The 1st Combat Signal
Regiment (1CSR) Logo
features the Red Tailed Black Cockatoo
which is a native
of the Northern
Territory
Scire Est Potestatem
Habere
'Information is Power'
Current Overview
By Denis Hare (2011)
Role
The role of the 1st Combat Signal Regiment (1CSR) is to provide combat signal support to the Headquarters and units of the Army's 1st Brigade. The Regiment comprises three sub-units: 104 Signal Squadron, 105 Signal Squadron and Headquarter Squadron.
Heritage
The 1st Combat Signal Regiment's heritage is a combination of the 104 Signal Squadron (104 Sig Sqn) and the Headquarter Company 1st Australian Task Force from the Vietnam War.
Note: For history of 104 Sig Sqn see below in History Overview
1st
Combat
Signal Regiment (1CSR)
1CSR was renamed
1st
Combat Signal Regiment from 1st Command Support
Regiment in January 2006.
Support Squadron renamed Headquarters Squadron
On the 18 May 2011, Support Squadron was renamed Headquarters Squadron. The new name provides the direct link to the life support/combat support that the unit provides not only to the Regiment but also the intrinsic link to Headquarters 1st Brigade and that same support we provide to them. The second objective enables the Squadron the opportunity to return to the historic link with Headquarters Company, 1st Australian Task Force, in Vietnam in 1966.
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Headquarters Company, 1 ATF Overview This was formed to provide administrative and logistical support staff to HQ 1 ATF (the forerunners of HQ 1 Bde), which included personnel ranging from intelligence to pay clerks. During its deployment it suffered eleven KIA as follows: L/Cpl A. Ruduss - 12 Jun 1966 Pte D. B. Plain - 1 Mar 1968 L/Cpl K. I. Dewar - 24 Jun 1969 Pte T. A. Evens - 25 Dec 1969 Cpl K. J. Boardman - 12 Jun 1971 L/Cpl J. N. McCarthy - 12 Jun 1971 Pte T. J. Attwood - 12 Jun 1971 Pte R. W. Driscoll - 12 Jun 1971 Pte D. C. Hill - 12 Jun 1971 Pte P. Tebb - 12 Jun 1971 Pte M. Towler - 12 Jun 1971 For additional details http://www.hq1atf.org/honour3.htm HQ Coy, 1 ATF, also had a platoon of infantry soldiers in Defence and Employment Platoon (D&E Pl), who in the early days of the Task Force were employed in building the facilities required by HQ 1 ATF. The D&E Pl further had the additional responsibility of defending HQ 1 ATF by providing the last line of defence. D&E Pl, 1 ATF, was the longest continuously serving infantry platoon in South Vietnam, being continuously reinforced through the 1st Australian Reinforcement Unit. The platoon remained on the Order of Battle until late 1971 when 1 ATF withdrew from Nui Dat to Vung Tau. Another point of interest is that General Peter John Cosgrove AC MC, was the Pl Comd of D&E Pl from 30 Sep 1969 – 30 Jul 1970. |
104 Signal Squadron and 105 Signal Squadron
Both 1CSR Combat Signal Squadrons remain Operational on many different tasks and both Squadrons have deployed theatre communication groups in the Middle East.
Signaller Alexander Young Battlefield Communication Wing
On the 8th August 2018, the 1st
Combat Signal Regiment formally opened the
Signaller Alexander Young
Battlefield Communication Wing, the first of its kind to be embedded
into a Combat Signal Regiment of the Royal Australian Corps of Signals.
The establishment of the wing enables all units
within the 1st Brigade the opportunity to hone their skills in
digital literacy – skills which have become paramount for militaries in the 21st
century.
Central to the ceremony was an unveiling of a
plaque by Col Darren Moore, CSM and Mrs Lynette McHale commemorating the
involvement of 104 Sig Sqn in the Battle of Coral Balmoral, South Vietnam with a
dedication to 104 Sig Sqn lineman, Signalman Young, who was KIA during the
battle. Lynette is the younger sister of the fallen Signalman.
Morning tea for all involved was held in the
unit Abraham Club.
