13th Signal Regiment (United Kingdom)

13th Signal Regiment 13th (Radio) Signal Regiment 1st Wireless Regiment
Regimental insignia
Active	1934 – 1995 2020 – Present
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army Royal Corps of Signals
Role	Cyber and Electromagnetic Signals Intelligence
Size	Regiment
Part of	1st (United Kingdom) Signal Brigade
Regimental HQ	Blandford Camp
Engagements	World War II Battle of France Home Service Operation Overlord North-West Europe Campaign of 1944-1945 Push to Berlin
Insignia
Cap badge

The 13th Signal Regiment (13 Signal Regiment), is a specialist signals unit of the Royal Corps of Signals within the British Army. Originally being formed in 1934, the regiment had a long history of service before being disbanded in 1995 following the Options for Change reforms. In 2020, the regiment was reformed as part of the government's Army 2020 Refine strategy, which called for the expansion of cyber warfare capability.

Formation

In World War I, the Wireless Observation groups of the Corps of Royal Engineers proved to be very successful. During this time, with the major expansion of modern warfare including the use of support artillery and tanks, a corps of signals seemed to be more and more necessary. From this expansion the Royal Corps of Signals were due to form in 1917 but was delayed until 1920. These groups were tasked with using the most up-to-date communications and phones to support troops on the front-line. These groups helped with the communications between the HQ facilities, the men on the front line, and supporting units.

Inter-war

The 4th Wireless Signal Company (War Office Signals) where formed in 1934 at Aldershot to provide signal intelligence activities under the direct command of the War Office. After forming, the squadron had the following structure;

• Company Headquarters in Aldershot
• No. 1 Section in Aldershot
• No. 2 Section in Chatham

In 1938 the company was re-titled as No. 2 Company, General Headquarters Signals. After this name change, the company expanded their responsibility to provide secure communications for General Headquarters, The War Office, and the General Staff. The company was completely based in Aldershot by 1939.

World War II

Battle of France

In September 1939. the company went to France part of GHQ British Expeditionary Force. After this re-organisation, the group had the following roles and structure;

• Group Headquarters
• 100 Special Wireless Section (Providing support for GHQ and direct support for General John Standish Surtees Prendergast Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort (CiC, BEF))
• 101 Special Wireless Section (Providing support for I Corps)
• 102 Special Wireless Section (Providing support for II Corps)
• 103 Special Wireless Section (Providing support for III Corps)

In May 1940 the company started to retreat following the almost total destruction of the BEF. The company retreated to Dunkirk and was evacuated, after this the company was renamed as 1st Special Wireless Group on 18 July 1940.

Home Service

After being renamed to become 1 Special Wireless Group, they helped to train and form many of the new special wireless signal sections which would support the allied armies until the end of the war. Each of these new sections were provided to each Army HQ to provide wireless signals intelligence. This role was later expanded to help with both armies and corps. Following their re-organisation, the group was sent to the Middle East being under the control of the 2nd Special Wireless Group. Just before moving to the Middle East, the group was composed of a group headquarters and two wireless companies.

Normandy and End

As part of the run-up to the Invasion of Normandy, the group was put under control of the 21st Army Group. During this time each section provided communications for each of the armies and corps, their structure was as follows;

• Group Headquarters
• 1st Canadian Special Wireless Section (Supporting II Canadian Corps)
• 2nd Canadian Special Wireless Section (Supporting I Canadian Corps)
• 3rd Canadian Special Wireless Section (Supporting 1st Canadian Army)
• 8th Special Wireless Section (Supporting HQ 2nd Army)
• 10th Special Wireless Section (Supporting HQ 2nd Army)
• 104 Special Wireless Section (Supporting I Corps)
• 108 Special Wireless Section (Supporting VIII Corps)
• 109 Special Wireless Section (Supporting XII Corps)
• 110 Special Wireless Section (Supporting XXX Corps)
• Supreme Headquarters Allied Command Special Wireless Signals Sections

Following the end of the war, the group was based in Minden and renamed as the 1st Special Wireless Regiment. In August 1946 the regiment moved to Peterborough Barracks then in 1950 in Nelson Barracks in Münster.

Cold War

In 1951 101 Wireless Troop effectively became an independent troop for special purpose signals intelligence along on the West-East German Border. Their first major operation was when this troop moved to Hildesheim with the task of building/finding a signals intelligence post close to the border. After the search, the troop found Langeleben and in 1951 the troop was temporally stationed here. By 1952, the troop permanently moved in.

