Chapter
9
ORGANISATIONS
& PERSONNEL
Preview.
ORGANISATIONS : Signals Directorate – Army HQ Signals – Command Signals – Signals
Staff at Static Formation HQ – Corps Signals- Divisional Signals –
Communication Zone Signals – Air & Naval Formation Signals – Air Support
Signals – Signals Intelligence Units – Central Monitoring Organisation- Border
Scouts Signal Company – Border Roads Signals –Territorial Army Signals.
PERSONNEL : The Officer Cadre – JCOs
& Other Ranks – Trade Structure – Depot Regiment & Signals Records.
CONCLUSION.
Preview
The state of the Corps at the time
of Partition and Independence has been described in Chapter 1, along with the
organisational changes that occurred immediately afterwards. Along with the
Indian Army, the Indian Signal Corps, as it was then known, was also
partitioned, leading to major changes in class composition, restructuring of
signal units and training establishments. The major problems, such as shortage
of officers and technical tradesmen, could not be solved overnight and it was
many years before the situation stabilised. Various operational commitments
such as the operations in Jammu & Kashmir immediately after Independence
were a severe strain on the already depleted resources of the Corps, which had
to resort to organisational ‘fire fighting’ in order to meet these
requirements. Measures such as keeping a few British officers and NCOs and
granting direct and short service commissions to JCOs alleviated the situation
marginally. Meeting the communication needs of the Indian Army in those early
years was a challenge, which was met head on by the stalwarts who occupied
positions of authority in the Corps at that time.
For the first 15 years after Independence Pakistan East
Pakistan in 1971, resulting in the liberation of Bangladesh
The Chinese invasion in 1962
resulted in a large-scale expansion and reorganization of the Army. Most of these changes were carried out
hastily, in 1962 and 1963. In early 1964, the basic concepts for employment of
the Corps and higher formation signal units were approved by the Chief of Army
Staff. Salient points of these concepts were as under:-
·
Command headquarters
will not be required to move from their permanent located stations.
·
The main corps
headquarters will carry out only one deliberate move from their present
location. A tactical headquarters may move frequently and be away from the rest
of the headquarters for a limited period. The rear headquarters are not
required to move.
·
Corps maintenance areas
being static, signal communications for them will be provided by communication
zone signal regiments affiliated to the corps.
·
Command, area and
sub-area signal units will be organized on ‘tailor-made’ establishments, based
on their actual work loads, only minimum essential transport being provided.
·
Corps and communication
zone signal regiments, which require a degree of mobility and flexibility, will
be organized on the ‘brick’ system of establishments based on their anticipated
work-load.
·
Reserves will be
authorised to provide flexibility in the future deployment of formations. Each command will be allotted a composite
signal company. One communication zone signal regiment will be held as Army HQ
reserve.
·
There will not be any
duplication of signal communications in stations. If a field formation is located in a station,
it will also cater for all static units.
Along with the basic concepts outlined above, the
requirement of higher formation signal units was also approved, as under:-
·
Two regiments for Army
HQ, one at Delhi Meerut
·
Four command signal
regiments plus one mobile reserve company per command.
·
Five corps signal
regiments based on actual requirements, including a small reserve.
·
Twelve communication
zone signal regiments, including one as Army HQ reserve
·
One signal company per
area and independent sub area, all on tailor made establishments, making a
total of eight companies.
The
organisation of divisional signal regiments was finalized based on the
recommendations of the Tactical Communications Committee that was formed in
early 1964, with the SO-in-C as Chairman. This committee first examined the
signal communication requirements of a mountain division taking into
consideration the experience gained since the operations in 1962 and the
exercises of 4 and 6 Mountain Divisions during 1963-64. This study formed the
basis of the organisation of the mountain divisional signal regiment. In 1965
the Tactical Communications Committee carried out an examination of the signal
communication requirements for air defence, offensive air support and
counter-bombardment, as well as the infantry and armoured divisions. Two important results of these studies were
the decisions to go over largely from HF to VHF radio communications and the
introduction of radio relay in the divisions.1
For the first time, a number of
purely indigenous types of establishments were created, which were not based on
the UK
·
Mountain divisional
signal regiment.
·
Special signal
regiment.
·
Air support signal
regiment.
·
Independent anti
aircraft brigade signal company (later redesignated in 1965 as independent air
defence brigade signal company).
·
Radio monitoring
companies and sections.
The
large and rapid expansion of the Army between 1961 and 1965 resulted in the
Corps of Signals increasing to more than twice its size. The Corps expanded from an authorized
strength of approximately 28,000 (including 1,097 officers) in 1961, to an
authorized strength of approximately 62,000 (including 2,300 officers) in
1965. As against twenty major signal
units commanded by lieutenant colonels in 1961, there were sixty such units in
1965.
The
next major change in the organisation of the Corps took place in 1971 when a
large number of signals units was raised. Unlike in the previous case, where
the changes were carried out after the 1962 war, in 1971 most of the changes
had taken place even before the war started. Information about the planned
invasion of East Pakistan was available almost
eight months before the commencement of the operations. This enabled the
Signals Directorate and Eastern Command Signals to plan signal communications
well in advance and cater for resources, including manpower and equipment. The
major raisings that took place in 1971 were as under:-
·
Bravo Signal Regiment
for Rear HQ IV Corps at Tezpur.
·
II Corps Signal
Regiment for II Corps at Krishnanagar.
·
Two signal companies
(mountain brigade) at Tezpur.
·
Ad-hoc signal company
for Operation ‘Jackpot’ with six sector signal sections.
·
H Communication Zone
Signal Regiment.
·
Kilo Sector Signal
Company.
Shortly after the war, HQ Northern
Command was raised at Udhampur in 1972, replacing HQ XV Corps which moved to Srinagar Srinagar
The sudden deficiency of personnel
immediately after Independence UK Pakistan India
With the Emergency in 1962, the
Corps was again confronted with the serious problem of shortage of officers
(particularly captains), JCOs and OR.
Expansion resulted in rapid promotions, leaving a lack of middle-piece
officers and experienced JCOs and NCOs.
The relaxation for promotion to the rank of acting captain before
completion of three years commissioned service in concessional areas partly
eased the position. The deficiencies of
Special List (SL) officers (Cipher and TOT) were met by rationalizing the
postings of JCOs (Cipher) and Foreman of Signals. The problem of shortage of quartermasters was
overcome by an equitable distribution of ‘old timer’ captains, posting of
re-employed officers and by planned positioning of ex-ranks emergency
commissioned officers and good JCOs to units.
The
new raisings necessitated an increase in recruitment leading to the creation of
two additional training centres. A large number of officers were granted
emergency commissions during 1963-65, followed by the introduction of the short
service commission from 1966 onwards. These measures enabled the Corps to build
up its manpower to a fairly high level by the mid sixties. As a result, one of
the additional training centres was closed down. By the time the war with Pakistan
ORGANISATIONS
Signals
Directorate
By
the end of World War II in 1945, the staff of the Signals Directorate comprised
58 officers (there were only three officers in 1939, one of them being Major
C.H.I. Akehurst). Soon after the war, the establishment was reduced. At the
time of Partition, further reductions were effected with a part of the Signals
Directorate being transferred to Pakistan Independence
The
above organisation underwent a change within the next few months. Signal
equipment was divorced from the section looking after staff duties and given to
a new section known as Section 5 that was formed. A GSO 1 was authorised to
look after three sections – Signals 1, 4 and 5. Signals Administration was also
separated from Signals 4 and became a new section. By early 1948, the
composition of Signals Directorate was as shown below:-
|
During the war, from June 1943 onwards,
the Signals Directorate had begun issuing the SO-in-C’s Monthly Information
Summary. In January 1946, it was brought on a quarterly basis. Publication of Quarterly Information
Summaries ceased with No 34 published in April 1947. The Indian Signals
Planning Note which replaced the Quarterly Information Summary was started in
January 1948 on a monthly basis and brought on to a bimonthly basis in June
1948. The main object of these Planning
Notes was to give forecast of changes in establishments, equipment and technical
matters before they were promulgated through normal channels, as well as to
give publicity to Corps domestic, personnel and training matters of general
interest.
