Welcome to the October 2003 edition of the Royal Signals Newsletter.
- "Herford Revisited", a report on the October Herforder Association trip to BFPO 15 plus Photos, details of the visit to the BFBS TV and Radio Studios, and the Herforder Brewery
- Herforder Association History and Background, and details of the 1 (UK) ADSR
- Some RSO Site News: Details of new Datasheet that has been added to the RSO site,
- Hermes (Mercury) is visited at home "Chris Hayles Visits our Jimmy"
- Call for help finding pictures of Mk 1 Land Rovers
- Darran's info about Corps Honours recently bestowed and D-Day Special arrangements, etc., for veterans wishing to attend the 60th Anniversary next year
- A RSO Review of the Cliff Lord / Graham Watson "Royal Corps of Signals" book
- Plus our regular details of Reunions, History sites and Seeking Help, People, etc.
I want to say thank you to our readers and our contributors, also in the name of Brian Streetly and Keith Drummond
Mrs. Petra Henderson
(Royal Signals 1971-1976)
Herford Revisited (Herforder Association)
Retracing old steps up to 55 years on.
Herford, 8th October 2003
The Soldiers of 1st (UK) Armoured Division Headquarters Signal Regiment and 4th, 7th and 20th Armoured Brigade Signal Squadrons based in their camps in Herford, Germany, got an unusual visit on Wednesday (8th Oct. 2003) from some of the former residents of these camps, several of whom had not set foot in Herford, let alone the camps for well over 50 years.
A party of some 48 Veterans and members of the UK based Herforder Association (H.A.) had arrived for an organised tour of the camps and afterwards a visit to the Herforder Felsenkeller (The local brewery that kept their minds and other parts lubricated for some of their time in the past) as well as visits into town to see how much Herford has developed in the years since many of them had done their National or Regular Service there.
The Herforder Association (H.A.) is a group of mainly ex Royal Signals members who have served in Herford between 1945 and today. The H.A. meets twice a year in the UK, in locations such as Norwich, Llandudno, Dunoon, and Scarborough, etc., but 2003 was different, Then this year they visited their old haunts and retraced old steps, carefully avoiding any pubs or clubs where they might still have a slate, and a fifty year old debt plus interest in old German Money
Thanks to the Kind assistance of the acting C/O, (2 I/C Major Simon Purser) and the RSM (WO1 Andy Baird), not only was access to all camps made possible, but the veterans were provided with numerous guides comprising of young men and women currently serving with the Royal Signals. As a result, an exchange of information about soldiering then and now as well as many funny stories about pranks pulled that only someone who knew the local area or camp layout could understand, were swapped.
These mixed groups of young and old were also accompanied around the camps by several members of the press including British and German TV, Radio and Newspaper reporters. (additional reporters also turned up for the Brewery visit).
Although the H.A. is mainly Ex-Royal Signals, it is open to members from any branch of the services, their families and civilian support staff, such as NAAFI or YWCA Personnel, providing that they have some connection to the camps of BFPO 15. So it was no surprise to see members of some non-signals regiments also on this particular visit.
One of them Mr. John Smith, Ex Driver of 118 Coy. Royal Army Service Corps (also known as "Run Away Someone's Coming" and a few more unfit to publish) brought a copy of the Christmas Menu from the Hammersmith Cookhouse notice board from December 1954 and had a long conversation with the current chief chef of the day about the changes in both the cookhouse facilities and the meal choices that nearly 50 years had made.
I myself brought Photographs of the Camps in the German times and in 1952 that I had been sent or found.
John Smith also remembered details of the earliest days of Herford in British hands, and using General Horrock's and Monty's caravans as temporary sleeping quarters for off duty guards
A tour of the Camp facilities, the Vehicle areas and Stables as well as the Parade Square brought back memories of many a time spent clearing snow, or doing a guard duty, or washing down vehicles after many a muddy NATO exercise, and also gave everyone an opportunity to stretch their legs after being confined to a coach for much of the previous day and half.
The on-camp shopping proved very popular for everyone, including the free wine samples.
