View source for 216 Parachute Signal Squadron

{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = 216 (Parachute) Signal Squadron
| image = Insigne du Royal Corps of Signals (R SIGNALS).svg
| image_size= 120px
| caption = 
| dates = 1 September 1959 – Present
| country = {{flag|United Kingdom}}
| branch = {{army|United Kingdom}}
| type = Airborne communications support
| role = Telecommunications and information systems maintenance and support
| size = 230 people
| command_structure = [[16 Air Assault Brigade]]<ref>{{cite book |author1=House of Commons. Defence Committee |title=Future army 2020 : ninth report of session 2013-14. Vol. II, Written evidence. |date=2014 |publisher=The Stationery Office |location=London |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmselect/cmdfence/576/576vw.pdf |accessdate=4 August 2019|oclc=991531426}}</ref>
| garrison = Merville Barracks <br>[[Colchester]], [[England]]
| nickname = "Airborne Signals"
| motto = 
| website = 
<!-- Insignia -->
| identification_symbol=216 (Para) Sig Sqn 
| identification_symbol_label=Abbreviation  
| identification_symbol_2=[[File:216th Para Signal Sqn TRF.svg|center|100px]]
| identification_symbol_2_label=[[DZ Flash|Drop zone flash]]
}}

'''216 (Parachute) Signal Squadron''' is a [[Squadron (army)|squadron]] of the [[British Army|British Army's]] [[Royal Corps of Signals]] that is responsible for installing, maintaining and operating all types of [[telecommunications]] equipment and [[Information technology|information]] systems in support of the [[16 Air Assault Brigade]].<ref>{{cite web |title=216 (Parachute) Signal Squadron |url=http://www.army.mod.uk/signals/organisation/9068.aspx |website=British Army |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100805052705/http://www.army.mod.uk/signals/organisation/9068.aspx |archivedate=5 August 2010}}</ref><ref name="Wire2012">{{cite magazine |title=216 (Parachute) Signal Squadron|magazine=The wire : The Magazine of the Royal Corps of Signals |date=February 2012 |volume=66 |issue=1 |url=https://royalsignals.org/FileTransfer/E-Wire/PDF/11-12/The-Wire-Feb-12.pdf|publisher=Holbrook Printers Ltd |location=Portsmouth |issn=1462-9259|accessdate=5 August 2019}}</ref><ref name="Paradata">{{cite web |title=216 Parachute Signal Squadron |url=https://www.paradata.org.uk/unit/216-parachute-signal-squadron |website=Paradata |publisher=Airborne Assault Museum |accessdate=4 August 2019}}</ref>

==History==
The squadron traces it lineage to the 2nd Independent Parachute Brigade Group Signal Company formed in May 1947 from two [[Military history of the United Kingdom during World War II|Second World War]] airborne divisions: the [[1st Airborne Division (United Kingdom)|1st Airborne Division]] disbanded in 1945 and the [[6th Airborne Division (United Kingdom)|6th Airborne Division]] disbanded in 1948.<ref name="Army2010hist" /><ref name="216assoc1">{{cite web|url=https://www.216parasigs.org.uk/history/2ipbss.htm|title=2nd Independent Parachute Brigade Signal Squadron 1947-1948|website= 216 Parachute Signal Squadron Old Comrades Association|date=1980|accessdate=7 August 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.216parasigs.org.uk/history/appen1.htm|title=The Family Tree|website= 216 Parachute Signal Squadron Old Comrades Association|date=1980|accessdate=7 August 2019}}</ref> In June 1948, the company was re-designated as the 16th Independent Parachute Brigade Group Signal Squadron with the number 16 representing the "1" and "6" from the two wartime airborne divisions.<ref name="Army2010hist" /><ref name="216assoc1" />

The 216 Signal Squadron (Parachute Brigade Group) was formed on 1 September 1959 from the 16th Independent Parachute Brigade Group Signal Squadron.<ref name="Army2010hist">{{cite web |title=Squadron History - 216 Parachute Signal Squadron |url=http://www.army.mod.uk/signals/organisation/9095.aspx |website=British Army |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100712072532/http://www.army.mod.uk/signals/organisation/9095.aspx |archivedate=12 July 2010}}</ref><ref name="Paradata" /><ref name="LordWatson88">{{Google books|031WegRPmM8C|The Royal Corps of Signals : unit histories of the Corps (1920-2001) and its antecedents by Cliff Lord and Graham Watson 2003|page=88}}</ref><ref name="126assoc2">{{cite web|url=https://www.216parasigs.org.uk/history/216ss.htm|title=216 Signal Squadron [Parachute Brigade Group] 1959 -1965|website=216 Parachute Signal Squadron Old Comrades Association|date=1980|accessdate=7 August 2019}}</ref> The squadron had been re-designated in line with a new Royal Signals policy that required it to be designated with a three figure number with the '2' denoting its independent status.<ref name="126assoc2" /> Elements of the squadron deployed on active service to [[Bahrain]], [[Aden]], [[United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus|Cyprus]] and [[Borneo]].<ref name="126assoc2" /><ref name="126assoc3" /> In July 1965, the squadron was renamed 216 Parachute Signal Squadron following the 16th Parachute Brigade Group earlier removing the word "Group" from its title in January 1965.<ref name="126assoc3">{{cite web|url=https://www.216parasigs.org.uk/history/216pss.htm|title=216 Parachute Signal Squadron 1965 -1977|website=216 Parachute Signal Squadron Old Comrades Association|date=1980|accessdate=7 August 2019}}</ref><ref name="LordWatson88" /><ref name="Army2010hist" /> Elements of the squadron deployed on active service to Bahrain, Aden, Borneo and [[British Guyana]].<ref name="126assoc3" /> In 1971, the squadron completed a four-month tour of duty in Northern Ireland.<ref name="126assoc3" />

