remaining time atBlandford until he left the Army in 1975.John joined the Post Office as a postman and worked his way upto the office, serving 20 years in all.

It was during the Blandford RSA Reunion weekend in 1999 thathe met up with Tony Hull and joined the Beverley Ex-BoysAssociation.

John’s funeral took place on 1 February and was attended bymembers of the Lincoln RSA Branch with their flag. Cliffe

Coultish and Jim Sprott attended to represent BEBA and therewas a very good turnout. We send our deepest sympathy to hiswife, Marjorie, and his son, Paul.

MACFARLANE – Lt Col (Retd) John A Macfarlane died 18 November 2009.

Lt Col John Macfarlane died athis home in Malvern on 18November 2009. His funeralservice took place in the GreatMalvern Priory on 1 Decemberand was attended by many ofhis friends, colleagues andfamily members. A fitting andmoving tribute was paid to himby Lt Col (Retd) Trevor Wilson,late RAOC, a close friendstretching back to John’s

beginnings in the Army atWelbeck College. I too first met Big John in 1968 at WelbeckCollege. I make no apologies for referring to him as Big John

because he was exactly that. He was a larger than life, funny,honest and erudite man whose wicked sense of humour wasinfectious to everyone around him.

Having joined the Corps together and attended the same Qcourse, our paths crossed on odd occasions until 1978 when weboth arrived in 1 Div HQ & Sig Regt in Verden. In the mid 70s atShrivenham, John had met, fallen for and proposed to the lovelyMarcia. So in September 1978 they were married and I had theprivilege to be their best man.

Mention must be made of John’s sporting prowess. He was alow handicap golfer and he shone particularly at rugby. Heplayed No8 for the Corps on many occasions and is rememberedfor his strong running and prolific conversion kicking. Hisrendition of “Who killed Cock Robin” is legendary in Rugby Clubsall over Europe. Staff College was followed by Staff andRegimental appointments after which John became the CO of 37Sig Regt. He was an obvious leader of men and his soldiersloved him. He cared for them like they were his own family. Hecontinued this care into retirement where he worked for QinetiQhelping to ensure that Bowman was developed fit for service.

John was a first class officer and a loving and passionate familyman. He will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are very muchwith Marcia, Joanna and Laura at this time.

MCNAUGHT-DAVIS – Lt Col (Retd) Victor McNaught-Davis

died 21 December 2009.

Lt Col Victor McNaught-Davis was commissioned in July 1939after passing out from the last ever full course at the RMA


would print this letter and enclosed photograph in The Wire. Mylate husband, Alan Henry Flower, was in Maintenance Tp, 2Sqn, 3 GHQ Sig Regt, MELF 17; Group 50-19. He joined up forNational Service from 19/10/1950 – 27/9/1952, training atCatterick as a Tele Mech.

On 1 October 1951, Clegg, Alan, Dizzy, Dave, Middy and Den

(Don) sailed on the SS Empire Test to Ismailia in the Suez CanalZone. They all appear in the photograph. He knew othersignalmen: Sig Tom Castry, LCpl Geoff Cox, OrdnanceDirectorate, GHQ, MELF 17. Alan moved from Tent 45 to shareTent 28 with Tom, Syd from Canterbury, and Don fromScunthorpe. After discharge he served until 18 April 1956 withthe Phantom Sig Regt TA at 190 Hammersmith Rd, London W6.

I would be very pleased to hear from any of the above or from the2 ex-Kilburn Grammar lads who also played regimental cricket.

Yours…

Woolwich. He did his Young Officer training at Aldershot andthen went to France briefly in 1940 as a Bde Signals Officer with52nd Lowland Div, which was part of the short-lived secondexpeditionary force under Gen Brooke. After the return toEngland the Div was one of the very few fully manned andequipped formations left in the country and was promptly sent toEast Anglia to guard against the expected invasion by theGerman forces. A subsequent posting to Sierra Leone was cutshort by serious illness, but he recovered sufficiently to return toFrance in early 1945 with the 43rd Wessex Div and remained withthem until the end of the War.

After the war, Victor McNaught-Davis did 2 tours of the CanalZone in Egypt, and attended the 1948 course at the Staff CollegeCamberley. In April 1956 he was amongst the last of the Britishtroops to leave the Zone, and moved on to Cyprus as a staffofficer with MELF. Postings to Luneburg and Rheindahlen inGermany were followed by 2 years in South Wales as aninstructor at the anti-aircraft school near Tenby, and a short stintat the School of Infantry in Warminster. His final posting was to anew position as GSO1 to the Live Oak planning group at NATOHQ, South of Paris. He retired from the Army in early 1965.

His first job in civilian life was with the Construction IndustryTraining Board as an administrator. Then in 1971 he obtained theposition of Bursar to the London School of Economics, where hestayed until his final retirement in 1985.

In 1989 he played a major part in organising the commemorationof the 50th Anniversary of the closure of the ‘Shop’.

Victor McNaught-Davis married Ann Findlay in July 1946 at St.Gregory’s Church in Cheltenham. He is survived by his wife, adaughter and 4 sons.

LOSTCOMMUNICATIONS

From: Mark Brown [[email protected]]

Dear Sir,

I am trying to trace the following people with whom I served withduring my time in the Signals from 1983 – 2001:

SSgt John Fisher 28 Sig Regt and 280 Sig SqnSgt Wood 3 Armd Div HQ & Sig Regt (Soest)

and any other members who know me when I served in:

3 Armd Div HQ & Sig Regt 1984 – 198730 Sig Regt in Blandford 1989 – 1992Namibia UN duty28 Sig Regt280 Sig Sqn14 Sig Regt Osnabruck/Haverfordwest220 Sig Sqn Laarbruch21 Sig Regt

Yours…

From: Susan Flower

7 Cedar Close Market Rasen Lincolnshire LN8 38E Tel: 01673 849188

Dear Sir,

After a recent most interesting visit to the Signals Museum and atthe suggestion of Martin Skipworth, I would be grateful if you

Clegg, Alan, Dizzy, Middy and Den

From: Janni Skov ([email protected])

My name is Janni and I’m living inDenmark. I would like to find the man inthis picture which was taken in 1984when he was stationed in Germany.His name is Robert (Robby) and hecomes from Liverpool.

He gave me the picture when he wason an exercise in Denmark and on theback is a stamp which says – HQ 1stArmoured Division BFPO 32.

I know it is 25 years ago, but if anyonecan help me I would be grateful.

Thank you…

MISCELLANEOUSSTORIES

From: Tony Morland [[email protected]]

A Hexham man who survived the horrors of forced labour in aJapanese PoW camp and 2 shipwrecks, has died, just 6 monthsshort of his 100th birthday.


