Spring 2018 The Magazine of The Royal Corps of Signals Corps Formation: 28th June 1920 Corps Motto: Certa Cito Contents Spring 2018 Volume 72 No: 1 Other Units/Troops 63 FEATURES Lost Comms 63 Royal Signals Association 88 Exercise LIGHTNING STRIKE 2 Last Post 93 Deane-Drummond Prize Essay Competition Winners 20 Obituaries 94 Apprentice of the Year Awards 2017 21 New Year's Honours List 2018 62 SPORT/ADVENTURE TRAINING Presentation of Legion d'honneur 86 History of Signalling in 100 Objects 97 Basketball 68 Exercise DRAGON SORBET 70 REGULARS Exercise TIGER IRONSIDE 74 Exercise TIGER DOLOMITI 78 News from Formations 4 Exercise DIAMOND ANNAPURNA GAUNTLET 17 80 News from Training 8 Exercise COCKNEY SWIFT PISTE 82 News from Blandford 13 Exercise DRAGON SNOW RIDER 83 News from Regiments 16 Exercise NORTHERN CHIMERA DIVER 84 Exercise DRAGON SORBET 70 22Exercise KEY WARRIOR COMMUNICATOR 2 Exercise LIGHTNING STRIKE 74 Exercise TIGER IRONSIDE Front Cover: Exercise LIGHTNING STRIKE Spring 2018 The Magazine of The Royal Corps of Signals Back Cover: 2 Sig Regt on Exercise KEY WARRIOR COMMUNICATOR Note from the Editor Welcome to the Spring edition of The Wire, it has been a busy time for the Corps; the Apprentice of the Year Awards took place at the end of last year; congratulations to all of the prize-winners and you can see more on page 21. The sun came out for Exercise LIGHTNING STRIKE which took place in February with 135 Officer Cadets from 14 UOTC/DTUS units taking part in the annual exercise (see page 2) and there has been a variety of Adventure Training taking place including diving, skiing and climbing. For the latest news why not follow our Facebook page. If you already Royal Corps of Signals follow the page please be aware that Facebook is introducing changes to your news feed that may reduce the number of posts you see from us, if you would like to continue seeing our our page click on the ‘Following’ @royalcorpssignals drop-down as shown in the picture, then select ‘See First’. We also have a new instagram page which you can follow, (address on right). Do take note of the new deadline dates below for submissions as The Wire is now being produced quarterly: Spring issue 10 December Summer issue 2 April Autumn issue 2 July December Issue 2 September Finally, with the Easter holidays rapidly approaching we wish you all a happy and relaxing break with your famillies. Editor: Amy Petersen Subscriptions: [email protected] (preferred for submissions) All enquiries regarding subscriptions and changes of Mil: 94371 2817 Civ: 01258 482817 address should be made to Jess Lawson on Mil: 94371 2428 Civ: 01258 482428 or [email protected] SO3 Digital Communication and Publications: Stephanie Hamlett Last Post: [email protected] These will be inserted free to all past and present Mil: 94371 2818 Civ: 01258 482818 members of the Corps. RHQ R SIGNALS, Griffin House, Blandford Contents: Camp, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 8RH Authors alone are responsible for the content of their articles. The opinions expressed in the Articles: articles of this publication are those of the indiv- Please email submissions in Microsoft Word format, idual authors and do not necessarily reflect the together with related photographs to the e-mail policy and views, official or otherwise, of the addresses above. Digital images should be in JPEG Royal Corps of Signals or the Ministry of Defence. format, kept separate (and not embedded within the All articles and submissions are published at the article) and supplied with captions. discretion of the Editor. This publication may contain official information and should be treated Contribution Deadlines: with discretion. 10 December for publication in the Spring edition. 2 April for publication in the Summer edition. Advertising: 2 July for publication in the Autumn edition. All communications regarding commercial 2 September for publication in the Winter edition. advertising should be made direct to [email protected]. yal Sig Ro na ls © Published by The RSBF Charity Be ne R vol Printed by Holbrook Printers Ltd, Norway Road, Hilsea, royalsignals.org/rsbf/ S ent Fund BF Portsmouth © Crown Copyright 2018 heralded the 30th iteration of the annual Royal Signals between stands, Officer Cadets will inevitably still end up at University Officer Training Corps and Defence Technical the wrong stands at the wrong time and this year was no Undergraduate Scheme (UOTC/DTUS) exercise, LIGHTNING different with stand ICs scratching their heads trying to work STRIKE, which took place at Blandford Camp over the out why an unscheduled team was at their location. Needless weekend Friday 16 – Sunday 18 February 2018. to say that the Exercise CP, manned by Capt ‘Sven’ Gronn, Capt Nathan Stevens, SSgt ‘you