At that time, the establishment of
the Signals Directorate was sanctioned by the Ministry of Defence on a yearly
basis. In 1953, it was decided to reorganise Signals 5 into two sections -
Signals 5 and Signals 6. The charter of the newly created Section 6 was to keep
abreast of the changes and developments in signal equipment and specialist
vehicles that were taking place in the UK
Brigadier C.H.I. Akehurst, the
SO-in-C, left for UK 25 March 1954 . In
1964, the appointment of Inspector of Signals Trades Training in the rank of brigadier
was sanctioned, along with a SO 2 (Signals) in the rank of major.
As already mentioned, there was
considerable activity taking place in the Signals Directorate during the period
1963-65. Lieutenant General Prakash Gokarn, then a young captain, gives a
glimpse of the atmosphere that prevailed during those momentous days, in the
following words:-
In 1964 when I
was posted to D Sigs, SO in C was Maj Gen RN Batra (SOH & 3 Blues IMA), Dy
SO in C was Brig Harry Chukerbuti (5 Blues IMA), D Tels was Col
D
Sigs consisted of 26 officers - of which 4 became Lt Gens and one (Rai) who
distinguished himself in the public sector – and I was its 'baby' with just 3
years of service. I was really treated like one off parade. But I had two
direct bosses to report to, with no major as a buffer - Cols Hart and Mayadas -
as GSO3 Organisation & Establishment (what is now Sigs 1 & Sigs 8).
True to their names, the former (Hart) was a man with a big heart and a fund of
knowledge but a heartless task master and Mayadas was all 'maya'- very
forgiving but a great human being. He had a clipped British accent and still does.
Many years later, I was lucky to serve on his staff just after Operation
‘Cactus Lily’. I never ever had a better teacher in my professional life. What
I learnt from Gen Mayadas, in all aspects of officer ship, both on and off
parade, shaped my personality and values forever.
I was given two ruled registers by
each of them. In relation to my tasks, Hart dealt, amongst other
things, with the raising of Communication Zone Signal Regiments and
reorganisation of Command Signal Regiments. Mayadas dealt amongst his other
duties with Corps Signal Regiments and below. In other words, one dealt with
'brick type units' and the other with 'tailored establishments'. I was given
about 175 ‘kalamazoos’, each with a maze of data giving the organisation,
establishment and broad equipment profile (the detailed equipment tables were
in the ‘kalamazoos’ with Sigs 5 (Patterson).
My job was to study the type of
manpower in each brick section, like say a Line Section or a Line Construction
Section and intelligently write it against a reorganised brick type unit,
say T Communication Zone Signal Regiment, whose role was to lay PL routes from
Srinagar into entre Ladakh. If some manpower was saved, it was written in green
pencil with an annotation ‘Asset for DSD' in one register. If the equipment
profile did not meet our needs they were specified in red in the other register
which I took to Col
This way, a Captain was entrusted to
fill the 'jig saw’ puzzle for 125 units that were raised/reorganised in that
time. I completed the job in six 6 months and thankfully proceeded on
CME/OST Course. Under Gen Batra, the atmosphere in D Sigs was ELECTRIC. 2
In 1968 the appointment of SO-in-C
was upgraded from major general to lieutenant general. The appointment of the
Brigadier Signal Staff was also upgraded to major general and redesignated as
Deputy SO-in-C. (This appointment was in existence for barely eight years. It
was abolished in 1976 after the CSOs of commands were upgraded to major
generals).
The establishment of the Signals
Directorate was again revised in June 1971. An important change was the
upgradation of the appointment of Deputy Director Telecommunications from
colonel to brigadier. A new section, Signals 8, was also formally sanctioned,
though it had been in existence since 1969. It was responsible for preparation
and revision of peace and war equipment tables for all signal units including
TA and NCC signal units. Another new section was Signals 9, which was to deal
with EDPS. The organisation of the Signals Directorate in 1971 is shown below:-
Army
HQ Signals
The unit looking after
communications at General Headquarters India before Independence 15 August 1947
this unit was re-designated as GHQ (Indian) Signal Regiment, to differentiate
it from the GHQ (British) Signal Regiment that was raised to look after the
communication needs of the Supreme Commander’s Headquarters that was created at
that time. The first officer to command the unit was Lieutenant Colonel S.N.
Bhatia, while Lieutenant Colonel J.H.L. Crichton, MBE, continued to remain in
command of GHQ (British) Signal Regiment, in addition to being the overall
commander of both units. After the
disbandment of the Supreme Commander’s Headquarters the GHQ (British) Signal
Regiment moved to Bombay Karachi UK 1 January 1948 the GHQ
(Indian) Signal Regiment was re-designated as Army HQ Signal Regiment.
The
unit was then located in Plot 108 next to the Rakabganj Gurudwara behind North
Block, while the signal centre was in 'A' Block. No. 1 Company of the regiment, which provided the signal centre shifts, was
housed in a plot of land next to the present Parliament House. The transmitters were on Lodhi Road Ridge Road Buddha Jayanti Park
The
accommodation occupied by the unit on Plot 108 was inadequate and in 1958, a
reconnaissance-cum-siting board was ordered to select a suitable site for
locating the regiment in Delhi Cantt. The site finally chosen was where the
present day Signals Enclave is located on Rao Tula Ram Marg. The unit moved to
its present accommodation in Signals Enclave in February 1964. During the 1965
war, the signal centre was shifted to the basement of the South Block. Also
some of the transmitters at Lodhi
Road
There was little change in the
organisation of the unit until 1964, when it was decided to split it into two
parts, one to be located at Meerut Delhi
Though the decision to split the
units and move one of them to Meerut Lodhi
Road Meerut Meerut Delhi
Lieutenant Colonel M. Sathesan, who
served in 1 Army HQ Signal Regiment from 1969 to 1971, relates an interesting
incident, which was probably responsible for the redesignation of the
appointments of Assistant Duty Signal Officer (ADSO) and Duty Signal officer
(DSO). He writes:-
Sometime in late
1969 while I was carrying out the duties of Duty Signal Officer (now
Officer-in-Charge Signal Centre) of INDARMY Signal Centre I got a ring at about
10 PM from Maj Gen IS Gill then General Officer Commanding 17 Mountain Division
and on leave at Delhi. He asked me for some information about certain office
numbers and I replied that I shall check up and ring him back. He rang me again
at 1030 PM and at 11 PM
asking for additional info and I had to, on each occasion reply that “I would
check up and let you know”. When I gave him the final information at about 1115
PM he asked me whether I was in the office or at home. When I told him that I
was at home he wanted to know why the Duty Signal Officer was not on duty. I
replied that the term Duty Signal Officer is a misnomer and it is the Assistant
Duty Signal Officer who remains on duty in shifts all the time. Gen Gill
accepted my explanation at that time but next day wrote a note to his friend
Maj Gen EG Pettengell (then Deputy SO-in-C) asking why we have a name, that is
Duty Signal Officer, which is a misnomer. In pursuance of his note the Signals
Directorate asked all concerned for their views for a more suitable name for
Duty Signal Officer. Through Commandant Army HQ Signals I had recommended that
the only suitable name was OIC (Signal Centre).
