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 land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
'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 ...
. 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 i ...
that were amalgamated in 1920. It provided corps signal units during and after
World War II 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 vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. Following a series of postwar mergers Its successors continue in the Army Reserve today.


Origin

When the
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 ...
(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 a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is heade ...
(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). The ...
.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 popular movement throughout the British Empire in 1859. Originally highly autonomous, the units of volunteers became increasingly integrated ...
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 i ...
(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 ...
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 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 interest. History ...
, 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 Western Front or West Front may refer to: Military frontiers *Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (Russian Empire), a majo ...
during
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
and spun off a 2nd Line unit for
60th (2/2nd London) Division The 60th (2/2nd London) Division was an infantry division of the British Army raised during the First World War. It was the second line-formation of the 47th (1/2nd London) Division, and was the second of two such Territorial Force divisions for ...
, which served in
Salonika Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area, and the capital of the geographic region of ...
and
Palestine __NOTOC__ Palestine may refer to: * State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia * Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia * Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...
.


Cyclist Battalion

The first Bicycle infantry 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 25th (County of London) Cyclist Battalion was a bicycle battalion of the London Regiment of the British Army. The battalion was converted to a unit of the Royal Corps of Signals in 1922. The unit was originally formed on 26 February 1888 as ...
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). The ...
. 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 (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, leaving its 2nd Line battalion to continue the coast defence duties. In 1917 the battalion joined the
Waziristan Field Force Waziristan (Pashto and ur, , "land of the Wazir") is a mountainous region covering the former FATA agencies of North Waziristan and South Waziristan which are now districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Waziristan covers some . ...
as infantry and took part in the Waziristan Campaign of that year. In April 1919 it was on security duty at
Amritsar Amritsar (), historically also known as Rāmdāspur and colloquially as ''Ambarsar'', is the second largest city in the Indian state of Punjab, after Ludhiana. It is a major cultural, transportation and economic centre, located in the Majha r ...
at the time of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, then from May to August took part in the Third Afghan War, including the Relief of Thall, before finally being demobilised 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 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 ...
(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 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 passor ...
in
Fulham Fulham () is an area of the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham in West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, bordering Hammersmith, Kensington and Chelsea. The area faces Wandsworth ...
. 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 Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of 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 ( cs, Mnichovská dohoda; sk, Mníchovská dohoda; german: Münchner Abkommen) was an agreement concluded at Munich on 30 September 1938, by Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy. It provided "cession to Germany ...
, 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's
II Corps 2nd Corps, Second Corps, or II Corps may refer to: France * 2nd Army Corps (France) * II Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * II Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French ...
with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) as 2nd (London) Corps Signals, while the 2nd Line unit was earmarked for IV Corps 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 (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...
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 the ...
(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, 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 the principal town in the London Borough of Sutton in South London, England. It lies on the lower slopes of the North Downs, and is the administrative headquarters of the Outer London borough. It is south-south west of Charing Cross ...
, 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 Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German ''Bundeswehr'' together with the ''Marine'' (German Navy) and the ''Luftwaf ...
broke through the
Ardennes The Ardennes (french: Ardenne ; nl, Ardennen ; german: Ardennen; wa, Årdene ; lb, Ardennen ), also known as the Ardennes Forest or Forest of Ardennes, is a region of extensive forests, rough terrain, rolling hills and ridges primarily in Be ...
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 (french: Dunkerque ; vls, label=French Flemish, Duunkerke; nl, Duinkerke(n) ; , ;) is a commune in the department of Nord in northern France.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 3rd Corps, Third Corps, III Corps, or 3rd Army Corps may refer to: France * 3rd Army Corps (France) * III Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * III Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of th ...
went first, followed by II Corps after handing over responsibility for the eastern flank to the rearguards of
I Corps I Corps, 1st Corps, or First Corps may refer to: France * 1st Army Corps (France) * I Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * I Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Arm ...
. 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 ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
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). 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 (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
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 or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same 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 ...
that followed the German withdrawal. The unit was demobilised 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 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 The London Plan is the statutory spatial development strategy for the Gre ...
. During the winter it sent 10 and 11 Line Sections to join 2nd Corps, and in April 1940 it provided a
cadre Cadre may refer to: *Cadre (military), a group of officers or NCOs around whom a unit is formed, or a training staff *Cadre (politics), a politically controlled appointment to an institution in order to circumvent the state and bring control to th ...
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. Historically, it was known in Roman times as Arbeia, and as Caer Urfa by Early Middle Ages. According to the 20 ...
and
Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council. Portsmouth is the most dens ...
, and on their return the whole unit (six officers and 250 other ranks) moved to Old Dean Common Camp in
Aldershot Command Aldershot () is a town in Hampshire, England. It lies on heathland in the extreme northeast corner of the county, southwest of London. The area is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council. The town has a population of 37,131, while the Alders ...
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 architecture, French Gothic style by Henry Clutton in the 1860s with further additions in the 1880s. The Manor is situ ...
, 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 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 – Tedw ...
, Wiltshire, in Southern Command. Here it was joined by 5th (L) Corps Signals, initially accommodated at
Bhurtpore Barracks Bharatpur is a city in the Indian state of Rajasthan, south of India's capital, New Delhi, from Rajasthan's capital Jaipur, west of Agra of Uttar Pradesh and from Mathura of Uttar Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of Bharatp ...
and in a tented camp. Within a month Corps HQ was established at Melchett Court, near
Salisbury Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath. Salisbury is in the southeast of Wil ...
, 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 historic market town in the county of Hampshire, England. Romsey was home to the 17th-century philosopher and economist William Petty and the 19th-century British prime minister, Lord Palmerston, whose statue has stood in the t ...
. V Corps HQ was responsible for operational control and coast defence in
Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...
and
Dorset Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset (unitary authority), Dors ...
, 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 t ...
took over as General Officer Commanding (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 stands 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 acquired the manor (at the ti ...
, 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 * 1 Company at Whiteparish,
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 Bod ...
, and
West West or Occident 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 Sunset, Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic languages, German ...
and East Dean, the remainder at Cowesfield House with the Technical Maintenance Section * 2 Company at
Bodenham Bodenham is a village and civil parish in Herefordshire, England, and on a bend in the River Lugg, about seven miles south of Leominster. According to the 2001 census, it had a population of 1,024, reducing to 998 at the 2011 census. The vill ...
,
Nunton Nunton is a small village and former civil parish in Wiltshire, England, about southeast of Salisbury. The former parish included the small village of Bodenham, to the east. Nunton is on the River Ebble, while Bodenham is close to the juncti ...
, Farley and
West Grimstead West Grimstead is a village in Grimstead civil parish, on the River Dun in Wiltshire, England, about southeast of Salisbury. History Until the early 20th century, much of West Grimstead was owned by landed gentry and was part of larger est ...
, 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 Vehicle was 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 develop and wi ...
(EVC). In June 1942 V Corps was designated for
Operation Torch Operation Torch (8 November 1942 – Run for Tunis, 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 secu ...
, the
Allied An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
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 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 (; gd, Lìte) is a port area in the north of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, founded at the mouth of the Water of Leith. In 2021, it was ranked by '' Time Out'' as one of the top five neighbourhoods to live in the world. The earliest ...
and Gourock 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 a corps 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 to REME's for ...
(REME)


