Corps History: Curved Shoulder Title

Dear Veterans,
I have been approached by Sqn Ldr Rana T.S. Chhina, who is the Secretary, Centre for Armed Forces Historical Research at the USI. He is trying to put together a catalogue of metal shoulder titles worn by the Indian Army from 1885 till date. He has sent me a photo of a curved shoulder title of Signals which is attached. He wants to know if this title was ever worn by Indian Signals and if so, when was it replaced by the straight shoulder title that is still worn. His specific query is given below:

I would also be most grateful if you could kindly let me have the shoulder title reference. What were the patterns of metal shoulder titles worn? When was the current straight Signals title introduced? I recently acquired a curved Signals title. Which period would be this be from? I have also seen titles reading “Wireless” and a cloth slip on shoulder title reading “Wireless SEAC” (obviously from WW-2 – South East Asia Command .

I have sent him a gist of the changes that have occurred in our dress from 1911 to 1947, which have been covered in the History of the Corps of Signals Volume II. I am reproducing the information below:
From 1911 to 1916, signallers wore the same uniform as the Sappers and Miners. In 1916, the distinctive Signal Service colours, blue and white, were permitted in the ‘pullah’ in 1916 and in the ‘jhalar’ of the headdress in 1920. Indian ranks started wearing brass shoulder titles ‘SIGNALS’ in 1922. In 1923, all ranks of the Corps began to dress as mounted men, wearing breeches and short-putties, in addition to trousers and shorts. In 1927 the colours of Royal Signals – light blue green and dark blue - were adopted for ‘jhalars’, replacing the blue and white. In 1928 it was ruled that the blue and white Signals arm bands would be worn only on active service. In 1935 the Madrassis were permitted to wear felt hats, instead of the heavy pagri which often came off while riding a horse. The length of the Punjabi Mussulman’s ‘safa’ was reduced, with a small kullah being worn. Sikhs and Dogra wore a small pug under their turbans. With mechanisation, breeches and spurs gradually disappeared. During World War II, all personnel, except for Sikhs, started wearing the blue beret and the jungle hat.

Can any veteran signaller shed some light on this? Was the curved shoulder title ever worn by Indian Signals?
With regards
Maj Gen VK Singh (Retd)

LT Gen Kochhar releases Defcom India 2011 Brochure

NEW DELHI : Lt Gen S.P Kochhar, AVSM, SM, VSM, Signal Officer-іn-Chief along wіth Maj Gen V.P Srivastava, AVSM ADG Tactical Communication, Satish K Kaura аnԁ Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, Confederation οf Indian Industry released thе Brochure οf Defcom India 2011 аt thе curtain raiser ceremony іn Nеw Delhi οn Monday. Defcom India 2011 іѕ a joint initiative οf Corps οf Signals, Indian Army аnԁ thе Confederation οf Indian Industry wіth thе theme enabling Information аnԁ Communication Technologies (ICT) fοr Info Age Warfare tο bе presented іn a seminar scheduled οn 2nd -3rd November 2011 аt thе Manekshaw Auditorium, Swarna Jayanti Marg,
Nеw Delhi.
Thе objective οf thіѕ seminar іѕ tο provide participants аn understanding οf thе growth іn info structure tο achieve integrated mission capabilities аnԁ discuss future Information Technology аnԁ mаkе informed choices tο realise thеѕе.
Emerging technologies Ɩіkе data centres, cloud computing, virtualisation, IMS, NGOSS аnԁ enhanced optical transmission technologies hаνе ensured thаt delineation between communications аnԁ IT domains іѕ nο longer possible. In a drive towards modernisation аnԁ tο embrace thеѕе technologies a number οf communication networks hаνе bееn evolved іn thе Indian Army. Enabling ICT infrastructure οf thе armed forces fοr Information Age Warfare tο translate information superiority іntο combat superiority іѕ thе need οf thе hour fοr аƖƖ three services.
Future battlefields shall bе fluid іn nature. Therefore, thеrе іѕ a need fοr thе industry tο understand thе requirements οf thе armed forces іn terms οf convergence, interoperability аnԁ provisioning οf mission critical tactical communication grids аnԁ strategic networks.
Thеrе wουƖԁ аƖѕο bе a necessity tο converge wireless аnԁ wireline networks wіth adequate scalability аnԁ еnԁ tο еnԁ security. Thеrе аrе a large number οf challenges іn providing еnԁ tο еnԁ communications fοr defence networks, bе іt strategic οr tactical networks. Provisioning, operations, monitoring, reporting аnԁ security safeguards fοr communication networks need tο bе deliberated. Adequate redundancy іn terms οf optical backbone, satellite / radio networks wουƖԁ hаνе tο bе catered fοr besides having suitable monitoring аnԁ management infrastructure іn terms οf Network Operations Centres аnԁ Security Operations Centres. Defcom India 2011 wіƖƖ provide аn ехсеƖƖеnt platform tο stimulate innovative thinking аnԁ engender a wider аnԁ more common understanding οf thе tenets οf net centricity nοt οnƖу within thе Indian Armed Forces bυt аƖѕο асrοѕѕ thе defence industry, academia аnԁ R&D organisations.
LT Gen Kochhar releases Defcom India 2011 Brochure

Signallers perform despite heavy odds

During operation Vijay, the Signallers despite heavy odds, lack of resources and highly inhospitable terrain, acquitted itself creditably and provided speedy operational and rearward welfare communication to fighting formations. The electronic warfare support fielded in the valley played a significant role in gaining information about the enemy's devious plans in Kargil sector.

The Corps earned several gallantry and distinguished service awards, including the first Yudh Seva Medal (Col Sudhir Bhatnagar, CO, 8 Mountain Division Signal Regiment), the fourth Shaurya Chakra (late L/Hav Birbal) and four Sena Medals (posthumous). Six Commanding Officers in the field were also awarded for excellence in command during operations.

