47 (London) Signal Regiment
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47 (London) Signal Regiment was a Territorial Army (TA) unit of the
British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
's
Royal Corps of Signals The Royal Corps of Signals (often simply known as the Royal Signals – abbreviated to R SIGNALS) is one of the combat support arms of the British Army. Signals units are among the first into action, providing the battlefield communications an ...
. It had its origins in an engineer company and a cyclist battalion of the former
Territorial Force The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry in ...
that were amalgamated in 1920. It provided corps signal units during and after
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. Following a series of postwar mergers Its successors continue in the
Army Reserve Army Reserve refers to a land-based military reserve force, including: *Army Reserve (Ireland) *Army Reserve (United Kingdom) *Australian Army Reserve *Canadian Army Reserve * New Zealand Army Reserve *United States Army Reserve *United States Navy ...
today.


Origin

When the
Royal Corps of Signals The Royal Corps of Signals (often simply known as the Royal Signals – abbreviated to R SIGNALS) is one of the combat support arms of the British Army. Signals units are among the first into action, providing the battlefield communications an ...
(RCS) was created in 1920 the 47th (2nd London) Divisional Signals was formed in the Territorial Army (TA). It combined the former 47th (2nd London) Signal Company of the
Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is the engineering arm of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces ...
(RE) with the 25th (County of London) Cyclist Battalion of the
London Regiment London Regiment may refer to two infantry regiments in the British Army: * London Regiment (1908–1938) The London Regiment was an infantry regiment in the British Army, part of the Territorial Force (renamed the Territorial Army in 1921). Th ...
.Lord & Watson, pp. 156–9.Nalder, p. 610–1.25th (Cyclist) Bn London Regiment at Regiments.org.
/ref>


Signal Company

When the old
Volunteer Force The Volunteer Force was a citizen army of part-time rifle, artillery and engineer corps, created as a Social movement, popular movement throughout the British Empire in 1859. Originally highly autonomous, the units of volunteers became increa ...
was subsumed into the
Territorial Force The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry in ...
(TF) after the
Haldane reforms The Haldane Reforms were a series of far-ranging reforms of the British Army made from 1906 to 1912, and named after the Secretary of State for War, Richard Burdon Haldane. They were the first major reforms since the " Childers Reforms" of the e ...
in 1908, the 1st Middlesex Royal Engineers (Volunteers) provided the RE components of the TF's
2nd London Division The 47th (1/2nd London) Division was an infantry division of the British Army, raised in 1908 as part of the Territorial Force. Formation The Territorial Force (TF) was formed on 1 April 1908 following the enactment of the Territorial and Res ...
, including the 2nd London Divisional Telegraph Company, RE, with the following organisation:''Monthly Army List'', various dates.Becke, Pt 2a, pp. 69–75.Lord & Watson, pp. 156–8, 247. * Company HQ at
Duke of York's Headquarters The Duke of York's Headquarters is a building in Chelsea, London, Chelsea in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, England. In 1969 it was declared a listed building at Grade II*, due to its outstanding historic or architectural special i ...
, Chelsea * No 1 Section, Duke of York's Headquarters * No 2 (4th London) Section * No 3 (5th London) Section * No 4 (6th London) Section Nos 2–4 Sections were attached to and largely manned by the 4th–6th infantry brigades of the division. The company (termed a signal company from 1910) served with
47th (1/2nd London) Division The 47th (1/2nd London) Division was an infantry division of the British Army, raised in 1908 as part of the Territorial Force. Formation The Territorial Force (TF) was formed on 1 April 1908 following the enactment of the Territorial and Res ...
on the Western Front during
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
and spun off a 2nd Line unit for
60th (2/2nd London) Division The 60th (2/2nd London) Division was an infantry Division (military), division of the British Army raised during World War I. It was the second line-formation of the 47th (1/2nd London) Division, and was the second of two such Territorial Force ...
, which served in
Salonika Thessaloniki (; ), also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, Salonika, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece (with slightly over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area) and the capital cit ...
and
Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...
.


Cyclist Battalion

The first
Bicycle infantry Bicycle infantry are infantry soldiers who maneuver on (or, more often, between) battlefields using military bicycles. The term dates from the late 19th century, when the "safety bicycle" became popular in Europe, the United States, and Austra ...
in the British Army were the 26th Middlesex (Cyclist) Volunteer Corps, formed on 1 April 1888 by a group of enthusiastic cyclists. On the formation of the TF it became 25th (County of London) Cyclist Battalion of the
London Regiment London Regiment may refer to two infantry regiments in the British Army: * London Regiment (1908–1938) The London Regiment was an infantry regiment in the British Army, part of the Territorial Force (renamed the Territorial Army in 1921). Th ...
. It served in coast defence during the early part of World War I, but in February 1916 it sailed for
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
, leaving its 2nd Line battalion to continue the coast defence duties. In 1917 the battalion joined the Waziristan Field Force as infantry and took part in the Waziristan Campaign of that year. In April 1919 it was on security duty at
Amritsar Amritsar, also known as Ambarsar, is the second-List of cities in Punjab, India by population, largest city in the India, Indian state of Punjab, India, Punjab, after Ludhiana. Located in the Majha region, it is a major cultural, transportatio ...
at the time of the
Jallianwala Bagh massacre The Jallianwala Bagh massacre (), also known as the Amritsar massacre, took place on 13 April 1919. A large crowd had gathered at the Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar, Punjab, British India, during the annual Vaisakhi, Baisakhi fair to protest aga ...
, then from May to August took part in the
Third Afghan War The Third Anglo-Afghan War was a short war which began on 3 May and ended on 8 August 1919. The new Amir of the Emirate of Afghanistan Amanullah Khan declared a Jihad against the British in the hope to proclaim full independence, as well as ...
, including the Relief of Thall, before finally being
demobilised Demobilization or demobilisation (see American and British English spelling differences, spelling differences) is the process of standing down a nation's armed forces from combat-ready status. This may be as a result of victory in war, or becaus ...
almost a year after the end of World War I.25th Cyclist Bn at Stepping Forward.
/ref>


