RA Sigs Corps Memoranda

The following extracts of the Corps Memoranda are in now an authorised version.

The Corps Memoranda has been fully reviewed and rewritten. The documents have been reviewed by the Head of Corps and have now been released under his signature.

Please refer to this website for future updates on the status of the Corps Memoranda.

The Corps Memoranda has been provided here in draft version, to allow Corps members to familiarise themselves with the content prior to issue.

Below is the entire Corps Memoranda in Pdf form.

002 Corps History

THE HISTORY AND TRADITIONS OF THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN CORPS OF SIGNALS

General

1. From the earliest times, communication has been necessary in war and many of the present forms of signalling have some counterpart in the past. Twenty-two centuries ago the Carthaginians used torches arranged in groups of five, an early form of signalling code.

2. During the battles between the Greeks and Persians, a polished shield answered the purpose of a crude heliograph, and signals by flags or even smoke date from a remote period. Carrier pigeons were used to convey messages in the time of Solomon and by the Greeks at the ancient Olympic Games.

The Dispatch Rider

3. Up to the middle of the nineteenth century, the principal method of communication was undoubtedly the dispatch rider since even great battles like Waterloo were fought on fronts of three kilometres or less. Consequently the dashing and gallant ADC is an important and picturesque figure of those days. The Duke of Wellington gained great advantage from his mounted orderly officers, whose experience on the hunting field made them very quick across country.

Pheidippides

4. The prototype of dispatch riders was Pheidippides the Athenian, the swiftest runner in all Greece.

5. Greece was engaged, in the sixth century BC, in a decisive struggle with the great oriental power of Persia. The victory of the latter would have been an overwhelming calamity to Western civilisation, but the small army of Greeks defeated the hordes of Persia at Marathon. It was desirable that the glad news be sent post-haste to Athens, 26 miles from the battlefield. Pheidippides was chosen and he made the journey with unheard of speed (and in full armour). So great had been his exertion that on delivering the message 'Rejoice, we have conquered', he fell dead.

Mercury

6. Pheidippides was the greatest dispatch rider - the modern marathon race has its title from his journey- yet the type and pattern of the true signalman is undoubtedly 'Mercury' or 'Hermes'.

7. Mercury was originally the Roman god of commerce and good fortune. When the Romans conquered Greece they adopted the god Hermes, and they, realising he had much in common with their own god of fortune, brought him into their pantheon under the name of Mercurius.

8. Mercury, or rather Hermes, is a versatile and loveable god. He is lord of the wise - of the power that brings good luck to man. Above all, he is the messenger of the gods, as his dress proclaims; on his head is the Petasus, or felt hat worn by travellers; in his hand is the caduceus or herald's staff. This staff was the symbol of a message and was wound about with white ribbons, signifying peace. The intertwined serpents are a latter interpretation of the same idea. The staff conferred immunity; that is, the bearer of the message was sacred. His golden sandals, which are winged, complete him, denoting swiftness.

9. Mercury possesses certain characteristics, such as a love of stealing, which are not commendable. Similarly he had duties, like the bringing of dreams and the conducting of the dead to Hades, which happily, signalmen are not expected to perform. Nevertheless in his swiftness, his sureness, his prudence and readiness in all situations, and, above all, his good humour when in difficult circumstances, Mercury is not a bad model.

10. Mercury came into the Corps because his statuette was carried on the staff of the drum major of the telegraph battalion of the Royal Engineers. He is often referred to as 'Jimmy' and his badge is worn with pride as the reward of athletic prowess.

The Ideal

11. While Mercury well represents some of the signalman's characteristics, the ideal of the signalman is contained in the word 'THROUGH'. To realise this, it is necessary to consider the work signals perform on active service.

12. Communications are vital to the conduct of modem warfare; without them the finest army is helpless, the finest battle plan unworkable. On the receipt or non-receipt of a single message, may depend victory or defeat. The responsibility resting on the signalman in war may thus be enormous. The duty of members of the Corps is to get the message 'through' at whatever cost or difficulty, realising that the lives of their comrades and the success of the operations may depend on their determination.

