5th Anti-Aircraft Divisional Signals

The 57 (City and County of Bristol) Signal Squadron was a former part-time military communications regiment of the Royal Corps of Signals (RCS) within the larger Territorial Army (TA). The regiment was first formed following an increase in international tensions during and after the Munich Crisis (1938). After serving Anti-Aircraft Command, the regiment was later reduced to a squadron and finally disbanded in 2016 following the Army 2020 review of the reserves.

Origins
Between 1938, following the Munich Crisis, and 1939, until the Invasion of Poland the Territorial Army was being rapidly expanded through many units of, notably, the Royal Corps of Signals, Corps of Royal Engineers, and the Royal Artillery. During the Spring of 1939 the TA was ordered to double, for most units, and form new regiments/battalions/squadrons. One of these new units was the 5th Anti-Aircraft Division which on 1 September 1938 was formed in Reading, Berkshire to control the AA regiments covering following areas; South Wales and South East England. Following formation, this division was assigned to the Eastern Command, yet for mobilisation and operational purposes was part of Anti-Aircraft Command (AA Command).

Prewar
Prior to September 1939, the AA Command consisted of seven divisional signals regiments all provided by TA signals. In the Spring of 1939 the 5th Anti-Aircraft Divisional Signals, RCS (TA) was raised following the rapid expansion of the TA and AA Command. After formation the regiment was based in Reading, Berkshire and concurrently commanded by Eastern Command but, as stated above, for mobilisation and operational purposes was part of Anti-Aircraft Command (AA Command). The regiment's first commander was Lieutenant Colonel F E A Manning MC (see below).

Mobilisation
The deterioration in international relations during 1939 led to a partial mobilisation of the TA in June, after which a proportion of TA AA units manned their war stations under a rotation system known as 'Couverture'. Full mobilisation of AA Command came in August 1939, ahead of the declaration of war on 3 September 1939. After mobilising, the regiment faced early problems with the first of many being their lack of modern equipment and manpower that was actually eligible for service (even though the regiment wouldn't deploy overseas).

The 5th AA Divisional signals were not the only regiment to face this problem and soon two new signal training centres, and many new training battalions were raised throughout the country which would help with recruitment and manning. The new training units were placed under the command of the Inspector of Signals, held by Brigadier Robert Willan Hugh DSO MC. Following his assignment, the unit was granted a, what was then designated as a, training & manning section attached to RHQ. Before many weeks had passed urgent requests were received not only for increases to establishments of existing units but also for additional non-divisional units. These requests were made by the BEF in France, by Middle East and other overseas commands, by Anti-Aircraft Command and the Home Commands even before any part of the army was actively engaged with the enemy. These arose mainly from the fact that signals were called upon to provide communications on a scale for which they were not organised or equipped. They also arose from changes in many organisations involving the formation of new commands and headquarters.

Battle of Britain
During the Battle of Britain, the regiment's task was as follows; "to operate and maintain the communication equipment at gun operations rooms, to operate the signal offices and signal despatch at the administrative headquarters, and to build field lines in extension of the line network provided by the Defence Telecommunications Network and the General Post Office". During this period, the AA signals had no official structure, therefore each unit was different, thus the organisation of the regiment is unknown during this time.

On 13 August 1940, the Battle of Britain or, known in German as "Luftschlacht um England", was officially launched with the Luftwaffe flying 1,485 sorties, these included mostly co-ordinated attacks on aerodromes and other targets in South England and South East England. The first group of results for the British were good with only 13 fighter losses and 45 German losses. This point on the regiment would be actively engaged during the air offensive within this period.

In 1942, AA Command was reorganised with the former AA divisions being disbanded or amalgamated into larger "AA Groups" so as a result the division was disbanded on 1 September 1938 and its duplicate the 8th AA division holding the same fate. As a result of this organisation, the 5th AA Division along with its duplicate, the 8th AA Division were merged into the new 3rd AA Group. Following this, the regiment was renamed and redesignated as the 3rd AA Group (Mixed) Signals. After this redesignation, the term "mixed" was added meaning that the unit was manned by both male and female members. The regiment would hold the "mixed" term until 1962, being one of the few AA signal units with this term. After all of these changes and reforms, the regiment was moved to Bristol to oversea the larger area of responsibility the 3rd AA Group had.

Finally, in 1946 following the end of World War II the regiment was placed in suspended animation.

Postwar
When the TA was reconstituted in 1947 the regiment was reformed as the 12th AA (Mixed) Signal Regiment, RCS (TA) and based in Bristol yet again, this time supporting the 12th Anti-Aircraft Group. By 1955 AA Command was disbanded and the regiment was amalgamated with the South Command signals to form the larger South Command (Mixed) Signal Regiment and the next year was separated to form the new 12th Command (Mixed) Signal Regiment and concurrently moved to Aldershot and back to Bristol. Eventually in 1959 as a result of the 1957 Defence White Paper, the regiment was renamed, becoming the 57th (Mixed) Signal Regiment and in 1962 dropped the mixed title.

By 1967 following the major 1966 Defence White Paper, the TA was reformed through major reductions, reformations, and reorganisations, and thus the regiment was reduced to become 57 Signal Squadron (V). At this time, the regiment absorbed a troop from The North Somerset and Bristol Yeomanry. In 1969 the squadron absorbed another troop this time from The Royal Gloucestershire Hussars which was formed in Cheltenham that same year. After these reforms the squadron was assigned to the 37th (Wessex and Welsh) Signal Regiment (V), in 1992 moved to the 71st (Yeomanry) Signal Regiment (V), and in 1995 moved to the 39th (The Skinners) Signal Regiment (V). In 1995 following the Options for Change, the squadron was renamed to become 57 (City & County of Bristol) Signal Squadron (V) gaining a new troop in Cheltenham which was moved to Gloucester by 2006.

Finally, in 2016 the squadron was disbanded and concurrently merged with 43 (Wessex) Signal Squadron (V), forming 43 (Wessex and City and County of Bristol) Signal Squadron (V) based in Bristol.

Commanding Officers
Commanding officers of the regiment during the war period (1939 - 1955) was as follows;

5th Anti-Aircraft Divisional Signals (TA)


 * 1939–1939 Lieutenant Colonel F E A Manning MC TD
 * 1939–1942 Major D V L Craddock

3rd Anti-Aircraft Group (Mixed) Signals (TA)


 * 1942–1942 Lieutenant Colonel D V L Craddock
 * 1942–1946 Lieutenant Colonel T S Mensley MBE TD

12th Anti-Aircraft (Mixed) Signal Regiment (TA)


 * 1947–1949 Lieutenant Colonel P B G Gambier OBE
 * 1949–1951 Lieutenant Colonel R B Ridley-Martin
 * 1951–1954 Lieutenant Colonel B J Walker
 * 1954–1955 Lieutenant Colonel W G Daubeny

South Command (Mixed) Signal Regiment, RCS (TA) and 12th Command (Mixed) Signal Regiment (TA)


 * 1955–???? Lieutenant Colonel W G Daubeny

Other Information
Permission was granted for former Royal Gloucestershire Hussars personnel to continue wearing the uniform of the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars until 1976 following the 1975 Defence White Paper.