Interwar

In 1920 the RE Signal Service became the independent
Royal Corps of Signals The Royal Corps of Signals (often simply known as the Royal Signals – abbreviated to R SIGNALS) is one of the combat support arms of the British Army. Signals units are among the first into action, providing the battlefield communications an ...
(RCS). 47th (2nd London) Signal Company merged with the 25th (County of London) Cyclist Battalion, and the combined 47th (2nd London) Divisional Signals established its HQ at the Cyclists' drill hall at
Fulham House Fulham House is a former military installation at 87 Fulham High Street, Fulham, London. It is a Grade II listed building. History The original house was named ''Passors'' after a family living on the site during the reign of King Edward III. A ...
in
Fulham Fulham () is an area of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It lies in a loop on the north bank of the River Thames, bordering Hammersmith, Kensington and Chelsea, London, Chelsea ...
. It also administered a number of other TA and Supplementary Reserve (SR) signal units based at Fulham House: * 204th Medium Artillery Signal Section (TA) * No 22 (London) Cable Section (SR) * No 25 (London) Construction Section (SR) * No 1 (London) Air Wing Signal Section (SR) * No 10 (London) Air Squadron Signal Section (SR) The first Commanding Officer (CO) was Lieutenant-Colonel William Fox Bruce, DSO, MC, who had been captured during the German Spring Offensive of 1918 while commanding 47th Signal Company. To meet the growing threat of air attack, a number of TA units began to be converted to the anti-aircraft (AA) role during the 1930s. On 16 December 1935, 47th (2nd London) Divisional HQ was redesignated 1st AA Division (for which London District Signals provided the communications), while 47th Divisional Signals became London Corps Signals. London Corps Signals also administered 204th Medium Regiment and 206th Field Regiment Signal Sections (TA) and 2 (London) Company Air Formation Signals (SR), and had A Company 1st West London Cadet Corps affiliated to it.


World War II


Mobilisation

When the TA was doubled in size in early 1939 after the
Munich Crisis The Munich Agreement was reached in Munich on 30 September 1938, by Nazi Germany, the United Kingdom, the French Republic, and the Kingdom of Italy. The agreement provided for the German annexation of part of Czechoslovakia called the Sudete ...
, the unit split to form 1st and 2nd (London) Corps Signals. However, on the outbreak of war these were redesignated, the 1st Line unit joining Lt-Gen
Alan Brooke Field Marshal Alan Francis Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke (23 July 1883 – 17 June 1963), was a senior officer of the British Army. He was Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS), the professional head of the British Army, during the Secon ...
's II Corps with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) as 2nd (London) Corps Signals, while the 2nd Line unit was earmarked for
IV Corps 4 Corps, 4th Corps, Fourth Corps, or IV Corps may refer to: France * 4th Army Corps (France) * IV Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * IV Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperi ...
in 1940 but became 5th (London) Corps Signals.Roberts, p. 5.


Organisation

In 1939, the organisation of a corps signal unit was as follows:Lord & Watson, p. 262. * HQ * 1 Company - for construction ** 4 line-laying sections ** 1 line maintenance section * 2 Company – operating ** 3 operating sections ** 3 wireless sections ** 2 messenger sections (each of 1
Sergeant Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...
and 24 despatch riders) * 3 Company – corps artillery ** 1 section for each artillery regiment In 1941, 1 Company supported the Main Corps HQ and 2 Company supported Rear HQ. By 1943 corps signal units had disbanded their third company and divided its duties between signal troops assigned to individual artillery regiments and the new
Army Groups Royal Artillery An Army Group Royal Artillery (AGRA) was a British Commonwealth military formation during the Second World War and shortly thereafter. Generally assigned to Army corps, an AGRA provided the medium and heavy artillery to higher formations within t ...
(AGRAs). Finally, in 1944, 1 and 2 Companies supported Main HQ, a new 3 Company was formed for line construction and a new 4 Company supported Rear HQ.


2nd (London) Corps Signals

The unit was warned for mobilisation on 4 August 1939 and was embodied at Fulham House on 25 August. It moved to
Ludgershall, Wiltshire Ludgershall ( , with a hard g) is a town and civil parish north east of Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. It is on the A342 road between Devizes and Andover. The parish includes Faberstown which is contiguous with Ludgershall, and the hamlet ...
, on 1 September, from where all soldiers under the age of 19 were returned to Fulham House to join the 2nd Line unit still being formed. 2nd (L) Corps Signals returned to
Sutton, London Sutton is a town in the London Borough of Sutton in South London, England. It is the administrative headquarters of the Outer London borough, on the lower slopes of the North Downs. It is south-southwest of Charing Cross, one of the fourteen ...
, on 14 September and completed its war establishment. It embarked for France to join the BEF on 29 September. In December 1939 and January 1940 it was joined by Nos 10 and 11 Line Sections provided by the 2nd Line unit.


Battle of France

Once concentrated, II Corps moved on 12 October up to the French frontier. When the German offensive in the west opened on 10 May 1940. the BEF advanced into Belgium in accordance with 'Plan D'. However, the
German Army The German Army (, 'army') is the land component of the armed forces of Federal Republic of Germany, Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German together with the German Navy, ''Marine'' (G ...
broke through the
Ardennes The Ardennes ( ; ; ; ; ), also known as the Ardennes Forest or Forest of Ardennes, is a region of extensive forests, rough terrain, rolling hills and ridges primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, extending into Germany and France. Geological ...
to the east, forcing the BEF to withdraw again, by 19 May the whole force was back across the Escaut and then went back to the so-called 'Canal Line'. By 26 May the BEF was cut off and the decision was made to evacuate it through
Dunkirk Dunkirk ( ; ; ; Picard language, Picard: ''Dunkèke''; ; or ) is a major port city in the Departments of France, department of Nord (French department), Nord in northern France. It lies from the Belgium, Belgian border. It has the third-larg ...
(
Operation Dynamo Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
), with II Corps acting as flank guard against the German penetration where the Belgian Army had surrendered. The last of the BEF who could enter the Dunkirk bridgehead had done so by 29 May and the evacuation progressed:
III Corps III or iii may refer to: Companies * Information International, Inc., a computer technology company * Innovative Interfaces, Inc., a library-software company * 3i, formerly Investors in Industry, a British investment company Other uses * I ...
went first, followed by II Corps after handing over responsibility for the eastern flank to the rearguards of I Corps. Most of II Corps was evacuated on the night of 31 May/1 June. After evacuation the signal unit was due to return to France as part of the Second BEF that was being organised, but on the surrender of France it was instead sent to
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...
as 6th (London) Corps Signals.


