The Royal Corps of Signals

Discussion in 'Royal Signals' started by Drew5233, May 25, 2009.

  1. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Lance Corporal R. L. Lingwood MM, 2 Corps Signals, The Royal Corps of Signals.

    Awarded MM.

    This NCO was in a cable detachment which passed by accident into the enemy lines and was captured.

    The detachment was marched away under escort and L/Cpl Lingwood seized the opportunity afforded by a moment of inattention on the part of the escort to call on his men to escape. They responded instantly and succeeded in rejoining the unit by swimming across the canal at Alost.

    Thus L/Cpl Lingwood saved six men (and a party of Belgian Soldiers) from capture.




    No LG Date.

    See post 14 by Dbf:
    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/allied-units/19612-royal-corps-signals.html#post198148
     
  2. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    7662209 WOII Acting WOI RSM A. Barker MBE, HQ Alfsea, Royal Corps of Signals.

    Awarded MBE

    RSM Barker has been the Superintendent of the office of the DCSO Alfsea (for L of C) since 15 May 1945 and before that held the same appointment to the CSO L of C Command from Oct 44.

    Inspite of difficulties caused by several moves and many changes of clerks, he has carried out his duties exceedingly well, working long hours and taking great pains to ensure that the office work should be accurately and promptle done.

    Through his example the other clerks have worked hard and cheerfully no matter how great the pressure of work.
     
  3. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Lance Sergeant John Frank Thornton MM, 1st Divisional Signals, The Royal Corps of Signals.

    2051148 L/Sgt John Frank Thornton J. is NCO i/c Line Det. of 2Bde. Signals Sect. In the assault landing on Anzio , L/Sgt Thornton landed with the assualt Bde HQ on 22 Jan. Since that day he has carried out his duties with complete disregard of personal safety and has set a magnificent example in leadership and devotion to duty both to the line det and to th ewhole signal section.

    When the Bde was holding the left sector of the beach headon 23 Jan. L/Sgt Thornton was ordered to lay lines to forward Bns. Owing to the nature of the country the possible line routes to the left Bn were under observation and were subjected enemy shell and mortar fire. L/Sgt Thornton was continuously called upon to repair breaks and his maint. work whilst under enemy fire was beyond praise. On 1 Feb the Bde was ordered to move at night to th eright of the Div front. 1 Loyals had previously moved to this sector and at 1130 hrs L/Sgt. Thornton was dispatched with one lineman to the new area to prepare line comm in advance of the move of Bde. HQ.

    The sector of the front which 1 Loyals were holding was under observation and the line routes to both 1 Loyals and 67 Field Regt. RA. were continuously being cut by enemy fire.

    Bde. HQ was established in the new area at 1945 hrs and by 2345 hrs lines were through to 1 Loyals and to the Fd Regt. Enemy fire however, continued and the lines were in constant need of building and repair. L/Sgt. Thornton continued on duty in the forward areas throughout the night repairing the forward lines and also repairing the rearward route to the Divisional Signal Centre. He did not return to the HQ until all the lines were reported through again at 0530 hrs on 2 Feb. During the subsequent eight days which the Bde was in the line the enemy continued to shell and mortar the Bde area and L/Sgt Thornton was indefatiguable in repairing and maintaining the 10 miles of cable laid in the area.

    *SOME TEXT MISSING/UNREADABLE*



    LG 15.6.44
     
  4. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Signalman George Smith MM, 5th Divisonal Signals, The Royal Corps of Signals.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  5. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    WO2 (CSM) Ronald Thornhill Lundie DCM, 2nd Corps, Royal Signals

    This WO rendered to most valuable assistance on La Panne beach. His work under trying conditions, including heavy bombing, was of a high order.

    Gazetted 20.8.40
     
  6. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    2326462 Corporal Andrew Alexander MM, 7 Line Maintenance Section, 1 HQ Signals, BEF, Royal Corps of Signals.

    Awarded Military Medal.

    For courage and devotion to duty during the period 14-28 May 1940. At Renaix and Dunkirk he was responsible for all connections through the civil cable system.

    At Renaix he was on this duty, alone, for several days remaining at his post inspite of bombing attacks on the building he was occupying. He personally demolished all the apparatus when it was no longer required in order to prevent its use by the enemy. At Dunkirk he carried on after the building had been bombed and set on fire and only left when the flames reached the test frames and rendered the cables useless.
     
