32nd Signal Regiment

The 32nd Signal Regiment is a British Army Reserve Regiment of the Royal Corps of Signals. The regiment forms part of 51st Infantry Brigade and Headquarters Scotland, providing military communications for national operations.

Early history
The 1st Lanarkshire Voluntary Military Engineers were raised in Glasgow on 5 December 1859 as part of the Volunteer Force. The 2nd Lanarkshire Voluntary Military Engineers and 3rd Lanarkshire Voluntary Military Engineers were raised in 1860 and 1862 respectively. The regiment was formally registered with the War Office on 27 February 1860. In 1863, the regiment adopted the uniform of the Royal Engineers. In 1864, the "Corps Training Ground" was established in Maryhill. In 1894, the Telegraph Company, 2nd Lanarkshire Volunteer Military Engineers was added to the regiment. In 1900, the regiment was chosen to be part of the first operational use of the Volunteer Force and a company of two officers and 99 Other Ranks were sent to the Second Boer War.

First World War
As part of the 1908 Haldane Reforms, which created the Territorial Force (renamed the Territorial Army in October 1921), the regiment became the Lowland Divisional Telegraph Company. A Wireless, Cable and Airline Company were added and the regiment was established as a Field Company to support 51st (Highland) Division. After the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the Glasgow Group RE was disbanded and the regiment was sent as part of IV Corps and the British Expeditionary Force to France.

Second World War
On reforming the Territorials in 1920, 52nd Lowland Division Signal Company reformed at Maryhill. On 28 June 1920, the Corps of Signals was formed - it was redesignated the Royal Corps of Signals on 5 August - and the regiment changed uniform and cap badge. During World War II, the regiment again saw active service in support of both 51st (Highland) Division and 52nd Lowland Divisions in the European theatre. On reforming the TA in 1947, the regiment returned once again to Maryhill as the 51st/52nd (Scottish) Infantry Division Signal Regiment. The regiment was retitled 52nd Lowland Infantry Division Signal Regiment in 1948.

Post War
As a result of the 1966 Defence White Paper, a major reorganisation of the Army took place, caused by the end of National Service, with the TA being disbanded and the Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve (TAVR) formed. Instead of forming large reserve formations, the role of the new TAVR was to provide individual and unit-sized reinforcements for the Regular Army. The 32nd (Scottish) Signal Regiment was formed on 1 April 1967 as a TAVR II unit (i.e. it was assigned a NATO support role). The new regiment was composed of five squadrons, amalgamating the four signals regiments in Scotland. They were:


 * Headquarters Squadron
 * 51st (Highland) Signal Squadron - successor to 51 (Highland) Signal Regiment
 * 52nd (Lowland) Signal Squadron - successor to 52 (Lowland) Signal Regiment
 * 61st (City of Edinburgh) Signal Squadron - successor to 61st (City of Edinburgh) Signal Regiment
 * 82nd (Army Emergency Reserve) Signal Squadron - successor to 82 Signal Regiment (Army Emergency Reserve)

The regiment gained a sixth squadron in 1969, when a squadron of North Irish Horse became 69 (North Irish Horse) Signal Squadron. The regiment was reduced to five squadrons in the early 1970s upon the disbandment of 82 Squadron. Due to Options for Change, 69 Squadron transferred to 40 (Ulster) Signal Regiment in 1995.

From 2009 to 2014 33 Lancashire Signal Squadron (from the disbanded 33 (Lancashire and Cheshire) Signal Regiment) formed part of 32 Regiment before it was transferred to 37 Signal Regiment under the Army 2020 reorganisation.

In October 2010, 69 (North Irish Horse) Signal Squadron returned to the regiment as 40 (North Irish Horse) Signal Squadron. Then under the Army 2020 re-organisation, 2 (City of Dundee and Highland) Squadron was transferred from 38 Signal Regiment.

Structure
The regimental headquarters is situated in the West End of Glasgow and has four squadrons based in Scotland and Northern Ireland:


 * 2 (City of Dundee & Highland) Signal Squadron - Dundee & Aberdeen
 * 40 (North Irish Horse) Signal Squadron - Belfast
 * 51 (Highland) Signal Squadron - Edinburgh & East Kilbride
 * 52 (Lowland) Support Squadron - Glasgow & York

The regiment is part of 1 Signal Brigade.