Middle East and Mediterranean

In 1941 the unit was redesignated again as 3rd (London) Corps Signals and sent to join Middle East Forces. At this time III Corps was a deception HQ in Persia and Iraq Command (
Paiforce Iraqforce was a British and Commonwealth formation that came together in the Kingdom of Iraq. The formation fought in the Middle East during World War II. Background During World War I, the British Army defeated the Ottoman Army in the Middle Ea ...
). In 1942 3rd (L) Corps Signals spun off a separate 21st Corps Signals for Paiforce. This unit later became Eastern Command Signals in
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
and was disbanded on Indian independence in 1947. 3rd (L) Corps Signals also spun off 3 Army Signals, which served in the Middle East for the rest of the war. In 1944 3rd (L) Corps Signals was reorganised as No 18 Line of Communication Signals and sent to the Italian Front. After 1943, a Line of Communication signal unit was intended to be organised as follows: * 1 HQ signal troop * 6 construction troops * 2 terminal equipment troops * 6 telegraph operating troops * 4 despatch rider troops * 2 technical maintenance troops * 4 medium wireless troops * 2 telephone switchboard * 2 cipher troops After a short spell in Italy, 18 LoC Signals served in Greece during the British occupation and
civil war A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
that followed the German withdrawal. The unit was
demobilised Demobilization or demobilisation (see American and British English spelling differences, spelling differences) is the process of standing down a nation's armed forces from combat-ready status. This may be as a result of victory in war, or becaus ...
there in 1946.


5th (London) Corps Signals

While the 1st Line unit went to France, the 2nd Line continued to absorb recruits and train at Fulham House and various locations round
Putney Putney () is an affluent district in southwest London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. History Putney is an ...
and
Wandsworth Wandsworth Town () is a district of south London, within the London Borough of Wandsworth southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. Toponymy Wandsworth takes its name ...
. During the winter it sent 10 and 11 Line Sections to join 2nd Corps, and in April 1940 it provided a cadre of 150 men to form 7th Corps Signals. Also in April five of its sections (5 Line Maintenance, 9 Wireless, 13 Operating and 25 and 28 Line Sections) were mobilised for overseas service, though this did not happen. In early May some subunits were detached for training to
South Shields South Shields () is a coastal town in South Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England; it is on the south bank of the mouth of the River Tyne. The town was once known in Roman Britain, Roman times as ''Arbeia'' and as ''Caer Urfa'' by the Early Middle Ag ...
and
Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...
, and on their return the whole unit (six officers and 250 other ranks) moved to Old Dean Common Camp in
Aldershot Command Aldershot Command was a Home Command of the British Army. History After the success of the Chobham Manoeuvres of 1853, reformers of the British Army decided to create a permanent training camp at Aldershot. To begin the preliminary work a smal ...
and then to
Minley Manor Minley Manor is a Grade II* listed country manor house, located within a Grade II registered garden, built in the French Gothic style by Henry Clutton in the 1860s with further additions in the 1880s. The Manor is situated 2 miles north of junct ...
, which it shared with 4th (North Midland) Corps Signals. The intention was that the London unit would take over as 4th Corps Signals while the North Midland unit would join the North Western Expeditionary Force (NWEF) in the Norwegian campaign. However, the evacuations from Norway and France disrupted all arrangements: both units provided personnel to reform 2nd (L) Corps Signals after its evacuation from Dunkirk (''see above'') and 5th (L) Corps Signals resumed its title. V Corps HQ under Lt-Gen
Claude Auchinleck Field marshal (United Kingdom), Field Marshal Sir Claude John Eyre Auchinleck ( ) (21 June 1884 – 23 March 1981), was a British Indian Army commander who saw active service during the world wars. A career soldier who spent much of his militar ...
was formed from the NWEF HQ on 17 June 1940 at
Tidworth Camp Tidworth Camp is a military installation at Tidworth in Wiltshire, England. It forms part of the Tidworth, Netheravon and Bulford (TidNBul) Garrison. History The Camp was established when the War Office acquired a 19th-century mansion – Te ...
, Wiltshire, in Southern Command. Here it was joined by 5th (L) Corps Signals, initially accommodated at Bhurtpore Barracks and in a tented camp. Within a month Corps HQ was established at Melchett Court, near
Salisbury Salisbury ( , ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers River Avon, Hampshire, Avon, River Nadder, Nadder and River Bourne, Wi ...
, and 5th (L) Corps Signals at Cowesfield House, fully cabled, with the wireless sections at Deanhill Farm ('Radio City'), a pigeon loft at Redlynch, and a Rear HQ signals office at
Romsey Romsey ( ) is a town in the Test Valley district of Hampshire, England. The town is situated northwest of Southampton, southwest of Winchester and southeast of Salisbury. It sits on the outskirts of the New Forest, just over northeast of ...
. V Corps HQ was responsible for operational control and coast defence in
Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Berkshire to the north, Surrey and West Sussex to the east, the Isle of Wight across the Solent to the south, ...
and
Dorset Dorset ( ; Archaism, archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Somerset to the north-west, Wiltshire to the north and the north-east, Hampshire to the east, t ...
, and had to respond to numerous false invasion alarms during the summer of 1940. Lieutenant-General
Bernard Montgomery Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein (; 17 November 1887 – 24 March 1976), nicknamed "Monty", was a senior British Army officer who served in the First World War, the Irish War of Independence and the ...
took over as
General Officer Commanding General officer commanding (GOC) is the usual title given in the armies of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth (and some other nations, such as Ireland) to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC ...
(GOC) V Corps on 21 July 1940, and emphasised mobility for all units and HQs in its training exercises. The new GOC was ruthless in replacing officers who did not match up to his standards for fitness and ability. V Corps HQ moved to
Longford Castle Longford Castle is a Grade I listed country house on the banks of the River Avon south of Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. It is the seat of the Earl of Radnor and an example of the Elizabethan prodigy house. History In 1573 Thomas Gorges ...
, still near Salisbury, in mid-September 1940, and 5th (L) Corps Signals was distributed in surrounding parts of Wiltshire and Hampshire as follows: * HQ at
Alderbury Alderbury is a village and civil parish in Wiltshire, England, in the south of the county around southeast of Salisbury. The parish includes the village of Whaddon, which is adjacent to Alderbury, and the hamlet of Shute End. The River Avon f ...
* 1 Company at
Whiteparish Whiteparish is a village and Civil parishes in England, civil parish on the A27 road, A27 about southeast of Salisbury in Wiltshire, England. The village is about from the county boundary with Hampshire. The parish includes the hamlets of Co ...
,
Odstock Odstock is a village and civil parish south of Salisbury in Wiltshire, England. The parish includes the village of Nunton with its nearby hamlet of Bodenham. The parish is in the valley of the River Ebble, which joins the Hampshire Avon near ...
, and
West West is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some Romance langu ...
and East Dean, the remainder at Cowesfield House with the Technical Maintenance Section * 2 Company at Bodenham,
Nunton Nunton is a small village and former civil parish in Wiltshire, England, about south-east of Salisbury, which has been part of Odstock parish since 1934. The former parish included the small village of Bodenham, to the east. Nunton is on th ...
, Farley and West Grimstead, with an element at Alderbury * 3 Company at Nomansland * Telephone exchange at Downton with V Corps' Rear HQ The unit remained in this area until 1942, with frequent exercises of increasing complexity, 5th (L) Corps Signals deploying the new
AEC armoured command vehicle AEC armoured command vehicles (ACVs) were a series of command vehicles built by the British Associated Equipment Company (AEC) during the Second World War . History During the Second World War, the United Kingdom was the only country to deve ...
(EVC). In June 1942 V Corps was designated for
Operation Torch Operation Torch (8–16 November 1942) was an Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of French North Africa during the Second World War. Torch was a compromise operation that met the British objective of securing victory in North Africa whil ...
, the Allied invasion of North Africa, and came under the command of First Army. V Corps HQ (now under Lt-Gen Charles Allfrey as GOC) and signals relocated to
Hamilton Park Racecourse Hamilton Park racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue in Hamilton, Scotland to the south of Glasgow. It is a flat racing venue, with a season which runs from May to September. The very first race to take place in Hamilton was in 1782 ...
in Scotland where a series of embarkation and communication exercises were held. The ACVs were deemed unsuitable for North West Africa, and the signal equipment was transferred to soft-skin lorry command vehicles (LCVs). Then between 4 and 10 November the unit moved to
Leith Leith (; ) is a port area in the north of Edinburgh, Scotland, founded at the mouth of the Water of Leith and is home to the Port of Leith. The earliest surviving historical references are in the royal charter authorising the construction of ...
and
Gourock Gourock ( ; ) is a town in the Inverclyde council areas of Scotland, council area and formerly a burgh of the County of Renfrew in the west of Scotland. It was a resort town, seaside resort on the East shore of the upper Firth of Clyde. Its ma ...
to embark for the Torch convoys, with the following organisation: * 5th (London) Corps Signals HQ * 1, 2, 3 Company HQs * 5 Technical Maintenance Section * 25, 28, 35 Line Maintenance Sections * 52 Line Maintenance Section (later 52 Terminal Equipment Section) * 13, 51 Operating Sections * 15 Operating Section (later 163 Tele-Operating Section) * 9, 10, 88 Wireless Telegraphy (W/T) Sections (including despatch riders and operating as Advanced and Rear Corps HQ operating sections) * 5 Corps Artillery Signal Section * 8 Cipher Section * 42 Signal Park (served all signal units in V Corps, closely associated with the unit though not formally part of it) * Light Aid Detachment,
Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers The Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME ) is the maintenance arm of the British Army that maintains the equipment that the Army uses. The corps is described as the "British Army's professional engineers". History Prior t ...
(REME)