THE BIRTH OF AUSTRALIAN ARMY SIGNALS

The Background History

13. Australia has the unique distinction of having had the first regularly formed signal unit in the whole of the British Commonwealth.

14. In 1869 there existed in New South Wales and Victoria two small 'Torpedo and Signal Corps'. These continued until 1882, when they were disbanded. In 1885 a 'Signalling Corps' composed of one officer and 12 other ranks, existed in South Australia and remained active until 1901.

15. Before the advent of self-contained signal units, the complement of signallers was on a regimental basis, each unit having on its establishment a proportion of regimental signallers. Great attention was paid to the training of these personnel; prizes and badges were awarded to those qualifying at what was known as a signalling school. Instruction was imparted by a staff officer designated 'Inspector of Signalling'. After the inception of the Commonwealth Forces an 'Australian Corps of Signallers' was formed on 12th January 1906.

16. The Corps then consisted of 11 Companies, which were located as follows;

a. Sydney 1,
b. Perth 1,
c. Newcastle 1,
d. Fremantle 1,
e. Melbourne 2,
f. Hobart 1,
g. Brisbane 2,
h. Launceston 1, and
i. Adelaide 2.

17. The Corps remained as a self-contained unit until the introduction of universal training in 1911, when it was merged with the Australian Engineers. In 1912, signal troops and companies formed a portion of the Corps of Australian Engineer and were known by such names as '15th Engr (Sig Tp) or '23rd Engr Sig Coy (Engrs)'. These designations were retained until 1916, when the term (AE) was substituted for (Engrs) in the title.

18. This continued until the divisional organisation was introduced in 1921, when the terms 'Cav Div Sigs' and 'Div Sigs' were introduced for the first time. Coincident with this change in nomenclature, all signal units separated from the Australian Corps of Engineers and in 1925 the Australian Corps of Signals came into being.Thus began the evolution of the 'Australian Corps of Signals', which reached a total strength of 24,000 all ranks in the Second World War, 1939-1945.
Birthday of the Corps

19. RA Sigs regard 12th January 1906, the date on which raising instructions for the establishment of the 'Australian Corps of Signallers' were promulgated, as the birthday of the Corps.
Titles

20. The full title of the Corps is 'Royal Australian Corps of Signals'.

21. The short title is 'Royal Australian Signals'.

22. The abbreviated title for all uses is 'RA Sigs'.

Corps Day

23. On 10 Nov 48 His Majesty, King George VI conferred the title 'Royal' on the Australian Corps of Signals.This day is recognised as 'Corps Day' and commemorative functions should be held as near as possible to 10 Nov each year.

003 Corps Badge

Corps Badge

1. The Corps Badge, approved in 1946, is described as:

a. The figure of Mercury on a globe, the latter supported above by a scroll bearing the motto "Certa Cito", and a boomerang below bearing the inscription "Australia". A crown, detached surmounts the whole.

b. Mercury faces his right.

2. The badge, as described, is approved for wear on all types of military headdress.

3. The badge, as described, is also produced with Mercury facing his left. Two badges, one left, one right, less crowns are approved for wear as collar badges on various forms of dress. Mercury faces inwards when so worn.

004 Corps Motto

Introduction

1. The Corps Motto is the Latin, 'Certa Cito'.

Aim

2. The aim of this instruction is to describe the Corps Motto, its meaning and use.

Description

3. The Corps Motto is described as a maxim adopted by the Corps, which best expresses the guiding principle bonding the officers and soldiers of the Corps to achieve their individual and collective objectives, whether it be in time of war, in the peacetime work place, on the sports field or in the home.

Translation

4. The strict translation of the Latin 'Certa Cito" to English is simply "Swift and Sure", signifiying the aim of the signal service that communications be carried out with maximum speed and certainty.

5. The Corps Motto is to be used on such occasions as a verbal or written call, to express the guiding principle to unite the Corps, or sections of the Corps, to achieve their individual or collective objectives for the task at hand.

005 Corps Colours

Aim

1. The aim of this intruction is to provide information concerning the use of RA Sigs Corps Colours and guidance on the type of occasions and location at which the Colours may be shown.

