
	*260 Signal Squadron (SAM) News*

RE-ESTABLISHING
OUR AFFILIATION

A search is now in progress to try to trace veterns of 8th Signal Battalion who were affiliated to 260 Signal Squadron way back in the mid to late 1970s.

Now that we have a well established Association and Website several members have approached me to ask if it would be possible trace American GI's across the Internet as we are having quite a marked response to finding our own members.

Many close friendships were abruptedly lost when 260 Signal Squadron was disbanded back in 1977.

One association member regretably recalls.

"As everyone was being posted out to their new units, there were not many opportunities to say goodbyes and obtain forwarding addresses. How I wished we had kept in touch with our friends from Rose Barracks."

With the re-structuring of the US deployment in Germany it would appear that 8 Signal Bn shared a similar fate.

The idea for an Internet link with the US Veterns Association had already been considered by the Webmaster as early as April 2001 when he took on the role. But following the events of the 11 September it was decide to put the idea on hold for a while. However we now feel the time is right to try and re-establish a link with former Veterns of 8th Signal Battalion and the Webmaster is now actively trying to locate former GI's from the unit.
The Webmaster would like to hear from anyone who has kept in touch or knows the whereabouts of any GI's from 8th Signal Battalion.

Click Here to visit our
8th Signal Battalion Pages.

We were delighted to report early last year that we had made contact with two founder members of the Squadron. Trevor Lott pictured here with the B70 was a member of X-Ray Troop as it was known in the early days.

We also made contact with Jim Woodall from 654 Signal Troop (SAM) which became X-Ray Troop when the Squadron was formed on the 1st April 1968.

Since then we haven't heard much from Jim Woodall. So if you are reading this Jim. Please get in touch.

Trevor has been in touch to say that he is unable to make it to the Reunion in April this year but sends his best wishes to everyone.

Trevor who is due to retire from IBM this year plans to settle in Spain I am sure that everyone will join me in wishing Trevor a pleasent retirement.. We do hope you will keep in touch Trevor.

Trevor Lott tunes the B70

I would like to express my thanks to Richard Hankins of the Royal Signals Amateur Radio Society for sending us this photo.

When was the Squadron really formed?

The answer to that question is one we would all like to know.

More recently we have been in contact with two other former members of 260 Signal Squadron. Ken Thurley from Bournemouth and Dave Robertson from Perthshire both served with the Squadron at Blandford as early as 1962 in the very early days of Guided Weapons Communications.

This new piece of information has left us wondering just how far back in time our Squadron really was formed.

If you know the answer then please get in touch.

Royal Signals Museum
Some of the display's in the Royal Signals Museum at Blandford are to be upgraded. The Museum has purchased new cabinets and are looking for donations of exibits, paraphernalia, images and information on the following subjects. The Corps Band; The White Helmets; Prisoners of War (particularly Colditz); Commonwealth Corps of Signals - Australia/ Canada/ New Zealand/ South Africa; The Cary Theatre and Troop Entertainment.

Spare a thought when you are spring cleaning the cellar, garage and attic this year.

Anything you may have on these subjects could make a big difference! If you can help please contact:

Cliff Walters
Royal Signals Museum,
Blandford Camp,
Dorset, DT11 8RH

CLICK HERE

This page contains a number of News items which were published on the website in the past and may be of interest to newcomers to the website.

The Corps Reunion will be held at Blandford in Dorset on the weekend of 27th - 29th June.

To view some photographs and find out a little more.

Click HERE

In the month of June 2002, members of the Royal Signals Association began their annual pilgrimage to Blandford for the Corps Reunion. Amongst them a small yet dedicated group of former members of 260 Signal Squadron (SAM). The group included Pete & Liz Thomas, Steve & Ulla Freeman - Pannet, Goldie Peters, Roy & Pat Andrews, Tom Burdett & Lorraine Hunt, Rod & Carol Hogarth, Archie & Hilda Cairns, Les Harrison, Martin Prior and Dave Hawkins.

Dave Hawkins served in the old 260 'Trials' Signal Squadron at Blandford in the 1960's. We continue to hear from ex-members of the 'Trials' Squadron including Duncan Innes. I am sure that many of you will remember Duncan who also served a second tour of duty with the Squadron in the 1970's.

The Squadron Standard gets it’s first public airing at the 2002 Royal Signals Association Reunion at Blandford.
Archie Cairns the Squadron Standard Bearer competing against several Corps and British Legion Champions qualified for the final six on his first time out.
With the cheers and praise he received from the small contingent of 260 Signal Squadron members attending the Corps Reunion in June one might have thought Archie had taken first prize. Alas this was not to be the case, first prize went to the Scarbourgh Branch the runner up prize going to Bill McNamara of the Glasgow Branch. Still there’s always next year Archie.

The brasses are closely inspected on the pike of our NEW Squadron Standard during the competition heats at Blandford and as expected receive the thumbs up from the judges.

The judges check for steadiness and control during the first test of the competition. 'Dip as for wet weather'

Archie is flanked by Steve Freeman - Pannet on the left of the picture with Roy Andrews on the right as they pause for a picture outside the Corps Museum.

I was invited by Mr George Sharp of the Glasgow and Western Counties, Royal British Legion, Standard Bearers Drill Team to participate in an act of remembrance for those that fell at Normandy in 1944.

The event which was hosted by the Normandy Veterans Association Scotland at three separate locations in Glasgow, Paisley and Hamilton Lanarkshire on Sunday 25th of August.

Royal British Legion and Association Colour Bearers pause for a photograph at the NVA Memorial Chatelereau, Hamilton.