Operation Torch

The Allied landings began on 8 November 1942 and the first section of 5th (L) Corps Signals landed at
Algiers Algiers ( ; ar, الجزائر, al-Jazāʾir; ber, Dzayer, script=Latn; french: Alger, ) is the capital and largest city of Algeria. The city's population at the 2008 Census was 2,988,145Census 14 April 2008: Office National des Statistiques ...
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 and
Souk El Khemis Souk El Khemis is a town and commune in Bouïra Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it had a population of 8,039. The town is located at 36° 23' 17" N, 3° 38' 6" E and the name means Thursday Market. The ruins of an ancient ...
in
Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...
. 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 forces had reacted strongly to the invasion and First Army's drive towards
Tunis ''Tounsi'' french: Tunisois , population_note = , population_urban = , population_metro = 2658816 , population_density_km2 = , timezone1 = CET , utc_offset1 ...
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, ...
. 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. Signals personnel helping the
Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is heade ...
clear
minefields A land mine is an explosive device concealed under or on the ground and designed to destroy or disable enemy targets, ranging from combatants to vehicles and tanks, as they pass over or near it. Such a device is typically detonated automatic ...
along these axes suffered several casualties. Rapid progress was made after Operation Strike 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 ( ar, برج العامري) 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'') ...
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. The ...
ended on 13 May and on 14 May Corps HQ and Signals moved into
Carthage Carthage was the capital city of Ancient Carthage, 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 classi ...
. 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 given na ...
.