know I’m actually an ED’ The exercise is a chance for the Corps to advertise its Gaylard and the remainder of his Corps Engagement Team diversity, technicality, opportunities and most importantly its (Cpl Maosa, LCpl Moore and LCpl Gask) managed to keep on officers and soldiers to potential officers who are serving as top of all the issues and kept the exercise moving. Reservists at their university units. The exercise has three main phases – the first is the competition which consisted of a This year’s stands were provided by 1 Sig Regt, 10 Sig Regt, 12 stand round-robin of R SIGNALS unit stands designed to 14 Sig Regt (EW), 15 (IS) Sig Regt, 16 Sig Regt, 18 (UKSF) Sig represent tasks that the Corps would carry out with a briefing Regt, 21 Sig Regt, 22 Sig Regt, 37 Sig Regt, 71 Sig Regt, 216 on unit roles. The second phase was the Final Race which was (PARA) Sig Sqn and 299 (SC) Sig Sqn – the diversity of the run by the senior Troop Commanders’ Course and this Corps was evident for the cadets to see with stands utilising consisted of an assault course over obstacles to deliver a armoured vehicles, special weapons, Gurkha personnel and message and was accompanied by a plethora of pyrotechnics. technical equipment. The third phase was a black tie dinner night in the Headquarters’ Officers’ Mess where the cadets experienced a formal dinner and were accompanied by their unit permanent staff and the exercise directing staff from the units represented. This year approximately 135 Officer Cadets attended and this represented 14 separate UOTC/DTUS units – with the 12 Royal Signals stands and the Final Race Troop Commanders there were over 200 exercising troops with 185 attending the dinner night. A misty morning soon burned off to reveal fantastic sunshine for the day and unlike last year all the teams seemed to head off in the right direction after being set off by the COS HQ R SIGNALS, Lt Col Al Balsdon. No matter how many times you brief Officer Cadets, how simple the rotation plan is, how clear the map is and how little distance you put Photos by John Fradley, Sgt Stewart and 22 Sig Regt 2 [email protected] The dinner night was a great success and Capt Nathan Stevens popped his mess event cherry without any hitches – to not have the Mess Manager ringing us on the Monday morning is a testament to Nathan’s efforts and probably a first. Corps Colonel Reserves, Col Douglas, delivered a speech which summarised the cadet’s efforts and the aim of the exercise before she announced the winners of the 3 separate awards – they were: Winners Best attitude (the missing Speckled Jim) – Northumbria UOTC Final Race winners – Typhoon Sqn Overall Ex LIGHTNING STRIKE winners – Typhoon Sqn The exercise was a great success and is regarded as the best Special to Arms weekend in the Officer Training Corps calendar – the feedback from both R SIGNALS stands and UOTC/DTUS participants was extremely positive. Next year’s exercise is provisionally planned for the weekend 15 – 17 February 2019. SPRING 2018 3 News from Formations Bde Comd Brig P Griffiths Brigade Headquarters D Comd Col H Jenkins The Brigade has been undergoing the busiest quarter of the annual cycle, COS Maj S Smith with the ARRCADE series of exercises taking place in the autumn, DCOS Maj B Creed MBE REME supporting HQ ARRC in the annual CT6 level exercises; which saw a significant increase in Brigade output over the past few months. Exercise ARRCADE FUSION 17 Some key personalities have now changed within the Headquarters, we said by Capt S Mapplebeck farewell to the Brigade Deputy Commander Col J Hill and Chief of Staff Maj C Dixon, who has been replaced with Col H Jenkins and Maj S Smith After summer leave, HQ 1 (UK) Signal Brigade respectively; and additional farewells to Capt A Fairclough, Capt N Perkins went straight into Ex ARRCADE FUSION 17, a and Capt L Conway who have all now left the Brigade Headquarters to baptism of fire for some considering the large move onto pastures new. turnover of staff over the summer. This year was slightly different to previous years with it being located on our doorstep at Imjin Barracks rather than RAF St Mawgan. Maximising Talent - by Capt Ben Swatridge The exercise saw significant technical experimentation, to the With significant change to service personnel’s (SP) delight of SO2 Eng Maj Matt ‘Chirpy’ Duff who absorbed this careers in the short, medium and long term; 1 (UK) Signal pressure like a sponge. The weekly back briefs to the Brigade Brigade conducted a Maximising Talent Symposium with Comd Brigadier Griffiths were a spectator sport for the all ranks from across the Bde OPCOM units. The aim was majority of the Brigade staff who watched Maj Duff ride the to understand SP's perspective of Maximising Talent punches like a champion.