In March 1976, the squadron commenced implementing the Army Restructuring Plan 1975 to become a United Kingdom Mobile Force (UKMF) losing its airborne role.<ref name="Paradata" /><ref name="126assoc3" /> In April 1977, HQ 16 Parachute Brigade and 216 Parachute Signal Squadron amalgamated to form 6th Field Force Headquarters & Signal Squadron.<ref name="Army2010hist" /><ref name="126assoc4">{{cite web|url=https://www.216parasigs.org.uk/history/6ffhss.htm|title=6th Field Force Headquarters & Signal Squadron 1977 - Present|website= 216 Parachute Signal Squadron Old Comrades Association|date=1980|accessdate=11 March 2019}}</ref> In April 1978, the squadron assumed the UKMF role.<ref name="126assoc4" />

In 1981, the squadron was re-rolled and re-designated as 1st Infantry Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (216).<ref name="Army2010hist" /><ref name="Paradata" /> In 1982, an element of the squadron formed part of the task force deployed to the South Atlantic for the [[Falklands War]].<ref name="Army2010hist" /><ref name="Paradata" /> In November 1983, 5 Airborne Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (205) was formed and in December 1983 that squadron was re-rolled as airborne.<ref>{{Google books|031WegRPmM8C|The Royal Corps of Signals : unit histories of the Corps (1920-2001) and its antecedents by Cliff Lord and Graham Watson 2003|page=82}}</ref><ref name="Paradata" /> 1st Infantry Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (216) was re-designated as 205 Signal Squadron.<ref name="Army2010hist" /><ref name="Paradata" /><ref name="LordWatson89">{{Google books|031WegRPmM8C|The Royal Corps of Signals : unit histories of the Corps (1920-2001) and its antecedents by Cliff Lord and Graham Watson 2003|page=89}}</ref><ref name="LordWatson88" /> In October 1991, 205 Signal Squadron was re-designated as 216 Parachute Signal Squadron.<ref name="Army2010hist" /><ref name="Paradata" /><ref name="LordWatson89" />

In June 1999, as part of [[5th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)#5th Airborne Brigade|5 Airborne Brigade]], the squadron was amongst the first NATO troops into [[Kosovo]] during the [[Kosovo War]].<ref name="Army2010hist"/> On 1 September 1999, elements of 216 Signal Squadron and 24 Airmobile Brigade Headquarters & Signal Squadron (210) of [[24th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|24 Airmobile Brigade]] formed up on 1 September 1999 in both Colchester and Pristina, Kosovo as 216 Signal Squadron as part of 16 Air Assault Brigade.<ref name="Army2010hist" /><ref name="Paradata" /><ref name="LordWatson89" /><ref>{{Google books|031WegRPmM8C|The Royal Corps of Signals : unit histories of the Corps (1920-2001) and its antecedents by Cliff Lord and Graham Watson 2003|page=86}}</ref> In 2006, 216 Signal Squadron was renamed 216 (Parachute) Signal Squadron.<ref name="Paradata" />

== Operations ==
{|class="wikitable"
!Operation
!Country
!Year
|-

|-
| [[Operation Palliser]] || {{flag|Sierra Leone}} || 2000
|-
| [[Operation Essential Harvest]] || {{flag|Macedonia}} || 2001
|-
| [[Operation Veritas]] || {{flag|Afghanistan|2002}} || 2001–2002
|-
| [[Operation Telic]] || {{flag|Iraq|1991}} || 2002–2003
|-
| [[Operation Herrick|Operation Herrick IV]] || {{flag|Afghanistan}} || 2006
|-
| [[Operation Herrick|Operation Herrick VIII]] || {{flag|Afghanistan}} || 2008
|-
| [[Operation Herrick|Operation Herrick XIII]] || {{flag|Afghanistan}} || 2010–2011
|}

==See also==
* [[Units of the Royal Corps of Signals]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.army.mod.uk/signals/25289.aspx British Army Official Website Royal Signals] 
*[http://www.216parasigs.org.uk/ 216 Parachute Signal Squadron Association]

{{British Airborne Forces}}

[[Category:Airborne units and formations of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Squadrons of the Royal Corps of Signals]]
[[Category:1959 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1959]]