The group then crossed the Vlothoer Strasse to visit Wentworth and the studios of BFBS. From Wentworth "B" block BFBS Broadcast Four radio stations and two TV stations World-wide.
The Station Manager (Mr. Patrick Eade) gave a short presentation of BFBS and its current role, audience figures and world-wide coverage reach, and of the history of the service (which will be 60 in 2005) which was countered with many tales of listening to the various BFBS presenters and shows in the early days when it came from Hamburg and Cologne.
A Member the Herforder Association (Mr Roy Andrews) presented the Station Manager with a Historic Plaque and gave a tape of BFBS recordings from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s.
Some members then gave Mario (the BFBS radio one presenter) a few interesting stories which were recorded for posterity and future use on their 60th Anniversary...
Made for the troops, but anyone can listen live to BFBS Radio from Herford in the Internet…
On the page at the above link, there are three BFBS Radio stations to select and listen to:
- the Main Radio channel for Germany, BFBS Radio 1,
- the Gulf Station for the Middle East,
- and the BFBS Brunei for the Far East.
On the way out of BFBS (Above the Wentworth RMP Station) Petra took an opportunity to get photographed with some of the Escort for her group…
Later in the Afternoon, after a tour of the Herforder Felsenkeller Brewery, an especially discounted lunch and as much free beer as everyone could manage was laid on by the Brewery. Then a Presentation of H.A. Wall-Plaques, some especially created H.A. neck-ties and a Basket of many Products from Scotland (brought by the Founder of the H.A., Mr. Jim Sloan) was made to the Brewery Marketing Manager, (Mr. Friedrich Wilhelm Krüger), to the acting C/O (Maj. Simon Purser) and the RSM, (WO1 Andy Baird).
To honour the past and present members of forces, (Remembering the Royal Signals are Honorary Citizens of Herford) the Herforder Brewery brought out their traditional horse and beer cart and group photos for the Press were made on a cold and damp afternoon before rushing back inside for more free beer and swapping old tales about Gorillas, Lions, Vultures and Camels (accidentally "Borrowed" from the local zoo) getting into 7th Signals barrack rooms) and similar unusual memories.
Many of the young soldiers currently serving in Herford did not even know there was once another camp, and the stories of kidnapping animals will be no doubt being passed around from them to others over the weeks to come.
As an added surprise bonus for the young male and female soldiers who had accompanied the Veterans through the camps that morning, the RSM allowed them time off to attend the Brewery visit, and several more also came to an evening Pub event to get more interesting stories about past Herford life, and tips "from the Horses mouth", so to speak.
There was a tinge of sadness for some H.A. members when they visited the former site of the North and South camps of 7th Signals which apart from the Zoo as a point of reference, little or no sign of the past was immediately visible. Today it is a brand new residential housing estate.
The camp "Harewood" (on the Mindener Strasse) was visited the next day by a few members, one of whom (Mr Geoff Frodsham) had been stationed there in 1952, while the rest went Christmas shopping in Herford city-centre. Then it was off back to Rotterdam to get the Hull Ferry and get everyone back to the UK before they decided to rejoin and stay. On route from the UK the coach visited the War-Graves Memorial at Arhnem, and on the way back the Market at Delft
A very hard and merciless driven schedule had been set up and after 16 km Forced marches, up at five for cold showers and parades in the rain, followed by late afternoon and evening drinking, most were glad to get on the coach and wave the local organiser good-bye.
All in all it was an excellent event, and made a lot of people, some who might due to age or deteriorating health not be able to make any such a trip in the future, very happy.
The H.A. wish to extend our thanks to all who made it possible including the young men and women of the Royal Signals for their patience and care to the members of the party.
Many new friendships were made, and the H.A., the R.S.A. and the Royal British Legion will no doubt gain a few members based on the response and membership enquiries the H.A. got during their short visit. Then here was proof positive that the Comradeship made during service life is a thing to value and nurture, and that old soldiers never die, and in fact might even come back to visit the new ones someday.