General

2. The Corps has two sets of colours, one utilised in battle (tactical colours) and one for domestic purposes.

Tactical colours

3. The tactical colours are white over blue. These colours are used for unit identification signs on vehicles and the marking of communications centres and tactical installations. The white symbolises the white of the ribbons wound on the Caduceus of the God Hermes (the symbol of the messenger) and the blue represents the Royal Colours. These colours combined make a striking contrast, suitable for easy identification for tactical purposes.

Corps Tactical Colours

Domestic colours

4. For all other purposes the colours of the Corps are:

a. Light blue - 3/7 depth
Over

b. Dark blue - 1/7 depth
Over

c. Dark green - 3/7 depth

5. The domestic colours represent the three media of communications; through the air, over the sea and over the land.

Corps Domestic Colours

006 Corps Flag and Pennant

Aim

1. The aim of this intruction is to provide information concerning the use of RA Sigs Corps flags and pennants and guidance on the type of occasions and location at which the flags and pennants may be flown.

Corps Flag

2. The Corps flag consits of the Corps colours, in the ratios shown for the domestic colours. The colours are flown horizontally. In the centre is the Corps badge in gold (deep chrome yellow). The overall height of the badge should be half the breadth of the flag. Mercury faces the hoist. The Corps flag may be flown by units as approved by the Ceremonial manual.

RA Sigs Corps Flag

Corps Pennant

3. The Corps Pennant is formatted the same as the Corps Flag, however in a pennant shape.

RA Sigs Corps Pennant

The document below is a professionally drafted outline of production details for the Corps Flag.

007 Corps Tie

RASIGS Corps Tie

1. The RASIGS Corps Tie may be worn with civilian attire by:

a. serving officers and other ranks of RASIGS,
b. ex-members of the Corps, and
c. other persons authorised by the HOC Corps.

2. The current Corps tie consists of a series of the Corps colours superimposed on a dark blue background. The band of Corps colours slopes from right shoulder to left hip.

3. The current alternate tie, consisting of multiple Corps badge motifs in gold and silver upon a dark blue background, may also be worn.

4. A third design was produced recently to supercede the preceding two tie designs. This contemporary design consists of a Navy blue tie with a 'Jimmy' embroided in gold and silver.

5. The ties may be purchased from the Corps Shop.

008 Corps Prayer

Reference: LWP Pers 1-1-2, The Army at Worship

Introduction

1. The Principal Chaplains Committee - Army has authorised a prayer for the Royal Australian Corps of Signals, hereafter known as the Corps Prayer.

Aim

2. The aim of this instruction is to present the Corps Prayer and describe its meaning and use.

The Prayer

"Almighty God, You communicate your truth to us in every age,
giving light and understanding to our human condition.

Grant that we, the members of the Royal Australian Corps of Signals,
may be open to receive Your word so that our lives will communicate Your truth.

Sharpen our skills that we may faithfully transmit the messages entrusted to us.

We offer ourselves to serve You and our country, and to promote peace in our world, through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN."

Description

3. The Corps Prayer ascribes to God the energies symbolised in the RA Sigs motto, and asks for the spiritual counterpart to mark the performance of our officers and soldiers, and so produce a Corps conspicuous for its swift and sure delivery of communications.

4. The Corps Prayer has been adopted by RA Sigs for use on unit church parades and other appropriate occasions where members of the Corps are gathered for religious purposes.

Background to terms

5. A common term that was used in the past was Corps Collect instead of Corps Prayer. These terms mean the same thing and hence the word collect is no longer used. A Corps Prayer/Collect simply is a prayer that gathers or collects up the essential aspects of the particular prayer need and puts them in a formal structure (prose) that can be used thereafter for all occasions when a church service or funeral for a Corps member occurs. Corps prayers are only said at religious services. The Principal Chaplains, in conjunction with respective Heads of Corps, set them. Many are based on the British Army Corps prayers. They belong to a time when God, King and country were all of a piece, however the close associative relevance is lessened in this day and age.

009 Corps Grace

General

1. The RA Sigs Corps Committee has approved the proposal that the Corps should have its own Grace for use at RA Sigs Corps functions.