Ossie Chipchase endured unspeakable conditions and brutalbeatings during his 3 years in Japanese hands. However, hecame through, and went on to live a very full life. Born and bredin Newcastle, the son of Tom and Anna Chipchase, he waseducated at Rutherford College. He left at the age of 16 to workin a drapery warehouse and when the warehouse closed down inthe depression years of 1933, he started and later set up his owndrapery business at the age of 23.

Shortly before war broke out in 1939, he married Hexham lassDorothy, who was his wife and soulmate for 59 years.

Ossie’s harrowing wartime experiences began when he wascalled up into the Royal Corps of Signals as a wireless operator in1941. He was attached to an Anti Aircraft Sect which inNovember that year set sail for Singapore, which was facingimminent Japanese attack. He arrived at this outpost of theBritish Empire in January 1942 and was posted to a camp nearthe Royal Naval Base before being transferred to the Argyll andSutherland Highlanders.

On Sunday, February 15 1942, Singapore was surrendered to theJapanese Imperial Army, and Ossie was taken prisoner. He wasthen transferred to a school near the infamous Changi camp, andwas put to work building a road. Then he was sent on a 5 daytrain journey to Thailand, to work on the building of a railway line.There was little in the way of food or clothes and he was forcedto live and work in bare feet, wearing nothing more than aloincloth. He was frequently beaten with bamboo canes by theguards.

In an interview in 2005, he said: “For the first 18 months as aprisoner, my wife Dorothy did not know where I was. TheJapanese were not interested in Geneva Conventions and theydid as they liked. They did not send word that we were prisoners.Eventually we received a card which had the pre-writtenmessages ‘I am well’, ‘I am working for pay’ or ‘I am in hospital’.We had to tick the correct box but were not allowed to writeanything. Dorothy used to write every week but I didn’t receivethe letters. She even received the Widow’s Payment Form on thebasis that he was missing presumed dead.

But Ossie was still very much alive and in June 1944 was takenback to Singapore to be transferred by ship to Japan. He wasone of 1,200 prisoners on board a ship for 3 months – and wasvery nearly killed by his own side.

The ship was bombed in Manila harbour in the Philippines byAmerican aircraft. Around 750 prisoners were drowned, butOssie swam to the top of the hold and after a desperate struggleremoved the hatch cover and escaped just as the ship sank.

Together with 3 companions, Ossie used the hatch covers andwooden panels to get to shore – where he was recaptured by theJapanese. He was then put aboard another ship bound forJapan, which again came under attack from the US Air Force.The Japanese battened down the hatches – and of the 800 menin the hold, 300 died of suffocation. Ossie only just survived, andwas put on one of two ships bound for Taiwan.

One of the ships was sunk, with no survivors, but Ossie’s made itto southern Japan, where he was put to work in a coal mine nearthe Japanese city of Nagasaki. Six months later Ossie witnesseda huge glow in the sky – the second atomic bomb of the war hadbeen dropped on Nagasaki. The war was over, and the guardsfled. A month later, the Americans arrived overland, and Ossie

was put on a hospital ship bound for San Francisco. He thentravelled across the US and took ship to England.

On November 28, 1945, against all the odds, Ossie and Dorothy

were finally united on the pedestrian footbridge at NewcastleCentral Station. Dorothy had kept the drapery business going,and Ossie was soon back plying his trade around the villagesand farmers of Northumberland. The couple moved to Hexhamin 1946, and were happily married for 59 years until Dorothy’s

death just over 6 years ago. They had no family.

Ossie retired in 1969, and took up an allotment in Eastgate. Heand Dorothy enjoyed holidays and day trips to favouritedestinations such as the Lake District and Scotland. Ossie wasstill driving a car well into his 90s, and was an active member ofHexham Beacon Club for retired men. He lived on Elvaston Road,but spent the last few years happily at the Carntyne rest home inHexham. Just last year, he was a guest of honour at Hexham’sRemembrance Day celebrations.

Yours…

From: Chris & Caroline Hayles [[email protected]] 8 Arthur RoadEastleighHantsSO50 4FUTel 07706069074

Hi everyone,

Just to let you know I have made up a booklet of poetry writtenby soldiers, veterans, their wives and families about soldiering,which covers the time line from WW2 to Afghanistan. There arearound 50 poems and a local printer is in the middle of doing 500copies and then if needed another 500 completely free of charge.

The booklets will be available for a donation of around £5 eachbut in exceptional circumstances, I will accept £3.50, plus 50pence post and package. The date for release will probably bethe 1st of March. I hope to set up a bank account especially forthis and I will forward the account details when I get them.

All money raised will be divided equally between Afghan Heroesand BLESMA (British Limbless Ex-Servicemen’s Association)

My service life started off as a Commcen Operator in May 1964posted to 257 Sig Sqn in Dortmund for trade training. I thenmoved on to 16 Sig Regt in Krefeld where I worked in theCommcen then in the QM(Gen) dept until 1968 when I changedtrades to a Lineman at 24 Sig Regt at Catterick. At the end of thecourse I was sent to 4 Div HQ & Sig Regt at Herford in Germanyfrom 1969 to 1971 and from there I went to Airfield Tp, 261 SigSqn at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus where we maintained all thephones on the airbase. I then became the Tp clerk until mydischarge in 1973.

In Civvy Street I found that keeping a steady job was hard so didvarious work including, sales assistant in TV and White goods,milkman, delivery driver up until I paid for an HGV1 licence anddid a run from Southampton to Reggio de Calabria in SouthernItaly every week until diagnosed with heart problems and had tohand my HGV licence in. Later I had a triple heart bypass and 2years ago diagnosed with Diabetes and had to have my left legamputated above the knee. Now 65 years old in August, I can“officially” retire!!

Above is the address to obtain the booklets from.

Yours…

From: Mr Emanuel Tometzki

[[email protected]]11, Southey CloseEnderbyLeicestershireLE 19 4 QZ

RADIO AT STADIUM CAMP, CATTERICK – GERMAN

PRISONER OF WAR CAMP 1944

I am a fully licensed Radio Amateur holding the Call sign G0TIZand enjoy the hobby very much but it was in 1944 as a Prisonerof War (PoW) at Stadium Camp, Catterick where I first came incontact with radio technology. I was introduced to it there by


Luftwaffe radio operators. We held clandestine classes in radiotheory – I still have some of my notes – and also managed tobuild ‘Cats whiskers’ Crystal Detector Sets using broken piecesof coke for crystals but we also managed to build One ValveReaction Receivers.

This was possible because some of us were employed in cuttingthe garrison lawns and hedges and collecting rubbish and refuseto take to the incinerator. This was in the Signals Barracks of theGarrison and obviously there was a lot of waste from the radioworkshops. We gave it a good ‘sort’ for anything useful like wire,resistors, condensers (capacitors), valves etc before it wasburned. There were also old HT/LT batteries, where some of theelements were still charged – the LT we tested it with the tongue.All the parts were smuggled into the PoW camp! Built radio sets

were then hidden in the wall lining of the Nissen Huts and aerialswere very fine transformer wire you could hardly see.Headphones, although I am sorry to say it now, were pinchedfrom Red Telephone Boxes.