History and Background to the Herforder Association
The Herforder Association (H.A.) is a group of mainly (but not only) ex Royal Signals members who have served in Herford any when between 1945 and today. The H.A. is part of the RSA and designated RSA Sponser for the Current residents of the three Herford camps, the 1st (UK) Armoured. Division and Signal Regiment.
The H.A. meets several times a year in the UK in different locations to provide a fairness of travelling distance to the membership who are mostly scattered throughout the UK. Although we have several members who fought in WW2, one was even one of the first to March in to the Former German Camp of Harewood, (where he remained through to his demob in 1947) the actual visitors on the Coach covered the core of the Cold war period and were stationed in Herford in various years from 1950 to 1990.
The Herforder Assn came about during a chance meeting in August of 2001 between Mr. Jim Sloan with another ex Herforder at Blandford, who said "it is a pity little splinter groups form trying to get reunions with only those in a specific troop at a certain time!"
Jim Sloan, decided it is better to be a do'er, than a whinger and "we should organize an Association of all the lads who served in Herford regardless of time frame", and further "to also include those other arms, such as RCT, Catering, WRAC, etc., and civilians who served with the Corps" .
He started investigating the Idea by getting the permission of the RSA in case they had anything against it.
They in fact said it was ok and glad to see that people still wanted to be Associated with the Corps.
After advertising for members in the Royal Signals Magazine (THE WIRE), Jim was soon joined by Dave Smith and he was asked to take on the role of secretary.
Both Jim and Dave are members of their local Royal Signals Association in Glasgow as is Alex the Coach driver seen in his splendid Kilt in Figure 9 earlier.
The First reunion was held in the Rose and Crown, Nottingham in October 2002 with 35 attendees, mainly of the Royal Signals, but also REME, etc., and was only planned for one night. At a ratio of twenty-nine men to six women, it was no wonder that afterwards Jim had several ladies come on the phone asking "what about the wives coming to keep their eyes on you?"
Therefore the next reunion at the Glen Morag Hotel, Dunoon in Scotland was conceived as a social event for the entire weekend of the 15th to 17th on November 2002, and saw a total of 53 members making the trip. It was fantastic every one had a great time they did not want to leave.
The next event was held at the Norbreck Hotel, Scarborough from Friday 14th of March till Monday 17th 2003. Scarborough was also a great success, the next was our Herford revisited German trip, on the 7th to 9th of October 2003
Then it is of to Llandudno, Wales, in March 2004 hoping for about 80 to turn up. After that back to Scotland at the end of 04 (Sept-Oct) where many want to go back to Dunoon.
Mr. Jim Sloan (the founder) Served in Herford twice, and interlaced with Blandford twice. But the Herford postings were 7th Signal Regiment (Maresfield Camp) from 1960 to 1965 and then 4th Div HQ & Signal Regt. (Hammersmith & Wentworth) from 1972 till 1975.
Should you wish to join the H.A., or have any enquiries, please consider sending Jim Sloan, or Dave Smith an e-mail, or a phone call...
| Name: | Mr. Jim Sloan | Name: | Mr. Dave Smith |
| Function: | Chairman / Founder | Function: | Herford Assn. Secretary |
| e-mail: | More Information E Mail Jim | e-mail: | More Information E Mail Dave |
| Phone No | UK +44-1324 626173 | Phone No | UK +44-1294-465014 |
The next UK meeting (The HA meets twice a year in the UK) is planned, and this time not only H.A. members, but in fact ANYONE with a Signals connection can attend, BUT there is not much time left to decide if they are wanting to come, and to make a deposit.
In event of greater interest than expected, H.A. Members will be naturally given priority for room allocation choices. The rest will be issued 35 man bell tents for erection on the Beach! A tip for these is to try to plan your sleep for the period of time when the tide is out!
So if you want you can also join the H.A. and not only get on their VIP list, but also attend their other events held in the March/April and October/November timeframes of each year. Membership is just £5.00 per year.