I
do not know if others also recommended the same name. Later vide AO 81/72 the
name of the Duty Signal Officer was changed to OIC Signal Centre and that of
Assistant Duty Signal Officer to Duty Signal Officer.3
Another interesting input
concerning the plans to set up a Joint Services Communication Complex during
the sixties when General Batra was the SO-in-C has been given by Lieutenant
General M.S Sodhi, who writes:
We had earlier
projected for space for a Joint Services Communication Complex to
support a Joint Services HQ like the Pentagon. Towards this end in May
1965 I had even visited Admiral Mountbatten's HQ in the UK Army Public
School Ridge Road
Command Signals
After
Partition in 1947, only two commands – Southern and Eastern– were left in India Pakistan Poona Ranchi Lucknow
The
appointment of CSO at each command headquarters was held by an officer of the
rank of brigadier. There was no permanent establishment for the CSO’s staff,
which was extended from year to year. Usually, the Signals staff consisted of a
SO1 (Signals), a SO2 (Communications), a SO2 (Staff Duties & Training) and
a SO3 (Communications). In HQ Western
Command, there was an additional appointment known as SO3 (Equipment). There was
no officer looking after ciphers, and normally the cipher officer from the
command signal regiment was attached on a part time basis along with a couple
of cipher NCOs to look after this important function. This naturally affected
the functioning of the unit as well as the CSO’s branch and was an
unsatisfactory arrangement. It was only in 1951 that this lacuna was corrected
and the appointment of SO2 (Cipher and Signal Security) was created in each
command headquarters, along with cipher staff of two havildars.
After
the 1962 war, there was large scale restructuring of the military establishment
and several new headquarters, units and organisations were created. This included the creation of the new HQ
Eastern Command in Calcutta Lucknow Calcutta
After
the 1971 war, HQ Northern Command was raised at Udhampur in 1972, replacing HQ
XV Corps which moved to Srinagar Srinagar
Signals
Staff at Static Formation Headquarters
At the time of Independence Calcutta Madras Jubbulpore
and Secunderabad. As a result, the Deccan Signal Regiment was also split, to
form Jubbulpore (Indep) Sub Area Signals and
Secunderabad Sub Area Signals. On 1 September 1948 , the Sholapur Independent Sub Area Signal
Company was raised. In 1950, the Madras Signal Regiment became the Madras Area
Signal Regiment. Two years later, the unit was redesignated as the Madras Area
(Indep) Signal Company.
In the early years after Independence
To
overcome these shortcomings in 1955 it was proposed to evolve a more suitable
organization for static headquarters. Depending on their location, TA
companies/detachments would be grouped to form a unit, whose commander would
render necessary technical advice to the area and sub-area commander as
required. The DCSO and his staff would be abolished. However, it was realised
that the proposal involved a considerable increase in manpower and was
therefore dropped. It was then proposed that DCSOs be authorised at area
headquarters on a permanent basis. Soon after wards, the appointments of DCSO
Delhi Area and DCSO Madras Area were approved. However, the appointment of DCSO
UP Area was abolished. This was due to the move of HQ Eastern Command from Ranchi Lucknow
During
the review of communications after the 1962 war there were several changes in
the command set up of signal units deployed in communication zones. In 1964 a
DCSO (colonel) was authorized for Jammu & Kashmir to exercise technical
control over communication zone signal regiments north of Banihal. However, CSO
XV Corps continued to exercise technical control over the communication zone
signal regiments south of Banihal.
A number of signal units were
raised for static headquarters in the sixties. In 1963, UP Area Signal Company
was reorganised as UP Area Signal Regiment. In 1964 Madhya Pradesh Area Signal
Company and Bihar and Orissa (Independent) Sub
Area Signal Company were raised. In 1965 the Bengal Area Signal Company was
raised at Calcutta Bombay Maharashtra
and Gujarat Area Signal Company. In 1966 the Delhi Delhi Punjab ,
Haryana and Himachal Pradesh Area Signal Company.
In
July 1971 there were some changes in the set up in Central Command. The Bihar
& Orissa (Independent) Sub Area was placed under Madhya Pradesh Area. A new
sub area was raised at Allahabad Jabalpur
In 1972, certain changes were
carried out in Western Command Signal Regiment.
Western Command Mobile Signal Company, which was located at Ambala, was
merged with the regiment at Jutogh, in Simla. The company was providing radio
relay communications at Karcham in the Sugar Sector, which was at a considerable
distance from Ambala. By this time, it had been decided to shift HQ Western
Command from Simla to the plains, to enable it function as a field army during
operations, and construction of the new cantonment at Chandimandir near Chandigarh
Corps
Signals
In 1947, there was no corps
headquarters in India 5 September 1948 HQ Jammu & Kashmir
Corps was established at Jammu Jammu
5 Corps Signal Regiment was raised
in September 1949, in two parts. No. 2 Company, which was referred to as
Composite Company 5 Corps Signal Regiment, was raised at Jammu Agra 15 March 1950
the unit was redesignated as XI Corps Signal Regiment and ordered to move to
Ambala. No. 2 Company located at Jammu Agra 18 July 1950 . In July 1951
the unit moved to Jullundur 28 October
1949 .
To control the formations in the
North East, HQ XXXIII Corps was raised at Shillong in 1960 with Brigadier S.R.
Khurana being the first CSO. (By this time, corps were being designated with
Roman numerals, with divisions and brigades being denoted by Arabic numerals).
XXXIII Corps Signal Regiment was also raised at Shillong in June 1960. During the 1962 war with China
HQ
II Corps was raised at Krishnanagar shortly before the commencement of the 1971
war, with Colonel B.S. Paintal as the DCSO (The appointment was later upgraded
to CSO). II Corps Signal Regiment was raised at the same time under the command
of Lieutenant Colonel S.C. Chaudhuri. However,
3 Company of the unit was raised separately at Delhi Srinagar Srinagar
Divisional Signals
After
the partition of the Indian Signal Corps, only four divisional signal regiments
remained in India
When
25 Division was raised during the operations in Jammu & Kashmir, it was
provided only a signal company, which obviously could not cope with the heavy
demands placed on it. In 1950 it was decided to reorganize 25 Divisional Signal
Company as 25 Divisional Signal Regiment. At the same time, 2 Airborne
Divisional Signal Regiment, which had been temporarily re-designated as 26
(2AB) Divisional Signal Regiment, was reorganized on the war establishment of
an infantry divisional signal regiment in 1951 and re-designated as 26 Divisional Signal Regiment.
The
manpower authorised to a divisional signal regiment was based on the provision
of three and a half reliefs. In 1952 the Army Standing Establishments Committee
(ASEC) objected to this and agreed to only two and a half reliefs. Since this
would have seriously affected the efficiency of the units, the issue was taken
up with the Ministries of Defence and Finance (Defence). Finally, it was agreed that units on war
establishment would be authorised manpower based on three and a half reliefs.
The organisation of the divisional signal regiment at that time was as given
below:-
During
Exercise ‘Vijay’ and a signal exercise during the training year 1954-55,
certain inadequacies in the existing establishments of corps and divisional
signal regiments were noticed. The problem of a suitable establishment for a
divisional signal regiment was discussed during the 10th CSOs/Commandants’
Conference in 1955. After considerable deliberation, it was decided that
obtaining government sanction for a new establishment would take several years.
Also, the proposal may have to be amended again due to introduction of radio
relay which was expected to be inducted shortly. It was therefore decided to
ask for implementation of WE 2041/1946/1, accepting the reductions in some
sections proposed by the Army Standing Establishments Committee. It was thought
that even with the proposed reductions, there will be an increase in manpower
and vehicles. Also, units would be able to commence reorganization and training
on the revised WE which embodied the teachings of the post war period. In an
emergency, the full WE 2041/1946/1 could be adopted.
An
important change occurred in the organisation of the divisional signal regiment
in 1961, when the signal sections (E, F and G) of 2 Company were transferred
from Signals to Artillery. Until then these sections were commanded by officers
from the Corps of Signals for whom it was probably the first opportunity of
independent command. Another major
change occurred in 1963, when a number of divisional signal regiments were
converted to mountain divisional signal regiments on WE 2051/1046/1. An
important feature was that a signal company was authorized for each mountain
brigade in place of a brigade signal section that existed earlier. Also a radio
relay section was authorized in 1 Company and a FASO Section in 2 Company.