Operation Torch

The Allied landings began on 8 November 1942 and the first section of 5th (L) Corps Signals landed at
Algiers Algiers is the capital city of Algeria as well as the capital of the Algiers Province; it extends over many Communes of Algeria, communes without having its own separate governing body. With 2,988,145 residents in 2008Census 14 April 2008: Offi ...
from SS ''Reina del Pacifico'' in Convoy KMS3 on 22 November. The rest of the unit followed on convoys KMS4 and KMS5, with the transport arriving on 27 November. Temporary Corps HQ and signals were established north of the city, and an advanced HQ at Ferme Fabre between
Souk el Arba Jendouba ( ; Formerly known as Souk El Arba until 30 April 1966) is a city in northwestern Tunisia, and capital of the Jendouba Governorate. It is an important crossroads with many road links to other towns such as El Kef, Tabarka, Ain Draham and ...
and Souk El Khemis in
Tunisia Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Tunisia also shares m ...
. The first 5th (L) Corps Signals road convoy left Algiers at 07.40 on 1 December with some 250 personnel and drove hundreds of miles eastwards, reaching Ferme Fabre on 4 December, where the signal centre was established. V Corps HQ took over the front on 6 December. Wireless links were quickly established to First Army and 78th Division. Next day the civilian telephone network was utilised for links to First Army Command Post, and shortly afterwards wireless links were established to 6th Armoured Division and 'Blade Force'. By now the
Axis An axis (: axes) may refer to: Mathematics *A specific line (often a directed line) that plays an important role in some contexts. In particular: ** Coordinate axis of a coordinate system *** ''x''-axis, ''y''-axis, ''z''-axis, common names ...
forces had reacted strongly to the invasion and First Army's drive towards
Tunis Tunis (, ') is the capital city, capital and largest city of Tunisia. The greater metropolitan area of Tunis, often referred to as "Grand Tunis", has about 2,700,000 inhabitants. , it is the third-largest city in the Maghreb region (after Casabl ...
had been halted in the mountains, with V Corps engaged in hard fighting round
Longstop Hill The 2nd Battle of Longstop Hill or the Capture of Longstop Hill took place in Tunisia during the Tunisia Campaign of World War II from 21 to 23 April 1943. The battle was fought for control over the heights of Djebel el Ahmera and Djebel Rhar, t ...
. For the next four months a series of actions was fought along this static line, and an extensive network of signal cables to formation HQs was repaired and laid, despite frequent breaks caused by air raids. 25 Line Section working in the forward areas had to be withdrawn following probes by enemy patrols. Corps Signal Office was established in a storm water culvert under a road, known as 'The Drain'. By May 1943 V Corps was poised for a final advance on Tunis, with the line sections working forwards along the two main axes of advance for 78th Division and
4th Division In military terms, 4th Division may refer to: Infantry divisions *4th (Quetta) Division, British Indian Army * 4th Alpine Division Cuneense, Italy * 4th Blackshirt Division (3 January), Italy *4th Canadian Division *4th Division (Australia) * 4th ...
. Signals personnel helping the
Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is the engineering arm of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces ...
clear
minefields A land mine, or landmine, is an explosive weapon often concealed under or camouflaged on the ground, and designed to destroy or disable enemy targets as they pass over or near it. Land mines are divided into two types: anti-tank mines, whic ...
along these axes suffered several casualties. Rapid progress was made after
Operation Strike Operation Vulcan (22 April – 6 May 1943) and Operation Strike (6–12 May 1943) were the final ground attacks by the Allied forces against the Italian and German forces in Tunis, Cape Bon, and Bizerte, the last Axis bridgeheads in North Afri ...
was launched on 6 May, and 78th Division entered Tunis on 8 May; V Corps HQ moved up to
Massicault Borj El Amri or Bordj El Amri () is a town in the Manouba Governorate of Tunisia. It is located southwest of Tunis. The town of Borj El Amri municipality contains 6,458 inhabitants and is the main town (''chef-lieu'') of the Borj El Amri delegati ...
the same day. The
Tunisian campaign The Tunisian campaign (also known as the battle of Tunisia) was a series of battles that took place in Tunisia during the North African campaign of the Second World War, between Axis and Allied forces from 17 November 1942 to 13 May 1943. Th ...
ended on 13 May and on 14 May Corps HQ and Signals moved into
Carthage Carthage was an ancient city in Northern Africa, on the eastern side of the Lake of Tunis in what is now Tunisia. Carthage was one of the most important trading hubs of the Ancient Mediterranean and one of the most affluent cities of the classic ...
. Work continued to restore cable links and remove mines, but on 15 June the unit handed over its communication network to 1st Army Signals and moved west to rejoin V Corps HQ at
Constantine Constantine most often refers to: * Constantine the Great, Roman emperor from 306 to 337, also known as Constantine I * Constantine, Algeria, a city in Algeria Constantine may also refer to: People * Constantine (name), a masculine g ...
.


