1st Signal Regiment, Royal Signals

1 Signal Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals, is a military communications regiment of the British Army, and consists of three signal squadrons and a support squadron. The regiment is now part of the 11th Signal Brigade and provides signal support to two armoured infantry brigades. The regiment originated from the 1st Division, Telegraph Battalion, Royal Engineers in 1905. From that time, it was known as 1st Divisional Signal Company and then 1st Divisional Signal Regiment which it remained until 1960, when it was combined with the headquarters of the 1st Division as 1st Division Headquarters and Signal Regiment. After a brief hiatus in 1993, it became part of 1st Armoured Division as 1st Armoured Division Headquarters and Signal Regiment. After the Army 2020 reforms it is no longer a divisional signal regiment, and is responsible for signal support to the two armoured infantry brigades.

History
The regiment's antecedents date to the formation of the 1st Division, Telegraph Battalion, Royal Engineers, in 1905. From 1905 - 1960 the regiment went by multiple names including 1st Divisional Signal Company and 1st Divisional Signal Regiment. After the 1957 Defence White Paper, the army was re-organized and the regiment became known as the 1st Division Headquarters and Signal Regiment, and moved to Verden in 1978. After the move the regiment remained as part of the 1st Armoured Division and remained the headquarters till Army 2020. In 1993 after the Options for Change force reductions, the 1st Armoured Division was disbanded, becoming HQ Lower Saxony District. In accordance with that change, its signals regiment became the Lower Saxony Signal Regiment. Thus 1 Signal Regiment was disestablished.

After 1st Armoured Division was disbanded, several months elapsed before 4th Armoured Division was redesignated 1st Armoured Division. In accordance with this change, the former 4th Armoured Division HQ and Signals Regiment was redesignated 1 (UK) Armoured Division Headquarters and Signal Regiment in late 1993. Before the Army 2020 reforms the regiment was the divisional support signals regiment that supported and helped the communications for the entire 1st (UK) Armoured Division.

Finally after the Army 2020 reforms the regiment became known as 1 Signal Regiment, and was transferred to the 11th Signal Brigade. Because of the draw down and eventual removal of British forces from Germany the regiment moved to Stafford. In addition to the change in role the regiment was supposed to support the 20th Armoured Infantry Brigade as brigade signal regiment. After 2018 the regiment will actually support both the armoured infantry brigades but not the new strike brigades.

Organization
The regiment has had several different structures, for example:

1993
Structure after the end of the Cold War:


 * 201 Signal Squadron
 * 208 Signal Squadron
 * 211 Signal Squadron
 * 212 Signal Squadron

2007
Structure before Army 2020:


 * Headquarters Squadron
 * 201 Signal Squadron
 * 211 Signal Squadron
 * 212 Signal Squadron

2018
Structure after Army 2020:

Structure:


 * 200 Squadron
 * 201 Squadron
 * 211 Squadron
 * Support Squadron

The regiment's current badge is a charging white rhinoceros on a black rectangle. Prior to Army 2020 the regiment used the 1st (United Kingdom) Division's badge, a charging white rhinoceros inside a red triangle on a black background.

Alliances

 * 🇩🇪 Germany - Panzergrenadier Division Signal Regiment Fernmeldebataillon 1
 * 🇨🇦 Canada - 1st Canadian Signal Regiment