The
units that were reorganized on mountain establishments were as under:-
·
Indian Contingent
Signal Regiment ONUC Congo
·
4, 20 and 23 Infantry
Divisional Signal Regiments as Mountain Divisional Signal Regiments.
·
7, 48 and 62 Infantry
Brigade Signal Sections as Mountain Brigade Signal Companies.
·
9 and 99 Infantry
Brigade Signal Companies and 69 Infantry Brigade Signal Section as Mountain
Brigade Signal Companies.
A
number of new divisional signal regiments/brigade signal companies were raised
in 1963-64. These were as under:-
·
2 Infantry Divisional
Signal Regiment.
·
3 Infantry Divisional
Signal Regiment.
·
9 Mountain Divisional
Signal Regiment.
·
35, 42 and 58 Mountain
Brigade Signal Companies.
·
10 Mountain Divisional
Signal Regiment.
·
15 Infantry Divisional
Signal Regiment.
In 1964, a number of divisional
signal regiments/brigade signal companies were reorganised. The reorganizations
carried out were as under:-
·
2, 17 and 27 Infantry
Divisional Signal Regiments were reorganised as Mountain Divisional Signal
Regiments
·
7 Mountain Divisional
Signal Regiment was reorganised as an Infantry Divisional Signal Regiment.
·
11, 63, 64, 82, 112,
77, 123, 164, 166, 167 and 190 Infantry Brigade Signal Sections were
reorganised as Mountain Brigade Signal Companies.
·
48 and 54 Mountain
Brigade Signal Companies were reorganised as Infantry Brigade Signal Sections.
·
33 Infantry Brigade
Group Signal Company was reorganised as an Infantry Brigade Signal Company.
·
65 Infantry Brigade
Signal Company was reorganised as an Infantry Brigade Signal Section.
In 1964 a case was taken up for
revision of the establishment of the infantry divisional signal regiment. It
was proposed to include new techniques and communication systems such as radio
relay; RTT and teleprinters; and VHF for command nets. The existing 1 Company
was to be reorganised into two companies and brigade signal sections were to be
reorganised as brigade signal companies. A line section was proposed to be
included in the artillery brigade signal section. There was also a proposed
increase in administrative and maintenance staff. The overall increase of
personnel was 207, which included six officers, nine JCOs and 192 OR, along
with 24 vehicles.6
Since the proposal involved a
substantial increase in manpower, it was not immediately cleared by the Army
Standing Establishments Committee (ASEC). As a result, it was only in November
1964 that the new WE of the infantry divisional signal regiment (WE
2041/1946/2) was implemented. In the interim period, certain units were
reorganised on a reduced establishment with the approval of the Chief of Army
Staff. The revised establishment of the infantry divisional signal regiment is
given below:-
|
3, 7, 14, 15 and 26 Infantry
Divisional Signal Regiments were reorganised onto the new WE of an infantry
divisional signal regiment (WE 2041/1946/2) in 1966 followed by 10, 11, 19 and
25 Infantry Divisional Signal Regiments.
36 Mountain Divisional Signal Regiment which had been raised in 1965 was
subsequently reorganized as 36 Infantry Divisional Signal Regiment. 39 Infantry Divisional Signal Regiment along
with 87 and 323 Infantry Brigade Signal Companies was also raised in 1966. At the same time, the Rajasthan Sector Signal
Regiment comprising 30, 45 and 322 Infantry Brigade Signal Companies was
reorganized onto WE 2041/1946/2. Another
unit raised in 1966 was 54 Infantry Divisional Signal Regimental along with 47,
74 and 91 Infantry Brigade Signal Companies.
57
Mountain Divisional Signal Regiment was raised in 1969, along with 61, 73 and
311 Mountain Brigade Signal Companies. In July 1971, 11 Infantry Division was
reorganized to its full authorization of three brigades, with supporting arms
and services. As a result, 330 Infantry
Brigade Group Signal Company was reorganized as 330 Infantry Brigade Signal
Company and 340 Mountain Brigade Signal Company as 340 Mountain Brigade Group
Signal Company.
During
the 1971 war, a large number of raisings/ reorganizations were ordered,
including some divisional signal regiments/brigade signal companies. In some
cases, the units were disbanded after the end of the war. 1001 and 1002
Independent Signal Companies (Mountain Brigade) were raised in 1971 and
disbanded in 1972. This was also the case with 1003 Independent Line Company
and 1004 Ad-hoc Signal Company. The units raised in 1971-72 were as under:-
·
Kilo Sector Signal
Company.
·
4 and 6 Armoured
Brigade Signal Companies.
·
10, 12, and 15 Infantry
Brigade Signal Companies
In 1972, Foxtrot Sector Signal
Regiment was reorganized as 16 Infantry Divisional Signal Regiment. 67 Infantry
Brigade Group Signal Company became 67 Infantry Brigade Signal Company and 95
Mountain Brigade Signal Company was reorganized as 95 Infantry Brigade Signal
Company. 340 Infantry Brigade Signal Company was also reorganized in the same
manner.
As would be evident, there were
several changes in the organisation of the divisional signal regiment between
1947 and 1972. From just four such units in 1947, the number had risen to 26 in
1972, an indication in the large scale expansion of the Corps in the first 25
years after Independence
Communication Zone
Signals
In
the early years after Independence
The
allotment of communication zone signal regiments in 1964 was as given below:-
·
M Communication Zone
Signal Regiment - I Corps
·
V Communication Zone
Signal Regiment - IV Corps
·
Z Communication Zone
Signal Regiment - XI Corps
·
Y Communication Zone
Signal Regiment - XV Corps
·
L Communication Zone
Signal Regiment - XXXIII Corps
·
J Communication Zone
Signal Regiment - XV Corps
·
N Communication Zone Signal
Regiment - 101 Communication Zone Area
·
O Communication Zone
Signal Regiment - UP Area
·
P Communication Zone
Signal Regiment –Army HQ Reserve
·
R Communication Zone
Signal Regiment - P and HP Area
·
S Communication Zone
Signal Regiment -101 Communication Zone Area
·
T Communication Zone
Signal Regiment - HQ XV Corps
Subsequently, Q Communication Zone Signal Regiment
was raised in 1966 and H Communication Zone Signal Regiment in 1971, shortly
before the commencement of hostilities with Pakistan.
Air
& Naval Formation Signals
Out
of the six air formation signal regiments that existed during World War II,
four were disbanded soon after the war ended. At the time of Partition in 1947,
there were only two air formation signal regiments in India India was 1 Air Formation Signal Regiment
(Modified), located at Delhi
After a few years, it became
evident that the resources of the existing unit were inadequate. It had to look
after IAF land lines throughout India India
The appointment of Chief Air
Formation Signal Officer (CAFSO) at Air HQ (India Independence ,
there was only an SO2 Air Formation Signals, at Air HQ (India COs of 1 and 2 Air Formation Signal Regiments were also
upgraded from major to lieutenant colonel.
Additional company headquarters and sections were raised in both units
and the suffix ‘modified’ was removed from their names.
During the 1962 war with China Delhi in November 1962 and subsequently moved to Calcutta Pakistan ,
4 Air Formation Signal Regiment was raised at Lucknow
At the time of Independence, no Signals staff was authorised at Naval HQ. In 1956 it was decided to authorise a Naval Formation Signal Officer (CNFSO) of the rank of major at Naval HQ. In 1971, the appointment of CNFSO was upgraded from major to lieutenant colonel in Naval HQ. This was subsequently disbanded after the Navy took over the task of dealing with the P&T department directly for its land line requirements.
