A Brief History of 2 Signal Regiment

The antecedence of 2 Signal Regiment can be traced to the formation of a detachment of the Royal Engineers Telegraph Corps in 1907. The detachment was entitled the '2nd Division Telegraph Company Royal Engineers'. It was based in Aldershot and its peacetime strength consisted of just one sergeant.

In 1911 the unit changed its name to the 2nd Divisional Signal Company Royal Engineers, in anticipation of the wireless, which it did not receive until 1916. The division mobilised in 1914 to France where elements of the Signal Company took part in the major battles of the First World War.

In 1920, with the formation of the Corps of Signals, the unit changed its allegiance from the Royal Engineers to the Royal Corps of Signals.

The unit deployed again when the 2nd Division fought in Turkey in 1922; and in Palestine in 1936.

The 2nd Division was heavily involved in the Second World War and later in India and Burma.

In 1944 the Division fought at Kohima and Imphal. The Regiment commemorates this battle annually to this day. The battle of Kohima took place between 4th April and 22nd June. It was to mark the limit of the Japanese incursion into India and would eventually result in the Japanese retreat back into Burma before their surrender.

In order to advance into India the Japanese had to occupy Kohima due to the fact that it stood on the only road they could use. Once they surrounded the Imphal area 13,000 troops marched on to Kohima.

1,500 men made up of Royal West Kent Regiment 161 Indian Bde defended the garrison. The Japanese threw everything at the defenders who had built up positions in the DC's tennis court beside his cottage which was positioned on the vital ground, a high spot looking over Kohima. The siege lasted for 14 days with the defenders suffering serious losses.

On 12th April 1 Camerons of 2nd Brit Div attacked and destroyed the Japanese position blocking the route from Dimaput and Kohima. This allowed for the relief in place by 2 Div. By the 19th Apr the relief had fully taken place at the defensive positions, all this 31 days after receiving the orders from Belgaum over 2,000 miles away.

However the Japanese still had control over Kohima itself and had dug in. Even with the support of the Queens Regt and the Gurkha Rifles it took until 16th May during a heavy monsoon season for the battle to be won. Fighting continued into June until the Japanese army had been driven out of the surrounding areas.

During the Second World War the Divisional Commander, Lieutenant General Sir Charles Lloyd, chose the Cross-Keys as the Divisional emblem. This was because his previous command was with the Guards Brigade and their emblem had been a single key.

Sir Charles doubled the keys to make the Cross-Keys which were worn by the 2nd Divisional Signals Company. The Cross-Keys is, of course, significant to the Regiment's location in York today.

It is also a coincidence that many years ago, in times of need, the Archbishop of York would raise an Army, which wore his personal arms on their banners. The Archbishop's personal arms were the Cross-Keys.

After the Second World War the Division served in the Far East before being disbanded and reformed in Luebbecke, Germany. The Regiment was retitled the 2nd Infantry Division and Signal Regiment. As a result of the 1981 Defence Review the Division was moved to York in 1983 to command the now reorganised 2 Infantry Division Headquarters and Signal Regiment.

In 1992, with the end of the Cold War and Options for Change, the Regiment carried out trials in support of the Divisional Headquarters and being an Airmobile Division, before relinquishing its role, renamed 2 Signal Regiment.

With this came the Regiment's new roles of providing communications support for the ACE Rapid Reaction Corps, as part of 11 (ARRC) Signal Brigade and the provision of communication support to 3 (UK) Division on Contingency Operations.

In 1995 the Regiment deployed on Operation HAMDEN to the Former Republic of Yugoslavia. The Regiment was tasked with providing Ptarmigan communication for the Rapid Reaction Force Headquarters and its associated brigades.

There was a concurrent operational deployment of a Squadron Group to the Falkland Islands; this cycle was repeated with a United Nations peace support mission later when the Regiment was tasked with providing communications for the withdrawal of the ACE Rapid Reaction Corps forces that were deployed under a NATO Implementation Force (IFOR) prior to the arrival of a LANDCENT Stabilisation Force (SFOR).

Again, the Regiment was fully stretched as it was asked to deploy another Squadron Group concurrently to the Falkland Islands (Sep 06-Mar 97).

1999 was another busy year for the Regiment. It again deployed to the Falkland Islands (Feb-Aug 99). At the same time a Command Structure and Headquarters element deployed to Bosnia on Operation PALATINE to the Multi-National Division (South West) Headquarters and Signal Regiment, whilst 214 Signal Squadron deployed to Kosovo on Operation AGRICOLA (Jun-Nov 99).

On their return, the Regiment was tasked to provide augmentees for Op PALATINE (Dec 99-Jun 00).

Closer to home, the whole Regiment was involved in providing flood relief to the City of York and surrounding areas during Operation WATERFOWL in Nov 00 in gratitude of which the people of York awarded the Regiment the Freedom of their City.

At the beginning of 2001, a detachment deployed to Sierra Leone on Operation SILKMAN to provide strategic communications for the UK JTFHQ. This task was conducted over six months. 214 Sqn deployed out to Oman on Exercise SAIF SARREA II. In September that year, 246 Gurkha Signal Squadron was reformed and became part of the Regiment.

After the tragic events of September 11th 2001, elements of the Regiment were deployed throughout 2002 and 2003, to Stuttgart and Tampa USA on Operation VERITAS, and Afghanistan on Operation FINGAL in the war against terrorism. There the Regt continues to support the British Element of the US Central Command with JOCS internet terminals.

Meanwhile the Regiment at home provided communications support to Operation FRESCO supporting the Civil Authorities during the National Firemen's strike. At the same time the Regiment was practising its new strategic role in support of a Joint Force Logistic Component (JFLogC) on Exercise LOG VIPER.

This new role saw the Regiment in its entirety deploying to the Gulf on Operation TELIC, as the 2 Signal Regiment Group with attached signals units bringing its strength to almost 1,000 men and women.

The Regt deployed on Op TELIC IV where it provided comms support to the Nat Support element, the senior British liaison as well as 4 Armd Bde.

 In Kuwait and later in Iraq itself, the Regiment provided both tactical and strategic communications to the deployed Brigades, the Division HQ, and the JFLogC. After the topple of the Saddam regime, the Regiment was involved in the commercialisation of the deployed military command projects to reconstruct the Iraqi telecommunications infrastructure.

From Jan 05 to Apr 06 the Regiment has had a troop deployed on Op HERRICK providing such ICS as JOCs and VTC to various elements operating in Afghanistan such as the public restoration teams, ISAF and Infantry Coys.

The Regiment currently consists of an RHQ, Sup Sqn, 214 Sig Sqn, 219 Sig Sqn and 246 Gurkha Sig Sqn. 214 Sqn are currently a High Readiness squadron with the Spearhead Lead element and in July 06 were involved with Op Highbrow the evacuation of British nationals from Lebanon.

The Regiment is in the planning stages of possible deployment of an SHQ and a troop from 246 Gurkha Sig Sqn on Op Telic 9 as well as the deployment of an RHQ and 2 Sqns on Op Herrick in early 2007.