85 (Ulster) Signal Squadron
military unit
85 (Ulster) Signal Squadron was a military communications unit of the British Territorial Army, which formed part of the Royal Corps of Signals. The squadron was one of four signal squadrons which formed part of 40th (Ulster) Signal Regiment until its disbandment in 2009.
Formation
On 1 April 1947, 107th (Ulster) Independent Infantry Brigade was formed as the first Territorial Army (TA) brigade in Northern Ireland. The new brigade oversaw all TA troops in Northern Ireland (except those of Anti-Aircraft Command and coastal defence/regular units). 107th (Ulster) Independent Infantry Brigade Signal Squadron was formed shortly after to provide communications support to the brigade and its subordinate units.
In 1959 the Royal Corps of Signals went through an internal reorganisation, in which the numbering system in-place was completely revamped. This would bring the corps in-line with the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers, which this reform was mostly based on. Troops of the TA within the corps were also reorganised along these same lines, in which all TA signal units below the level of divisional signal regiments became numbered in the 300 series. As part of this change, the squadron was retitled as 302 Signal Squadron. In 1961 when the TA was reduced and reorganised, the squadron added a prefix for their role, becoming 302 Signal Squadron (Infantry Brigade Group), though its role remained the same through these changes.
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