Royal Signals magazine 1920 onwards digitised

[Pat Atkins]

The Royal Corps of Signals magazine The Wire has been digitised by the Corps museum and is available free here. 

 

Apologies if this has been posted elsewhere; have searched in case but found nothing. Slightly outside the remit of the Forum, but I think it's justified insofar as the earlier editions represent a resource for men who served in and survived the First War. As well as more ephemeral content the issues include e.g. medal presentations, postings and promotions/appointments by name and number, and though it probably does not constitute a comprehensive record it might be worth a look if you're researching someone from RE Sigs who survived the war.

 

Cheers, Pat.

 

 

Edited 30 November , 2017 by Pat Atkins
typo

[Sepoy]

Thank you for the link Pat

I have just downloaded the Wire for 1920 and have just had a very quick glance at it. I was immediately taken by the short  list of men being presented with 1914 Stars and 1914-15 Stars.

Sepoy

[charlie962]

45 minutes ago, Sepoy said:

short  list of men

Thanks for the heads-up. I presume most signallers in the early years will be under their original units, be it cavalry, infantry etc?

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear Pat,

Many thanks for posting this! 

Capt (later Major) B. L. Herdon, MBE, was AIRO attached Signal Training Centre (India), at Jubbulpore.

Happily, he was mentioned several times in the 1932 and 1933 issues of "The Wire". 

The editor was very laid-back about the decoration for Capt Herdon in the December 1932 issue: 'Gratters are tendered to Captain B. L. Herdon, M.B.E., on being able to put those last three mystic letters after his name.'

The July 1932 issue noted Herdon's efforts entertaining the troops: '...from each side of the stage emerged two Indian babus - a collision - they were our old friends Pechchi Lal and Fateh Ram, otherwise known as Captains B. L. Herdon and V. C. W. Galway; and their tips on making an impression on the fair sex were too funny for words - the audience was convulsed...''... Mrs W. F. H. Herdon giving us a Morris dance - assisted at the end by Capt. B. L. Herdon (17 stone)...'

"The Wire", June 1933, in a more serious way: 'We were all very sorry to hear of Captain B. L. Herdon, M.B.E., being admitted to hospital, especially as he was just due for retirement...'

I have the Herdon medal group, which was the subject of  discussion in an earlier GWF posting (regarding his qualification for BWM and Victory, not noted on his MIC despite a 1917 IARO entry and attachement to 1-127 Baluch). The two medals are erased - an engraved Victory Medal is known to exist). 

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[Pighills]

Thanks for posting this Pat.  

 

Have just downloaded and had a quick scan of 1920 and shall read it more leisurely over the next few days.  Always liked this when dad brought it home from work.  

 

Talking of which, as an aside, I also found my dad’s obituary in The Wire, which I was very glad to see as I had not been able to access a cooy at the time (17 years ago).  

[Pat Atkins]

I was remiss not to have said this was posted on the WW2Talk forum so I can't take any credit. It's a fascinating resource which gives a rather homely insight. I've found my grandfather in it a couple of times before his retirement in 1927; also his eldest son joining 44th Div Signals in February 1939. Being Atkins they must have shared the same obvious Army nickname, and indeed they were both in service briefly with R Sigs 1939-40 - though as a CSM by then my grandfather was probably called all sorts of things. Anyway, for a seriously under-documented family, I found The Wire very helpful - good work by the Museum.

 

As to medal presentations, Sepoy, the coverage I think isn't comprehensive - at least my grandfather receiving his Mons Star isn't in there, as far as I can see. 

 

Cheers, Pat.

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear Pat,

You take all the credit!

Kindest regards,

Kim.