Raising of 17 Sig Regt

17th Signal Regiment - was formally raised on 30 Aug 2006

On 30 Aug 06, the 17th Signal Regiment (17 Sig Regt) was formally raised. 17 Sig Regt will continue the tradition of quality CIS support to the Army 3rd line logisticians. The unit will initially consist of 130 Sig Sqn, 145 Sig Sqn and a Support Sqn. It is intended that an installation component from 110 Sig Sqn will join the unit at the end of 2007.

The formation of 17 Sig Regt will be recognised by on a parade to be reviewed by the Deputy Chief of Army and Head of Corps RASIGS, MAJGEN Gordon. The parade was attended by LCAUST, MAJGEN Kelly, and Comd 17 Bde, BRIG Kehoe.

110th Signals Squadron

110th Signals Squadron

The role of 110 Sig Sqn is to:

'Provide communication and information system (CIS) services for the command and control of Land Command and deployed joint or combined forces.'

Formation and Vietnam

110 Sig Sqn was raised for operations in Vietnam in either 1966 or 1967. The exact date is not known. The parent unit of the squadron was the Second Signal Regiment (2 Sig Regt). In March 1967, the lead elements of 110 Sig Sqn arrived in Vietnam to begin the relief of 145 Sig Sqn, which had been in country since 1 April 1966. The main body of 110 Sig Sqn arrived in Vietnam on 28-29 April 1967 and the hand-over take-over was completed on 1 May 1967. 145 Sig Sqn remained in theatre until 1 July 1967. This was the last time in Vietnam that signal units relieved one another and for the remainder of the Vietnam War individual replacement was provided instead.

By early 1967 a comprehensive system of telegraph and voice channels existed but pressure on relay stations, switchboards used in ways for which they were not designed, damage to keying lines, unreliable generators, overworked battery chargers, insufficient signalmen, and a rising incidence of equipment failures caused it to hover near collapse. The Staff Officer Signals and the two squadron commanders all began to seriously wonder whether the system would hold until the problems could be overcome.

In April 1967, 104 Sig Sqn arrived in Vietnam and relieved 103 Sig Sqn in Nui Dat. While in country the strength of 104 Sig Sqn was increased to 150, all ranks, and this number, with 547 Sig Tp, detachments from 110 Sig Sqn, the SASR (det 152 Sig Sqn) and 53 US Signal Battalion made a total of over 200 personnel who were giving direct signals support to the Task Force in Nui Dat. By mid-1967 HQ 1 Australian Task Force had 32 rear links operating out of it. The number of radios operating in Nui Dat grew without any master plan and in August 1968, 104 Sig Sqn started major rebuilding and rationalisation to cater for its own needs, the radio relay equipment of 110 Sig Sqn and the requirements of other units.

At the time of the Coral Fire Support Base actions, 110 Sig Sqn was badly extended. It was operating in nine different locations and it is a tribute to the Unit that during this time the radio bearer system to HQ 1 ATF (Main) which was operated by the Squadron was available during the conflict for 98% of the time.

From early May 1968 enemy forces estimated at 11 regiments were active to the north and west of Saigon, making local government impossible and threatening a major assault. Phu Tho was a military compound on the road between the Saigon race-course and the Tan Son Nhut airport. In February 1968, it housed HQ 110 Sig Sqn and the HF transmitting station for the link to Australia, together with some US units. Although there was no direct threat to Phu Tho during the VC's Tet offensive it was obvious that the area would be in danger if there was a local action because its local defences were only a single barbed wire fence and some watch towers. On 5 May 1968, there was no warning of an attack and the normal duty team of a sergeant and five other ranks from 110 Sig Sqn, plus an infantry detachment of six men, were on duty. At about 0600 hours the next morning a VC force reached the compound but was forced by gunships to temporarily withdraw. When the first contact occurred the whole duty staff of the US transport compound at Phu Tho appeared in the unit's area and the duty NCO thereupon had to find extra protected locations which were hastily made out of bagged cement and steel from the QM's store.