Air Support Signals
After
the end of World War II, all air support signal units were disbanded, except
for some contact cars (air), control detachments and airfield detachments which
were grouped to form one air support signal company for each dominion at the
time of Partition. 2 Air Support Signal Company that remained in India
Though air support was not utilised
in the 1962 war, it was felt that the existing resources were inadequate.
Accordingly, 3 Air Support Signal Company was raised in April 1963 at Delhi Delhi and 2 Air
Support Signal Regiment at Calcutta
In 1967 two independent air support
signal companies were a raised. These were 5 and 6 (Indep) Air Support Signal
Companies. After the 1971 operations, another unit - 3 Air Support Signal
Regiment - was raised in June 1972 at
Udhampur, where HQ Northern Command had recently been created.
Signals Intelligence
Units
During World War II, signal
interception was carried out by the Tactical ‘Y’ Service, for which there was
no sanctioned establishment. This service was manned exclusively by British
personnel. After the war ended, the organisation was disbanded and all
documents related to the service were destroyed. After Independence
The
credit for creation of the Signal Intelligence Directorate in 1963 goes to the
then SO-in-C, Major General R.N. Batra, and his cousin, Brigadier M.N. Batra
who had assumed the appointment of Director of Military Intelligence after
attending the first course at the National
Defence College
It was decided to create a new
category of ‘operator special’ in Group A, for employment in wireless
experimental units under the Signals Intelligence Directorate. Personnel for
the new category were to be recruited by re-mustering volunteers from operator
wireless and keyboard (OWK) and operator wireless and line (OWL), class 2.
Initially, four centres and signal intelligence units were placed under command
of the Director of Signals Intelligence.
In 1966 further re-organisation was carried out and two new units were
raised. The appointment of Director of
Signals Intelligence was also upgraded from colonel to brigadier.
Details of the operations of the
Signals Intelligence organisation cannot be revealed due to security
considerations. However, the wireless experimental units proved their worth in
the 1965 and 1971 operations, providing valuable intelligence of enemy
deployment and plans. A major success was the interception of the message
regarding the conference to be held in Government House at Dacca East Pakistan . 7
Central
Monitoring Organisation
After the 1962 operations, an
Expert Committee was constituted by the Government of India to analyse the
reasons for the debacle. It was revealed that China
Raising
of the first three radio monitoring companies commenced in November 1964. No. 1
Radio Monitoring Company was raised at Calcutta ,
No. 2 at Simla and No. 3 at Lucknow Poona and Delhi Pakistan
Border Scouts Signal
Company
The Border Scouts Signal Company
was raised in March 1951 at Jullundur
When the Border Scouts were raised
in 1951 it had been decided that all personnel for the signal company, totalling
345, would be seconded from the Corps of Signals and subsequently transferred
to the Border Scouts. Volunteers were called for and in August 1952 the first
batch of 154 was transferred from the Corps of Signals to Border Scouts.
However, after reporting to the unit 67 personnel represented that since the
terms of the transfer had not been fully explained to them, they did not wish
to be permanently transferred. This was taken up with Army HQ and it was then
decided that all personnel would be treated as ‘seconded’ from the Corps of
Signals as opposed to ‘transferred’ to Border Scouts.
The Border Scouts Signal Company
comprised seven officers, five JCOs and about 300 OR. It was under the command
of Commander Border Scouts, Brigadier A.S Sodhi, while technical control was
exercised by DCSO East Punjab Area, Lieutenant Colonel Bijai Singh. In July
1952 Major Mohinder Singh was relieved by Major W.S. Ambardekar as the OC. The
Border Scouts Signal Company was disbanded in July 1954.
Border Roads Signals
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO)
was raised in 1960 to coordinate construction of strategically important roads
in the border regions of the country, in the North and North East, where civil
agencies were not available for such tasks. The General Reserve Engineering
Force (GREF) was also raised as the executive arm of the BRO. The personnel for
the force were provided from the defence services, with some being recruited
directly. The first Director General Border Roads was Major General K.N. Dubey,
who assumed charge in April 1960. The appointment of a CSO was also created in
HQ DGBR in June 1960, the first incumbent being Lieutenant Colonel S.N. Atal.
He was assisted by one staff officer, who was designated SO2 (Communication
& Cipher Security).
The BRO consisted of several task
forces, each of which was authorised a signal section. The first such section
was raised in July 1960 for Project Tusker which was established at Tezpur for
construction and maintenance of roads in NEFA. The first officer to command the
section was Captain R.S. Talwar. In 1963 the Tusker Signal Section became the
Vartak Signal Section after the names were Indianised. Between 1960 and 1967
several other signal sections were raised. These were Project Beacon (Ladakh);
Project Dantak (Bhutan );
Project Deepak (UP-Tibet border); Project Setuk (Tripura); Project Sewak (Naga
Hills); Project Swastik (Sikkim
Territorial
Army Signals
During World War II more than 20 L
of C units were raised by drawing personnel from the P&T Department to be
deployed in various theatres. The role of these units was to supplement the
static communication system, to provide L of C for operations and to provide
neutral Signals during training. All these units were disbanded at end of the
war, only one being retained for the General Reserve. This too was subsequently
disbanded. With the expansion in static
communication commitments of the Indian Army after Independence
The first such unit was 101 L of C
Signal Regiment (TA) which was raised in 1949. The regimental headquarters of
the unit and 1 Company was at Delhi with 2 and 3
Companies being located at Bombay and Calcutta Madras ;
2 Company at Lucknow
Another
commitment was the assistance provided to the Indian Railways, especially in
construction of PL routes. In 1951 a TA unit and a number of line construction
sections were raised. These comprised 968 HQ Railway Engineers at Ferozepore
and 969, 970, 971 and 972 HQ Railway Engineers Line Construction Sections (TA)
at Calcutta , Jhansi ,
Delhi and Ajmer
After
the raising of 102 L of C Signal Regiment it was realised that though its
regimental headquarters and most of the other companies were in Southern
Command, 2 Company at Lucknow Delhi , Bombay
and Calcutta Lucknow
and Bombay Bombay became 2 Company of 102 L of
C Signal Regiment and 2 Company of 102 L of C Signal Regiment at Lucknow
In December 1951, five additional L
of C (TA) signal units were raised. These were as under:-
·
105 L of C Signal
Regiment (TA) Jullundur
·
106 L of C Signal
Regiment (TA) Calcutta
·
107 L of C Signal
Regiment (TA) Calcutta
·
108 L of C Signal
Company (TA) Calcutta
·
109 L of C Signal
Company (Mob) (TA) Shillong
Subsequently, there was a change in
the nomenclature of these units. Instead of L of C regiments, they began to be
called communication zone signal regiments, retaining their original numerals.
In 1956 the regimental headquarters of 101 and 102 Communication Zone Signal
Regiments (TA) were disbanded, the existing companies becoming independent
companies. Accordingly, 1, 2 and 3 Companies of 101 Communication Zone Signal
Regiment (TA) were redesignated as 111, 112 and 113 Independent Signal
Companies (TA). Similarly, the three companies
of 102 Communication Zone Signal Regiment (TA) became 114, 115 and 116
Independent Signal Companies (TA).
After
the 1962 war, there was a major reorganisation of static units of the Corps. In
1964, all the TA signal regiments and companies were disbanded, their
commitments being taken over by the communication zone signal regiments that
were raised at that time. In a few cases, some sections of these units that
were manned by Signals personnel were merged with existing units.
During
the 1971 war, some TA units were embodied for the duration of the war. 107 and
109 Signal Companies (TA) P&T were embodied on 10 December 1971. These were
disembodied on 5 March 1972.
PERSONNEL
The
Officer Cadre
At the time of Independence India
A Signals Selection Board was held
at Jabalpur
Another measure was the appointment
of CTOs (civilian technical officers) in lieu of TOM/TOT (technical officer
maintenance/technical officer telecommunications) and civilian Foreman of
Signals, who were to be employed as instructors and in Army HQ and command
signal regiments. By the end of 1948, 20 CTOs and 19 civilian Foremen of
Signals had been appointed.