Aim
2. The aim of this instruction is to present the Corps Grace and describe its meaning and use.

Use of the Corps Grace

3. The Corps Grace is said at formal dinners. All RA Sigs messes are encouraged to use the Corps Grace at appropriate RA Sigs functions.

Description

4. The Corps Grace is similar to the Corps Prayer, in that it takes up aspects of Communications and Signals functions and uses them to express religious ideas and themes to ask for divine help to fulfill the Corps' purpose, to serve the state and fulfill God's will for creation.

Corps Grace

5. "Lord, You are the giver and sustainer of life. Help us to communicate this reality as we share these gifts together, in friendship and service, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen."

010 Regimental March

REGIMENTAL MARCHES

Aim

1. The aim of this instruction is to provide information about the RA Sigs Marches.

REGIMENTAL QUICK MARCH

Description

2. The Regimental Quick-March of RA Sigs is a combination of the old English traditional air 'Begone Dull Care' and the Australian folk song, 'Click Go The Shears'. The affiliation between Royal Signals, whose march is 'Begone Dull Care' and RA Sigs is perpetuated.

Playing the Corps March

3. The RA Sigs March is to be played on RA Sigs Parades, suitable Corps or RA Sigs unit occasions.

Approval

4. The RA Sigs Marches are approved in the Army Ceremonial Manual Volume One.

History

5. Most British regimental marches have a story behind their selection for the particular regiment. A story concerning the selection of the RA Sigs march has been perpetuated and, although no foundation can be found to substantiate it, it is at least appropriate.

6. Signals are invariably associated with commanders of units or Army formations. The mere fact of their close association with senior officers and the problems of providing them with good communications when required, naturally makes the signalman a worried man. The signalman allegedly drops his cares and worries as he marches on parade to the tune of his regimental march.

REGIMENTAL SLOW MARCH

Description

7. The Regimental Slow-March of RA Sigs is "Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal". This is a special march composed by the Royal Signals Director of Music in honor of the then Colonel-in-Chief, the late Princess Mary.

011 Corps Toast

General

1. RA Sigs is one of the few Corps in the Armed Services privileged to possess two Corps toasts, which are honored on all formal occasions. At all Corps Dining nights it is customary for the following toasts to be proposed;

a. The Loyal Toast,
b. Toast to our Colonel-in-Chief, and
c. Other toasts may be proposed as appropriate to the conduct of the Dinner.

The Loyal Toast

2. When the port has been passed the Dining President calls the table to order by saying, "Dining Vice-President". The Dining Vice-President will rise and say "Gentlemen" or "Ladies and Gentlemen". This indicates to the assembly that they should also rise. Glasses should remain on the table.

3. When all have risen and everybody is silent, the Dining Vice-President then proposes the Loyal Toast "The Queen". If the band is in attendance the first four bars and the last four bars of the National Anthem are then played. At its conclusion, or in response to the Dining Vice-President if there is no band in attendance, all present will repeat "The Queen" raise their glasses from the table, drink to the toast and resume their seats.

Toast to our Colonel-in-Chief

4. Directly after officers have resumed their seats after the Loyal Toast the Dining President will call "Dining Vice-President". The Dining Vice-President will rise and say "Gentlemen" or "Ladies and Gentlemen". When all have risen and everybody is silent, the Dining Vice-President then proposes the toast "Our Colonel-in-Chief, The Princess Royal", all present will repeat "The Princess Royal" raise their glasses from the table, drink to the toast and resume their seats.

Other Toasts

5. On special occasions other toasts may be drunk (see Customs of the Army). At annual Corps Dinners a toast may be proposed to "The Royal Australian Corps of Signals". This should be followed by a toast to "The Signal Corps of the Commonwealth" and "the United States of America". These toasts follow the Loyal Toast and the toast to our Colonel-in-Chief. Traditionally at Corps Dinners the toast to the Corps is proposed by a guest RAE officer. This marks the close bond between the two Corps.

012 Colonel in Chief

History

1. The Colonel-in-Chief is a traditional appointment that stems from the days of old when a Lord of the land would raise and maintain a force of troops in the service of the sovereign.