We had a lot of fun playing cat and mouse with the guards andwere very pleased when we managed to tune into a station fornews, which happened on most sessions. I did not return toGermany on my release from PoW status. I settled here and aftermy initial compulsory 2 years working in agriculture, I studied andqualified in General and Psychiatric Nursing in Leicestershire andspent 40 years in the NHS. I am married and have 5 sons, nowall highly qualified professionals with families of their own.

Yours…

ARTICLES CARRIED OVER

EXERCISE TIGER TRAIL 09

- by Sgt Mason

Ex TIGER TRAIL was a 3 week long expedition to Nepal with theaim of conducting a 10 day trek, ½ day white water rafting, 2 daysafari and 1 day cultural visit in the country’s capital, Kathmanduover the period of 5 to 26 November 09.

The adventure began at 1400hrs on a sunny Thursday afternoonwhen all 11 willing volunteers met to jump on the bus taking us toHeathrow airport. It was a long journey to Nepal. Our flight outtook off about 2030hrs and landed in Doha about 0630hrs thenext day, where we spent a good couple of hours waiting for ournext flight. We eventually left Doha about 1030hrs and arrived inKathmandu at 1700hrs. I think we were all very pleased to getthere as many of us thought that the plane might struggle to takeoff as WO2 Jim Mathieson’s bag was a little on the heavy side.

All the team were very tired by this stage but with all theexcitement of arriving in Kathmandu, a strange and certainly verydifferent environment than most of us are used to, we keptsoldiering on. It was hectic when leaving the airport and certainlyan eye opener while travelling to the hotel through the busystreets with all the hustle and bustle, smog and constant hornblowing. Once we had booked in to the hotel, a good shower andchange was paramount before we all ventured out together forsome local cuisine which was when we were first introduced tothe Nepalese food, ‘mo mos’ which most thought very tasty.Obviously a couple of drinks in one of the local bars were next onthe agenda before having a relatively early night to catch up onsome sleep.

On Saturday morning we were all up bright and early forbreakfast, which was certainly not what most of us wereexpecting but it was very nice. While 4 members of the teamwere involved in the Queen’s Gurkha Signals 60th Reunion, therest of us led by Capt Raj Shrestha, the OIC, went for a smalltour and look at Kathmandu. The bigger members of the team,including myself soon found that travelling around in a taxi wasemotional due to the very small cars. That night once we had allregrouped, we all went for a meal and then to the Banging Budhafor some drinks and listened to a live band, giving them plenty ofapplause. They were fantastic and enjoyed by all but mainly byLt Col Frank Riley who danced in his chair all night and didn’tstop smiling.

The next day after a good breakfast we were all ready for ourlong 6 hr journey to Pokhara – well all except for LCpl Carry Ann

Murray, who decided she fancied having a sleep in and was veryembarrassed and apologetic later. Half way to our destination we

all stopped of in a local, what you might call restaurant for somelocal food which was enjoyed by most. I think this was the firsttime that some of us had witnessed the local toilets in Nepalwhich were certainly not what we are used to. On arrival at ourhotel in Pokhara, it was time for some personal admin and agood look around all the shops. Pokhara was a very nice place,not as busy and intense as Kathmandu. That afternoon Capt

Brian Jeffery and myself decided it would be a good idea tohave a full body massage in a dodgy little room. Afterwards, I forone felt like I’d been beaten up. At one point he was seen to bestood balancing on a chair with all his body weight and elbowdug into my back. During our meal that night we were treated tosome traditional Nepali dancing which proved to be fascinating.

It was now Monday 9 November and a 2 hr bus ride to where wewere going to be starting our trek at Nayapul awaited. Obviouslya good hearty breakfast was had by all in preparation for the longwalk, well everyone except for myself as I had a ‘dickey tummy’and was really not feeling too well. Initially I think we all set of onour trek too fast, probably my fault as I was at the front lookingfor the next toilet. We all soon came to realise that Capt Monty

Farrow was also suffering from the same upset as me, so as youcan imagine it was hard work for us both. While the rest of theteam relaxed after tea on the first day of our trek, we werestraight to bed.

Our first day had taken us to a village called Ghandruk (Gurungvillage) at 1940m where we all witnessed some breathtakingviews. The following day we were all to walk a very hard routedown hill, very uneven under foot and sore on the joints followedby a very steep and never ending climb to a village calledChomrong at a height of 2170m. Capt Farrow and myself werenot looking forward to this route as we were both still quite ill andit was going to be a very hot and sunny day. The rest of the teamset off about 0830hrs followed by us pair – ‘the two sickies’about 1300hrs as we needed more rest up time to try andrecover. We were a little concerned because if we didn’t manageto set off that day to catch up, then we might not reach BaseCamp, so the decision was made to soldier on but due to lack offood in our bellies while the team arrived in Chomrong midafternoon, we did not arrive until after dark about 1800hrs. Wewere reunited with the team and happy to be there but it hadbeen a real hard battle getting there. Many team members felt ithard on their feet that day especially LCpl Murray whose feetwere starting to blister.

Once we had taped her feet up, the next day’s climb was fromChomrong to Bamboo and was a climb to 2300m which was onlya 130m climb in altitude, but the route taken started with a down


hill that seemed to last for a lifetime and so inevitably we knewthat we were going to have a good steep climb up again. Duringour trek that day, at one of our rest stops, Sgt Pramod Gurung

spotted a famous Gurung TV star who we all asked to have apicture taken with and Sgt Pramod Gurung swiftly obtained herautograph. Capt Farrow and I were back on our feet andfighting fit during the trek to Bamboo but our leader Capt Raj

Shrestha was starting to suffer from wind now. That night after agood meal, we all relaxed and played cards and a game called‘pass the pigs’ which certainly kept us entertained for a few hoursand left Lt Col Mark Eaton distressed at not even winning asingle game.

Before we all left for our next destination to a village namedDeurali, we were treated to an altitude sickness brief by ourJSMEL, Capt Brian Jeffery. This was all about drowning fromthe inside out, which was very interesting and quite scary. Thenext leg of our journey was to take us via the village of Dobhanand Himalaya before arriving in Deurali at a height of 3200m. Theroute consisted of a gradual climb but once leaving Dobhan, theweather got noticeably colder and after the Himalaya rest pointwe all thought that we’d be getting wet. On arrival at ourdestination, it became apparent that there were no showers. Theonly option was to pay for a bucket of hot water, which most ofus went for before having a good meal and early night. Earlynights were a very popular past time by most out on the trekespecially enjoyed by WO2 Mathieson, the amazing sleeping andeating man. Five of the team including myself were very cosy thisone night as we slept in a 5 man room literally shoulder toshoulder.