The intake of officers from the Indian Military
Academy India after Independence
To make up the shortfall of
officers in the shortest possible time, a new type of temporary commission was
introduced in the Indian Army in 1949 vide Army Instruction (India Deccan
College at Poona School
of Signals
Colonel M.K. Kotwal, who passed out
with OTS-2 in June 1949, has described his experiences in the following words:-
The Govt of
India decided as matter of policy to withdraw all British Officers from Indian
Army after Independence. In order to meet an acute shortage of officers,
Army established an OTS in the premises of Deccan College near Bund Garden
at Pune in August 1948. Selected cadets were to undergo three months basic
training and then to proceed for Arms and Services training of
approximately 3-4 months. The cadets selected by SSBs (same as for Regular
Officers) were to be granted one year's commission and were to be called TCOs.
The first course was started on or about 23 Sep 1948. They were
accommodated in the hostels of the Deccan College. The next few
courses were accommodated in the newly constructed temporary barracks. After
going through SSB Bangalore, I joined B Coy of OTS on 15 Oct 1948. Maj AN
Mathur (later Lt Gen) Signals, was A Coy Commander. Brig Kochar (Bhalu)
of Engineers was our Commandant. After three months basic training we were sent
to various Institutions such as MCTE then known as School of Signals for a
further period of training of approximately four months. When my Course
reported to MCTE, in Jan 1949, PAT 2 was half way through and PAT 3 was
almost four weeks ahead of us. In June my Course was commissioned and we joined
various Units. Most of OTS officers were granted Regular Commission after
screening by SSBs. A few also got Regular after appeal by the COs of the Units.
Those granted Regular earlier also managed to undergo SODE Course as it
was then known. Some like Brig Sibal (OTS 3) even managed to undergo Staff
College.8
Apart from the cadets who were
trained at the OTS, temporary commissions were also granted to 33 ex Army
Ordnance Corps officers who completed their training at the School of Signals Independence
By the end of 1949 the holding of officers in
the Corps had risen to 692. However, only 238 of these were regular officers,
the balance comprising short service regular commissioned (SSRC), Indian
emergency commissioned (IEC) and temporary commissioned (TC) officers, in
addition to several other categories. Out of the 21 British officers then
serving in India
Until the departure of Brigadier
Akehurst, the highest rank held by
Signals officers was that of brigadier. At that time, the Corps had only seven
brigadiers, of which three were holding staff appointments outside the Corps.
With the upgradation of the appointment of SO-in-C in 1954, the Corps got its
first major general. The number of colonels (five) was also quite small, since
the only appointments in that rank were in the training centres or as DCSOs of
areas. However, the number of lieutenant colonels (45) was substantial as were
the numbers of majors (142), captains (310) and subalterns (209). In most cases, lieutenant colonels were
promoted directly as brigadiers, as was the case in all other arms and
services.
During the Emergency that was
declared after the 1962 war with China
Though the Chinese had declared a
unilateral a cease fire war on 21 November 1962, the Government decided to
increase the intake of officers. The Officers Training Schools (OTSs) at Poona and Madras
In March 1963, three regular
courses - 32nd, 33rd and 34th – passed out
from the IMA together. In the normal course, they would have passed out in
December 1963, June 1964 and December 1964 respectively. After undergoing
training at the IMA for periods varying from three months to fifteen months, 85
of them were sent to the School
of Signals
Colonel B.V Shirali, has described
the situation in the following words:-
I am one of the
officers commissioned on 30 June 1963. I joined 34th Regular (Direct
Entry) course at Indian Military Academy on 06 Jan 1963 or so as Gentleman
Cadet (GC). After 3 months of basic military training at IMA, I was sent to
School of Signals, Mhow along with other GCs of 32nd, 33rd
and 34th Regular courses, who had by then completed basic military
training of 15, 9 and 3 months duration respectively, in end of
March/first week of April 1963 for undergoing YOs course. This YOs course
was called/ known as Signal Officer Cadet Course No.1 (SOC-1) of 12
weeks duration from April to end June 1963. GCs of EC-1 course after 3
months basic military training at OTS also joined us at Mhow in first week
of April 1963 and underwent 12 weeks of SOC-1 course. We all GCs
of 32nd, 33rd and 34th Regular courses
and EC-1 course were commissioned on 30 June 1963 at School of
Signals ,Mhow.
Officers of 32nd,
33rd and 34th Regular Course were granted Permanent
Commission (PC) while officers of EC-1 course were granted Emergency
Commission. We all were allotted IC number arbitrarily irrespective of Course.
For example, although I was allotted IC- 15415 being from 34th
Regular Course, some officers of 32nd and 33rd Regular
course were allotted IC numbers greater than mine but that did not imply that
such officers were junior to me. The seniority of officers of above
courses was subsequently adjusted/ regularized as per the period of
pre-commission training actually undergone by each by publication
of necessary Gazette of India.
It is, indeed,
unfortunate that EC-1 officers who were found fit were given PC after adjusting
their seniority by shortfall in training where as regular officers of 32nd,
33rd, and 34th course did not lose seniority in spite of
shortfall in their training. The reason for that may be due to the terms
of engagement of regular course coupled with sanction of COAS to grant PC
to GCs with shortfall in training due to exigency of service after 1962
Chinese Aggression.9
After 1965 the grant of emergency
commissions was stopped. However, short service commissions began to be granted
to officers passing from the OTS at Madras
An interesting development was the
Compulsory Liability Scheme that was introduced in 1965. In order to make up
the deficiency of as many as 2,500 officers in the technical corps of the Army,
the Government decided that all entrants to the Government Class I and II
engineering cadres, of the Centre as well as the States, will be liable to
serve in the Army for a period of four years before they are appointed to civil
jobs. It was expected that the Army would be offered 750 engineering graduates
per year under this scheme. Out of this
number approximately 500 were expected to be selected by the Army and the
remaining 250 allowed to join their civil appointments. Those selected would undergo a 13 weeks basic
military training course at the OTS Madras, on conclusion of which they would
be granted provisional short service regular commissions in the Army. It was expected that 126 technical graduates
will be commissioned annually into the Corps of Signals under this scheme. 10
Unfortunately, the results were not very
encouraging. Colonel T.N. Shreevastawa, who was one of the officers who joined
under this scheme, writes:-
The Compulsory Service
Liability (CSL) Scheme started in 1965 with courses
named as CSL-1, CSL-2 , CSL-3 etc at OTS Madras with 14 weeks duration
for engineering cadres of Central/ State Govts. Later all these
officers went for YOs Courses with non-technical SS officers in SSNT-I in
1967 as their numbers were not more than 5 to 6. To the best of my
knowledge, only three courses from 1965 to 1966 were run at OTS. Most of these officers
went back to their engineering cadre of Central/State Govts after serving for 4
years in the Army. Only few selected to get permanent commission after going
through SSB.11
During
the 1971 war with Pakistan
JCOs & Other Ranks
During
World War II and the period preceding it, personnel for the Indian Signal Corps
were recruited from four castes - Punjabi Mussulmans, Sikhs, Dogras and Mixed
Madrassis. In 1946 it was decided that instead of being caste based,
recruitment would be based on religion. At the time of Independence Pakistan
·
Mixed Madrassi - 56.5%
·
Hindus - 30%
·
Sikhs - 10.5%
·
Hindustani Mussulmans - 3%
Soon after the revision of the new
percentages, it was realised that this has resulted in considerable
dissatisfaction among Sikhs. There was a large number of very senior Sikhs in
the Corps, who could not be promoted within the class percentage laid down for
them. At the same time, other classes did not have enough qualified personnel
to fill the vacancies authorized for them. It was decided that promotions to
NCO/JCO ranks will be based on the following percentages:-
NCOs JCOs
·
Sikhs 30 24
·
Hindus 28 28
·
MMs 41.8 48
·
Others .2 Nil
As a result of this decision, the
class percentage for Sikhs in the Corps for promotion purposes was stepped up
by 5%. However, before the impact of the
decision could be felt Indian Army Order 8/S/49 was published, abolishing the
system of class composition in the Indian Army. Henceforth, promotions were to
be based purely on seniority and efficiency and not by classes. 12
The
biggest crisis faced by the Corps immediately after Independence
In
order to accelerate recruitment in the Corps, a Regimental Recruiting Party
under Captain Gurdial Singh toured East Punjab
in March and April 1948. The results were very encouraging. The party recruited
104 Sikhs (63 matric, 41 non matric) and 124 Hindus (63 matric and 61 non-
matric). In addition it recruited 32 Sikh boys (4 matric, 28 non matric) and 39
Hindu boys (3 matric, 36 non matric). The matrics included several who had
FA/FSc and even a few graduates! 13
In
July 1948 a recruiting drive for ex-servicemen was launched for four months.
