History of 7 Signal Regiment
In 1914 1st Corps Signal Company RE was formed for the Headquarters 1 Corps with which it served on the Western Front throughout the First World War. After the war it was reduced to a cadre from which the newly formed Signals Corps was reconstituted in 1923. In 1924 it became a Lieutenant Colonel’s command.
In 1939 the unit was re-designated 1st Corps Signals and again went with the 1 Corps to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force. After the Dunkirk evacuation it was stationed in Yorkshire. In April 1942 a large part of the Unit was used for the re-forming of No 1, Line of Communications Signals 1st Corps Signals was reconstituted in 1943. It took part in the Normandy Landings of 1944 and the subsequent operations in Northwest Europe. At the end of the war it was stationed in Germany, becoming 1st Corps District Signal Regiment, rising in strength at one stage to 9 squadrons including one Auxiliary Territorial Force and two captured signal companies of the Wehrmacht. It was disbanded in 1947.
In 1950 the unit was raised again as 1st Corps Signal Regiment and in 1951 joined Headquarters 1 Corps in Germany. On its arrival in Herford the Regiment initially occupied Harewood Barracks but in 1952 moved to the newly built Maresfield Barracks. In August 1956 the Regiment was re-designated 2nd Corps Signal Regiment and took part in the Suez Operation. It returned to Herford in December of the same year.
The Regiment had its last change of title in 1962 when it became 7th Signal Regiment. In September 1972 the Regiment received the singular honour of the award of the Freedom of the City of Herford in recognition of the close links between the Regiment and Stadt Herford.
In September 1990 a detachment of vehicles and men was called for action with the 7th (British) Armoured Brigade (The Desert rats) as part of the British Contingent of a multinational force in Saudi Arabia, formed as a result of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. A further force of over 400 soldiers was then sent to reinforce 1st (British) Armoured Division when the United Kingdom land contingent increased to an Armoured Division in December 1990. Shortly after Christmas further small detachments totalling about 60 men were sent to the Gulf to act as Battle Casualty Replacements (BCR) should conflict occur. The Regiment’s communication equipment and troops were amongst the leading elements of the advance by the 1st (British) Armoured Division into Iraq.
When Headquarters 1st British Corps was re-designated Headquarters Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC), the Regiment’s squadrons restructured and renamed to form Headquarters, 229, 231 and 232 Squadrons, with 230 Squadron being placed tactically under command and joining the Regiment when it moved in 1994 from Herford to Krefeld.
In December 1995 the Regiment deployed elements firstly to support the United Nations on Operations Grapple in Bosnia and then following the Dayton Agreement the Regiment deployed completely in support of Headquarters ARRC in Sarajevo as part of the NATO Implementation Force (IFOR). The Regiment remained in Bosnia until December 1996 before returning to Krefeld.
In February 1999 the Regiment dispatched 232 Signal Squadron to the Former Yugoslavia Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) in support of the NATO effort to resolve the humanitarian crisis in neighbouring Kosovo. By June the Regiment was fully deployed as part of the NATO force in FYROM. The Regiment moved with Headquarters ARRC into Kosovo in late June and remained deployed until November 1999.
7 Signal Regiment moved to Elmpt in January 2002, after spending 7 years in Krefeld. The Regiment is assigned to the Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps, and its operational role is to support the deployed ARRC headquarters. The Regiment consists of four squadrons (HQ Sqn, 229 Sig Sqn, 231 Sig Sqn and 232 Sig Sqn), and is located in the north-west of Javelin Barracks.
Courtesy of Gordon Dallas
A plaque connected to 229 Signal Squadron, with a short text item can be found here