216 (Parachute) Signal Squadron is a squadron of the British Army's

Royal Corps of Signals The Royal Corps of Signals (often simply known as the Royal Signals – abbreviated to R SIGNALS or R SIGS) is one of the combat support arms of the British Army. Signals units are among the first into action, providing the battlefield communi ...

that is responsible for installing, maintaining and operating all types of

telecommunications Telecommunication is the transmission of information by various types of technologies over wire, radio, optical, or other electromagnetic systems. It has its origin in the desire of humans for communication over a distance greater than tha ...

equipment and

information Information is an abstract concept that refers to that which has the power to inform. At the most fundamental level information pertains to the interpretation of that which may be sensed. Any natural process that is not completely random, ...

systems in support of the

16 Air Assault Brigade 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team, from 1999 to 2021 16 Air Assault Brigade, is a formation of the British Army based in Colchester in the county of Essex. It is the Army's rapid response airborne formation and is the only brigade in the Britis ...

. 216 (Parachute) Signal Squadron provide OpCIS and TacCIS to the Bde Comd and his staff.

History

The squadron traces it lineage to the 2nd Independent Parachute Brigade Group Signal Company formed in May 1947 from two

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

airborne divisions: the

1st Airborne Division 1st Division may refer to: Military Airborne divisions *1st Parachute Division (Germany) *1st Airborne Division (United Kingdom) *1st Airmobile Division (Ukraine) *1st Guards Airborne Division Armoured divisions *1st Armoured Division (Australi ...

disbanded in 1945 and the

6th Airborne Division The 6th Airborne Division was an Airborne forces, airborne infantry Division (military), division of the British Army during the Second World War. Despite its name, the 6th was actually the second of two airborne divisions raised by the British ...

disbanded in 1948. In June 1948, the company was re-designated as the 16th Independent Parachute Brigade Group Signal Squadron with the number 16 representing the "1" and "6" from the two wartime airborne divisions. The 216 Signal Squadron (Parachute Brigade Group) was formed on 1 September 1959 from the 16th Independent Parachute Brigade Group Signal Squadron. The squadron had been re-designated in line with a new Royal Signals policy that required it to be designated with a three figure number with the '2' denoting its independent status. Elements of the squadron deployed on active service to

Bahrain Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an ...

, Aden,

Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is ...

and

Borneo Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the List of islands by area, third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java Isl ...

. In July 1965, the squadron was re-designated as 216 Parachute Signal Squadron following the 16th Parachute Brigade Group earlier removing the word "Group" from its title in January 1965. Elements of the squadron deployed on active service to Bahrain, Aden, Borneo and British Guyana. In 1971, the squadron did a four-month tour of duty in Northern Ireland. In March 1976, the squadron commenced implementing the Army Restructuring Plan 1975 to become a United Kingdom Mobile Force (UKMF) losing its airborne role. In April 1977, HQ 16 Parachute Brigade and 216 Parachute Signal Squadron amalgamated to form 6th Field Force Headquarters & Signal Squadron. In April 1978, the squadron assumed the UKMF role. In 1981, the squadron was re-rolled and re-designated as 1st Infantry Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (216). In 1982, an element of the squadron formed part of the task force deployed to the South Atlantic for the

Falklands War The Falklands War ( es, link=no, Guerra de las Malvinas) was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its territori ...

. In November 1983, 5 Airborne Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (205) was formed and in December 1983 that squadron was re-rolled as airborne. 1st Infantry Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (216) was re-designated as 205 Signal Squadron. In October 1991, 205 Signal Squadron was re-designated as 216 Parachute Signal Squadron. In June 1999, as part of 5 Airborne Brigade, the squadron was amongst the first NATO troops into

Kosovo Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Eur ...

during the

Kosovo War The Kosovo War was an armed conflict in Kosovo that started 28 February 1998 and lasted until 11 June 1999. It was fought by the forces of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (i.e. Serbia and Montenegro), which controlled Kosovo before the w ...

. On 1 September 1999, elements of 216 Signal Squadron and 24 Airmobile Brigade Headquarters & Signal Squadron (210) of

24 Airmobile Brigade 4 (four) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 3 and preceding 5. It is the smallest semiprime and composite number, and is considered unlucky in many East Asian cultures. In mathematics Four is the smallest c ...

formed up on 1 September 1999 in both Colchester and Pristina, Kosovo as 216 Signal Squadron as part of 16 Air Assault Brigade. In 2006, 216 Signal Squadron was re-designated as 216 (Parachute) Signal Squadron.

Operations

References

External links

British Army Official Website Royal Signals

216 Parachute Signal Squadron Association
{{British Airborne Forces Airborne units and formations of the United Kingdom Squadrons of the Royal Corps of Signals 1959 establishments in the United Kingdom Military units and formations established in 1959

History

Operations

See also

References

External links