Italian Campaign

V Corps was not involved in the subsequent
Allied invasion of Sicily The Allied invasion of Sicily, also known as the Battle of Sicily and Operation Husky, was a major campaign of World War II in which the Allies of World War II, Allied forces invaded the island of Sicily in July 1943 and took it from the Axis p ...
(Operation Husky) but was responsible for administering a number of units in North Africa. 5th (L) Corps Signals collected new equipment and undertook training, as well as lending sections to
15th Army Group The 15th Army Group was an army group in World War II, composed of the British Eighth Army and initially the Seventh United States Army (1943), replaced by the Fifth United States Army (from January 1944), which apart from units from across the Br ...
HQ. At the end of August it received its orders for the Allied invasion of mainland Italy. On 11 September V Corps' Tactical HQ and Tactical Signals moved to
Bizerta Bizerte (, ) is the capital and largest city of Bizerte Governorate in northern Tunisia. It is the northernmost city in Africa, located north of the capital Tunis. It is also known as the last town to remain under French control after the re ...
and embarked to join Eighth Army at
Taranto Taranto (; ; previously called Tarent in English) is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Taranto, serving as an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base. Founded by Spartans ...
; the rest of the unit moved to Philipeville on 16 September for embarkation. The main signal elements arrived on 20 September without their transport and set up in a grove some north of Taranto. The first ship carrying half the vehicles and equipment reached
Brindisi Brindisi ( ; ) is a city in the region of Apulia in southern Italy, the capital of the province of Brindisi, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. Historically, the city has played an essential role in trade and culture due to its strategic position ...
on 27 September, but of the second ship, ''Ocean Stranger'' there was no sign. It had arrived at
Salerno Salerno (, ; ; ) is an ancient city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Campania, southwestern Italy, and is the capital of the namesake province, being the second largest city in the region by number of inhabitants, after Naples. It is located ...
on the other side of Italy, where fighting was still going on and was at first unable to unload. 5th (L) Corps Signals was finally united at Canosa on 3 October. On 10 October the unit moved up to
Serracapriola Serracapriola ('Særræchæprióle' or simply 'a Særre' in the local '' apulo-molisana speech'') is an Italian town of 4,039 inhabitants, located in the province of Foggia, Apulia. It is part of the Gargano National Park, and it is ...
and began establishing communications for the formations under corps command. Away from the coastal railway civil telephone lines were sparse, and the unit soon used up all the telephone poles in 42 Signal Park. Although power control circuits along the electricity supply pylons up the valleys could also be used, V Corps was faced with the necessity of greater use of wireless. By the end of October the unit's rear elements had joined from North Africa, on 2 November, following the crossing of the
Trigno The Trigno (Latin ''Trinius'') is an Italian river. It originates in the Apennine Mountains The Apennines or Apennine Mountains ( ; or Ἀπέννινον ὄρος; or – a singular with plural meaning; )Latin ''Apenninus'' (Greek or ) ...
, it moved up to
Termoli Termoli ( Molisano: ''Térmëlë'') is a ''comune'' (municipality) on the south Adriatic coast of Italy, in the province of Campobasso, region of Molise. It has a population of around 32,000, having expanded quickly after World War II, and it is a ...
and on 8 November to
Vasto Vasto ( Abruzzese: '; , ) is a ''comune'' on the Adriatic coast of the Province of Chieti, in southern Abruzzo, Italy. During the Middle Ages it was called ''Guastaymonis'', '' Vasto d'Aimone'' or ''Waste d'Aimone''. Fascist Italy called the city ...
. V Corps' next task was to cross the
Sangro The Sangro is a river in eastern central Italy, known in ancient times as Sagrus from the Greek ''Sagros'' or ''Isagros'', ''Ισαγρος''. It rises in the middle of Abruzzo National Park near Pescasseroli in the Apennine Mountains. It fl ...
and tackle the Germans'
Gustav Line The Winter Line was a series of German and Italian military fortifications in Italy, constructed during World War II by Organisation Todt and commanded by Albert Kesselring. The series of three lines was designed to defend a western section of ...
. During the preparations the line sections had to instal cable down to the river under artillery fire, but the attack on 28–29 November succeeded, and cables were laid across the bridges laid by the Royal Engineers. Bad weather hampered further advances, but after
1st Canadian Division The 1st Canadian Division (French: ) is a joint operational command and control formation based at CFB Kingston, and falls under Canadian Joint Operations Command. It is a high-readiness unit, able to move on very short notice, and is staffed and ...
took
Ortona Ortona ( Abruzzese: '; ) is a coastal town and municipality of the Province of Chieti in the Italian region of Abruzzo, with some 23,000 inhabitants. In 1943 Ortona was the site of the bloody Battle of Ortona, known as "Western Stalingrad". ...
, V Corps HQ moved forward to
San Vito Chietino San Vito Chietino is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Chieti in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. Geography The town is bordered by Frisa, Lanciano, Ortona, Rocca San Giovanni, Treglio Treglio ( Abruzzese: ') is a municipality a ...
on 27 December, and then to
Rocca San Giovanni Rocca San Giovanni is a ''comune ''and town in the province of Chieti in the Abruzzo region of Italy. It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beautiful villages of Italy"). Main sights The main attraction of the neighbourhood is the A ...
on 3 January, remaining there until the end of the month. The
Adriatic The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Se ...
front in Italy was virtually shut down for winter, and at the end of January V Corps HQ and Signals was withdrawn to a rest area near
Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
, though the signal unit lent a detachment to reinforce
2nd New Zealand Division The 2nd New Zealand Division, initially the New Zealand Division, was an infantry division of the New Zealand Military Forces (New Zealand's army) during the Second World War. The division was commanded for most of its existence by Lieutenant-G ...
's signallers in the
Battle of Monte Cassino The Battle of Monte Cassino, also known as the Battle for Rome, was a series of four military assaults by the Allies of World War II, Allies against Nazi Germany, German forces in Kingdom of Italy, Italy during the Italian Campaign (World War ...
, which suffered some casualties. The Corps HQ returned to take over the Adriatic Front once more at the end of February, located at
Paglieta Paglieta ( Abruzzese: ') is a ''comune'' (municipality) and town in the Province of Chieti in the Abruzzo region of Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. ...
. Directly under the command of
Allied Armies in Italy The Allied Armies in Italy (AAI) was the title of the highest Allied field headquarters in Italy, during the middle part of the Italian campaign of World War II. In the early and later stages of the campaign the headquarters was known as the ...
(AAI), V Corps' task was to hold the front with the minimum number of troops and harass the enemy, while Eighth Army moved westwards. 5th (L) Signals maintained dummy signals traffic to conceal Eighth Army's move. While the front was static, the unit received new equipment, including teleprinters, and
Jeep Jeep is an American automobile brand, now owned by multi-national corporation Stellantis. Jeep has been part of Chrysler since 1987, when Chrysler acquired the Jeep brand, along with other assets, from its previous owner, American Motors Co ...
s to replace 15 cwt trucks, cars and motorcycles that were frequently stuck in mud. It also established line communications with Hermon Force, a mixed force operating high in the mountains with Pack transport. On 17 June V Corps HQ was relieved by II Polish Corps and withdrew to
Campobasso Campobasso (, ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in southern Italy, the capital of the region of Molise and of the province of Campobasso. It is located in the high basin of the Biferno river, surrounded by Sannio and Matese mountains. Campobas ...
in Army Group Reserve. The succeeding weeks were spent in training, though 5th (L) Corps Signals lent a wireless detachment to II Polish Corps for the
Battle of Ancona The Battle of Ancona was fought between forces from Poland serving as part of the British Army and German forces that took place from 16 June–18 July 1944 during the Italian campaign in World War II. The battle was the result of an Allied pla ...
in July. Under its new GOC, Lt-Gen
Charles Keightley General Sir Charles Frederic Keightley, (24 June 1901 – 17 June 1974) was a senior British Army officer who served during and following the Second World War. After serving with distinction during the Second World War – becoming, in 1944, th ...
, V Corps' next task was to act as a pursuit force after Eighth Army's expected breakthrough of the
Gothic Line The Gothic Line (; ) was a German and Italian defensive line of the Italian Campaign of World War II. It formed Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's last major line of defence along the summits of the northern part of the Apennine Mountains du ...
in
