"A" Troop Claim a Catterick myth is exploded

Many will have heard it said on Catterick Courses that Shirleys and Jamaicas are intennae which give a better signal/noise ratio – but don’t worry, you’ll never see them, is the assurance.

We have now perfected the art of erection of Shirleys in the ulu (second class jungle) and can do it on tactical exercises, i.e. exercises without torches. The aerial is not quite a true Shirley, but a bastardisation – well, slightly illegitimate – you ask Lt. Peter Brunton (OC "A" Troop), Cpl. Dave Lelo or Bill Slater. The three spent sometime feeling their way cautiously through the jungle, counting out the places between the masts – 150, 151, 15?, etc.

For those interested, the technical details of the antenna are as follows: Both ends of a half wave length of 300 ohms spaced television feeder are joined. One leg of the loop is broken and another length of television feeder inserted. This length acts as an aerial feeder. The process is repeated and both feeders are fed in parallel to the set.

On the results side we boast some 18 hours voice in a day, and the remaining 6 hours on CW at "fives" both ways on the C11. Could this antenna be the answer to Yeoman Durrant’s British Honduras problem posed in the August/September edition of The Wire? (British Honduras please note!)

With the help of the Royal Engineers we are erecting a permanent Jamaica array, but recently we erected a cubic Quad array by ourselves using eight masts and a profusion of halyards. The cubic quad looked like a study in modern art. The "A" troop boffins are now working on a simple device which will enable the cubic quad to be rotated to one mast (patent applied for).

We will soon lose our ‘(Airportable Brigade Group)’ and will have instead ‘(Aerials)’.

"J" Troop – We are not so Aerially conscious but…..

Although not quite so aerial concious as "A" Troop, we too, have managed horizontal and vertical polarisation using one mast for our Yagis. This is very useful when space is limited.

The Troop is commanded by Lt. Barry Slade Royal Australians Signals (ex-SAS) who is eagerly looking forward to an adventure training trip down the River Pahang. This should be better than a trip to the reptile house at the London Zoo, where the cage often obscures your view of the crocodile. (hope we get the story for The Wire later on – Editor)

SHQ Troop – All work and no glory! Sport some measure of success

We have had some measure of success in the sporting world winning the Minor Units Water Polo, Cricket Cup and Cricket League. We very narrowly missed retaining the athletics shield, going down to our old rivals 2 Infantry Workshops, much to the disappointment of Cpl Lisle Toppin and Craftsman Robin Phillips, both REME.! In the swimming, it was the Engineers who put us in to second berth; they broke two championship records in their fine win. Our congratulations to our ancestors! We are now toning up for basketball. Our coach and rearguard, Sgt. Gerry Keelor, RAOC, we will do even better than last year( runners up – we can’t do much better).

Remembrance Sunday

A Drumhead Service, conducted by the Archbishop of Sydney, was held in the early morning on the sprts field. We, of course supplied the PA system under the watchful eye of Foreman Bob Chidley and L/Cpl Bob Pow, who didn’t feel it necessary to have loud hailer back-up.

Wives Club

The Wives’ Club nearly followed the dodo, but a spirited rally saved it at the eleventh hour and once again it flourishes at – particularly at Badminton. If we ever get enough time between exercises, we will take them on at that game.

A New System for registering messages

Since our last notes we have taken part in four exercises. Possibly the most notable of these was a purely communication exercise "First Principles". The exercise was designed to look at a new technique in traffic handling with the Sigcen.

The new technique involved our, or rather the O.C’s revolutionary register. Instead of having in, out, and through registers, delay register, diary etc., we now have "The Register." Probably the most revolutionary part of it is the fact that the serial numbers have been dispensed with. All traffic is registered in "The Register." It certainly cuts down on the amount of paper in the office (any similarity between our Land Rover and an "office" is purely coincidental).

There were a couple of minor miracles performed on this exercise. The first was splitting our Comcen staff to man three sigcens on 24 hour working. The second was getting the majority of SHQ into the bush to act as DS. So many strange pale faces.

The Messages Go Through

The exercise was quite successful. A total number of 399 messages were moved in 21 hours in each of the three locations. Sig. McCormick, in one signcen, who hitherto had managed to lead a peaceful life, managed to shift some 103 messages in eight and a half hours. A creditable performance.

A new qualification to a voice appointments title was born on exercise "First Principles." RQMS John Emery wanted to speak to him wife through the system. To preserve security he came out with a most ingenious "Fetch Mrs. Lolar."

On our next ecercise we had more trouble with our voice appointments titles. This time it was the turn of Sig. George Dryborough. Instead of passing "Fetch Sunray," he managed a slight garble and the request went out as "Fetch Sunlight." It is rumoured that the MLBU offered to take the call. 

Integration

Since we last wrote we have integrated. In fact we find it doesn’t quite happen like that, it’s probably more correct to say we have started integrating. The "Q" department under our new QM, Captain Stanley Barnes, are working particularly hard during these early stages. The "A" side under our new Admin Officer Lt. George Lawson, isn’t exactly a bed or roses either.

There are some immediate material advances to integration. We have gained a power boat and sports kit. Our PRI has double plus, overnight. The Wives Club which was in danger of disintegrating has taken on a new lease of life under the presidency of Mrs. McMeekin, wife of the Brigade Commander.

Our sporting prowess should also increase having taken many of our old rivals into our midst. We feel that when we finally shaken down we will be more integrated than any of our contemporaries. We have now no less than 31 Corps and regiments including of course our Australian and New Zealand friends.