Left to Right: George Sharp - RBL Milngavie Branch, Ian Reat - RBL Larbert Branch, Graham White - RBL Helensburgh Branch, Archie Cairns - 260 Signal Squadron (SAM) Royal Signals Association, Joe Lynch Area Colour Bearer, Bob Williamson - Normandy Veterans Association, Gordon Motherwell - Saltire, George McIlwraith - Royal Engineers Association, Brian Pugsley -RBL Wishaw Branch, May Speir - RBL Newton Mearns Branch Women's Section, Hugh Williams - RBL Newton Mearns Branch and Andy McArthur - RBL Glasgow HQ

: Chatelherault Country Park; Carlisle Road; Ferniegar near Hamilton; Lanarkshire

After the ceremony at Chatelereau Hamilton. Hilda & I were invited to lunch at the Greenfield Social Club, Hamilton with George and Margo Sharp and The Depute Lord Lieutenant of Renfrewshire. Brigadier John Brown and his wife Joan. Brigadier Brown is the President of the Royal Engineers Association and the Normandy Veterans' Association.

STOWARZYSZENIE MARYNARKI WOJENNEJ

POLISH NAVAL ASSOCIATION IN SCOTLAND

I was honored to receive an invitation to participate in the 63th Anniversary of the arrival of the Polish Navy in Scotland in the form of three Polish destroyers which arrived in Scottish waters on the 1st September 1939.

The Polish Naval Association Scotland cordially invited members of the Glasgow and Western Counties, Royal British Legion, Standard Bearers Drill Team to join the Polish Community in Glasgow for a Holy Mass at St. Simon's RC Church in Partick Glasgow on the 1st September 2002.

Archie in front of the Memorial Plaque outside St Simon's RC Church in Partick Glasgow with two WW2 Polish Veterans.

The Polish Standard is adorned with hundreds of Jewels and embroidered with Gold Wire.

The Polish Standard Bearer & his Escort were surprised to see the Emblem of Syrena on our Standard. The gentleman in the centre of the photo has Syrena the Emblem of Warsaw on his left sleeve.

In the Congregation were four of the original crew who served aboard these vessels and were invited along as special guests by the Chairman Mr Michael Zawada and Members of the Polish Naval Association.

Following Mass the Congregation retired to the Polish Club at Parkgrove Terrace Glasgow to lay wreaths at the Katyn Memorial Plaque outside the Club in Parkgrove Terrace.

CLICK HERE TO GO BACK TO THE MAIN NEWS PAGE

My grateful thanks to John Hatch who writes. The badge on the News Page was designed on our last tour in NI in 1976/77 and appears on the mugs we had made to commerate the Squadrons last tour of Duty.

The badge above was sent to us by Cliff Lord of New Zealand and has the words 260 Signal Squadron (SAM) along the ribbon at the bottom. It is in the form of a transfer but the image we have is very poor and we would like to obtain a better one.

If you happen to have a spare transfer lying around you have no further use for please contact the Webmaster.

For nearly 30 years Jennifer Kelly has held on to a dark secret. Hidden away in her dusty old attic an MFO Box containing some exclusive Military Document's

These document's once described as the 'Secret Life of a Soldier in Belfast' are to be serialised on the web site in the 'Members Area'

The document's contain stories, illustrations and several dubious pictures, and provide a little insight to what life was like for a Soldier back then.

To find out more CLICKHERE and checkout Jennifer's Page you are certainly in for a few surprises.

The Royal Signals Association 2003 Reunion will be held at Blandford in Dorset on the weekend of 28th - 29th June 2003.

For more information contact:

The General Secretary
Royal Signals Association
RHQ Royal Signals
Blandford Camp
DORSET DT11 8RH
Tel: 01258 482090 (Members)
Tel: 01258 482089 (Welfare)
Fax: 01258 482084
Email Address:
rhq-rsignals@army.mod.uk

Visit R Signals Army Website
Click here.

DO YOU KNOW THIS MAN?

We need your help to find him and another 200 Ex - Members of 260 Signal Squadron (SAM).

If you think you know who he is, and more to the point, where he is. Please get in touch with the Webmaster as soon as possible.

As for the other 200 members of the Squadron. Well try clicking here to see our list and what you can do to help find them.

Why wait to until next April to catch up on old friends when you could be chatting to them every Monday night between 8pm - 10pm and Wednesday night between 8pm - 9pm. That's assuming they want to chat with you.

Just login to the Members Area and select Chat Now. Follow the simple instructions and you are ready to chat.

The beauty of the Live Chat Room is you never know who will turn up or what they will say when they get there. So why not drop in on Monday or Wednesday and surprise us all. Click Here.

I am pleased to announce that John Townsend has Volunteered to become one of our new 'Chat Hosts' and will man the Chat Room on Monday's from 8pm - 10pm. So why not drop in on Monday to make John feel at home. If you would like to become a 'Chat Host' please contact the Webmaster for more info

PLASTIC PUBS

Do you remember the 'Plastic Pubs'?

More specifically do you remember the Huntsman.

The plastic pub in Mahon Barracks, Portadown?

Fiona Loxton is looking for information on the Plastic Pubs built on a number of bases in Northern Ireland in the 1970's.

If you know anything about how and why they were built, or even have an interesting story concerning one of these pubs,

Please contact Fiona Loxton by email fionaloxton@hotmail.com

If you have a news story, photographs or memorabilia that you think would be of interest to our members and you would like to share it with us, then please get in touch with the

WEBMASTER

260 Signal Squadron (SAM) Royal Signals Association