Details of the Llandudno trip on the 12 to 15th March 2004 can be found in the Reunions section below…
Any further questions can be made per e-mail to Jim via; E Mail Jim for further details
About the 1st (UK) Armoured Division and Signal Regiment
General
1st (United Kingdom) Armoured Division Headquarters and Signal Regiment is part of British Forces Germany, is one of the two fighting Divisions that the United Kingdom fields, and is based in the picturesque town of Herford.
The Signal Regiment is split over two camps, Hammersmith (Vlothoer Strasse) and Harewood Barracks (Mindener Strasse), whilst the Divisional Headquarters is based on the other side of Vlothoer Strasse in Wentworth Barracks.
Role
The Signal Regiment's role is to provide close support to the Divisional Headquarters, and part of the communications infrastructure supporting the Division. It does this both in barracks and when deployed on exercise or operations.
Organisation
In order to fulfil its mission, the Regiment is split into four field Squadrons:
- 201 Signal Squadron
- 211 Signal Squadron
- 212 Signal Squadron
- Headquarters Squadron
RSO Site News…
New Datasheets added… One new Datasheet has been added to the RSO site…
History of Herford Part 1, from the year 9 AD until 1899
Several more on the subject of Herford will follow Shortly
Chris Hayles "Visited our Jimmy" in Italy
In September Chris wrote:
We have just returned from two glorious weeks in Italy and while in Florence (Firenze) we came across an old friend! (Jimmy to you!) and have sent this photograph you!! It is Giambolgna's Mercury which stands in the Museo Nazionale del Bargello.
Help Needed to find… (Photos of Mk. 1 Land Rovers…)
Hi Brian,
Is it possible that I could place a request in the newsletter to ask if anyone who has any photographs of Series One Land Rovers in their collections?
These were also known as Mark One Land Rovers too I think, and would have been used in the 1950's mostly. Any pictures of them, no matter how good will be of interest.
Could people email them to me
I will pay for postage and return them,
Many thanks indeed
Mark
Darran's Info Pages
Darran who is known to most people regularly on the various signals sites and groups, as the Owner of the two MSN groups "Royal Signals Club" and "Cardiff Royal Signals", Royal Signals Club and Cardiff Royal Signals the latter also being the host site for the Sunday night chat, Supplied the following info about Honours bestowed and a special deal for D-Day Veterans…
Thank you Darran.
Members of the Corps recently Honoured
The following members of the corp. have been honoured in the latest Honours list.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service
Warrant Officer Class 2 Christopher DAVIES
Royal Corps of Signals
Staff Sergeant Stephen John GRIFFITHS
Royal Corps of Signals
Staff Sergeant Ian Christopher NOBLE
Royal Corps of Signals
FORMER YUGOSLAVIA
Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service
Sergeant Nicholas Andrew HILL
Royal Corps of Signals
Corporal Gareth John WOOLLEY
Royal Corps of Signals
CONGO
Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
Colonel Timothy John Paul WATTS
Late Royal Corps of Signals
Our Congratulations to them and their families (The background support staff who are often forgotten) for their duty, commitment and bravery which put the Corps in a good light.
D-Day Veterans Info
Darran Wrote:
Might be handy to pass this on if you know any such people.
Half-price ferry fares for D-Day veterans next June
D-DAY veterans will be given half-price fares on P&O Ferries to help them travel to Normandy in June to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the 1944 landings.
Free passports will also be available to veterans who want to go to the anniversary or other Second World War ceremonies.
The discount will apply to group passenger and coach fares on all Dover-Calais, Portsmouth-Le Havre and Portsmouth-Cherbourg services from June 1 to 15. It does not apply to on-board accommodation on overnight crossings.
