15th Signal Regiment (United Kingdom) explained

Unit Name:15th Signal Regiment
Headquarters Northern Ireland and 15th Signal Regiment
15th (Cyprus) Signal Regiment
General Headquarters Signals, Middle East
Dates:1936—1938
1940—1963
1965—1967
1992—2007
2011—Present
Country: United Kingdom
Branch:
Role:Global Communications
Size:Regiment
326 personnel[1]
Command Structure:11th Signal Brigade and Headquarters West Midlands
Garrison:Swinton Barracks, Perham Down

The 15th Signal Regiment (15 Sig Regt) is military communications unit of the British Army's Royal Corps of Signals.

History

The regiment was originally formed before World War II during the expansion of British Army signals units. The unit provided communications for the island of Cyprus but was disbanded shortly after 1963. In 1992, following the Options for Change reforms, it was reformed to support HQ Northern Ireland and other units deployed during Operation Banner.

World War Period

Inter-war

Before World War II, the Egypt Signals unit was formed. It was tasked with providing communications and signals support for British Army units based in Egypt. Their area of responsibility was not limited to Egypt itself, but included the following areas: Mandatory Palestine, Sudan, and Cyprus. During this time, the unit was collectively known as Egypt Command Signals.[2] [3] [4]

World War II

In 1940, the regiment was based in Cairo. Following Italy's entry in the war, the regiment's support ranged from providing signals and communications for units in Cyprus, Greece, Macedonia, the Balkans, and Eastern Africa.

Cyprus

Following the end of World War Two, the regiment was re-titled in 1946 as the 3rd General Headquarters Signal Regiment. In 1959, Middle East Command was dissolved and split into two new formations, namely, British Forces Suez Canal and British Forces Arabian Peninsula. As a result, the regiment was renamed as 15th (Cyprus) Signal Regiment to better represent their new role.

Cold War

On 15 January 1965, the regiment was reformed in Aden. After this reform, the regiment was re-titled as 15th Signal Regiment.

Post-Cold War

The regiment was reformed for the third time at Thiepval Barracks in Lisburn, Northern Ireland in 1990 and was re-titled as 15th Signal Regiment.[5]

After the Options for Change reforms, the Regiment gained command of more signal squadrons.[6] After the end of Operation Banner in Northern Ireland, the Regiment was disbanded.

On the 30th September 2011, the Unified Systems Support Organisation (USSO), based in Blandford Forum in Dorset, was renamed as the 15th Signal Regiment (Information Support), or abbreviated as 15 Sig Regt (IS), and so resurrecting for the fifth time the name of the Regiment. Responsible for providing level 3 and 4 specialist support to all MoD units in Information Communication Services (ICS) and Communication Information Systems (CIS).

According to a FOI Response, the Regiment will fall under the command of 11th Signal Brigade and Headquarters West Midlands.[7] [8] By 2025, the Regimental HQ will move from its current location at Blandford Camp to Swinton Barracks in Perham Down, thereby co-locating with the remainder of the regular units of 7th Signal Group.[9] The remainder of the old Squadrons will reform as 13 Sig Regt, and remain based under a new Regimental HQ at Blandford Camp.

The Regiment under this reform is to re-organise and become a close support signals unit.[10] The Regiment will support the 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade by 2020.

In 2019, the 15 Sig Regt HQ moved from Blandford Camp to Swinton Barracks in Perham Down.[11]

Current structure

The regiment's current structure in January 2024 is as follows:[12]

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Army – Question for Ministry of Defence. 1. 14 December 2020.
  2. Lord and Watson page 54
  3. Web site: The Monthly Army List. 1939. London, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: The General Staff, War Office. 704 . 30 August 2019.
  4. Web site: Files, The Patriot. "The British Army Overseas and the Colonies on 3 September 1939." . 20 October 2019.
  5. Web site: 15 Regiment. British Army Units from 1945 On. 20 October 2019.
  6. Web site: Headquarters Northern Ireland and 15th Signal Regiment. https://web.archive.org/web/20040216050955/http://www.army.mod.uk/royalsignals/15sigregt/index.html . dead . 16 February 2004 . 20 October 2019.
  7. Web site: Army 2020 Refine changes since 2017. Dropbox. en. 2019-10-20.
  8. Web site: An Update from the Master of Signals. 2019. 8, 14. 20 October 2019. 19 May 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200519111435/https://royalsignals.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20170921-Master-of-Signals-Presentation.pdf. dead.
  9. Web site: 18 July 2019. FOI(A) regarding Army 2020 Refine changes since 2017. 24 June 2021. United Kingdom Parliamentary Publishings.
  10. Web site: 2019. Royal Corps of Signals Organisation. 20 October 2019.
  11. Web site: Lisa Hartle. 7 December 2020. Royal Signals Celebrates Centenary By Planting 100 Trees. 2021-08-31. Forces Network. en.
  12. Royal Corps of Signals Regimental Information.
  13. Royal Corps of Signals, The Wire–Winter 2021.