Friday was a nice easy day as it was decided that we would alterthe itinerary slightly due to the weather situation being not toogreat and just walked to Machhapuchhre Base Camp rather thanall the way to Annapurna Base Camp. It was a 3 hr walk up to3700m and on arrival at the camp we had some lunch. Thatnight was spent playing cards and chatting to other trekkers fromall over the world, before having an early night as we were allaware of the big day ahead. Looking up at the sky that night, wehad never seen as many stars.

Today was the day. We were all up nice and early and left campabout 0700hrs. It was decided that we would all have breakfastonce we had arrived safely at Annapurna Base Camp at theheight of 4130m. It was a great feeling getting to the finish line.As you can imagine lots of photos were taken with lots of happyfaces. Talking about photographs, we all soon realised that wehad a couple of team members that could qualify to work forKayes catalogue modelling, not naming them but Maj James

Boag, SSgt Ashok Gurung and Sgt Pramod Gurung were quitephotogenic and if you were entering Capt Raj Shrestha’s airspace while he was having a photo taken, you were risking painof death. We stayed at Annapurna Base Camp until about1030hrs enjoying the views and then headed back down themountain on the start of a very long journey all the way backdown to Bamboo. Luckily it was mostly down hill so we moved a

lot faster and managed to get there just as it was getting darkabout 1730hrs. Everyone voted on a curry night for tea and wasready for it due to the long walk. After tea Lt Col Frank Riley

was straight to his bed as he was full of cold and found it veryhard to breathe all day. This was also the first night I think thatWO2 Mathieson had a warm shower as he seemed to becomfortable to having cold showers during the previous stopsand we also witnessed him jogging on the spot on his socks in acold bowl of water doing his washing, may be some sort of newritual dance!

I think it would be fair to say that we were all looking forward tocompleting our trek as we all had a great incentive just 20 minswalk from our next stop in Jhinudanda – the hot springs! Firstlythough, we were all aware that we’d have to climb the dreaded2900 steps back up to the village of Chomrong before our decentdown in to Jhinudanda. The team was let loose at the start of theclimb and most of us shot off to raise the heart rate a little for abit of fitness which actually turned out to be a race to the top.Most were buzzing after that, looking forward to the down hill andthen to the springs. After some lunch, off we went. On arrival,we all had a cup of tea and then it was straight down to thesprings to do some washing and jump in the hot baths, moralecouldn’t be any higher. That night we were treated to some localNepalese dancing by the local villagers and none of us hadanywhere to hide as we all were invited up to dance at somestage of the night, WO2 Mathieson leading the way like a trueinfantryman. That night we were all witness to the newly namedMaj Boag’s dancing, which was a sight to be seen and verynearly lethal to Lt Col Eaton’s health, as he had to take cover. Agreat night was had by all.

The next day’s walk was along to Landruk and then to a placecalled Tolka at about 1700m. It was quite an easy day’s walkexcept for both the climbs up to Landruk and Tolka, which werequite steep and especially hard work for Lt Col Riley who wasstill feeling under the weather and LCpl Murray whose little toelooked like it required to be amputated. WO2 Mathieson cameto her aid, patched her up and soon got her back on the roadafter borrowing Capt Shrestha’s brand new trainers. After teathat night, apple pie seemed to be on the agenda and enjoyed byall who dared to order it!

By Tuesday 17 November, we were nearing the end of thetrekking phase. The walk that day took us to a place calledDhampus after a very steep climb, no change there, via a villagecalled Pothana. We had a good long stop in Pothana andenjoyed the views of the valleys below and the hawks flyingabove. That night a special curry lunch was organised for us all,as it was the last night of our trek and everyone was introducedto what’s called mustang coffee – which I believe even ourGurkha colleagues in the team weren’t too keen on.

The final leg of our trek lasted only a couple of hours, all downhillto our final destination, a place called Phedi. While waiting forour transport to take us back to the hotel, everyone sat andreminisced, took photos and had cups of tea. Once back at thehotel it was time for a bit of admin and then straight out for some

Celebration on reaching the Annapurna Base Camp

Relaxing in the hot springs at Jhinudanda


western food for a change. Once we were all full to the brim, itwas then our free time to relax and recover from our long trek andfor many of us to contact home to let our families know of oursafe return.

The next day was deemed as an explore day of Pokhara so manyof us spent the day doing exactly that and shopping for presentsfor family back home. Four of the braver members of the team,Lt Col Riley, Lt Col Eaton, Capt Farrow and I, decided to payand give paragliding a try. Lt Col Riley, having been up in aparaglider before, was happy to feed us with plenty of horrorstories while on our terrifying trip up the mountain, before we hadeven jumped off. Although Lt Col Eaton was very aware of hisair sickness, he was still ready to give it a go and led from thefront, being the first one to jump into the unknown, while at thesame time, Capt Farrows’ canopy was caught behind amakeshift toilet and the camera man Lt Col Riley was filming ourexploits.

The following morning we all went to a presentation to learn ofthe Gurkha Welfare scheme of which was very informative and aneye opener for many of us. We then had a walk around theGurkha Selection Centre and observed the route where thefamous Doku race takes place as part of the selection process.Capt Shrestha, SSgt(FofS) Ashok Gurung and Sgt Pramod

Gurung as serving British Army Gurkhas understandably musthave had mixed feelings revisiting this place. From here we thentook a trip to the Gurkha Museum and the Gurka local areawelfare building in Pokhara. It was a full-packed busy day with alot to take in, so it was then a unanimous decision to go for someposh grub in the Fishtail Restaurant on a nearby little island. Wehad to get a raft to the restaurant which was quite entertainingwhen Capt Shrestha, with his muscle bound body nearly tippedus all in the lake.

The next day was started with avery long and uncomfortable 5 hrjourney which took us bouncing allthe way to Chitwan National Parkfor the safari phase. After thewelcome brief and lunch weventured out on our first trip, a tourof the local village on a cart pulledby an ox. From there we also wentto the local museum and thendown by the river to watch the sungo down. The following day wewere up early and all boarded arather unstable log canoe prior topaddling downstream looking forcrocodiles. This was followed by ajungle walk that finished at anelephant sanctuary where therewere lots of photos taken as youcan imagine and lots of interactionwith the elephants. The team thenwent back to the hotel for some cups of tea and then back out tothe river to see the elephants again and get wet with them duringtheir bath time and this was all before lunch. After our lunch and

a good couple of hours rest, we all went out for an elephant ridein the jungle to see what we could find and to our surpriseeventually came across a rhino. This was definitely one of thebest parts of the expedition. That night we were invited to watchsome local cultural dancing which was surprisingly very differentto the dancing we’d seen to date in Nepal.