  7. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    WO2 (RQMS) Acting WO1 Supt Clerk Walter William Page DCM, Royal Signals

    This WO is Superintending Clerk to SO in C. He was sent from Premesques late on 26th May in charge of 10 other ranks to report to an officer at Dunkirk. For various means the rendezvous miscarried and RSM Page tried to reach the Signal office in Dunkirk. Being prevented by burning buildings in this object, he went to the docks in search of an officer. There he found an officer of the Merchantile Marine in command of a supply ship to be unloaded. He collected about 150 men of various arms and departments in the dock area and kept them at work unloading through the 27th under heavy bombing attacks, until an ammunition ship alongside was bombed and set on fire about 2200hrs. He showed resource, initiative and determination to a high degree.

    Gazetted 11.7.40
     
  8. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    WO1 (RSM) Percy William Phillip DCM, Royal Signals, BEF.

    No citation found.

    Gazetted 11.7.40
     
  9. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Lance Sergeant Peter Donald Phillips DCM, 1st Airborne Divisional Signals, Royal Signals.

    Immediate

    For one month the above mentiond NCO performed extremely gallant service behind the enemy lines. His iniative and endurance under extremely difficult conditions whilst living in the Divisional areas of 3 German Divisions would be highly creditable to an experienced officer. He moved about in uniform and civilian clothes carrying a wireless set and constantly sent back reports of POW's and enemy positions, and it was only by extremely bad luck that this information, which was received correctly , could not be successfully acted upon. He fully realised his fate if he was caught by the Germans with a W/T set. At length, having realsied that sea evacuation of POW's was impossible, he personally Recce'd a route through the enemy lines and every night during the next week he ferried no fewer than a total of 481 POW's through the lines. To cross and recross the enemy lines this number of times, along deserves special mention. It may be added that the greatest number of POW's produced by any individual officer put in prior to Lance Sergeant Philips was 23. The gallantry and initiative displayed by Lance Sergeant Philips is an example which all may look upto.

    Gazetted 20.4.44
     
  10. jeffbubble

    jeffbubble Senior Member

  11. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Corporal, Acting Sergeant Bennett William Forbes Fothergill BEM, 8th Army Signals, Royal Corps of Signals.

    Awarded BEM.

    During the battle of El Alamein and throughout the subsequent advance this NCO has been the Chief Wireless Superintendent at Main Army. He has had to supervise, simultaneously, as many as twenty wireless groups, and to re-route traffic whenever necessary.

    He has shown great resource in dealing with emergencies when sets developed faults or went out of communication.

    Owing to his resourcefulness, technical knowledge, and attention to detail at all times, day and night, during the past seven months, wireless communications on the many main wireless links from Main Army to its subordinate formations, have been maintained.


    LG 14.10.43
     
  12. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    2581303 Sergeant Kennery Douglas Robey DCM, 133 MEF Brigade, Royal Signals.

    Immediate

    Sergeant Robey was dropped to the Olympus area of Greece on 12th June 1943. During all the time he has been in the country he has shown indomitable courage, and devotion to duty of the highest order. In particular, on 16th April 1944 when a strong enemy patrol managed to evade the Ardarte Guard and approach his station,they opened fire at a range of 800 yards. Robey, with utter disregard for his personal safety, succeeded in his W/T set. The British Liaison Officer in charge of the station states:

    'I saw all was lost and ordered Robey to save his W/T set at all costs, leaving behind a useless set as a decoy. He carried out my orders and waded through deep show with the set. At the moment he left HQ bullets were actually raining on the doors. As he emerged he was fired on and was fired on until he was out of sight of the Germans. He buried the set in the snow and returned to HQ under even more intense fire, to rescue the gold, ciphers and records. Owing to the fact that deep snow lay all around, speed was impossible and he was therefore an easy target for enemy fire. Despite this, he carried out his task and got away safely.'

    Two months later Sergeant Robey again managed to save his W/T set during a sudden enemy drive. His superb courage and resource had an inspiring effect on all members of the station, as a result of which they showed coolness and confidence under very trying and hazardous conditions. Sergeant Robey's health has suffered owing to the hard life he has had to live and the MO attached to the station has ordered his evacuation.

