Royal Signals S/T order of issue/wear
 

Guys is the attached picture the correct date order of wear? Westlake confirms 1 and 2 its the cloth embroidered titles I'm unsure of.

Thanks
Steve

interesting question.

The slip-on title came first - there are variations - although some ignored it and adopted Guards-style embroidered titles with serfi lettering. In 1943 the slip-on was superseded by a printed version of "Royal Corps of Signals". That was quickly replaced by the printed version "Royal Signals". In around 1947 an official embroidered version of "Royal Signals" was produced and that was worn until battledress was replaced in the 1960s.

But there is always a But.. Nobody liked the printed titles and unofficial embroidered versions of both "Royal Corps of Signals" and "Royal Signals" were made and worn. And when the full title was shortened some achieved the shortened version by cutting" Corps of" out of the full title.

And there are variations of the slip-on title too.

Hope that helps and does not confuse.

Jon

That's a very good question Steve.

Here are a few more slip on variants.

Rob

Thanks Jon/Rob, would you have a rough idea of when the Corps went from Royal Signals then abbreviated to R.SIGS then RCOS?

Steve

Thought id add this. When i served,80-87. I was never issued any titles. I dont even recall ever seeing anybody wearing them. Yet they are plentiful.

More grist to the mill. the bottom one is less usual - the "full size" OF. There are also some interesting sub-titles; CINQUE PORTS, ULSTER , GLOSSOP. And BEACH SIGNALS of course.
Attachment 160940

The printed titles went out of use with the introduction of No2 Dress Mike

The majority of anodised aluminium titles 'R.SIGNALS' had the lugs and later pins on the ends, which meant they did not fit on the shoulder straps, and therefore not used. Later issues had the pins closer together.

My son has just reminded me that in some units the titles were placed on a Olive Green slip on.

Marc :)

Hi Steve

The "R.SIGS" judging from its material and colour is a Far East version so it would date from the middle to later part of the war? but doesn't really effect the dating of the others.

I don't know what era the "RCOS" version is, but I'm hoping someone may recognise the rear detail and have a guess.

Rob

I'd agree with Rob about R.Sigs being late war and Far East for the following reason: When I was a kid I used to have an R.Sigs slip-on that belonged to my grandfather who served in it in 1945-46 in India. Sadly, I don't know what happened to it.

David

Do you have any pics of the GLOSSOP ones?

The following which appeared in The Formation Sign, Journal of the Military Heraldry Society in November 2013 was written by John M Allison who was instrumental in getting the Glossop badge introduced

The Royal Signals was established in Glossop, Derbyshire [a market town 13 miles south east of Manchester] in May 1939 when 350 men were recruited in a single evening to form 1 and 2 Squadrons of 2 (North Midland) Corps Signals. They entrained for their first camp at Skegness on 18th August that year. Mobilised on 1st September 1939 the unit went through extensive training at areas including Bakewell, Maresfield, Chalfont St Giles and Beverley before dispersing to various theatres. Reformed in 1946 the unit moved in 1951 to new hutted accommodation at Dinting, Glossop which was home until the unit closed in 1967.

Between 1947 and 1961 the unit went through various re-organisations, in later years as part of 42 Signal Regiment and finally a detachment of 64 Signal Regiment. Having joined the unit as an Officer Cadet in 1963 I, together with a colleague always wished to be granted the Freedom of Glossop; although a vain aspiration we spent much time cultivating the Mayor of Glossop. Our aim, modified to “Adoption” as in the wartime adoption of ships and aircraft finally came to fruition in March 1967 when we were invited by the Mayor, Councillor Ada Williams to the Mayor’s Parlour to receive a “Letter of Recognition” from the Borough along with Glossop flashes commissioned by the Borough. These were to be worn on the right arm of battledress below our formation sign, at that date that of HQ UK Land Forces – The Corps Dress Committee was not consulted! When the 1967 TA re-organisation closed Glossop most of us transferred to 64 Sqdn, 38 Signal Regiment (V) in Sheffield where the new Regular CO, Lt Col John Francis happily agreed that we could wear the flashes until combat kit replaced battledress. Thus the Glossop flash is now just a sought-after collectable.

After the presentation I asked our storeman L/Cpl Graham Arnett, amongst the party attending, if he had enjoyed the evening. His reply “Yes, but I’ll pay for it in the morning” surprised me as he had drunk only one whisky. He explained with a grin “The Mayor’s attendant who just served me with whisky in cut glass from a silver salver is my boss, the Yard Superintendent. I’m a lowly Binman – but it will be worth it!”

A scan of the badge is attached.

Jon

I have just remembered that one of the Signals Wing Instructors at RMA Sandhurst 1961-63, a Sgt R Signals, wore the subtitle JERSEY in R Signals colours below the title ROYAL SIGNALS on his BD Blouse. It didn't cross my mind to photograph it! If this was totally unofficial, he was lucky to have got away with it at Sandhurst. Mike

Royal Signal and JERSEY
 

Dear Mike

When I joined the Junior Leaders Regiment Royal Signals in 1964 January. We were issued with BD in our Junior wing (First three month of service).

As I come from Jersey I was allowed to wear the word JERSEY under the Royal Signals cloth shoulder title. There were also GUERNSEY guys who had there own island name under the Royal Signals cloth shoulder title.

This only lasted for the first three months of my career as after that time we were issued with No2 Dress and hence there were no shoulder titles worn on that dress at the time.

Just thought I would throw this in.

Best wishes

Chris Walker
www.signalsbadges.co.uk

Thanks for that Marc,i presume you mean similar to the way the R.Irish Rangers and WFRS wore theirs.