It was another early start Monday morning as we travelled to aplace called Charaudi to start the white water rafting phase whichI think everyone was looking forward to and even better, the suncame out just as we were preparing our boats. We set off in 2separate boats, travelled about 18km down river and gotunderstandably very wet and all of us, due to a loss of marbles Ithink threw ourselves in to the river to test the water temperature.Everyone loved it and finished with big smiles. After having agood lunch it was back in the bus for another long bumpy andnoisy ride all the way back to our original hotel in Kathmandu andall went down town for a pizza and a night out on the town.

Our last full day was spent touring Kathmandu and we had ourown guide. First going to the traditional heart of the old town, aplace where all the city’s kings were once crowned and then backout through the famous rush hour traffic, we travelled toPashupatinath, Nepal’s most important Hindu temple. Here wewatched the process of people being cremated after death bytheir own families on the riverbanks of the Bagmati before theashes were thrown in to the same river. This was an eye openerfor most of us. Our third and final destination was to the greatBuddhist Temple of Swayambhunath, known affectionately as theMonkey Temple. The place was filled with hundreds andhundreds of monkeys and had a great view of Kathmandu. Laterthat night, as it was our last night and also WO2 Mathieson’s

40th birthday, rounding it up a couple of years I may add, wewent for a traditional Nepalese meal, drinks and watched some

traditional Nepalese dancing. Abrilliant end to a great night wasWO2 Mathieson’s birthday cakealong with the thanks andappreciation shown to theorganisers and each other formaking this expedition happen,especially Capt Shrestha, Capt

Farrow, SSgt Ashok Gurung, Sgt

Pramod Gurung and not forgettingthe local trekking company for thesmooth running and outstandingtime had by all.

The last day was a very long 26 hrtrip home via Doha airport againwhere we spent a good 6 hrs waitbetween flights. Everyone had hadan outstanding time but were reallylooking forward now to gettingback home and seeing our familiesand all arrived back in Blandford

Camp early the next day, feeling very tired but safely home in onepiece. This was the adventure of a lifetime and hopefully theexpedition might be repeated next year.

Bath time with the elephants

NEPAL SIGNAL TROOP

THE REAL 3rd KATHMANDU MARATHON

- by Cpl Bhesraj Chemjong

The biggest marathon in the history of Nepal – The Real 3rdKathmandu International Marathon 2009 was held on Saturday 12September 2009 in Kathmandu. Recognized by the NepalOlympic Committee and the Nepal Amateur Athletic Association,promoted by NTB in respect of the Nepal Tourism Year 2011 andsponsored by Real Juice Dabur Nepal, the event consisted of 5categories. It included full and half marathons for men andwomen and a 5km run for schoolchildren and adults and included

a 3km wheelchair race. The marathon started and ended in theDashrath Stadium, with a route following Teku, Solti Mode,Kalanki, Balkhu, Sat Dobato, Lagankhel, Jawalakhel, Pulchok,Thapathali, Singa Darbar, Putali Sadak, Hattisar, Kantipath, Jamal,Darbar Marg, Ghanta Ghar, Bhadra Kali, Sahid Gate andTripureswor. One full lap of the circuit was 21.5 km, i.e. the halfmarathon and 2 full laps of the circuit covered the full marathondistance of 42km.

The marathon which was organized at a cost of more than 8million rupees involved more than 2,000 national and international


participants. The Nepal Army stole the show in the 3rd occasionof the Kathmandu full and half marathons. Arjunkumar Basnet

of the Nepal Army left behind last year’s winner to win gold in themarathon, finishing in 2 hrs 25mins 36 secs and won US$5,000.Kanchimaya Koju proved she is still the queen of distancerunning, winning the gold in the women’s category. Shecompleted the marathon in 3hrs 5mins 43secs; this was animpressive performance following her 2 year ban for disappearingin Japan. She took home US$3,000 along with the gold medal.In the men’s half marathon, Letarsingh Khatri of the Nepal Armytook the centre stage clocking 1hr 11mins and won NCR 25,000along with the gold while Brinda Shrestha of the Armed PoliceForce (APF) won gold in the women’s half marathon in a time of1hr 31mins 51secs.

The following serving personnel from BGN participated on theevent and their timings are annotated against their names:

Maj KC Thorpe RAO BGN – 3hrs 55mins, 1st Full MarathonCapt Surje Gurung OC NST – 1hr 56mins, 2nd half MarathonWO2 Bishan Rai RAWO BGK – 5hrs 17mins, 1st Full MarathonSSgt Prabin Thapa Tp SSgt NST – 1hr 54mins, 1st half MarathonCSgt Baburam Gurung CQMS BGK – 1hr 53mins, 1st half MarathonSSgt SR Lewis FSA BGK – 4hrs 17mins, 1st Full MarathonCpl Uttambahadur Rai ACQMS BGK – 1hr 49mins, 1st halfMarathonCpl Badri Rai Assistant MC BGK – 1hr 45mins, 2nd halfMarathonCpl Ramesh Rai COMMCEN Supervisor BGK – 1hr 59mins, 1sthalf MarathonCpl Mekman Tamang Crypto Accountant BGN – 4hrs 56mins,1st Full MarathonCpl Bhesraj Chemjong COMMCEN BGK – 4hrs 56mins, 1st FullMarathonCpl Dineshbahadur Thapa COMMCEN BGK – 1hr 55mins, 1sthalf MarathonCpl Phambahadur Pun CIS Helpdesk NST – 2hrs, 1st halfMarathonPadre J Jamison – 5hrs 5mins, 1st Full Marathon

A top class effort from the afore-mentioned individuals and OCNST thanks all them for completing the event successfully. Lastyear 7 personnel represented BGN and this year, there were 14individuals, which is indeed a significant achievement andhopefully, this will encourage more serving personnel toparticipate in the 4th Kathmandu Marathon next year. Finally,special thanks to Cpl Mekman Tamang QG SIGNALS forarranging the admin requirements and Cpl Badri Rai QOGLR forproviding a delicious meal in the camp after the event.

EXERCISE KHUMBU CHALLENGE 2009 – AN INSIGHT

- by Capt Surje Gurung

Project FORTITUDE is an initiative to facilitate further andenduring rehabilitation opportunities for those Marines, Sailorsand Soldiers injured on ops who suffer visible wounds and thosewho bear less visible wounds of psychological injury. The aim isto enhance the support to individuals and their dependantsduring the rehabilitation phase from point of injury until re-integration within the RM/RN or integration into civilianemployment, care or retirement. The cornerstones areOpportunity, Challenge, Focus and Belonging.