2. In June 1937, Her Royal Highness the Princess Mary, The Princess Royal, Cl, GCVO, GBE, TD, DCL, LLD, became the first Colonel-In-Chief of the Royal Australian Corps of Signals when she accepted the appointment of Colonel-in-Chief. In 1965 Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal passed away.

3. To commemorate the memory of our Colonel-in-Chief a special slow march was composed by Royal Signals Director of Music. The slow march is called 'Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal'.

4. Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne, The Princess Royal, GCVO, was appointed the second Colonel-in-Chief, Royal Australian Corps of Signals on 11th June 1977, after the position had been vacant for some twelve years. On the 13th June 1987, Princess Anne was granted the title 'The Princess Royal'.

Today

5. The Commandant, Defence Force School of Signals, is responsible for the safekeeping of the following mementos:

a. Princess Royal Salver. RA Sigs is affiliated with the British Army Royal Corps of Signals or the under Royal Warrant of 5th August 1920. At the conclusion of the Second World War, 1939-45, Her Royal Highness, Princess Mary, The Princess Royal, on behalf of the Royal Corps of Signals, presented to a representative of the Australian Corps of Signals (then Major K.R. Colwill), a silver salver, as a memento of the splendid co-operation that had existed between the Royal Corps of Signals and the Australian Corps of Signals throughout the Second World War 1939-1945.

b. The Princess Royal Trophy. The Princess Royal Trophy (a solid silver statuette of 'Jimmy' on a wooden base) was presented to the Australian Corps of Signals in 1939. It was used as a trophy for a competition between Signal Corps units until 1967.

c. The Princess Royal Clock. The Princess Royal Clock was presented to the Colonel-in Chief Royal Australian Corps of Signals, Her Royal Highness Princess Mary, the Princess Royal, in 1951, on behalf of the Corps by COL A.D. Molloy. Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, graciously entrusted the clock to the care of the Royal Australian Corps of Signals. For many years the clock was on display and in use in the office of the Commandant Defence Force School of Signals. It was the responsibility of the School of Signals Duty officer to wind the clock daily.

6. The above mementos now form part of Corps Property and are held for safekeeping either in the RA Sigs Officers Mess or the Corps Museum, Simpson Barracks.

Toast to Our Colonel-in-Chief

7. See Corps Memorandum No 11 for details on drinking a toast to her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal.

Communications to Our Colonel-in-Chief

8. All communications to Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal from the Royal Australian Corps of Signals must be cleared by the Head of Corps. This applies even when the Representative Colonel Commandant is the nominated originator. In practice, the Head of Corps in the name of the Representative Colonel Commandant originates standard greeting messages.

Greetings to Our Colonel-in-Chief

9. Individual units or branches of the RA Sigs Association will not send greeting messages to Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, unless it is a special or unique occasion and then only with the prior concurrence of the Head of Corps.

10. Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, has graciously intimated that when greetings are sent to her on the occasion of annual gatherings, such as the Corps Dinner, they should be sent to Buckingham Palace. From there they will be redirected, if necessary. Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, also wishes these greetings to be sent by post in telegraphic form to reach her at least a week in advance, so a reply may be sent in time to be read out at the dinner or gathering concerned.

11. The following forms of telegraphic message are suitable for sending greetings to Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal.
Corps Dinner (10th November)

12. 'For Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal. The Representative Colonel Commandant
and Officers of your Corps at their annual dinner at _________on ________ send their loyal and humble greetings to your Royal Highness'.
Her Royal Highness' Birthday. (15 August)

13. 'For Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal.
All ranks of your Corps send you loyal and affectionate birthday greetings.
Representative Colonel Commandant
Royal Australian Corps of Signals'.

Christmas Cards to our Colonel-in-Chief

14. A Christmas card on behalf of all ranks of her Corps will be sent to her Royal Highness. The Princess Royal, by the Head of Corps. The costs of production of the card and its dispatch will be borne by the RA Sigs General-Purpose fund.

15. The Representative Colonel Commandant may also send a personal card to her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal.

Photographs

16. Requests for signed portraits are to be submitted to the Head of Corps. The Head of Corps, will send approved submissions to Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal.

030 Register of RASigs Memorials and Sites of Significance