Joint Service Signal Unit, Cyprus 9th Signal Regiment 2nd Wireless Regiment 2nd Wireless Company | |
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June 1917 – 1 July 1999 (in RCS) 1 July 1999 – present (Joint) |
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Size | Regiment |
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Garrison/HQ | Ayios Nikolaos Station |
Nickname(s) | JSSU (Cyprus) |
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The 9th Signal Regiment (Radio) later Joint Services Signal Unit, Cyprus is a communications unit of the Royal Corps of Signals. The regiment was first formed to supply communications for the troops based in Palestine and Egypt but later provided communications for British Forces Cyprus. The regiment's lineage is continued by the Joint Service Signal Unit in Cyprus, which until 2023 included two army signal squadrons.
First World War[]
In June 1917, as part of an expanding campaign in the Middle East, the new 'Desert Column', commanded by General Edmund Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby was formed. This new formation – roughly the size of a large army corps – was to punch though Ottoman defences along the Suez Canal and strike into what is now the Palestine region. By June General Allenby took command of the new Egyptian Expeditionary Force, and reorganised it from top to bottom.[1] As part of an expanding task force, General Allenby gather 11 officers and other ranks to be employed in signals intelligence duties at his headquarters. The group was informally known as 'Wireless Company, Egypt & Palestine'. This group were used in successful operations in Palestine, including notably at the Second Battle of Gaza.[2][3]
During the First World War, the term 'Wireless' referred to the use of wireless telegraphy, the most famous of which was the 'Morse code'. Because of a lack of modern 'wired' telecommunications nodes and wires in the desert, General Allenby's headquarters relied on wireless communications more than most other fronts of during the war. Though some truck line communications were used, these were found to be insufficient and an entire communications system stretching from Haifa to Cairo was created in 1918.[4]
Before the planned invasion of Ottoman Syria, the Wireless Company was expanded into a battalion-sized formation, known as the 2nd Wireless Observation Group.[2][3] As a larger group, the unit could now provide wireless intelligence throughout all of the expeditionary force, not just the headquarters. The group was involved in several deception campaigns, including when small signal offices were left in situ (on site) behind the advancing expeditionary force. This, alongside fake signal offices established in Ramleh used trunk telecommunications to mislead Ottoman forces. The wireless group, working alongside GHQ signals were able to stem Ottoman advances before the major advances of XXI Corps in September 1918.[5]
Inter War[]
Following the end of the First World War, the British Army was demobilised and many of its signal units disbanded. However, in 1921 George V issued a royal warrant which created a new 'Royal Corps of Signals'. In 1923, the two wireless companies in Egypt and Mesopotamia were merged to form a new No. 2 (Wireless) Company, part of the larger Egypt Signals. The signals (equivalent to an infantry battalion) consisted of three companies: No. 1 & No. 3 Signals Companies in Cairo, and No. 2 Wireless Company in Sarafand. The new wireless company setup two new wireless sections: No. 1 Section in Sarafand with the headquarters and No. 2 Section in Baghdad, Mandatory Iraq. In 1929 however, No. 2 Section was closed and concentrated back in Palestine.[2][3]
In 1939, the company was an independent unit, but administered by Egypt Signals in Cairo. The company alongside Palestine Signals formed the communications element in Mandatory Palestine.[6][7] On the eve of the Second World War, the company was commanded by Major W. A. Scott MBE and the sections commanded by Captains J. E. S. Sanders and A. Hill.[8]
Second World War[]
With the outbreak of the Second World War, the need for wireless intelligence, especially code-breaking became an important task for the Royal Signals. Soon after mobilisation, the Bletchley Park code-breaking team began to intercept communications cipher-communications from Nazi Germany. To expand their area of operations, No. 2 (Wireless) Company took up the task on behalf of Bletchley Park in Palestine. In February 1941, the company's operations were expanded with the arrival of the 2nd Special Wireless Group.[2]
Post War[]