Special allowances were offered to ex-soldiers to enrol either on short term or
regular engagements. Physical and educational standards were lowered to that of
war time standards. Within a month, more than 600 ex-servicemen had joined,
including a large number of operators, mechanics, drivers and linemen. As a
result of these measures, there was some improvement in the state of personnel.
The state of JCOs and OR as on 1 December 1948 is shown below:-
Authorised
Strength Actual
Strength
JCOs 443 337
OR 12712 11145 Recruits 2288 2915
Boys 750 62
An important change that occurred
concerned colour service. Vide Army Instruction 199/48, colour service was
fixed as 10 years for operators, draughtsmen and storemen, while it was 12
years for clerks and mechanics. The total period of combined colour and reserve
service was fixed as 15 years for all categories.
The National Service Ordinance
(XXIII of 1948) was promulgated under which any person serving in the Indian
Army whose services were required could be retained until December 1949. It
also provided for the recall of any person who had been released after 1
January 1946. It stipulated that extreme compassionate cases, medically unfit
persons and certain disciplinary cases would continue to be released as before.
After the issue of Indian Army Order 724/48 which laid down the rules and
procedure for recall of the personnel under the Ordinance, it was decided that
the following numbers of personnel would be recalled:-
·
Workshop trades -
196
·
Operator trades -
444
·
Drivers MT - 192
Within a few months, orders were
received that the recall of personnel under the National Service Ordinance was
to be stopped and recall notices already issued were to be cancelled.
Fortunately, no recall notices had been issued to JCOs/OR. However, notices had
been issued to 19 officers of which four had reported for duty.14
An important decision regarding
promotion policy of JCOs was taken in 1948. It was decided that subedars of all
categories, including those on special rosters, Foreman of Signals, ciphers and
clerks would be eligible for promotion to subedar major provided they were
willing to come on the general roster of promotion. It was also decided that
NCOs who qualify in the Foreman of Signals course at the School of Signals School
of Signals
In view of the critical shortages
of manpower still existing, in 1951 all releases, discharges and transfers to
reserve of JCOs and OR were held in abeyance, except on medical grounds,
disciplinary cases, extreme compassionate cases and JCOs who had completed
their tenure or attained the service limits laid down. In 1952 these orders were modified and the
personnel who had earned the maximum pensions of their rank and those on short
term engagement who had completed their terms and were unwilling to serve
beyond this period were also permitted to be released.
In 1952 the orders on control of
postings of JCOs/OR were revised. It was laid down that the postings of all JCOs,
OR and NCsE would be controlled by Officer in Charge Signals Records, except
for those of subedar majors, JCOs cipher, foreman of signals and operator
cipher, which would be controlled by Signals Directorate at Army HQ. In an
emergency, CSOs and CAFSO could order postings within their respective commands
without reference to Signals Records. Vide a subsequent order of November 1954,
Signals Records was given complete responsibility for posting of subedar
majors, without reference to Signals Directorate.
In 1953 it was laid down that an
NCO must qualify on Foreman of Signals Course Parts I and II before he could be
considered for promotion to the rank of jemadar. In view of the deficiency of
qualified mechanics, it was also decided that NCOs of workshop category who
were appointed CQMH, CHM, RQMH and RHM should be employed on repair of signal
equipments and not on administrative duties. To implement this decision, such
NCOs would be posted in vacancies of foreman of signals or JCOs GD wherever
possible. 16
After
the declaration of the Emergency consequent to the 1962 war, several measures
were taken to deal with the situation. Jemadar (GD) of workshop categories
began to be employed in lieu of JCOs Foreman of Signals. The posting out of
JCOs/OR/NCs(E) on completion of normal tenure in units was suspended until 31
December 1963, except for new raisings, instructional appointments, extreme
compassionate grounds and disciplinary cases. The tenure of service of JCOs was
extended, with subedars and jemadars being permitted to serve up to the ages of
53 (later revised to 50) and 46 years respectively.
After
November 1962, all releases/discharges/transfers to reserve were held in
abeyance. Service limits and basic qualifications for promotion to havildar
except map reading standards were waived. The maximum age limit was fixed as 43
years for promotion of havildars of all categories to the rank of jemadar. A
new rank structure for cipher JCOs was introduced, the proportion of subedar
major, subedar and jemadar being 1:8:19 respectively. There were several
relaxations in the policy for promotion to naiks and havildar and appointment
of lance naiks. The duration of the ‘S’ course was reduced to eight weeks from
sixteen weeks.17
In 1963 Government sanction was received
for the introduction of a rank structure in the Foreman of Signals category,
the proportion of subedar major, subedar and jemadar being 1:7:11. A rank structure was also approved for
combatant clerks and storemen technical in the proportion given below:-
·
JCO - 1 in 12.
·
Havildar - 3 in 12.
·
Naik - 3 in 12.
·
Lance Naik - 1 in 12.
·
Signalman - 4 in 12.
In
1964 a new category of JCO known as Yeoman of Signals was introduced in the
Corps. The new category was to be responsible for the following:-
·
Detailed training and
supervision of all operating tradesmen;
·
Control and supervision
of signal centres including switchboards and telegraph circuits at all levels;
·
Setting up and
operation of radio networks and the operation of line and radio systems;
·
Advice on all operating
techniques and procedures and communication security.18
With the introduction of the new
category, the appointment of Assistant Duty Signal Officer (ADSO), hitherto
being performed by young officers, began to be filled by Yeoman of Signals. Though it relieved officers of a task that
they had been doing in addition to their section and company responsibilities
in units, many veterans felt that it had an adverse effect of the grounding of
young officers in their formative years.
During the initial years after Independence
1950 1955 1960 1965 1972
JCOs 375 543 665 1967 2562
OR 14042 19286 22356 46041 65890
Trade Structure
In
1946, shortly before Independence Independence
A
comprehensive instruction giving the new trade structure of the Indian Signal
Corps was issued vide Army Instruction 39/S/47 which became effective from 1
July 1947. According to this instruction some existing trades were redesignated
while some new trades were introduced.
