The Wartime Memories Project - WW II

My late father Charlie Reynolds, served in the Royal Signals and received the India Star. I am very keen to get some information on how long he was there and the part the Signals played. He was also in the desert for about 3yrs. He adored his time in the Army and although de-mobbed in 1946 he always talked about those times with pride.
If anyone from the Regiment/ or Corps knew my father or can shed some light on this campaign I would be very grateful.
Elaine Carver
The Wartime Memories Project - The Second War

The 1939–45 Star was a campaign medal of the British Commonwealth, awarded for service in the Second World War. The medal was awarded for operational service between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. Army personnel had to complete 6 months service in an operational command.
Description: The 1939–45 Star is a six–pointed star of yellow copper zinc alloy, with a height of 44mm and maximum width of 38mm. The obverse has a central design of the Royal Cypher, surmounted by a crown. The cypher is surrounded by a circlet containing the words ‘The 1939–45 Star'.

The reverse is plain, with the recipient's name impressed only for Australians and South Africans.
The ribbon has three vertical stripes of dark blue, red and light blue. The dark blue stripe represents the Naval Forces and the Merchant Navy, the red stripe the Armies and the light blue stripe the Air Forces. The ribbon for this medal, along with those of the other Second World War campaign stars, is reputed to have been designed by King George VI, with the three equal bands representing the equal contributions towards victory of the Royal Navy, Army, and the Royal Air Force respectively.

Act of Remembrance: Indian Signals WWII

Remembering Signalmen who served in Imphal, Kohima, Chindits and Burma War

On Sunday those members who were able travelled by car to the National Memorial Arboretum to attend the 1100am Act of Remembrance. At the end Lt Col Pat Soward told the congregation about the ceremony to follow and invited those not in our party to join us if they wished. He explained the
significance of the day, 65 years almost to the day (2 Sep 45) since the signing of the ‘Instrument of Surrender’ aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay which formally ended the Second World War.
Led by L/Cpl Samir Rai, a piper from 22 Sig Regt, standard bearers carrying the AFSA, Indian Signals Association and Birmingham Branch standards processed to the Far East Air Force Grove where Rev Jim McManus, Chaplain to the AFSA, blessed a tree and dedicated it to all those who had served in 19 (Air Formation) Sig Regt. It appeared that most of those in the chapel had taken up the offer and a goodly number followed to watch. A wreath was laid by Mr Charles Little MBE, who had served in India and Burma with the Regt and after the Exhortation a bugler signalled a silence.
The procession then continued to the Far East area to the tree ‘Planted for all ranks, Royal Signals and Indian Signals, lost in Burma in WW2’ where a new plaque had been installed. The tree was re-dedicated and wreaths laid by Maj Tom Bewsey OBE, chairman of the now disbanded Indian Signals Association, and Lt Col Pat Soward, on behalf of Lt Col Robin Painter in memory of his comrades in the Chindits and at the siege of Imphal who
didn’t return.
After the Exhortation and Kohima Inscription the bugler signalled a further silence after which the parade dismissed. The Indian Signals Association Standard was carried by Mr George Hedge for its last outing before being laid up in the Blandford Garrison Church. George’s father had served in Burma in WW2 and George proudly wore his Burma Star and other medals.
Extracted from: The Wire of Royal Signals

Gurkha Corps of Signals

31: Gurkha Corps of Signals Badges
History 31: Gurkha Corps of Signals- click here

Royal Corps of Signals (March Past Music)

The Royal Corps of Signals (often simply known as the Royal Signals - abbreviated to R SIGNALS, is one of the combat support arms of the British Army.
The march past music is called, "Begone Dull Care".
Performed by the Band of the Royal Corps of Signals.
Lyrics:
Begone, dull care!
I prithee begone from me;
Begone, dull care!
Thou and I can never agree.
Long while thou hast been tarrying here,
And fain thou wouldst me kill;
But i' faith, dull care,
Thou never shalt have thy will.

Too much care
Will make a young man grey;
Too much care
Will turn an old man to clay.
My wife shall dance, and I shall sing,
So merrily pass the day;
For I hold it is the wisest thing,
To drive dull care away.

Hence, dull care,
I'll none of thy company;
Hence, dull care,
Thou art no pair for me.
We'll hunt the wild boar through the wold,
So merrily pass the day;
And then at night, o'er a cheerful bowl
We'll drive dull care away.

Visit to 2 STC

BEVERLY EX BOYS ASSOCIATION
Chairman Mick Teague Secretary Tony Hull as reported in The WIRE
Whilst on holiday in Goa, India, we were travelling back from a visit to a waterfall, when we passed a military establishment and I saw young recruits with a “Jimmy” on their singlets. I made the taxi driver stop so that I could take a photograph of a young recruit.

He stood so proudly to attention for me. He belonged apparently to 3 Trg Regt, Indian Signals, near the city of Margao.
After 2 weeks in South Goa, we moved up to the capital, Panjim. On our journey we passed another building displaying “Jimmies”. I found out that this was 2 Sig Trg Regt, and decided to pay them a visit.
We were taken into a secretary’s office, and explained the reason for our visit. When the Adjt heard that I was an ex-boy, he called us in immediately.
We were given tea and had a long chat with him. He explained that they have a “Raising Day” on 15 February every year and every unit celebrates this. He said the CO would like to meet us and we were taken upstairs, where we were greeted, very cordially, by Brig K A Cariappa and treated with the utmost courtesy.
The first thing that the Brig said to me was that he would like to confiscate my straw hat, which has the Corps colours and the RSA badge. He went on to explain that they have 4,562 recruits in trg. The recruits used to be taken in at sixteen and a half, but the age has been raised to seventeen and a half, due to an international ruling.
The Army is very important in India because of all their borders and they often have to deal with areas of unrest. The Army has over a million soldiers.

Brig Cariappa presents Indian Signals Corps tie to Tony Hull

Brig Cariappa very kindly presented me with their Corps tie and also a copy of The Signalman, their magazine which is equivalent to The Wire.
Extracted from The WIRE of Royal Signals