Operation Olive The Gothic Line (; ) was a German and Italian defensive line of the Italian Campaign of World War II. It formed Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's last major line of defence along the summits of the northern part of the Apennine Mountains du ...
. By the time the attack began, the corps' role had changed to an attempt to rush the Gothic Line by surprise, even though neither the HQ nor its divisions had carried out an offensive operation for many months. The first phase (25 August–3 September) went well and the German positions were overrun, Corps HQ and Signals moving up to
Montegridolfo Montegridolfo () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Rimini in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about southeast of Bologna and about southeast of Rimini. It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beautiful vill ...
. But V Corps was checked at the Battle of Gemmano (4–15 September). The signallers following behind the advance had to deal with extensive demolitions and minefields, the three line sections as far forward as possible (reinforced by 21 Line Section to carry out maintenance in the rear) and the Tactical HQ signal office located on the edge of the gun line. By 5 September the main cable was through to
Morciano di Romagna Morciano di Romagna ( or ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Rimini in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna. It is about southeast of Bologna and about southeast of Rimini. The Conca flows past the town. History Since the Middle A ...
, but HQ did not follow until 15 September. The cable artery was across the river Conca by 19 September, at the cost of several casualties. By 20 September the enemy began to disengage, but the weather slowed the pursuit. On 6 October signal deception measures were instituted to give the false impression that further advance was impossible, but on the advance continued, with Corps HQ reaching Andrea di Bagnolo on 15 October with Signals HQ in nearby
Borghi Borghi ( or ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Forlì-Cesena, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. It is located about southeast of Bologna and about southeast of Forlì. Borghi borders the following municipalities: Longiano, Poggio Bern ...
. Casualties among the signallers had already been heavy, but after the crossing of the Savio the campaign ground on, Corps HQ and Signals moving to
Cesena Cesena (; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy; and - with Forlì - is the capital of the Province of Forlì-Cesena. Served by Autostrada A14 (Italy), Autostrada A14, and located near the Apennine M ...
(27 October) and then
Bertinoro Bertinoro () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of Forlì-Cesena, in the Italy, Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. It is located on hill Mount Cesubeo, in Romagna, a few kilometers from the ''Via Aemilia, Via Emilia''. History There ...
(11 November). The Marzino was crossed on 24 November and the Lanone the following day, but the rain caused the rivers to rise by several feet and threaten cable links. Finally
Faenza Faenza (, ; ; or ; ) is an Italian city and comune of 59,063 inhabitants in the province of Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, situated southeast of Bologna. Faenza is home to a historical manufacture of majolica-ware glazed earthenware pottery, known ...
was taken on 27 December and the front stabilised along the river
Senio The Senio () is a river of Romagna in Italy, the final right-sided tributary of the river Reno. The source of the river is in the province of Florence in the Appennino Tosco-Emiliano mountains. The river flows northeast into the province of Rave ...
. Snow brought down all the main signal circuits on 6 January 1945 and V Corps had to rely on wireless for several hours while the line sections worked to restore connections. During the winter pause, as corps boundaries were adjusted, V Corps HQ and Signals moved to Terra del Sole by 19 January and then in early February to Villa Pasatoni with signals in the former
I Canadian Corps I Canadian Corps was one of the two corps fielded by the Canadian Army during the Second World War. History From December 24, 1940, until the formation of the First Canadian Army in April 1942, there was a single unnumbered Canadian Corps. I Ca ...
' Signal Centre in
Ravenna Ravenna ( ; , also ; ) is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy. It was the capital city of the Western Roman Empire during the 5th century until its Fall of Rome, collapse in 476, after which ...
. To run the extensive signal network, 5th (L) Corps Signals was reinforced by 523
Basuto The Sotho (), also known as the Basotho (), are a Sotho-Tswana peoples, Sotho-Tswana ethnic group indigenous to Southern Africa. They primarily inhabit the regions of Lesotho, South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. The ancestors of the Sotho peo ...
Signal Section.
Operation Grapeshot The Spring 1945 offensive in Italy, codenamed Operation Grapeshot, was the final Allied attack during the Italian Campaign in the final stages of the Second World War. The attack in the Lombard Plain by the 15th Allied Army Group started on 6 ...
began on 9 April, with Eighth Army pushing through the ' Argenta Gap' into the
Po Valley The Po Valley, Po Plain, Plain of the Po, or Padan Plain (, , or ) is a major geographical feature of northern Italy. It extends approximately in an east-west direction, with an area of including its Venetian Plain, Venetic extension not actu ...
, and V Corps HQ following in a series of short bounds. By 23 April the corps had closed up to the
River Po The Po ( , ) is the longest river in Italy. It flows eastward across northern Italy, starting from the Cottian Alps. The river's length is , or if the Maira, a right bank tributary, is included. The headwaters of the Po are formed by a spring ...
, with HQ in Montesanto. The corps began crossing the Po the next day. 5th (L) Corps Signals had practised 'long span construction' for stringing signal cable across a wide obstacle, but its first cable across the river utilised a damaged railway bridge. A second, long span, crossing was swept away within 48 hours. By 29 April Corps HQ and Signals had reached Bosaro. On 2 May the German forces in Italy surrendered. The German surrender did not end the rapid advance, as elements of Eighth Army continued on into Austria. V Corps HQ and Signals reached
Noventa Padovana Noventa Padovana is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Padua in the Italian region Veneto, located about west of Venice and about east of Padua. In the 13th century, the castle of Noventa Padovana was the residence of Isabella of Eng ...
on 1 May,
Udine Udine ( ; ; ; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in northeastern Italy, in the middle of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, between the Adriatic Sea and the Carnic Alps. It is the capital of the Province of Udine, Regional decentralization entity ...
on 4 May, and
Tricesimo Tricesimo () is a (municipality) in the Province of Udine, Regional decentralization entity of Udine in the Italy, Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about northwest of Trieste and about north of Udine. As of 31 December 2004, it ...
on 7 May. It had outrun its line communications and its wireless was overworked: additional sets were borrowed from Army, Division and Brigade signal units to control traffic at river crossings and along the roads crammed with formations moving north. V Corps entered Austria on 10 May and established its HQ at Pritschitz am Worthersee to begin occupation duties. The Austrian public telephone system could now be utilised and the wireless links closed down. By 16 June the HQ settled at Portschach am Worthersee, with signals in the Hotel Europa. Its role now was to provide communications for the units coping with the complexities of postwar Austria, with its roving bands of partisans,
Prisoners of War A prisoner of war (POW) is a person held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of war for a ...
to secure, and
Displaced persons Forced displacement (also forced migration or forced relocation) is an involuntary or coerced movement of a person or people away from their home or home region. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR defines 'forced displaceme ...
to deal with. At different points 5th (L) Corps Signals had a German signal company and a Hungarian unit under command. A rearrangement of occupation duties saw V Corps take over the
Styria Styria ( ; ; ; ) is an Austrian Federal states of Austria, state in the southeast of the country. With an area of approximately , Styria is Austria's second largest state, after Lower Austria. It is bordered to the south by Slovenia, and cloc ...
zone from Soviet forces, and a line section was despatched to establish communications with 46th Division at
Graz Graz () is the capital of the Austrian Federal states of Austria, federal state of Styria and the List of cities and towns in Austria, second-largest city in Austria, after Vienna. On 1 January 2025, Graz had a population of 306,068 (343,461 inc ...
. On 6 September 5 (L) Corps Signals began a move back to Salerno in Italy, to prepare for disbandment. During October the unit was reduced to 30 per cent of its war establishment and it was officially disbanded on 27 November 1945. On disbandment, the cadre of 5th (L) Corps Signals consisting of men awaiting demobilisation took in reinforcements and formed 3 Company, 7 Headquarters Signals. This consisted of a despatch rider section, an operating section, two medium wireless sections, a terminal equipment section and a signals park, and began training for service in the Middle East. In February 1946 the remaining 5th (L) Corps men left for demobilisation and the company left Italy for Egypt.