Ex KHUMBU CHALLENGE 2009 (KC09) was an ambitiousenterprise to the Nepalese Himalayas involving 5 teams ofdiffering experience and mobility drawn from all ranks of theRoyal Navy (RN) and Royal Marines (RM) totaling 88 personnelduring the post-monsoon season, September/October 2009. Theaims of KC09 were to provide a challenging adventurous training(AT) Level 3 Expedition incorporating a range of Level 4 ATcourses and the opportunity to gain Greater Rangesmountaineering logbook experience. It not only included therehabilitation process for injured war veterans from the RM, it alsodeveloped and promoted mountaineering in the RN/RM throughthe High Altitude Development Team. The Royal Patron of KC09is Prince Harry and the Military Patron is Vice Admiral RJ

Ibbotson CB DSC, Deputy C-in-C Fleet.

The 5 objectives were Ama Dablam, Lobuche East, Pokalde,Island Peak and Everest Base Camp. Places were allocated toindividuals injured in recent conflicts, giving an opportunity andchallenge to enhance their current rehabilitation and bring themback into a military environment to give a sense of focus andbelonging. Nine experienced climbers completed a testing trekand acclimatization phase in the Khumbu region with ascents ofGokyo Ri, crossing the Cho La Pass, ascent of Lobuche Eastbefore climbing the summit of Ama Dablam 6954m over a periodof 5 weeks departing on 22 September 2009. A High AltitudeDevelopment Team, of 15 less experienced climbers, trekked inthe Khumbu region and undertook an ascent of Island Peak6189m, Pokalde 5794m and Lobuche 6090m over a period of 4weeks departing on 3 October 2009. Then 3 teams consisting of20 trekkers each undertook the famous and testing trek toEverest Base Camp, 5600m, over the Cho La Pass 5300m andincluded an ascent of Kala Pattar, known for its amazing views ofMount Everest, over a period of 3 weeks each, with the firstdeparting on 2 October 2009.

KC09 came to an end a few days ago and all personnel returnedto the United Kingdom on 29 October 2009. Their future projectsinclude Ex MOROCCAN PINNACLE 10 (MP10 Atlas Mountains) in2010, Ex UNIFIED GLOBE 11 (UG11 Mount Blanc/MountWhitney) in 2011, Ex AFRICAN SUMMITS 12 (AS12Kilimanjaro/Mount Kenya) in 2012 and Ex MAORI WALKABOUT13 (MW13 Mount Cook, New Zealand) in 2013. The rationalebehind this and future expeditions is to challenge both physically and mentally the norms of young serving personnelwho have been injured, or are suffering for service relatedreasons.

British Gurkhas Nepal was requested to provide support invarious forms towards KC09 in Nepal. Significantly, as OC of theSig Tp, I was extremely delighted when we were approached toprovide the necessary CIS support to KC09 Operation Team,which was based at the Primary Contingency Operation Room.

As a token of appreciation for our assistance, Lt Paul Youngman

RN presented a plaque to Nepal Sig Tp on 28 October 2009.Likewise, a presentation by KC09 was also made to the BGNCombined Mess on the same day. Later in the evening, theBritish Ambassador Dr Andrew Hall and Mrs Kathie Hall

invited KC09 personnel including BGN serving personnel, whohave contributed towards the inspiring project to a CocktailReception to celebrate the completion of the Khumbu Challenge.This was followed by a rock ‘n’ roll charity fundraiser gig by the‘Load Shed’ at the Comfort Zone to raise money for the charity.

The NST Team 2009 outside the National Stadium before the startof the race


Nepal offers several exciting and interesting locations for AT. Tounderstand what KC09 was all about and to collate furtherinformation for future AT from the Subject Matter Experts, the Tpserving personnel and civilian employees received a presentationfrom Lt Paul Youngman a few weeks ago, at my request. Priorto this, British Gurkhas Nepal Partners Club also received thesame presentation at the Kathmandu Mess and the ladies wereextremely pleased to see the KHUMBU CHALLENGE providingserving personnel with an exceptional, life changing experiencewhile at the same time enhancing the rehabilitation of injured warveterans.

Each future expedition will select an appropriate national charity.On KC09 it is intended to raise at least £5000 for the ChildWelfare Scheme Nepal. The charity runs a number of importantprojects aimed at helping children across Nepal which is one ofthe poorest countries in the world. If you want to know moreabout Project FORTITUDE please visit www.projectfortitude.comand for donations, details can be found atwww.childwelfarescheme.org. Jai British Gurkhas Nepal!

JUNIOR RANKS TO BGN COMBINED MESS

- by Cpl Bheshraj Chemjong

On Thursday 22 October, the BGN Combined Mess invited theJunior Ranks Club (JRC) serving personnel to their Mess. Themotive behind the social event was to offer all Mess Members theopportunity to meet the Junior Ranks and provide the latter withan insight into Mess life. The Mess Bar opened at 1900hrs.There were a total of 11 Junior Ranks who attended the event.

We paraded in front of BGK Chautara under the command of Cpl

Ramesh Rai, PMC JRC at 1905hrs. As the ‘visiting team’ wewere led by the PMC JRC and reported to the PMC of the BGNMess outside the main entrance to the combined dining hall.After a short speech, the team was handed over to SNCO IC PostOffice BGK, who then went through a 10 mins long drill practicein the presence of COS BGN including RAO BGN (PMC) and OCNepal Sig Tp (Entertainment Member). Right after this, the teamwas handed over to WO2 Lewis and WO2 Roberts for the“Mysterious Introduction”, which included some form of indoorobstacle course. Before it commenced each members of thevisiting team were given a t-shirt, which was pink in color(obviously not the color we wanted!) and WO2 Lewis was quotedas saying: “To be welcomed to the Mess, you need to earn theright, hence all personnel will complete the mysteriousintroduction”. The best part of this was picking 5 apples from abucket full of water with our teeth just before we were escorted tothe Mess entrance – it was indeed top class.

Soon after the mysterious introduction was completed, we wereofficially welcomed by COS BGN, who offered us a welcomedrink with the PMC at the Mess entrance. We then spent thenext 25 mins meeting and greeting the Mess Members. Then thenext phase, which was the Games Competition between the host

and the visiting team, began. There were a total of 5 games:namely Chess Drink, Nail-knocking, Cricket Dart, Beer Walk andAsh Pole Pulling. The hardest was the Chess Drink and reasonfor this was that we had to drink a glass of port when we weredefeated while the Host Team had to drink a glass of white winewhen they were defeated (very unfair). Needless to say; we weredefeated by the host team and we ended up drinking at least 20glasses of ports. Guest what – I was on shift the next day andwhat a way to start the duty with a hangover.

