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31 Signal Regiment History

31 Signal Regiment

31 Signal Regiment has a long and proud history starting as militia and hussars in the late 1790s rasied to ward off the threat of French invasion.  Our earliest units were the Kensington Militia and the Oxfordshire Hussars who are today represented by 41 (Princess Louise's Kensington) Signal Squadron and 5 (Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars) Signal Squadron.

Both Squadrons have the right to uniform distinctions in the form of Stable Belts and on ceremonial uniforms in recognition of their long service.

56 Signal Squadron joined the Regiment in 1967 and have always been a Signals Unit providing communications.

83 Support Squadron are the descendants of 56 Div Signals who served in World War. They joined the Regiment as 83 Signal Squadron and became a Support Squadron in 2006 following a merger with HQ Squadron.

In 1967, 31 Signal Regiment was formed to provide Strategic Communications to a NATO Headquarters and later became responsible for communications support the Machinery of Government in War during the Cold War.

In 2003, the Regiment provided Individual Reinforcements to the Gulf War, known as operation TELIC. Volunteers continue to conduct short operational tours in support of the Regular Army

In 2006 the Regiment underwent and expansion in role with Squadrons conducting the following tasks.

5 (QOOH) Signal Squadron and 56 Signal Squadron became Close Support Squadrons for their Regional Brigades. These Squadrons provide rapidly deployable communications equipment from radios and satellite phones to Local Area Networks to support Army operations in the vent of a significant incident or disaster in the UK.

83 Support Squadron provides command, technical and life support to all Regimental operations.

41 (PLK) Sig Sqn provides Strategic communications capable of inter-continental links for special tasks. The Squadron also has the capability to operate communications in support of incident response and management in the UK.

Additionally, all parts of the Regiment are capable of providing individual reinforcements for expeditionary operations following suitable selection and training.

A copy of the regiment's history can be purchased at the Royal Signals Museum in Blandford.

The Kensingtons

The Kensingtons have the unique distinction of the right to bear an Infantry Colour emblazoned with the Kensington's 39 Battle Honours gained in South Africa at the turn of the 1900s and during the First and Second World Wars. From formation to 1947 the Kensingtons served as Infantry who's job was to close with and kill the enemy or as support weapon troops who suppressed and destroyed the enemy using machine-guns and mortars. After the second world war they became the Phantom Signal Regiment responsible for strategic signals and recce work. In 1967 they joined 31 Signal Regiment as 41 (Princess Louise's Kensington) Signal Squadron and today are located in Coulsdon and Kingston.

The Kensingtons have served for over 200 years winning 39 battle honours in four wars fought in 11 countries. Our history provides a rallying point and inspiration no matter what situation we face. Even on today's high technology battlefield it is the people that make the difference and our pride in the Kensingtons history helps us maintain our fighting spirit.

1939 to 1945

During the Second World War the Kensingtons became machine-gun and mortar troops supporting the Infantry in close proximity to the enemy.

The 1st Battalion served in France 1940, North Africa, Sicily, Italy and Austria. Fighting on after Dunkirk half the battalion escaped and went on to one of the toughest battles of the war during the battle of Cassino II before finishing the war in Austria.

The 2nd Battalion was first poised on the beaches of England to repel invaders. They then deployed to the storms and glaciers of Iceland to deny the enemy bases in this key area. They then took part in the North West European campaign landing just after D-Day, fighting all the way into Germany.

Experiencing intense fighting in some of the war's toughest battles, the Kensingtons were awarded 8 battle honours and many medals were won in stirring acts of gallantry and sheer determination.

The Early Years

We were formed in 1798 as the "Kensington Volunteers" and our primary role was to deter French invasion. For the next hundred and two years our soldiers and officers trained for this role. Muskets and swords gradually gave way to rifles and pistols. In 1900 the Kensingtons first saw action overseas in the Boer War serving with the City Imperial Volunteers and Imperial Yeomanry. For this campaign the Kensingtons were awarded our first battle honour "South Africa 1900-1902". Battle honours are awarded to units which distinguish themselves in battle or throughout a successful campaign. In 1913 the Kensingtons were honoured to be named after Princess Louise of Kensington.

1914 to 1918

During the Great War of 1914 to 1918 the Kensingtons were infantry whose job was to close with and kill the enemy. The Kensingtons grew from one battalion to three.

1st Battalion in France and Flanders fighting the Germans, notably being the first TA unit to conduct a successful attack in 1915.
2nd Battalion in Salonika and Palestine fighting the Turkish Army where it marched through the desert to take part in the battles for Jerusalem and Jericho.
3rd Battalion in Britain where it trained replacements for the 1st and 2nd Battalion.

The Regiment was awarded 30 battle honours and many Officers and Soldiers were decorated for bravery in the field. By the end of the war in 1918 some 1,043 Kensingtons had laid down their lives in the defence of civilisation.

In peacetime the Kensingtons reduced to one battalion until the emerging threat of Hitler's Germany and Britain's re-armament led to the forming of a second battalion in 1938.

Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars

The First Troop of Yeomanry was formed at Watlington in 1798. This was quickly followed by the formation of troops in Bullingdon, Dorchester and Thame. These were followed in 1801 with the formation of the Oxford, Ploughley (Bicester) and Woodstock Troops. The main purpose of the Militia and Yeomanry was to provide a formidable defence against the fear of invasion from the French and to quell the ongoing riots over bread and flour prices taking place throughout Britain. These forces were deemed unreliable when over 200 men of the Oxford Militia rioted and were arrested. The ring leaders being executed by a firing squad made up of their own fellow rioters.

The Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars were formed as a Yeomanry Cavalry unit who provided mobile strike and recce forces on horseback. They served with distinction in South Africa and the two World Wars converting to armour until becoming a signals unit in 1967 as 5 (Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars) Signal Squadron. The joined the Regiment in 2005 after serving with 39 Signal Regiment. Today they are located in Aylesbury.

The regimental title has seen a number of changes. The original title was the Oxfordshire Yeomanry. Below is a chronology of the changes:

1818-The North Western Oxfordshire Regiment of Yeomanry
1823-First Oxfordshire Regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry
1828-Disbanded
1830-Restored to Pay list
1835-Following the visit of Queen Adelaide, wife of William IV, the Regiment was granted the title 'Queen's Own Royal Oxfordshire Yeomanry Cavalry' and adopted the colour 'Mantua Purple' in honour of Queen Adelaide.

1888-They became the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars and finally the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars Territorial Force. The Yeomanry saw service in the Boer War with 40 and 59 Companies of the Imperial Yeomanry. They served in the Great War seeing action in Belgium and France.

1922-They became Royal Artillery forming 399 and 400 Batteries of 100 (Worcestershire and Oxfordshire Yeomanry) Brigade. At the outbreak of World War 2 reformed to 63rd (Oxfordshire Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery seeing service in the United Kingdom, Europe and the Far East. They were amongst the first British Territorial Army units into the War and amongst the first British troops into Belsen. Many of the Oxfordshire Yeomanry were Prisoners of War who worked on the famous Burma Railway. Following the War they reformed into the Territorial Army and Volunteer Reserve as 387 Field Regiment Royal Artillery in 1947 as Q Battery, 299 Medium Regiment Royal Artillery (Royal Buckinghamshire Yeomanry and Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars). Following the 1967 Government Defence Review the troops were absorbed into A Company, Oxfordshire Territorials.

1971-5 (Banbury) Squadron Royal Signals (Volunteers) was formed and the title Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars added in 1975. The role of the Squadron was Special Communications forming a sub-unit of 39th (City of London) Signal Regiment (Special Communications) (Volunteers).

1995-The Special Communications role was reduced to squadron level and the new Regiment became, 39th (Skinners) Signal Regiment (Volunteers) with the Headquarters moving from London to Bristol and a new role providing a National Communications Radio System.

1998-The Squadron celebrated the Bi-centenary of the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars with the granting of the Freedom of Banbury.

83 Signal Squadron

83 (L) Signal Squadron can trace its history back to 1861 when the 1st Tower Hamlets Militia was formed. The unit progressed to become part of the Royal Engineers corps which was responsible for Army Communications. During the First World War it served as a telegraph Company with the Royal Engineers providing communications mainly by laying telephone lines.

After the war the Regiment was stood down and in 1921, with the formation of the Royal Signals as a separate Corp with the responsibility for Army main communications, the unit was re-formed as 56 (London) Division Signal Regiment (Volunteers), later wearing the Black cat (Dick Whittington's) on the battle dress sleeve.

Together with London Irish, London Scottish, the HAC, LRBR, Inns of Court (as a recce Regiment) and other supporting units, 56 (L) Div Signals Regiment formed part of 56 Division providing command communications mainly by line, wireless and dispatch rider.

During the second World War the unit was based in Kent, Sussex and in 1942 formed part of the MEF to Iraq and Kirkuk. In 1943 it took part in the 3000 mile approach march from Iraq to Tunisia and the battle of Enndaville, and in 1943-1944 saw action in Salerno, Arno, Tivoli, Trieste and Austria (1945).

The unit was stood down in 1946 and reformed in 1947 as the 56 (London) Armoured Division Signal Regiment (when the black cat acquired its sword) and in 1959 became 56 (City of London) Signal Regiment.

With the reorganization of the Territorial Army 1n 1961 the Regiment was reduced in size to a Squadron and given the title 332 (City of London) Signal Squadron Volunteers providing communications for the 54 (East Anglian) Infantry Division. In the 1967 reorganization of the TA, the Squadron was merged into the newly formed 31 (Greater London) Signal Regiment (V) as 83 (London) Signal Squadron (V).

The Squadron's role was to contribute via SHAPE to the provision of a mobile field radio reserve command network for the Supreme Commander of NATO and the necessary operators.

Today, 83 Squadron is located at Southfields and is the Regimental Support Squadron. I however retains a comunications troop.

56 Signal Squadron

In March 1969, 858 & 859 Corps Reinforcement Signal Troops (V) were formed at Eastbourne to provide reinforcements to 22 Signal Regiment, a regular unit based in Germany, and 2 Infantry Division HQ and Signal Regiment. Both Regiments tasks, at the time, were to provide part of the Bruin Trunk Telecomunications system covering the rear area of the Forward Trunk Telecommunications system covering the Forward Combat Zone of 1st British Corps, British Army of the Rhine.

1981 saw the Squadron become the first TA unit to be issued with new equipment, in order to retain compatibility with both Signal Regiments, but in 1986 due to a change in equipment, the squadrons role with both signal regiments came to an end, although by this time the squadron had gained a reputation for its enthusiasm and high standard of professionalism.

Squadron Role

As the squadron was no longer to be part of a regular Regiment, it had to be found a new role.  A decision was taken in 1987 to re-role the squadron to provide High Frequency detachments in support of 1 BR Corps, which meant a complete retraining programme.

During 1988, the Squadron took part in its first field exercise in this new role. In 1990, the Squadron became an independent squadron under command of 12 Signal Brigade.

Then, in 1995 the Squadron was absorbed into 31st (City of London) Signal Regiment (Volunteers), retaining its HF role. Where it remains today.