Postwar

When the TA was reconstituted in 1947, the unit was reformed at Fulham House as 23rd (Southern) Corps Signal Regiment, under the command of Lt-Col E.W.G. Knight, who had been the last commanding officer of 18 LoC Signals. In 1955 the unit was renamed as 2nd Corps Signal Regiment (London), changing to 2nd (London) Signal Regiment in 1958. In 1960 the regiment regained its traditional number as 47 (London) Signal Regiment. However, the following year it merged with 40 (Middlesex Yeomanry) Signal Rgt to form 47 (Middlesex Yeomanry) Signal Rgt, later reduced to squadron status in 31 (City of London) Signal Regiment. Its successor unit is today's 31 (Middlesex Yeomanry and Princess Louise's Kensington) Signal Sqn in
71 (Yeomanry) Signal Regiment 71st (City of London) Yeomanry Signal Regiment is an Army Reserve regiment in the Royal Corps of Signals in the British Army. The regiment forms part of 7th Signal Group, providing military communications for national operations. History The r ...
. In 2010, 83 Support Sqn (the former London District Signals) of 31 Signal Sqn was renamed 47 Signal Troop to perpetuate the unit. The Troop is based in
Uxbridge Uxbridge () is a suburban town in west London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon, northwest of Charing Cross. Uxbridge formed part of the parish of Hillingdon in the county of Middlesex. As part ...
and
Southfields Southfields is a district of inner London located within the London Borough of Wandsworth, England, 5.6 miles (9 km) south-west of Charing Cross, with a small portion of the area extending into the neighbouring London Borough of Merton. So ...
.