It also laid down the method of carrying out trade tests and detailed
qualifications for each trade and class. The trade structures approved vide Army
Instruction 39/S/47 were as given below:-
Group New ISC Categories
A Foreman
of Signals (VCO only)
B Clerk
GD
Line Mechanic
Operator Cipher
Radio Mechanic
Storeman Technical
Telegraph
Mechanic
C Draughtsman Signals
Operator Keyboard and Line
Operator Switchboard
Operator Wireless and Keyboard
Operator
Wireless and Line
D Carpenter
and Joiner
Fitter Signals
Lineman Field
Lineman Permanent Line
Lineman
Test
E Despatch
Rider
Driver Special Vehicle
Store
Hand Technical
G Bandsman/Bugler/Piper
etc
Driver MT
Store
Hand GD
H Blacksmith
(Unit)
Cook (Unit)
Equipment and Boot Repairer (Unit)
Tailor
(Unit)
In 1951, based on the Corps of Signals
Categories Revision Committee Report and on subsequent recommendations received
from CSOs Command, it was decided to revise the existing technical standards of
the certain trades in Group B and C. The categories affected were radio
mechanic, line mechanic and telegraph mechanic (Group B); and operator keyboard
and line and operator wireless and line (Group C). The reason for the revision
was that the qualifications laid down for the various categories from the
technical view point did not cater for a progressive advancement in the
technical knowledge and functions of the respective categories. It was also
felt that a more detailed version of the technical standards was needed in
relation to the signal equipment policy of the Corps.
It
was also decided to introduce a new category called ‘operator switchboard and
line’ under Group C. This would be an
additional category and the existing category of operator switchboard would be
allowed to remain in its present form, as it will be required to fulfil the
enhanced requirement of operator switchboard during war. During peace time, however, operator
switchboard category would be held in suspended animation.
Another
change proposed was the upgrading of operator wireless and keyboard (OWK) from
Group C to Group B. The essential difference between an OWK and OWL was that
the former was able receive Morse code on a keyboard typewriter. As the requirement of this category was very
small, the provision of this trade was made in affected signal units by
re-mustering OWL and OWK from the same group under AI 39/S/47. It had been
found from experience that only an OWL/OKL Class 2 is suitable for re-mustering
as OWK Class 3. It was felt that this
category, owing to its requirement of higher standard of technical knowledge
and operating ability, deserved to be placed in a higher group than those from
which this category was re-mustered. An
amendment was suggested to the existing qualifications laid down in AI 39/S/47
under class 2 of operator wireless and keyboard to include the
stipulation:-“must be able to install, test, operate and perform operator’s
maintenance of a 40 line teleprinter switchboard.”19
Army Instruction 171/53 laid down
revised technical standards for operator wireless and keyboard, radio mechanics
high power and low power, operator keyboard and line, operator switchboard and
line, operator wireless and line and lineman permanent line. The operator wireless and keyboard was also
shifted from Group ‘C’ to Group ‘B’ as proposed. Fitter signals was also subsequently
redesignated as electrician fitter signals and shifted from Group ‘D’ to Group
‘C’.
There were some major changes in
the trade structure after the 1962 war. In 1964 a new category of JCO known as
Yeoman of Signals was introduced in the Corps. Selection of JCOs Yeoman of
Signals was to be from NCOs of operator trades who had a minimum of 8 years
service, holding the rank of naik or above and class 1 in their trades. The new
category was to be in Group A.
Another change was the creation of
a new category of ‘operator special’ in Group A, for employment in wireless experimental
units under the Signals Intelligence Directorate. Personnel for the new
category were to be recruited by remustering of volunteers from OWK and OWL,
Class 2.
During
the mid sixties the word wireless appearing in the designation of trades was changed
to radio and accordingly the existing operator wireless and line (OWL) and
operator wireless and keyboard (OWK) trades were redesignated as operator radio
and line (ORL) and operator radio and keyboard (ORK) respectively.
Depot Regiment &
Signals Records
The Indian Signals Depot and
Records had come into being as separate entities in 1927, after being
bifurcated from the Signal Training Battalion of the Signal Training Centre at Jubbulpore . Both establishments were then commanded by
majors. During World War II, the ranks of the officers commanding were upgraded
to lieutenant colonel. At the end of the
war, a demoblisation centre had also been established. Hence, apart from the Signal Training Centre at Jubbulpore ,
there were three establishments – the Indian Signals Depot; the Indian Signals
Demobilisation Centre and the Indian Signals Records, under the overall command
of the Commandant Indian Signal Depot & Records. In 1946, the
Commandant STC was Colonel L.C. Boyd, while Colonel R.T.H. Gelston commanded
the Indian Signal Depot & Records. The officers commanding the Indian
Signals Depot and the Indian Signals Records were Lieutenant Colonel E.W.
Anderson and Lieutenant Colonel C.M. MacDonald respectively. After the mutiny in February 1946, most of the
British officers were replaced by Indian officers.
Shortly before Independence
At the time of partition of the Indian Signal
Corps in 1947, the Signals Records was also divided into Indian and Pakistan
Signals Records. Once the division was completed, Pakistan Signal Records moved
to Pakistan
In July 1960, the Depot and Demob
Wing unit was redesignated as Depot Company. After the raising of Nos. 2 and 3
STCs in 1963, a depot company was authorised to each of them. No. 3 STC was
subsequently disbanded and in 1967, these three companies were re-organised as
Depot Regiment, Corps of Signals, under the command of a lieutenant
colonel. The first commanding officer of
the regiment was Lieutenant Colonel G.D. Bhide.
When
computers were introduced in the Army, one of the first establishments where it
was introduced was Signals Records. In 1967, a pilot punched card machine (PCM)
project was sanctioned by the Government for Signals Records to establish the
viability of mechanized systems in the field of personnel management. The sanction was accorded on an experimental
basis for a period of two years. The
procurement and installation of the equipment was to be completed by September
1968. The project was implemented by IBM World Trade Corporation.20
CONCLUSION
The
Corps of Signals was virtually transformed in the 25 year period between 1947
and 1972. In organisational terms, it grew from a small force of about a dozen
units to almost a hundred. In terms of personnel, the strength increased from
about 10,000 to over 65,000. The growth is dramatic when one considers it in
relation to the total size of the Indian Army. Along with the growth in size,
changes also occurred in the organisational structure. The types of units had
multiplied, in keeping with the variety of roles that the Corps was asked to
perform. The induction of new technology and communication techniques
necessitated changes in the trade structure of the personnel and the level of
their education and training. The Corps was able to fulfil its assigned role in
all major operations undertaken by the Indian Army since Independence
The
growth in organisations and manpower in the Corps from 1947 to 1972 are
graphically shown below:-
ENDNOTES
TO CHAPTER 9
This chapter is based mainly on the
Corps of Signals Planning/Liaison Notes for the period 1948-57 and 1963-72;
Review of Activities of the Corps of Signals, covering the years 1961-65 dated
7 October 1965; and personal inputs from officers. Specific references are
given below:-
1. Review of Activities of the Corps of
Signals, 7 October 1965. (This document was prepared under the directions of
the then BSS, Brigadier I.D Verma, with the two-fold aim of maintaining a
record of the developments and progress made during the four years from
mid-1961 to mid-1965; and to have a comprehensive reference, which will be of
value for future planning).
2. Personal account, Lt. Gen. Prakash
Gokarn.
3. Personal account, Lt. Col. M. Sathesan
4. Personal account, Lt. Gen. M.S. Sodhi.
5. Corps of Signals Liaison Note No 35
(October1955)
6. Corps of Signals Liaison Note No 65
(January 1964)
7. Maj. Gen. V.K. Singh, Leadership in
the Indian Army – Biographies of Twelve Soldiers, New Delhi
8. Personal
account, Col. M.K. Kotwal
9. Personal account, Col. B.V Shirali,
10. Corps
of Signals Liaison Note No 68
(February 1965)
11. Personal account, Col. T.N. Shreevastawa
12. Corps of Signals Liaison Note No 9
(February 1949)
13. Corps of Signals Liaison Note No 5 (June
1948)
14. Corps of Signals Liaison Note No 9
(February 1949)
15 Corps of Signals Liaison Note No 19
(June 1951)
16. Corps of Signals Liaison Note No 26 (July
1953)
17. Corps of Signals Liaison Note No 61
(January 1963)
18. Corps of Signals Liaison Note No 64
(October 1963)
19. Corps of Signals Liaison Note No 19 (June
1951)
20. Corps of Signals Liaison Note No 80 (May
1968)
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