7th Signal Regiment (Australia)

History

World War II

The regiment traces its lineage back to a unit that was raised as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) during World War II. The Australian Special Wireless Group (ASWG) was formed as signals intelligence group on 18 May 1942 at Bonegilla, Victoria. With a war establishment of 1,000 personnel, the ASWG was raised out of a smaller unit, No. 4 Australian Special Wireless Section, which had been raised at Seymour, Victoria, in 1940 and had served in Egypt, Greece, Crete, and Syria, before being withdrawn back to Australia after Japan's entry into the war.

From August 1942, females were also recruited into the ASWG. Personnel undertook four months of training, before being formed into sections and deployed to various locations in remote parts of Australia or in New Guinea. The ASWG was headquartered at Kalinga, in Brisbane during the war and eventually 11 field sections were raised in total. By the end of the war, the ASWG had around 4,300 personnel.

Post 1945

After the conclusion of hostilities, the ASWG was relocated to Cabarlah, Queensland, 12 mi north of Toowoomba. In February 1947, it was redesignated the "101 Wireless Regiment", with an authorised strength of two officers and 22 other ranks. Over the next two years, the regiment was expanded and between 1951 and 1959, the regiment deployed a detachment to Malaya in support of Commonwealth forces deployed during the Malayan Emergency. During the early 1960s, the regiment deployed to Borneo during Confrontation, intercepting and decoding Indonesian communications.

A further name change came in December 1964, when it became the 7th Signal Regiment, In June 1995, then Governor-General Bill Hayden was the Reviewing Officer for the regiment's 48th birthday parade held at Borneo Barracks, Cabarlah.

In mid-2024 the 7th Signal Regiment's 138th Signal Squadron was transferred to the newly-established Cyber Command, where it forms part of the Cyber Forces Group alongside units that were previously part of the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force. When the 6th Brigade was disbanded in December 2024 the 7th Signal Regiment was temporarily assigned to the direct command of the 1st Division. It will transfer to the 10th Brigade in late 2025.

Structure

As of 2016, the 7th Signal Regiment comprised the following sub-units:

• 71st Squadron
• 72nd Squadron
• 73rd Squadron
• 138th Squadron
• Operations Support Squadron

References

References

1. Dewar, A.. (2002). "The History of the Australian Special Wireless Group". Signalman.
2. "Australian SpecialWireless Group, AIF, in Australia During World War 2". Oz at War.
3. (1996). "No Medals in this Unit". J. Hillier.
4. (1996). "Spook Stuff". J. McCue.
5. Lucas, Sarah. (25 April 2012). "Spy twins' top-secret war". The Australian.
6. "7th Signal Regiment". Australian Army.
7. "Image: Governor General Bill Hayden presenting an award during the 7th Signal Regiment 48th birthday parade – June 1995". Australian War Memorial.
8. "Image: Governor General Bill Hayden walking with Rwanda and Sinai award recipients after the 7 Sig 48th Birthday parade". Australian War Memorial.
9. (9 August 2024). "A new era for the cyber domain". Department of Defence.
10. (9 December 2024). "Hundreds mark end of brigade". Department of Defence.
11. (11 August 2016). "Signals intelligence at the cutting edge". Army.