Royal Coprs of Signals, Restructuring & the Future?

What future for the individual Corps within the British Army structure today? Does anyone think that the Royal corps of Signals (or is it Royal Signals) likely to survive as a separate corps in the current austerity and restructuring of the Armed forces, especially the Army?

Many individual regiments have disappeared, or have been absorbed into larger units. Will a cull of the main corps like Signals, REME, R Engineers etc get to such a level that they could not really be sustained as individual entities at a corps level and size?

Has anyone had experience of any of this actually happening as yet - and what of the future? 

I doubt that the Royal Signal will disappear. In the Canadian Forces the title of RC Sigs has been reinstalled. The Signals Corp is one of the largest in most forces. Unification was a farce, forced onto the Canadian Forces in the 60's by a frustrated ex-Queens Own Rifles type who was minister of defense at the time.

I think the larger Corps are safe but when is some bright spark in the Treasury come up with a proposal to do away with the remaining individual Infantry "Large Regiments" and amalgamate them into a Corps of Infantry with numbered Battalions?

Still at risk is the Army Training Organisation. There was an earlier proposal to form a tri Service Defence College of Engineering at the former RAF St Athans in Wales and move both Royal Signals and REME RHQs there as well. This seems to have been abandoned with the Royal Navy manning the barricades at HMS Sultan in Portsmouth and the RAF taking similar action in respect of RAF Cosford.(needless to say the original study was led by an Admiral with an RAF Deputy and little significant Army input) Royal Signals, with the help of local MPe, appear to have kept Blandford (temporarily?). As a result only REME has been rationalised, Bordon and Arborfield close in the next 18 months and the former RAF Lyneham is the future Home of REME but called MOD Lyneham not xxx Barracks.

More contentious is the ongoing downsizing of the Regular Army and the replacement with committed Reservists. I have enormous respect for the TA but there are limitations to their employment and they should not be treated as "rent a mob reinforcement"s to Regular Army units. It would be interesting to know what our Canadian contributors think as the role of the Canadian Militia is often quoted in the UK as the way ahead.

Bad example in my book to quote. I guess some one in London must figure that distance means not knowing the real truth. If it hadn't been for our reserves since 73 in Egypt and onward, the Canadian Forces could not have met their commitments. But I believe they are being cut back on to. Our politicians love making a commitment but fail to understand the realities of a military commitment. Since with drawing from Afghanistan this govt. has cut back on material purchases, being fuzzy buzzy about a new helicopter and fighter planes. Doing their best to have as little as possible in assistance to veterans. Mean while being real posers at veteran events, acting as if they care.

Enough rant.

I think there appears to be more sense in rationalisation between the three services than individually. For example, the School of Signals for the three services. Perhaps a Central School of Gunnery, a centralised Stores system for the 3 services. Central health and dental care for the 3 services, instead of the Army Medical and Dental Corps etc, etc.

Jimsigs

On 9 June 2014 the Ministry of Defence announced that a new £250 million Defence College of Logistics, Policing and Administration was to be built at Worthy Down, with training facilities and living accommodation for up to 2,000 students and staff. The facility, which will bring the training for key support roles for the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force onto a single site for the first time, will be completed by late 2018

This will see the closure of Deepcut as a training centre for the RLC and will bring together the operations of the Defence Maritime Logistics School at HMS Raleigh in Cornwall, and the RAF Supply and Movements Training Wing based at RAF Halton.

The Defence, EOD, Munitions & Search Training Regiment (DEMS) has already opened at Bicester, bringing together the RE & RLC EOD & Search with RAF EOD & RE & RN Clearance Divers in one unit.

Thanks for that Mike.
That has really brought me and others on the forum up to date
Jimsigs

Re Defence Medical Services

https://www.gov.uk/defence-medical-services

I was stationed at 223 (radio) Sigs Squadron, Bushfield Camp in the early 1970's, and I seem to recall that Worthy Down Camp was the home of the RAPC, where they did all their training etc, and their trade training as Army pay staff etc.

Does anyone in the Army nowadays have a similar role as the functions of the RAPC of years ago, or has it all been hived off to private companies? I seem to recall in the early 1970's the army switching over from the old Army Pay parade and pay Book system to 'Military Salary' system when each soldier, no matter how competent or 'with it', they were had to have a bank account. I remember that I had no real choice and was directed towards Lloyds Bank (which I have been with ever since) to open my very Bank account - what a thrill.

Some of the lads in the unit were not that bright, and when they received their first check book and pen.... they proceeded to issue checks in Pubs, shops, everywhere inf act, because they thought that as long as they had checks in the checks book, they had cash!!

Those were the days. I have just been reading that Kate Bush has performed at her first concert in 30 odd years. She was one of my favorite female singers, along with Cilla Black and others. Hmm, I do seem to be stuck in the past......

Now must be NAAFI break time soon.... that is if I can find my way to the NAAFI canteen if Nurse Olga and Matron allows me.....

unclevanya wrote:

Does anyone in the Army nowadays have a similar role as the functions of the RAPC of years ago, or has it all been hived off to private companies? I seem to recall in the early 1970's the army switching over from the old Army Pay parade and pay Book system to 'Military Salary' system when each soldier, no matter how competent or 'with it', they were had to have a bank account. I remember that I had no real choice and was directed towards Lloyds Bank (which I have been with ever since) to open my very Bank account - what a thrill.

Some of the lads in the unit were not that bright, and when they received their first check book and pen.... they proceeded to issue checks in Pubs, shops, everywhere inf act, because they thought that as long as they had checks in the checks book, they had cash!!

Now part of the Adjutant General's Corps (AGC) still based at Worthy Down

http://www.army.mod.uk/agc/23202.aspx

Has four main components;

Staff & Personnel Support - Unit Clerks & Pay Staff

Provost - Aka Military Police

Educational and Training Services (ETS)

Army Legal Services

Mike_2817 wrote:

unclevanya wrote:

Does anyone in the Army nowadays have a similar role as the functions of the RAPC of years ago, or has it all been hived off to private companies? I seem to recall in the early 1970's the army switching over from the old Army Pay parade and pay Book system to 'Military Salary' system when each soldier, no matter how competent or 'with it', they were had to have a bank account. I remember that I had no real choice and was directed towards Lloyds Bank (which I have been with ever since) to open my very Bank account - what a thrill.

Some of the lads in the unit were not that bright, and when they received their first check book and pen.... they proceeded to issue checks in Pubs, shops, everywhere inf act, because they thought that as long as they had checks in the checks book, they had cash!!

Now part of the Adjutant General's Corps (AGC) still based at Worthy Down

http://www.army.mod.uk/agc/23202.aspx

Has four main components;

Staff & Personnel Support - Unit Clerks & Pay Staff

Provost - Aka Military Police

Educational and Training Services (ETS)

Army Legal Services

Just managed to "Log In" after a 2 month absence, for some strange reason I can only access the Site whilst I am in Cyprus?


Staff and Personnel Support (SPS) - Aka Special Pen Service.


*Patrick, I will reply to your missive ASAP!

Brian promise me you will "buck up"