Is this a record?

Brigade Week

The third week in April was a Brigade week. Our new formation, the integrated headquarters, did particularly well in winning the athletics, swimming and cricket and were runners up in squash and netball.

Notable performances in the swimming competition were Pte. John Kelly, RA Infantry and Sgt. Bill Mitchell, Pro (both Aussies) who w ere first in the 50 metres and 100 metres breast stroke respectively.

In the athletics Captain Peter Brunton scored a first in the pole vault in spite of strong competition from the major units. Cricket saw our skipper, Cpl Lysle Toppin REME not out in both matches, a real skippers innings. Our congratulations to Cpl. Toppin on his selection to play for Malacca State. We now boast two state players in our team, although Major George Milnes RCT would probably rather we didn’t mention his two ducks!

We were beaten in the Squash Final by 1 Scots Guards. We are not ashamed of this defeat as the score was 3-2 and we do admit that their side included some fairly hot players. For us Lt. Mike Cornforth (Signals) and Lt. Nigel Champion (Int. Corps) won all their matches. In all events we did what was probably most important – we participated and enjoyed doing so.

Arrivals

The following have joined us in recent months – Captain Stanley Barnes form 3 BOD Singapore. Lt. George Lawson GSL ex RA; 2Lt. Charles Kemp from Catterick; RSM Ron Lawry from Hong Kong, RSM Bill Clark from 2nd Regiment; Sig. Jim Tarrant from 216 Squadron; Sig.Jock Alexander from JCU Borneo; L/Cpl. Geoffrey Collier from 3^rd regiment; Sig. Hari Marayan from 212 Squadron.

Captain Roy Maynard (who left muttering threats of "You scratch my back or Alaska!" What do they do in AG11 anyway?) SSM John Snell to 2^nd Regiment; Sgt. John Laver to 20^th brigade; Sgt. Bob Geddes to 18th Regiment; L/Cpl Charlie Brown to 654 Troop; L/Cpl Ledger to 30th Regiment; L/Cpl John Reminar to 28^th regiment.

Obituary

Our activity over the last few weeks has been mainly training. Signals have emulated the Infantry, in PT kit and boots and have put in some road hours. Our sick parade has not suffered much as a result, although one or two have been heard to express a feeling of sinking to the slab. Needless to say "they" are all that much better for training.

Integration

The integration is progressing much smoother than seemed likely at first. I suppose an office which has just been integrated i.e. stuff chucked in, is hardly the environment for writing The Wire notes and being able to truthfully say that all is running smoothly.

Port Dickson

"B" Troop (old "J" Troop) up sticks and away for a day at port Dickson. The "Aussies" produced a barbeque which was much appreciated by the Brits. Another typical Aus pastime was tried out on this occasion – water skiing. Sig. "Barney" Barnes and Sig. Tarrant proved themselves to be very quick on the uptake, both were very successful on their first attempts. Cpl. Fred Luck threatened to have a go but his back won. Cpl. Mac McDermid proved to himself some of the well known theories on the displacement of water – a few bruises to boot.

Sgt. Brian Smart, RAOC; Sgt. Sam Rollings from 216; L/Cpl Alex Murdoch from3 Division; Sig. Brian McCauley from JCU Borneo; Sig. Scouse Culey from JCU Borneo; Sig. Squiz Geason Royal Australian Signals from Australia.

Exercise "Nerve Centre 111"

Old members of the Squadron will doubtless extend a kind thought for us on seeing the dreaded "Nerve Centre" title. For those unfortunate people who have not yet served with us, a few words of explanation. "Nerve Centres" are tactical movement exercises. The tactical situation always appears to deteriorate in the late afternoon, which means a night move. Moving into new locations, in the jungle, without lights, is more often than not funny after the event.

Highly successful VHF net in jungle

We received a pat-on-the-back for the command net, which worked VHF throughout the exercise. Our thanks, in turn, got to Sgt. Ken Sixsmith, Cpl Tony Elford and Sig. Pat Geason for the sterling work put in. They of course had to share not only the shift but the driving. The reason we are so pleased with the results on the VHF is the distance involved and the terrain over which we had to work. Most will know of Malaya hills and jungles, so enough said about the terrain. The distances, in the worst case, were 70 to 80 miles to one Battalion, the other 50 to 60 miles in the other direction. Suffice to say one Battalion was on the east coast and the other on the southern most tip of Malaya. We were 70 to 80 miles up country but nearer the west coast.

To maintain communications, including on the move, we deployed at a maximum two auto and one manual rebro, although most of the time we only had two operating. Another aid employed was the C41 yagi’s on both ends of the two most difficult links. These links were of course joined to the net via the rebro stations. Using two auto rebro’s, of course, meant using three different frequencies. Credit must go to all stations on the net, not only in achieving the communications that they did, but also understanding the necessary complexities of the many alternate plans necessary.

On this particular exercise, we made three moves, including two by night. Our Admin Net, HF on this occasion, had to work over distances similar to those on the command net and, in addition, the rearward communication’s to the BMA was over a distance of some 120 to 130 miles.

On the lighter side, although possibly not in the eyes of the LAD, our signal centre vehicle suffered from clutch trouble after the first 20 miles until the end of the exercise. Many say it was co-driver (Yeoman) trouble, although LAD admitted to a piece being broken.

The Promotion

Our congratulations to Lt. Now Captain Mike Cornforth on his promotion.