Appointments
Appointments of the regiment include;

Honorary Colonels


 * 1967—1972 Major General A M W Whistler CB CBE
 * 1972—1977 Colonel I M Wotherwspoon TD ADC
 * 1977—1983 Colonel K F Lloyd
 * 1983—1988 Colonel D J Macintyre
 * 1988—1992 Colonel Sir David McNee QPM
 * 1992—1993 Colonel J A Sherriff
 * 1993—1999 Colonel A S Petrie OStJ TD JP
 * 1999—2008 Colonel A C Cunningham TD
 * 2008—2017 Colonel A C C Lapsley QVRM TD DL
 * 2017— Colonel The Rt Hon R Davidson MSP

Commanding Officers


 * 1967—1969 Lieutenant Colonel Graham L Davies
 * 1969—1972 Lieutenant Colonel D G Cattermull
 * 1972—1974 Lieutenant Colonel R Goodwin-Jones
 * 1974—1976 Lieutenant Colonel R P Hills
 * 1976—1979 Lieutenant Colonel A S Petrie TD (later Honorary Colonel)
 * 1979—1981 Lieutenant Colonel Cross
 * 1981—1984 Lieutenant Colonel J J Cullen
 * 1984—1986 Lieutenant Colonel Cully
 * 1986—1989 Lieutenant Colonel D P Hughes
 * 1989—1992 Lieutenant Colonel M J Anderson
 * 1992—1994 Lieutenant Colonel W Brewin
 * 1994—1996 Lieutenant Colonel J O Robertson
 * 1996—1999 Lieutenant Colonel A A C Lapsley TD
 * 1999—2002 Lieutenant Colonel J McKee MBE
 * 2002—2004 Lieutenant Colonel E M Blyth TD
 * 2004—2006 Lieutenant Colonel R J H Sutherland TD
 * 2007—2009 Lieutenant Colonel H A Jenkins
 * 2009—2012 Lieutenant Colonel P T Donegan
 * 2012—2014 Lieutenant Colonel P R Rennie-Smith
 * 2014—2016 Lieutenant Colonel J R Knight OBE
 * 2016—2019 Lieutenant Colonel R M Jones
 * 2019— Lieutenant Colonel I A Davidson VR

Regimental Sergeant Majors


 * 1987—1989 Warrant Officer 1 (Regimental Sergeant Major) S A May
 * 1989—1991 Warrant Officer 1 (Regimental Sergeant Major) T A Mortlock
 * 1991—1992 Warrant Officer 1 (Regimental Sergeant Major) W Heelan BEM
 * 1992—1994 Warrant Officer 1 (Regimental Sergeant Major) Patrickson
 * 1994—1997 Warrant Officer 1 (Regimental Sergeant Major) G G A Keith
 * 1997—1999 Warrant Officer 1 (Regimental Sergeant Major) J S McLachlan
 * 1999—2001 Warrant Officer 1 (Regimental Sergeant Major) A B Hilborn
 * 2001—2003 Warrant Officer 1 (Regimental Sergeant Major) S J Russell
 * 2003—2004 Warrant Officer 1 (Regimental Sergeant Major) J Greenwood
 * 2004—2006 Warrant Officer 1 (Regimental Sergeant Major) A Ironside
 * 2006—2007 Warrant Officer 1 (Regimental Sergeant Major) D P Wilson
 * 2007—2007 Warrant Officer 1 (Regimental Sergeant Major) J A M Watt
 * 2008—2010 Warrant Officer 1 (Regimental Sergeant Major) B Thornton
 * 2010—2012 Warrant Officer 1 (Regimental Sergeant Major) B B Newton
 * 2012—2014 Warrant Officer 1 (Regimental Sergeant Major) J B Love
 * 2014—2015 Warrant Officer 1 (Regimental Sergeant Major) W S G King
 * 2015—2017 Warrant Officer 1 (Regimental Sergeant Major) J Blowes
 * 2017—2019 Warrant Officer 1 (Regimental Sergeant Major) D Jackson
 * 2019— Warrant Officer 1 (Regimental Sergeant Major) G R Davies