See
Signals at
the Battle of Coral Balmoral Website
104 Sig Sqn, 110
Sig Sqn and 547 Sig Tp members that were involved
with the 1st Australian Task Force (Forward) during the
battle were awarded the Unit Citation for Gallantry (UCG)
History Overview
By Maj Susan Turner, OC, 104 Sig Sqn, 1CSR (2004)
104
Signal Squadron
(104 Sig Sqn)
104 Sig Sqn was raised on the 30th November 1965. In 1967 104 Sig Sqn assumed control of
Task Force (Brigade) Communications in South Vietnam, completing its tour
in late 1971.
The unit lost three of its members during the Vietnam war, as follows:
Cpl D. J. Donnelly - 9 Aug
1967
Sig A. H. Young - 16 May 1968
Sig D. E. Abraham - 29 Sept 1968
The unit has been based at Wacol, Enoggera, Ingleburn, Holsworthy and Darwin.
104 Sig Sqn held their last parade in Holsworthy on 22nd October 1996 before moving to Darwin and became fully operational in Darwin in early 1997. 104 Sig Sqn was absorbed into 1CSU as 'A Sqn' on 1st Jan 1998 and re-born as 104th Signals Squadron on 18th May 2001 as part of 1CSR.
Support Squadron (Spt Sqn)
In 1993 1 Bde HQ Spt Coy was disbanded, and Technical Support Troop became
embedded into 104 Sig Sqn and Admin Troop. 104 Sig Sqn took over the
administration role for HQ 1 Bde.
In Jan 1998 Support or 'D' Squadron, 1CSU was formed to provide CSS and protected mobility for HQ 1 Bde and 1CSR elements. Support Squadron today comprises three main elements:
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Logistics Troop which encompasses the Q store, Transport and Catering sections;
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Technical Support Troop which has the workshop which has members qualified in all of the associated trades for the units great variety of equipment; and
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Armoured Vehicle Troop whose responsibility it is to manoeuvre and protect the Brigade HQ elements in the field.
1st
Command Support
Unit (1CSU)
The 1st Command Support Unit (1CSU) was raised on 1st April 1997 and
formed on 1st Jan 1998. 1CSU was a combination of 104 Sig Sqn,
HQ Coy 1 Bde, 7th Intelligence Company, 72 EW Sqn and 11 MP Pl. The unit
was formed as a part the Restructuring of the Army trials of the
Australian Army.
1st Command Support
Regiment (1CSR)
1CSR was raised on 18th May 2001 and is still based on the CSU
concept however the Intelligence and Military Police capabilities were no
longer part of the unit structure. The Regiment consists of Regimental
Headquarters, 104 Sig Sqn and Support Sqn.
The 1CSR motto is "Scire Est Postestatem Habere", which means ‘Information is Power’.
Additional
History Overview
By Lt Chris Keogh, 104 Sig Sqn, 1CSR
(2002)
On the 1st April 1997 as part of the Restructuring the Army trials, the 1st Command Support Unit was raised. In addition to the 104th Signals Squadron, the 1st Command Support Unit included the 7th Intelligence Company; 11th Military Police Platoon; a Support Squadron; and an Electronic Warfare Squadron.
In 2001 the 1st Command Support Unit was restructured to form the 1st Command Support Regiment. The 1st Command Support Regiment consists of the 104th Signals Squadron and Support Squadron.
1st Command Support Regiment (1CSR)
1st Command Support Regiment is located at Robertson Barracks, Palmerston near Darwin, NT.
Click on the photos for larger images
The 1st Command Support Regiment is an extremely busy unit supporting operational and exercise commitments. Members from the 1st Command Support Regiment are currently deployed in East Timor and Bougainville.
The 1st Command Support Regiment is continually deploying on exercise to support the units in the 1st Brigade. For example, in June 2002, the majority of the 104th Signal Squadron deployed to Canada in order to conduct inter-operability training (CID Borealis) with the USA, Canada, UK and NZ. The 1st Command Support Regiment deployed on the major brigade exercise for 1st Brigade.