During Malpa tragedy, as part of the Army's rescue operations, when the entire hill region near Dharchula was virtually cut off, the Signals quickly moved communication detachments to establish vital radio and satellite communications at Dharchula, Joshimath, Pithoragarh, Kausani and neighbouring areas to rescue the stranded civilians.

During operation Sahayata, eighteen high frequency radio and satellite detachments were quickly moved to Bhubaneshwar and neighbouring areas to restore the communications. The personnel of the Corps worked round the clock and rendered humanitarian help in distribution of food, medicine and water.

The Signals continue to send their personnel abroad to broaden their vision/experience in various fields of telecommunications, information technology and electronic warfare including exposure to International Telecommunication Union (ITU) conferences on latest technology. In addition, the Signals also fielded communication detachments for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon and the United Nations Peace Keeping Force, Sierra Leone. The Corps also sent personnel to the Indian Army's training teams at Botswana and Mauritius.

As part of the modernisation drive, some of the major achievements of the Corps in the fields of communication and networking include; commissioning of the Army internet, proliferation of information technology in the Army including taking on the role of 'facilitator' for implementing the Army IT plan, development of MCTE as a centre of excellence in the fields of information technology and information warfare, planning for introduction of internet and related ISDN services in the Army, computer telephony integration (CTI) for better service to subscribers, Establishment of an Information Technology Institute of Calcutta, full fieding of plan AREN and finalisation of Tactical Communication System - 2000, for tactical communication in the new millennium, expansion of the existing ASCON networks to include all commands and areas in the east and finalisation of plans for future expansion, introduction of new technologies such as Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) switching for exchanges, introduction of state-of-the-art satellite communication systems in the valley and the North-East, including GMPCS, VSAT and Mobile Satellite Systems, introduction of new communication projects such as the UHF project, MODCOM - 102 (for improvement of communications in Siachen), Integrated Communication Network (ICN), and replacement of existing microwave links of ASCON with optical fibre cable (OFC), effective and real time communication for the counter-insurgency grids in the Valley and the North-East, strategic alliance with the DoT for joint communication projects in remote areas in the Valley and engineering of fall back communication to face any unforeseen contingencies and to ensure that no system failure occured due to the Y2K problem.
Click here to read more

Facets of Corps History

History of Corps of Signals
Corps of Signals provides the life line for the army in providing communications of all sorts. The Corps of Signals of Indian Army enables all commanders to exercise command and control over their troops during operations. Until the telegraph was adopted by the army its communications were operated by various means including the blue and white flags by day and by lamps at night. Later on the messages were transmitted by means of buzzer keys across field cables. There is a record of a signal service in India in 1857. Telegraph lines were also laid for the assault on Lucknow during 1857 with much success. Its communication channels are high speed radio, teleprinters and field telephones.
Objective of Corps of Signals
The main objective of Corps of Signals is to make the Indian Army Network Enabled Force and Network Centric Force. This will implicate consolidation of all networks so as to provide the Indian Army with an optimum, secure, reliable and robust infrastructure that can meet both operational and peacetime requirements and one that is capable of withstanding technical and physical degradation. The Corps of Signals remains the lead agency and nodal centre for information and cyber security both within the Defence Services and at the national level. A holistic approach has been adopted to develop the Communication and IT infrastructure in all its dimensions of the military organisation. With the experience gained in various operations, it was decided in 1911 to organise signals as a separate establishment under the protection of the corps of army engineers and miners. A signal company formed a part of each division and a nucleus of a wireless company for the lines-of-communications. Further developments were interrupted by the declaration of the war. The Royal engineers and the Indian army provided officers for the signals. In October 1914 a Signal Service Depot was formed at Kirkee which was to be responsible for training reinforcements which were needed very urgently for the rapidly expanding corps. Corps of Signals was established in 1922.
The Signal Training Centre and the Boys Company
1 STC and Depot was located at Jabalpur. The Army Signal School and Wireless Training Section were responsible for the training of regimental signallers and personnel for wireless units. The field units consisted of four cavalry brigade signal troops, seven divisional signals, two corps signals and two signal parks. In 1933 a new experiment was started in the Corps with the inauguration of the Boy's Company at the Signal Training Centre which proved a great success.
Courtesy: Indianetzone

Commemoration Ceremony- 15 Feb 2011

Corps of Signals Fourteenth Reunion and Centenary Celebrations, 1 STC Jabalpur 15th Feb 2011 Pollard Arena
Commemoration Ceremony



100 Glorious Years
On this day in 1911, the 31st and 32nd Div Sig Companies of Sappers and Miners, the first Signal units were raised at Fatehegarh. Lt Gen SH Powell, Royal Engineers, was the founder and first head of the Indian Signal Service, which subsequently became Indian Signal Corps. The 33rd and 34th Div Sig Companies were raised at Ahmednagar and 41 Wireless company at Roorkee on 01 Mar 1911.
An innovation was raising of Women's Auxiliary Corps (Indian) in 1943, consisting of Europeans, Eurasians and Indians in 1942 and were employed during WW II as cipher and switchboard operators.
When Lord Mountbatten decided to advance the date of Independence the plans to Indianise the Armed Forces were planned. SO In C Brig CHI Akehurst continued in the appointment till March 1954.
After Independence there were few changes in the organisation of Signals till after the 1962 conflict with China. Major expansion of the Corps took place subsequently and in the Centenary year it is poised to take on greater challenges as the Army migrates to a fully automated digital battle space.

Note: Allow pop ups on this page. Click image for slideshow navigation. Double click for enlarged photographs.
Photographs: Courtesy 1 STC