TA centenary march past

A parade through Windsor has been held to mark the Territorial Army’s centenary. Reporter Antony Quarrell was one of the part-time soldiers marching along with fixed bayonets.

This year the Territorial Army (TA) turns 100, and to mark the occasion, members of our local unit marched through the streets of Windsor with fixed bayonets.

Clad in their smart number one dress blue uniforms, the men and women of the 94 (Berkshire Yeomanry) Signal Squadron, who were granted the freedom of the Royal Borough in 1994, were an eye-catching sight at the parade held last month, some wearing their Iraq and Afghanistan service medals.

The parade was over in less than an hour, but months of hard work and planning had gone into making the event an occasion to remember for those who took part and those family, friends and members of the public who came along to watch.

Soldiers would have rehearsed and re-rehearsed their drills many times. And hours would have been spent polishing boots and ensuring uniforms looked smart. However, spit and polish is only one aspect of life in Windsor’s TA unit, which shares the town with world famous regular units The Household Cavalry and The Coldstream Guards.

To understand the role of today’s TA better one must go back to the origins of the Berkshire Yeomanry, which was formed as a force of volunteer mounted cavalry in response to the threat of French invasion in 1794.

Yeomanries were formed across the country around this time with officers drawn from the nobility and many of the men being their tenants.

Members were not obliged to serve overseas unless they wanted to and regiments were used to support the civil power and quell disturbances.

Later on, volunteers from the Berkshire Yeomanry saw service in the Boer War and the unit became part of the TA when it was formed in 1908.

Since then, members have fought in both world wars – with Private Fred Potts earning the unit’s first Victoria Cross in 1915. More recently, members have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The squadron has served as machine gunners, artillery, armour, infantry and since 1969 signallers, with the unit now forming part of the Royal Corps of Signals.

Today, people can still follow in the footsteps of previous generations and volunteer to be a part of the historic unit. Potential recruits must be between the ages of 17 and 43 and willing to go through a selection and interview process, plus a medical.

Once accepted into the service, recruits are issued with a uniform and kit and commence their basic training, which involves attending drill nights, weekends and a twoweek camp.

During this period, the raw recruits learn basic soldiering skills such as drill, weapon handling, map reading, fieldcraft and how to protect themselves from nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. Once this phase is complete, the now-trained soldier will move on to learning a trade – there are opportunities to train for roles including medics, radio operators, drivers, mechanical engineers and clerks.

Fitness is important and soldiers are expected to pass a number of annual tests assessing this. Skills are tested and refreshed at weekends – held at a variety of locations – and at the two-week camp which takes place every year.

Recruits are expected to complete a set number of training days each year and they are paid equivalent rates to their regular colleagues. There’s also a fun side to life in the squadron – which is based in Bolton Road and also has troops in Reading and Chertsey – with regular socials and chances to take part in adventurous training activities.

However, a TA soldier must juggle army life with civilian work and family commitments – no easy task in today’s fast-paced world. So what motivates somebody to give up their free time to serve as a part time soldier who could one day be mobilised and sent to a war zone?

One man with some idea is Major Vince Connelly, who has commanded 94 since 2006, and has served in the TA for more than 20 years.

A university lecturer in civilian life, Major Connelly told the Express: “It’s as fun and interesting a part time job as ever you’ll come across in terms of the training and excitement we offer and the camaraderie and team work which we develop in people.”

He added that the TA can also provide a sense of belonging and family, which can be lacking in other areas of life. The squadron provides Combat Net Radio in support of UK operations and elsewhere, ensuring that vital orders are passed on.

However, in recent years, many members of the unit have seen active service and, since 2003, more than 62 operational tours have been completed by squadron personnel who have served in the former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Currently, the squadron has two members serving in Afghanistan and Major Connelly commented: “We are proud of that fact. “It makes the centenary all the more worthwhile to see that we have members deployed on operations with the regular army.”

He added that, 100 years on, the TA is still as relevant as ever. To find out more about the TA, go to www2.army.mod.uk/royal signals/94signsqn.htm or call 01753 860600.