An airlift of troops to help the defence of the compound was impossible because of ground fire and lack of space amongst the aerials. While reinforcements were coming by motor transport a fire started that quickly spread and destroyed one mast of the emergency antennae. It became clear that one of the rhombic aerials would collapse and so a warning message was sent to Melbourne, the transmitter was closed down, and the staff watched while the mast fell. The area was still under fire but a small party from the squadron moved into the antennae field and dragged broken wires away so that they would not affect other installations. While this was being done others brought the fire under control and then the link to Australia was restored after being closed for 90 minutes. The Phu Tho area was cut off from the rest of Saigon for two days and for some of this time the VC were insider the perimeter. Small arms fire, mortars, grenades and rockets were all fired into the compound but riggers soon reconstructed the rhombic aerial.

Within a few days of these events there was an attack on the AUSTCAN receiver station at Long Binh and the two assaults led to changes to ensure better security. 110 Sig Sqn vacated the Phu Tho compound, the transmitters were placed in the centre of the 1 ATF area at Nui Dat and SHQ and the QM's store moved in with the Vung Tau detachment. After the removal of the transmitter to Nui Dat, teams from 127 Sig Sqn and 110 Sig Sqn installed rhombic antennae and shortly after the station began operating at its new site. On 9 August, a horizontal log periodic antennae was built. By October 1968 the RASigs strength in South Vietnam was approximately 500 with two major units and one signal troop.

In January 1970 the established strength of 110 Sig Sqn was 9 Officers and 243 other ranks. On 18 August 1971, the Australian Prime Minister announced that the Australian combat force would be completely withdrawn by Christmas of that year. RASigs was to maintain the existing communication system for as long as it was needed and to reduce it piece by piece as the requirement declined. 104 Sig Sqn ceased operations in the middle of October 1971 and departed with the main body of 110 Sig Sqn for Australia on 6 November leaving a special troop to provide tactical communications for 1 ATF which moved to Vung Tau. Facilities at Vung Tau closed on 19 January 1972 except for the SDS which continued until the Area Communications Centre ceased operations on 24 February 1972. The last members of 110 Sig Sqn left Vietnam on 12 March 1972.

During the period 1972 to 1992 110 Sig Sqn was based at Simpson Barracks, Macleod with the remainder of the 2 Sig Regt. In April 1992, a large number of the squadron's personnel and equipment were deployed to Cambodia as part of the Force Communications Unit which was Australia's contribution to UNTAC. Those elements were returned to Australia by November 1993. While elements of the unit were deployed to Cambodia, the regimental headquarters and workshop of 2 Sig Regt was disbanded and the remaining elements of the regiment retitled as the Land Force Signal Unit which was to be commanded by an ARA major. 110 Sig Sqn was redesignated as a General Reserve unit with an ARA cadre of six personnel.

On 1 December 1995, the squadron was relocated with the other elements of the LFSU to Holsworthy where upon arrival, the LFSU was disbanded and both 110 Sig Sqn and 145 Sig Sqn were established as independent units on the Order of Battle. On 11 December 1995, 110 Sig Sqn was re-designated as an ARA unit with personnel and equipment being supplied from Land Headquarters CIS Tp, the disbanded 127 Sig Sqn, the disbanded 615 Sig Tp, HIPORT troop from 145 Sig Sqn and Headquarters Second Division.

Post Vietnam

During the period 1972 to 1992 110 Sig Sqn was based at Simpson Barracks, Macleod with the remainder of the 2 Sig Regt. In April 1992, a large number of the squadron's personnel and equipment were deployed to Cambodia as part of the Force Communications Unit which was Australia's contribution to UNTAC. Those elements were returned to Australia by November 1993. While elements of the unit were deployed to Cambodia, the Regimental Headquarters and workshop of 2 Sig Regt was disbanded and the remaining elements of the regiment retitled as the Land Force Signal Unit which was to be commanded by an ARA major. 110 Sig Sqn was redesignated as a General Reserve unit with an ARA cadre of six personnel.

On 1 December 1995, the squadron was relocated with the other elements of the LFSU to Holsworthy where upon arrival, the LFSU was disbanded and both 110 Sig Sqn and 145 Sig Sqn were established as independent units on the Order of Battle. On 11 December 1995, 110 Sig Sqn was re-designated as an ARA unit with personnel and equipment being supplied from Land Headquarters CIS Tp, the disbanded 127 Sig Sqn, the disbanded 615 Sig Tp, HIPORT troop from 145 Sig Sqn and Headquarters Second Division.