After the games competition the prize-giving ceremony tookplace. COS BGN presented the winning trophy to the Host Teamwhereas we got a Wooden Spoon as runners-up. Then a meal inthe form of a traditional Gurkha curry was served. At 2215hrs,the PMC JRC assembled us and requested permission to leavethe Mess from PMC. He also thanked all Mess Members forshowing the highest standard of hospitality to us.

The mysterious introduction was excellent, the gamescompetition was unforgettable, the food was delicious and thehospitality was top class. All in all, the whole evening was aresounding success, and I firmly believe that all those whoattended will cherish forever. We also know the fact that some ofus may join the Mess soon, some may do so in the future andsome may never but this social evening has indeed been a lifetime experience for us all. On behalf of the PMC and all ranks ofthe JRC, I would like to extend our gratitude to all Mess Membersand notably, to OC Nepal Sig Tp for re-introducing the event intothe Mess Forecast of Events after several years. The show mustgo on and we now eagerly look forward to invite the MessMembers to our Club in the future.Jai British Gurkhas Nepal!

WORK EXPERIENCE FOR SCHOOLCHILDREN AT THE

BRITISH SCHOOL - by Cpl Phambahadur Pun

Work Experience for Schoolchildren (WES) is part of The BritishSchool (TBS) A Level Induction Programme, where Year 11students complete a 5 day work placement. Most students atthis age will have no real concept of what going to work meansand hence the main objective of WES week is to offer suchschoolchildren the opportunity to broaden their horizons. HQBritish Gurkhas Nepal (HQ BGN) has been providing WES to anumber of students on various educational sectors every year.The learning environment within BGN is indeed appropriate forsuch students, as the package provides the students to gaintheoretical and practical experiences on the key responsibilities ofeach dept within this organisation.

Last year, Nepal Sig Tp conducted a 5 day work placementinduction programme to a Year 11 student from TBC, coveringthe theoretical and practical aspects of communication andinformation technology. This year, we received 2 students,namely Mr Alex Whiteside and Mr Darren Reid, who were givena week long package that included introduction to BGN commsinfrastructure, theoretical knowledge on telecommunication, OJT

Capt Surje, SSgt Prabin, Cpl Pham and Cpl Bikash posing for aphotograph with Lt Paul Youngman after the presentation

Cpl Ramesh, PMC JRC receiving the Wooden Spoon from theCOS


on various IT systems and workshop procedures includingoverview on Equipment Care and Health and Safety. They werealso given an opportunity to observe the Earthquake ContingencyEx, which I firmly believe should have provided them the insighton how immaculately we conduct a task within the Armyenvironment. On the final day, they were assessed practically onall lessons they have learned during the week, and the works theyproduced were of the highest standards.

We are extremely proud to be associated with TBS, which is apioneering institution in Nepal. Without a shadow of doubt, it has

given the Royal Signals Class 1 System Engineering Techniciansan opportunity to develop technical instructional ability andbolster the mutual relationship between BGN and TBS. Though aweek long package is not sufficient for a student to learn acomplete new system, it must have convinced the students thatWES Induction Programme provides them a fascinating visit andoffers a flourishing career prospect. The TBS Principal has wellappreciated our support and OC Tp thanked all those involved inthe overall conduct of the package, which was knowledgeableand worthwhile and delivered constructively, effectively andprofessionally.

SANGCOM

Project Director Col Jo Fletcher

SO1 G6 Lt Col Kevan Thornber

SO1 OM&T Lt Col Jonathan Turner

FAMILIES’ DESERT CAMPING TRIP 29 – 30 OCTOBER 2009

Following the arrival of several new families during the summermonths it was decided that a trip away from our world of airconditioned comfort would be a great adventure and a chance toexperience the wonders and sights that the Saudi desert offers.Maj Mark Tivey herded a total of 34 individuals, including 10children, and associated camping equipment into 10 cars. Theresulting caravan then set off from Riyadh for some regularlyvisited attractions like ‘Fat Man’s Squeeze’, ‘Graffiti Rock’, ‘FourWells’ and ‘Cathedral Rock’. The origin of these names is notalways clear but it seems likely that our illustrious and muchtravelled desert warrior, Col Jo Fletcher had something to dowith it!

The first day was predominantly sand dune driving, whichsurprisingly passed without too many people getting stuck.Unfortunately however, Wayne and Amanda Woodward

managed to get a puncture on the highest, windiest mostsandstorm-scoured location west of Riyadh. We took lunch whilerepairs were made and recalled childhood seaside theories ofwhere the “sand” in the word sandwiches came from. Thatevening we camped at Graffiti Rock and shortly after we hadwrestled the tents up, the wind dropped. We then enjoyed anexcellent evening BBQ by a campfire which notably saw the rareouting of the PD’s ‘Magic Stick’.

The following day our intrepid explorers headed off once again tovarious scenic locations, collecting desert diamonds along theway. The whole weekend was an outstanding success with, asalways some wonderful culinary delights provided by teammembers. Of particular note was our contracts man and secretchef, Joe Chapman with his legendary Tuna and Leek pie!

Our thanks go to Maj Tivey for organising an excellent weekendand also to Col Fletcher for his Bedouin-like navigation skills andhis forbearance in the face of lots and lots of children!

PRINCESS ROYAL COCKTAIL PARTY

- by WO2(YofS) Steve Hamblin

To the casual observer, running a social event around a swimmingpool in November to celebrate Princess Royal Day, which isactually in June, must seem like madness. However, thetemperature in Riyadh in November is a lot more conducive to asuccessful event than it is in June.

Our annual Princess Royal Day event gives us an opportunity toentertain and thank all those dignitaries with whom we work andon whom we depend. It also allows us to mark Princess Royalday, albeit a bit early (or late depending on your point of view).This year we entertained over 150 guests from industry,embassies and other expatriate military teams. We militarymembers of the team donned our Service Dress and, alongsideour suited Civil Service colleagues and gorgeously arrayed wives,hosted till we were fit to drop; everything went brilliantly. Col

Fletcher thanked our many guests for their support in 2009 (andcourted a continuation of he same in 2010!).

Well done to all the SANGCOM team for a job well done. Anextra well done to Maj Jason Nichols and WO2(YofS) Steve

Hamblin who had the unenviable task of organising the eveningand herding hosts and guests to such good effect. Those of youlooking to get a SANGCOM posting – make sure you arrive wellbefore November 2010 to avoid missing the fun next year!

Inscribing names for posterity among countless others on‘Cathedral Rock’

The Cordoba Oasis Village Compound Main Swimming Pool – thevenue for the Princess Royal Day event


DISBANDMENT OF 40 (ULSTER) SIGNAL

REGIMENT (VOLUNTEERS)

The Regt will disband officially on 31 March 2010. However,the following day we assume command of the UN RoulementRegt on Op TOSCA in Cyprus. A large amount of propertyfrom both messes will be used in Cyprus until October 10.Upon return from Op TOSCA, the Regt will fully disband,

leaving a single Sqn in Province, 69 (NIH) Sig Sqn (V).