Commanders


Commanding Officers

The following served as commanding officer of the unit and its successors: ''47th (2nd London) Divisional Signals'' * Lt-Col W.F. Bruce, DSO, MC, 1921 * Lt-Col T.W. Vigers,
OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
, MC, TD, 1927 * Lt-Col H. Lloyd-Howard, MC, TD, 1932 ''London Corps Signals'' * Lt-Col C.L.H. Humphreys, TD, 1939 ''1st (London) Corps Signals'' – later 2nd, 6th and 3rd (L) Corps Signals * Lt-Col C.L.H. Humphreys, TD * Lt-Col W.H. Lloyd, MC, 1940 * Lt-Col F.S. Whiteway-Wilkinson, 1943 ''No 18 Line of Communication Signals'' * Lt-Col E.W.G. Knight, TD, 1944 ''21st Corps Signals'' * Maj L. Hurley 1942 * Lt-Col L.R.C. Watson, 1943 * Lt-Col R.C. Yule, OBE, 1943 * Lt-Col L. Hurley, MBE, 1943 ''Eastern Command Signals (India)'' * Lt-Col R.B. Gray, 1943 * Lt-Col M. Stonestreet, 1947 ''2nd (London) Corps Signals'' * Lt-Col C.A. Oliver, MC, Mobilisation to 16 September 1940 ''5th (London) Corps Signals'' * Lt-Col F.A. Manley, 17 September 1940 to 16 January 1941 * Lt-Col H.J.F. White, 17 January 1941 to 4 June 1942 * Lt-Col W.B.G. Collis, MBE, 5 June to 11 October 1942 * Lt-Col R.G. Yolland, 12 October 1942 to 18 March 1944 * Lt-Col D. White, 19 March 1944 to 28 March 1945 * Lt-Col W.A. Tomlinson, 29 March to 8 May 1945 * Lt-Col L.T. Shawcross, OBE, 9 May to 15 October 1945 * Lt-Col J.J. Ballard, OBE, 16 October 1945 to disbandment ''23rd (Southern) Corps Signal Regiment'' * Lt-Col E.W.G. Knight, TD, 1947 * Lt-Col J.G. Vhristopher, TD, 1950 * Lt-Col R.C. Newcombe, OBE, 1953 ''2nd (London) Signal Regiment'' * Lt-Col R.C. Newcombe, OBE, 1955


Honorary Colonels

The following served as Honorary Colonel of the unit: * Col G. Smith, appointed 6 May 1922 * Col J.G. Fleming,
CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
, DSO, appointed 15 February 1928 * Colonel T.W. Vigers, OBE, MC, TD, appointed to London Corps Signals 1 January 1936 and acted in the same role for 5th (London) Corps Signals during World War IIRoberts, p. 7.


Footnotes


Notes


References

* Anon, ''The London Cyclist Battalion'', London: 25th London Cyclist Old Comrade's Association/Forster Groom, 1932. * Maj A.F. Becke,''History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 2a: The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st-Line Territorial Force Divisions (42–56)'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1935/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, . * Maj A.F. Becke,''History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 2b: The 2nd-Line Territorial Force Divisions (57th–69th), with the Home-Service Divisions (71st–73rd) and 74th and 75th Divisions,'' London: HM Stationery Office, 1937/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, . * Sir Arthur Bryant, ''The Turn of the Tide, 1939–1943'', London: Collins, 1957. * Maj D.K. Edwards, ''A History of the 1st Middlesex Volunteer Engineers (101 (London) Engineer Regiment, TA) 1860–1967'', London, 1967. * Gen Sir William Jackson, ''History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East'', Vol VI: ''Victory in the Mediterranean, Part I, : June to October 1944'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1987/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, . * Gen Sir William Jackson, ''History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East'', Vol VI: ''Victory in the Mediterranean, Part I, I: November 1944 to May 1945'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1988/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, . * Cliff Lord & Graham Watson, ''Royal Corps of Signals: Unit Histories of the Corps (1920–2001) and its Antecedents'', Solihull: Helion, 2003, . * Alan H. Maude (ed.), ''The History of the 47th (London) Division 1914–1919'', London: Amalgamated Press, 1922/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2002, . * Brig C.J.C. Molony,''History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East'', Vol V: ''The Campaign in Sicily 1943 and the Campaign in Italy 3rd September 1943 to 31st March 1944'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1973/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, . * Brig C.J.C. Molony, ''History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East'', Vol VI: ''Victory in the Mediterranean, Part I: 1st April to 4th June 1944'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1987/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, . * ''The Memoirs of Field Marshal Viscount Montgomery of Alamein'', London: Collins, 1958. * Maj-Gen R.F.H. Nalder, ''The Royal Corps of Signals: A History of its Antecedents and Developments (Circa 1800–1955)'', London: Royal Signals Institution, 1958. * Maj-Gen
I.S.O. Playfair Major general (United Kingdom), Major General Ian Stanley Ord Playfair, (10 April 1894 – 21 March 1972) was a British Army officer. Military career Born the son of Colonel F.H.G. Playfair of the Hampshire Regiment and educated at Cheltenham ...
& Brig C.J.C. Molony, ''History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East'', Vol IV: ''The Destruction of the Axis forces in Africa'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1966/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, . * Denis E. Roberts, ''The 5th (London) Corps Signals: A Short History 1939–1945'', Shepperton: D.E. Roberts for 5 (London) Corps Signals Old Comrade's Association 1993. {{refend


External sources


The Long, Long Trail


* ttp://www.steppingforwardlondon.org Stepping Forward: A Tribute to the Volunteer Military Reservists and Supporting Auxiliaries of Greater London Regiments of the Royal Corps of Signals Military units and formations in London Military units and formations in Fulham Military units and formations established in 1920 Military units and formations disestablished in 1961 1920 establishments in England 1961 disestablishments in England