Italian Campaign

V Corps was not involved in the subsequent Allied invasion of Sicily (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 and the U.S. Fifth Armies, which apart from troops from the British Empire and U.S.A., also had whole units from other allied countries/regions; like two of t ...
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 or Bizerta ( ar, بنزرت, translit=Binzart , it, Biserta, french: link=no, Bizérte) the classical antiquity, classical Hippo, is a city of Bizerte Governorate in Tunisia. It is the List of northernmost items, northernmost city in Afri ...
and embarked to join Eighth Army at
Taranto Taranto (, also ; ; nap, label= Tarantino, Tarde; Latin: Tarentum; Old Italian: ''Tarento''; Ancient Greek: Τάρᾱς) is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto, serving as an important com ...
; 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 ( , ) ; la, Brundisium; grc, Βρεντέσιον, translit=Brentésion; cms, Brunda), group=pron 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. Histo ...
on 27 September, but of the second ship, ''Ocean Stranger'' there was no sign. It had arrived at
Salerno Salerno (, , ; nap, label= Salernitano, Saliernë, ) is an ancient city and ''comune'' 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 ...
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 Canosa may refer to: * Canosa (surname), surname * Canosa di Puglia, town and comune in the province of Barletta-Andria-Trani, Apulia, southern Italy * Canosa Sannita Canosa Sannita () is a ''comune'' and town in the province of Chieti, Abruzzo ...
on 3 October. On 10 October the unit moved up to Serracapriola 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, it moved up to
Termoli Termoli (Neapolitan language, Molisano: ''Térmëlë'') is a town and ''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 af ...
and on 8 November to Vasto. 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 flows ...
and tackle the Germans' Gustav Line. 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: ''1re Division du Canada'' ) 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 ...
took
Ortona Ortona (Neapolitan language, Abruzzese: '; grc, Ὄρτων, Órtōn) is a coastal town and municipality of the Province of Chieti in the Italy, Italian region of Abruzzo, with some 23,000 inhabitants. In 1943 Ortona was the site of a Battle o ...
, 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 and Fossacesia. Economy The town is known f ...
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. Main sights The main attraction of the neighbourhood is the Abbey of San Giovanni in Venere. Other sights in Rocca San Giovanni include: *church ...
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 Sea) ...
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 (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...
, 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 (military), division of the New Zealand Army, New Zealand Military Forces (New Zealand's army) during the World War II, Second World War. The division was ...
's signallers in the
Battle of Monte Cassino The Battle of Monte Cassino, also known as the Battle for Rome and the Battle for Cassino, was a series of four assaults made by the Allies against German forces in Italy during the Italian Campaign of World War II. The ultimate objective was ...
, 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 ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It ...
. Directly under the command of Allied Armies in Italy (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 marque, now owned by multi-national corporation Stellantis. Jeep has been part of Chrysler since 1987, when Chrysler acquired the Jeep brand, along with remaining assets, from its previous owner American Moto ...
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 (, ; nap, label= Campobassan, Cambuàsce ) 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 Sann ...
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 in July. Under its new GOC, Lt-Gen Charles Keightley, V Corps' next task was to act as a pursuit force after Eighth Army's expected breakthrough of the
Gothic Line The Gothic Line (german: Gotenstellung; it, Linea Gotica) was a German Defense line, defensive line of the Italian Campaign (World War II), Italian Campaign of World War II. It formed Generalfeldmarschall, Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's la ...
in
Operation Olive The Gothic Line (german: Gotenstellung; it, Linea Gotica) was a German 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 t ...
. 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 ( rgn, Mun't Gridòlf) 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. The municipality of Montegridolfo contains the ...
. 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 ( rgn, Murzèn 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 Rimini ( , ; rgn, Rémin; la, Ariminum) ...
, 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 ( rgn, I Béurch 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: Longian ...
. Casualties among the signallers had already been heavy, but after the crossing of the
Savio Savio may refer to: People ; Surname * Carlos Fernando Savio (born 1978), Uruguayan footballer * Daniel Savio (born 1978), Swedish musician * Dominic Savio (1842–1857), Italian saint * Ernesto Savio (1899–1945), Italian partisan * Edit Romanos ...
the campaign ground on, Corps HQ and Signals moving to
