Written by Graeme Rothwell
Royal Signals Museum Volunteer
Later this week, 11th (Royal School of Signals) Signal Regiment will parade at Blandford Camp to commemorate the history and legacy of the Royal Corps of Signals training. It’s a moment to reflect on a century of excellence in military communications training.
After the First World War, signal training in the British Army was centred at the HQ Signal Training Centre in Bedford, with the Army Signal School based in Dunstable. By 1920, training units had been grouped into two battalions - later renamed the Signal Training Centre and the School of Signals after the Royal Corps of Signals was formed.
1st Training Battalion operated from Maresfield, Sussex (also home to the Signal Service HQ and Army Signal School), while the 2nd Battalion was based at Crowborough. They merged in 1922, with a parallel unit also set up in Jubbulpore, India. The Corps called Maresfield home until 1925, when it moved to Catterick, Yorkshire - a place that would become its main training hub and spiritual home for the next 70 years.
Trades in the early days included Instrument Mechanic, Electrician Fitter, Carpenter & Joiner, Operator Wireless & Line, Lineman, Farrier, Despatch Rider, and Draughtsman. As technology evolved, so did the roles.
During the Second World War, the Corps expanded from roughly 10,000 to 150,000 men. At the onset of the war, the Catterick training organisation became No.1 STC. Additional Signals Training Centres were established at Prestatyn (No. 2 STC) and Whitby (No. 3 STC). These centres closed after the war, but the centre at Catterick expanded to cope with the influx of National Servicemen, and a regiment was formed at Barnard Castle.
By the late 1950s and early 1960s, Catterick was home to four training regiments, covering everything from basic training to advanced communications, and including the School of Signals. Together, they formed the Training Brigade Royal Signals.
Catterick remained the heart of Royal Signals training until 1967, when command and management training moved to Blandford Camp in Dorset. The rest of the Corps' signal-related training followed in 1994, after basic soldiering elements like drill and weapon handling were handed over to the Army Training Regiment at Bassingbourn.
Today, the Royal Corps of Signals continues to evolve as a leader in military communications. With a focus on interoperability, innovation, and resilience, Royal Signals training ensures that soldiers are ready to operate effectively in complex, multi-domain environments alongside allied forces across the globe.