Applications should be made on the appropriate veterans' association headed stationery to Terry Weller, Coach and Contract Services Manager, P&O Ferries Ltd, Channel House, Channel View Road, Dover CT17 9TJ or to him by
e-mail to Terry Waller
A Message from the RSO…
Please also remember the service these people gave us and the nation, not only on D-day, but before and since, and the families and those who fell or suffered long term consequences of the various wars. Then it getting very close to remembrance Sunday. So PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE dig very deep into those pockets and find the cost of a pint or packet of fags and donate it to probably one of the best causes in the UK. You can also help by becoming an Official Poppy Seller…
You can also make a donation on-line or place a virtual memorial poppy or cross on-line, or download one for your computer. Poppy org.uk Then wear your Poppy and make sure that all off your family are wearing one as well. Then try to make sure that they especially the youngest, know the significance of the Poppy
UK Signals Reunion Info and Websites
| Who, | Herforder Association (March UK reunion) All are welcome |
| When, | Friday 12th of March to Monday 15th of March |
| Where | Llandudnu, North Wales (Chatsworth Hotel) (The hotel can be checked out Click Here) It is a social weekend costing £89.00 per person Wives and Partners are also Welcome. Please indicate however if you want a double room, or the "Divorce Pending Special" (Two Singles) Send your Deposit (cheques made payable to Herforder Assn.) to; Mr. Dave Smith, |
| and Contact details | For more details phone
JIM SLOAN on 01324 626173 or Dave Smith on 01294 465014. Or See the Web Site Any further questions about this and the October 2004 event can be made by E mailing Jim |
| Who, | 2 Div. Get-Together All are welcome |
| When, | Sat 15th/Sun 16th November 2003. |
| Where | The Mersey Farm Travel Inn, Sale, Cheshire |
| and Contact details | If people want to stay for the night, the bookings reservation telephone number is 08701 977179 Contact: Henry Wynn for more details |
If you are planning a reunion, please tell us "who, where, when and the relevant contact info".
A review of the Book "The Royal Corps of Signals"
Unit Histories of the Corps (1920 - 2001) and its Antecedents By Cliff Lord and Graham Watson (Helion Press)
As many whose memories still work beyond six months may remember, I did threaten to give a review of the Book mentioned in the May Newsletter and in a Datasheet On the RSO Site .
The 3D picture of the Book I created above, gives a reasonably true indication of the thickness of the book, which is 4 cm, the other dimensions if you have a "tight" book-shelf, is 15 x 24. The datasheet I made in April/May gives a brief overview of the rather comprehensive contents of the book which has over four hundred pages. Indeed so rich is the book in content and so many people helped supply the authors with information, that the credits and acknowledgements alone take up seven pages.
The book is not only a useful source of unit history, but can aid answering those nagging questions like when did a regiment move from Krefeld to Timbuktu or what strength did the Corps have between 1939 and 1945, what was the structure and organisation of BAOR in 1960s, or to correlate questions about the renumbering of Signals units world-wide in the 1959 reorganisation.
These are just some of the examples of what the book has typically allowed me to do in the few months it has been in my possession.
What it lacks however is an effective cross reference, or even more beneficial a CD-ROM or on-line data cross-index, then the information is so much that such an index would probably add another hundred pages to what is already a massive book.
The lack of such Index is no fault of the Authors, since such matters are normally in the Hands of the Publisher and defined only after the printed page lay-out has been finalised.
Is it worth its Purchase price of £29,95?, you might be asking… Most definitely, and as a limited edition with individually numbered prints would make an excellent Christmas present for yourself or others, and if you carefully leave some print-outs of the Datasheet mentioned before, everywhere in the house, car and garden, you might just convince your partner that this is a much better idea than the usual annual gift.
The Order Number is HEL 0027, the ISBN Number 1-874622-07-8, and an order form and pricing, etc., can be found on the Publisher's website.
I am told by Cliff, that already over half the copies have been sold, so would not recommend anyone waiting too long before ordering.
Neither Keith, Brian or I (Petra), have any commercial involvement with Helion or the Authors, and I purchased my copy just like everyone else.
Your British Legion also needs you!
Please also remember that it getting very close to remembrance Sunday. Dig very deep into those pockets and find the cost of a pint or packet of fags and donate it to probably one of the best causes in the UK.
Then wear your Poppy and make sure that all off your family are wearing one as well. Then try to make sure that they (especially the children) know the significance of the Poppy.
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