In 1953, it was decided to move the entire regiment west of the Rhine. This came after the analysis of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany were found to be larger than previously expected. By 1955, a brand new set of barracks were constructed in Birgelen named Mercury Barracks. This new set of barracks were based near the German-Dutch Border and specially built for the regiment and their tasks.

During this time, the regiment was expanded and now controlled three special wireless squadrons, two cipher and special operations troops, along with a specialist platoon from the Intelligence Corps. In 1957, 101 Wireless Troop was expanded to form 2 Squadron.

In 1959, the 1957 Defence White Paper took effect, and the regiment was renamed as 13th (Radio) Signal Regiment. Eventually, in 1967 following the 1966 Defence White Paper, the regiment's squadrons gained new squadron titles with 2 Squadron being renamed as 225 Signal Squadron. Soon after this re-organisation, the regiment formed a specialist detachment in Berlin, this became known as Royal Signals Detachment, RAF Gatow. After being formed, the detachment was expanded into two new troops, F and G Troops. A detachment was then attached to 26 Signals Unit RAF. In 1970, this detachment was expanded two 2 Squadron.

In 1974, Leonid Brezhnev, General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, announced he would be increasing the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany massively and reform the armed forces. As a result of this, a new troop as part of 1 Squadron was formed in Gross Busborn in the Dannenberg Salient and tasked with reporting on movements and operations of the soviet forces across the border. In 1984, the regiment was granted the Freedom of Dannenburg.

Finally, in 1992 the Options for Change were announced and the armed forces (namely the army) was extremely reduced in size and structure. In 1994 the regiment was deemed "in-active" and disbanded the next year. The structure of the regiment before disbandment was as follows;

• Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron
• No.1 Signal Squadron
• No.2 Signal Squadron
• No.3 Signal Squadron

Reformation

The regiment was reformed on 1 June 2020 as a result of the Army 2020 Refine under the command of the 1st (United Kingdom) Signal Brigade. This reformation was achieved through the redesignation of the Army Cyber Information Services Operating Centre, which had been originally administered by 15th Signal Regiment (Information Support). This was further caused by the reformation of 224 Signal Squadron from the cyber teams of 14 Signal Regiment (Electronic Warfare) and the merger of 259 and 262 Signal Squadrons. After their reformation, the regiment is now organised into:

• Regimental Headquarters, at Blandford Camp
• 224 (Cyber Protection Teams) Signal Squadron, at Azimghur Barracks, Colerne
• 233 (Global Communications Network) Signal Squadron
• 254 (Specialist Group Information Services) Signal Squadron (Army Reserve)
• 259 (Global Information Systems) Signal Squadron
• Combat Information Systems Trials and Development Unit
• 605 Signal Troop, at Marlborough Lines, Andover

According to a video by Forces TV, the regiment is taking troops from around 15 other cap-badges, including all 3 services. This means the regiment is deemed a 'Multi cap-badged' regiment.

Following the 'Future Soldier reform' published in November 2022, the regiment was expanded, gaining two new squadrons and two signal troops. As a result, the regiment's size grew, and its internal structure was reorganised.

Commanding Officers

Commanding officers of the regiment during World War II included;

No.4 Wireless Company

• 1934—1936 Major E F Farnall
• 1936—1938 Captain H D Mountford

No.2 Company, GHQ Signals

• 1938—1938 Lieutenant P W Lonnon
• 1938—1940 Major A E Barton

No.1 Special Wireless Group

• 1940—1945 Lt Col A E Barton
• 1945—1945 Lt Col R G Miller

No.1 Special Wireless Regiment

• 1945—1946 Lt Col E Wilkes
• 1946—1947 Lt Col A E Barton

No.1 Wireless Regiment

• 1947—1947 Major J McD Glass
• 1947—1950 Lt Col S F Pipe-Wolferstan
• 1950—1952 Lt Col R G Yolland
• 1952—1954 Lt Col S J Dagg
• 1954—???? Lt Col P W Lonnon

13th Cyber Signal Regiment

• 2020—Present Lt Col Edward Swift

References

• Lord, Cliff, and Graham Watson. The Royal Corps of Signals Unit Histories of the Corps (1920-2001) and Its Antecedents. Helion and Company, 2003. ISBN 1874622922
• Watson, Graham E. and Rinaldi, Richard A. The British Army in Germany (BAOR and After): An Organisational History 1947-2004 Tiger Lily Publications LLC 2005. ISBN 0-9720296-9-9