Following the end of the Second World War, the British Army was once again demobilised and reorganised. In 1946, No. 2 (Wireless) Company merged with the 2nd Special Wireless Group to become the larger 2nd Wireless Regiment (a battalion-sized formation). However with the end of the British Mandate in Palestine coming in 1947, the regiment was withdrawn and moved to Cyprus where it was retrained for radio surveillance (now known as signals intelligence) duties. Initially the regiment's headquarters were based in Famagusta but after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, where moved to RAF Akrotiri in the west. After the move in 1959, the regiment was redesignated in-line with the re-numbering of the Royal Corps of Signals as the 9th Signal Regiment (Radio).[2][9] In 1993, another reorganisation of the corps saw the re-implementation of the numbered signals companies, and the regiment's organisation was as follows:[2][10]
- Regimental Headquarters
- Headquarters Squadron
- 234 Signal Squadron
- 235 Signal Squadron
- 236 Signal Squadron
On 1 July 1999, as part of the reductions layed out in the Strategic Defence Review, the regiment was merged with No. 33 Signal Unit RAF to form the new Joint Services Signal Unit, Cyprus. The regiment's headquarters moved to its present location at Ayios Nikolaos Station.[2][11] The regiment's squadrons were redesignated as follows: 234 Signal Squadron retained its number: providing communications for Army units on the island; 235 Signal Squadron became Engineering Squadron: responsible for communications construction and engineering duties; and 236 Signal Squadron became the support squadron: responsible for logistics & maintenance.[9][12]
In 2022, as part of yet another reorganisation of the Royal Corps of Signals, 234 Signal Squadron lost its designation on Cyprus and the number transferred to the United Kingdom. 234 Signal Squadron (Electronic Warfare) now forms a part of the 21st Signal Regiment (EW) based at MoD Corsham, and the JSSU now consists of just three squadrons.[13][14] The JSSU is currently organised as follows:[2]
- Unit Headquarters, at Ayios Nikolaos Station[11]
- 840 Signal Squadron RAF
- Engineering Squadron
- Support Squadron
Footnotes[]
- ↑ Nalder, pp. 182–183
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Lord & Watson, pp. 41–42
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Nalder, p. 643
- ↑ Nalder, pp. 184–185
- ↑ Nalder, p. 185
- ↑ 1939 Army List, pp. 273–5
- ↑ "Palestine, 03.09.1939". http://niehorster.org/017_britain/39_army/palestine.html.
- ↑ 1939 Army List, p. 704
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "British Army units from 1945 on - 9 Regiment". http://british-army-units1945on.co.uk/royal-signals/regiments---major-units-2/9-regiment-2.html.
- ↑ "British Army units from 1945 on - 234 to 236 Squadrons". http://british-army-units1945on.co.uk/royal-signals/squadrons-2/234-to-236-squadrons.html.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "The Wire and the Journal: The Royal Signals Magazine". February 1999. p. 262. https://www.royalsignalsmuseum.co.uk/wp-content/wire/Wire1999.pdf.
- ↑ Strategic Command FOI(A); Ministry of Defence Overseas Deployments. (23 November 2020) Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ↑ [0=AZVRQ-EsioqIxY6OUxuYrtS30vnDp5LWPTYvrym7asS0gKyvcRvRfqT_znqedXaH8vf62nJ6lCRpslTiKDpZZZltKOiOnhdNYZczZnl4JifVLG8Q6AviJ1f0ajJlquOnjEGduI7nVI9K_vpe2ktG3Q3J&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R "For the first time ever, the British Army has two dedicated electronic warfare (EW) regiments. Last week, a small parade took place to mark the re-designation of 21 Signal Regiment (EW) and the formation of 234 Signal Squadron, both the result of the recent Integrated Review which aimed to make the Army more balanced to face future threats. We wish all those in the units the best of luck in their new roles."]. Royal Corps of Signals. 7 September 2022. https://www.facebook.com/RSIGNALS/posts/pfbid0VjiqYKXq9ZN2iCjfCpgXZWr9eXBAtTXXzMhEBiuMpbKWHPg1vvQdY4ThfJSQYYF6l?__cft__[0]=AZVRQ-EsioqIxY6OUxuYrtS30vnDp5LWPTYvrym7asS0gKyvcRvRfqT_znqedXaH8vf62nJ6lCRpslTiKDpZZZltKOiOnhdNYZczZnl4JifVLG8Q6AviJ1f0ajJlquOnjEGduI7nVI9K_vpe2ktG3Q3J&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R.
- ↑ "The Wire (Winter 2022): Magazine of The Royal Corps of Signals". p. 52. https://royalsignals.org/royal-signals/wire-and-journal/94.
References[]
- Lord, Cliff; Watson, Dr. Graham (2003). The Royal Corps of Signals: Unit Histories of the Corps (1920–2001) and its Antecedents. Solihull, West Midlands, United Kingdom: Helion & Company. ISBN 978-1874622925. OCLC 184820114.
- Nalder, Major R. F. H. (1958). The Royal Corps of Signals: A History of its Antecedents and Developments (Circa 1800–1955). London, United Kingdom: Royal Signals Institution. OCLC 10278624.
- The Monthly Army List: September 1939, Corrected to 25th August, 1939. Whitehall, London, United Kingdom: His Majesty's Stationery Office. 1939. https://deriv.nls.uk/dcn23/1055/2061/105520616.23.pdf.
The original article can be found at 9th Signal Regiment (United Kingdom) and the edit history here.