Cesena Cesena (; rgn, Cisêna) is a city and ''comune'' in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, served by Autostrada A14, and located near the Apennine Mountains, about from the Adriatic Sea. The total population is 97,137. History Cesena was o ...
(27 October) and then
Bertinoro Bertinoro () is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Forlì-Cesena, Emilia-Romagna (Italy). It is located on hill Mount Cesubeo, in Romagna, a few kilometers from the Via Emilia. History There are remains of a settlement dating from the Iron ...
(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 (, , ; rgn, Fènza or ; la, Faventia) 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 eart ...
was taken on 27 December and the front stabilised along the river Senio. 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 Terra del Sole was a town constructed in 1564 for Cosimo I de’ Medici by Baldassarre Lanci of Urbino, in what is now the Province of Forlì-Cesena, northern Italy. It was one of the first fortified cities to be constructed entirely from new o ...
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 C ...
' Signal Centre in
Ravenna Ravenna ( , , also ; rgn, Ravèna) 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 from 408 until its collapse in 476. It then served as the cap ...
. To run the extensive signal network, 5th (L) Corps Signals was reinforced by 523
Basuto The Sotho () people, also known as the Basuto or Basotho (), are a Bantu nation native to southern Africa. They split into different ethnic groups over time, due to regional conflicts and colonialism, which resulted in the modern Basotho, who ...
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 into the Lombard Plain by the 15th Allied Army Group started on 6 ...
began on 9 April, with Eighth Army pushing through the '
Argenta Gap The Battle of the Argenta Gap was an engagement which formed part of the Allied spring 1945 offensive during the Italian campaign in the final stages of the Second World War. It took place in northern Italy from 12 to 19 April 1945 between tr ...
' into the
Po Valley The Po Valley, Po Plain, Plain of the Po, or Padan Plain ( it, Pianura Padana , or ''Val Padana'') is a major geographical feature of Northern Italy. It extends approximately in an east-west direction, with an area of including its Venetic ex ...
, 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 ( , ; la, Padus or ; Ancient Ligurian: or ) is the longest river in Italy. It flows eastward across northern Italy starting from the Cottian Alps. The river's length is either or , if the Maira, a right bank tributary, is included. Th ...
, 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 ( , ; fur, Udin; la, Utinum) is a city and ''comune'' in north-eastern Italy, in the middle of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, between the Adriatic Sea and the Alps (''Alpi Carniche''). Its population was 100,514 in 2012, 176,000 with t ...
on 4 May, and
Tricesimo Tricesimo ( fur, Tresesin) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Udine in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about northwest of Trieste and about north of Udine. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 7,471 a ...
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 who is held Captivity, 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 priso ...
to secure, and Displaced persons 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 (german: Steiermark ; Serbo-Croatian and sl, ; hu, Stájerország) is a state (''Bundesland'') in the southeast of Austria. With an area of , Styria is the second largest state of Austria, after Lower Austria. Styria is bordered to ...
zone from Soviet forces, and a line section was despatched to establish communications with 46th Division at
Graz Graz (; sl, Gradec) is the capital city of the Austrian state of Styria and second-largest city in Austria after Vienna. As of 1 January 2021, it had a population of 331,562 (294,236 of whom had principal-residence status). In 2018, the popul ...
. 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 The 31st (Greater London) Signal Regiment was a territorial communications regiment of the British Army's Royal Corps of Signals. The regiment first formed following the creation of the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve in 1967 after the ...
. 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 11th Signal Brigade, providing military communications for national operations. History Th ...
. 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 and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon. Situated west-northwest of Charing Cross, it is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. Uxbrid ...
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. Southfields is mainly residential, historically a part of Wandsworth itself, and is divided b ...
.


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 contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established 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 Mbe may refer to: * Mbé, a town in the Republic of the Congo * Mbe Mountains Community Forest, in Nigeria * Mbe language, a language of Nigeria * Mbe' language, language of Cameroon * ''mbe'', ISO 639 code for the extinct Molala language Molal ...
, 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 contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established 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 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 College, Playfair joined the Roya ...
& 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