Presentation pieces from both messes can be returned toformer members or can be passed on to the Sqn remaining in

Province. Anyone wishing to reclaim items should do so by 30June 10. Items not taken to Cyprus will be returned

immediately and items which have been taken will be returnedin November 10. If you have an item that you wish to reclaim,

please contact: Capt Trevor Henry Telephone 028 9067 0055 or email

[email protected]

From: Maj (Retd) J Barrett MBE

UNIFORM SALES/HIREHEADQUARTERS MESS ROYAL SiGNALS

BLANDFORD CAMP, BLANDFORD FORUM, DORSET DT11 8RH

You may wish to dispose of your uniform now that you areretiring or have already retired. If you do, please either bring itin to me or send it by post. When it is sold, we return to you

70% of the proceeds, the remainder goes to the Corps.

I will accept any uniform or accoutrement that you no longerrequire.

Contacts:MOD: Blandford (9)4371 3999 BT: Blandford (01258) 481999 Fax MOD: (9)437 1 3999 Fax BT: (01258) 481999

Home: (01963) 23375 Mobile: 07770958870 e mail: [email protected]

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THE AIR FORMATION SIGNALS ASSOCIATION

As announced in the April and August 2009 editions of TheWire, a DVD showing 22 of the Corps related memorials whichhave been established at the National Memorial Arboretum has

been completed and is now available for sale.

The DVD also includes some shots of the Armed ForcesMemorial and the dedication of the RSA Memorial on 20th May2008 by our Colonel-in-Chief. A map of the site showing the

location of’ the memorials is included with each DVD.

Using the DVD those who are unable to visit the Arboretum willhe able to see what has been established there and those whopropose to visit, either individually or in a party, will be able to

plan their visit effectively.

A small number of still photographs showing dedicationceremonies have also been inserted and from these it will he

seen how the trees have developed.

Copies of the DVD are now available from me at the addressbelow for £5.00 plus 50p each for post and packing.

Cheques should be made payable to ‘PF & M Soward’. Profitswill be shared between the Air Formation Signals Association

and the Royal Signals Association.

Lt Col (Retd) Pat Soward ([email protected])‘Shipton’, The Hollow

Child Okeford Blandford Forum Dorset DT11 8EX

Tel: 01258-860647

From: Simon Booth ([email protected])

Dear Sir

I am sure you are aware of the great work ‘Help for Heroes’ isdoing on behalf of our injured forces. They are currently tryingto raise £20M to build 7 Recovery Centres around the UK tofacilitate the swiftest possible return to duty, or smoothest

transition to an appropriate skilled and supported civilian life,for seriously injured, or long term sick soldiers, irrespective of

the cause of injury, within a conductive military setting.

To help this very worthy cause, a team of up to 12 mostly ex-serving member of the forces including myself (25 years in theRoyal Signals), have come up with the idea of completing thewell known “3 Peaks Challenge” but with added difficulty. Aswell as climbing the 3 Peaks (Snowdon, Scafell Pike and BenNevis) we intend to cycle between the peaks, covering some504 miles in the process. This will be completed by all theteam members and not as a relay event. The challenge is

planned to take place during May 2010, and we are trying toraise in the region of £20K for the charity.

My reason behind this email is that obviously such anundertaking is very costly, so we are looking for as much

sponsorship or assistance with advertising as possible and ifonly one or two of your readers where kind enough to donate

via our “just giving” site it would be marvellous. We haveregistered this event with ‘Help for Heroes’ registered Charity

No 1120920 and our individual event number is 177658-2254A.We have also set up a “Just Giving” website which can be

found at http://www.justgiving.com/3peakscyclimb2010 Please feel free to contact me if you have any further

questions, require any information or would be interested inhelping.

Many thanks, not just from me, but from the forces membersyou could be helping.

Yours…

CADETS

HAT TRICK FOR DORSET ARMY CADETS

A team of Army Cadets from Dorset have won the National Cadet signalling and military skills competition, Ex ROLLINGTHUNDER and have made it a hat trick by wining the competition for the third year in a row.

The prestigious competition, for all cadet organisations was attended this year by 24 teams from all over Great Britain,including teams from Glasgow, Dundee, Northern Ireland and Wales. The competition was held over the weekend of 19 –

21 February and was hosted by the Royal Corps of Signals at Blandford Camp. It is designed to test 5 man teams ofcadets from all arms in various signalling, military and leadership skills. This year’s competition saw a move from teams of

4 to teams of 5.

In addition to 4 Royal Signals Cadets from Blandford Forum Tp, Cpl Stephen Ireson was brought in from the PooleDetachment, The Rifles, to fill the 5th place.

Cadet RSO, Sgt Maj Alex Henderson (17), Blandford Tp said afterwards: “It was lovely to get a hat trick for Dorset ACF,having now won this National competition 3 years in a row, and I think the team worked really well together.”

Cadet Cpl Stephen Ireson (16) said: “As a Poole Cadet, it was a real honour to be asked to join the Blandford Signals TpTeam and I was glad I could help things along with my shooting skills. This was the first real test of my signals training and

it was a real challenge, but I loved every minute of it.”

Dorset County ACF Signals Training Officer, Sgt Maj Instructor Gary Pugh commented: “I am pleased that for the 3rdyear in succession, a team of Cadets from Dorset ACF have won the National Signalling Skills Competition. Cadet Sgt Maj

Henderson, LCpl Oliver, LCpl Wylde and LCpl Newton of Blandford Tp, plus Cpl Ireson of Poole Pl, did extremely well.As only Cadet Sgt Maj Henderson has completed the competition before, the Cadets did their Company proud and Cpl

Ireson maintains the family skill of being a very good shot!”

Sgt Maj Pugh also added: “It’s a proud moment for Cadet Signalling in the County as the 24 teams who enter thecompetition can be considered as the signalling elite and we, in the Dorset ACF are top of the tree once again.”

The Army Cadet Force is one of the largest youth organisations in the country and is celebrating its 150th birthday this year.We are currently looking for new Youth Leaders to help train cadets in activities such as Adventure Training, Map Reading,

First Aid, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and also some military based training.

If you are interested in becoming an instructor or have a son or daughter aged between 13 – 18 years who would like tobecome a cadet then contact HQ on:

01305 263954 or visit www.armycadets.com

Cpl Stephen Ireson, LCpl Matt Oliver, Sgt Maj (RSO) Alex Henderson, Lt Col Peter Richards, LCpl Megan Wilde and LCpl Georgia Newton

Documents

Copy of april 10 edition - Royal Corps of Signals...comprehensive library of Land environment documents, with a user-friendly and intuitive search engine and an associated Request