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Military Wiki
Western European Signal Troop
HQ ALFCE Signal Squadron
227 Signal Squadron
AFCENT Signal Squadron
227 Sig Sqn
Insigne du Royal Corps of Signals (R SIGNALS)
Active 1948—1990
Country Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch

Flag of the British Army British Army

Type Military Communications unit
Role Providing communications for HQ AFCENT
Size Squadron
Part of Allied Forces Central Europe
Garrison/HQ Tapijn Kazerne, Maastricht

AFCENT Signal Squadron was a specialist military communications squadron of the British Army serving as part of the Royal Corps of Signals based under NORTHAG Signal Support Group.

History[]

In 1947 when the Western European Union formed their military wing in 1948, the Royal Signals were tasked with providing a signal troop for the Commander-in-Chief Committee, Western European Union Military Wing HQ based in Margival just outside of Soissons, France. In 1951 the troop was given an official title, making it the Western European Signal Troop but enlarged to become HQ Allied Land Forces Central European Signal Squadron later that year. Following their redesignation, the squadron moved to Camp Guynemer in Fonteinbleau, France.[1][2]

In 1959 following the 1957 Defence White Paper, the Royal Corps of Signals were reorganised and "normalised" with all regiments, squadrons, and troops being numbered and given proper designations. Following this reorganisation, the squadron was renamed as 227 Signal Squadron (ALFCE) before moving to Tapijn Kazerne, Maastricht, Kingdom of the Netherlands.[1][2]

In 1966, the 1966 Defence White Paper was announced which did a lot of reformations, but as far as the squadron's role goes, it was renamed as 227 Signal Squadron (ALFCENT) before being renamed again in 1971 becoming AFCENT Signal Squadron. The squadron continued to serve as the support squadron for Allied Forces Central Europe until amalgamation on 1 December 1990 into the new UKDSU HQ AFCENT following the Options for Change.[1][2]

Citations[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lord and Watson, p. 93
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Young, Alan Royal Corps of Signals >> Squadrons >> 227 to 229 Squadron. British Army units from 1945 on british-army-units1945on.co.uk Retrieved 24 December 2019

References[]

  • Lord, Cliff and Watson, Graham The Royal Corps of Signals Unit Histories and Corps (1920-2001) and its Antecendents (2002). ISBN 1 874622 92 2