    For his outstanding bravery and devotion to duty he is recommended for the immediate award of the DCM.

    Gazetted 4.1.45
     
  13. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    L/Cpl Rolls of the Royal Signals uses a wireless set to relay a fire order to a gun battery, 4 March 1944.

    [​IMG]
     
  14. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

  15. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    WO II William Martin Patrick Ryan DCM, ISLD No.11 (U) Section, Royal Signals

    Local

    CSM Ryan was dropped by parachute into Yugoslavia in October 1943 as a W/T operator to the ISLD partyat Croat Partisan Headquarters. He at once established his W/T station and since that date has single handed carried a great volume of intelligence traffic. For 6 months he also handled the operational traffic for the British Mission in the area. This work involved being on the keyboard every day for many hours at a stretch and not once during the whole period did CSM Ryan miss a scheduled contact. When on several occasions the Headquarters was attacked by the enemy CSM Ryan displayed courage and tenacity of a high order. One example of this was when 5 Stuka aircraft made a direct attack on the W/T building while CSM Ryan was transmitting a most immediate operational message. He refused to take cover, and successfully completed the signal.

    Taking into account the constant danger of working in enemy occupied territory CSM Ryan showed a very high technical excellence and maintained an exceptional standard of courage and devotion to duty over a long and trying period.


    Gazetted 2.8.45
     
  16. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Sergeant Kenneth Alec John Scott DCM, Royal Signals

    No citation listed Middle East

    Gazetted 9.8.45
     
  17. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Lance Sergeant Eric Oswald Smith DCM, 4 Corps Signals, Royal Signals.

    Periodic

    Lance Sergeant Smith has served on the 4 Corps front for the past two years. Between 4th March and 1st April 1944 he was NCO in charge of a Line Maintenance party in Moreh. During this period our lines were repeatedly cut by the enemy; despite continual artillery and mortar fire and interference from enemy patrols Lance Sergeant Smith repeatedly took out small parties to effect line repairs. These parties were always liable to be ambushed or cut off by the enemy, but largely owing to the resource and leadership of this NCO the linemen under his command never failed in their task. On one occasion when the Signal Office sustained a direct hit from an enemy shell and many men were killed and wounded, he rallied and encouraged the remaining men and quickly restored communications.

    When a withdrawal from Moreh was imminent he volunteered to remain behind to ensure that maximum damage was carried out to deny line facilities to the enemy. During the subsequent withdrawal to Shenam he accompanied the Rear Guard and repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire in his endeavour to maintain line communication with the remainder of the force. He has always set a very high example to his linemen and his outstanding courage and leadership throughout the recent operations are deserving of recognition.


    Gazetted 8.2.45

    Also received a MBE 31.12.60
     
  18. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    2333248 Corporal James Roy MM, 51st Division, The Royal Corps of Signals.

    Awarded Military Medal

    [​IMG]
     
  19. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Signalman, Acting Lance Corporal Alex Goldring MM, Second Army Signals, Royal Corps of Signals.

    Periodical MM

    Throughout the campaign in Europe Lance Corporal Goldring has been in command of a wireless detachment. It was during the early operation following the landing in Normandy that he first demonstrated his bravery, courage and disregard for his own safety by volunteering to accompany two officers of the Special Air Service as wireless operator. For two weeks he maintained communications from behind the enemy's lines and showed a high degree of personal courage under conditions of extreme hazard. Lance Corporal Goldring, by his keenness, enthusiasm and untiring energy, has been an inspiration to those under his command.

    LG 24.1.46
     
  20. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Signalman Donald Stewart DCM, 1st Airborne Division Signals, Royal Signals

    Immediate

    Signalman Stewart is very strongly recommended for the MM. In company with Lance Sergeant Phillips this man for one month performed excellent service behind enemy lines on the 8th Army front in Italy. In uniform he acted as operator of a wireless set which passed most valuable information. He then assisted Lance Sergeant Phillips in passing 481 POW's actually through the German lines. This necessitated crossing the lines 10-12 times. It would have been impossible for Lance Sergeant Phillips to have done his job without the help of Signalman Stewart and the gallantry and nerve displayed by this man is an example to all.

    Gazetted 20.4.44

    Recommended for MM.
     

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