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ROYAL SIGNALS MUSEUM
JUNIOR LEADERS REGIMENT, ROYAL SIGNALS

By Colonel (Retd) CJ WALTERS

The Museum aims to change its displays from time to time in order to retain public interest in what we are portraying. In the last year one of our additions is a display about the Corps' Training Organisation. This important aspect of Corps life, including the training of juniors, is often neglected and, for instance, hardly gets a mention in the Vital Link. 6 (Boys) Training Regiment was one part of the organisation which moved from Beverley, Near Hull, to Denbury, Near Newton Abbott in September 1955. It was renamed The Junior Leaders Regiment, Royal Signals in 1957 and continued in Rawlinson Barracks until the final parade was held with 246 Junior Leaders on parade on 10^th August 1967.

The Museum display has recently been enhanced by the addition of the Junior Leaders Regiment Princess Mary Pipe Banner. This Banner was embroidered in gold and coloured threads by Hobsons of London. It depicts the Heraldic Arms of Princess Mary on one side and 'Jimmy' supported by a scroll bearing the appropriate words "Leadership in the Cause of Peace" on the reverse. The Banner was presented to the Junior Leaders Regiment by the Princess Royal, as Colonel in Chief of the Corps, on 19^th July 1961. It was received by Pipe Major Junior Corporal Etherton at St James's Palace in the presence of the Representative Colonel Commandant, Major General L de M Thullier CB OBE and the Commanding Officer of the Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel LHM Gregory MBE. There were also twelve Junior Leaders at the ceremony.

The display of this Banner, in the Museum's Training Organisation exhibition, puts the Junior Leaders Regiment firmly in the public eye. If anyone has any interesting, informative or amusing anecdotes about their time in training, and specifically at Denbury, they would be gratefully received by the Museum Director for future reference by the Museum.

HOW PIGEON WILLIAM OF ORANGE WON THE ANIMAL VC 

Homing pigeons have been used as message carriers since the time Caesar. In the Second World War the Army's Pigeon Service was run by Loftsmen of the Royal Signals (a trade that continued until 1946). The birds were used for many reasons but usually in an emergency such as by agents behind enemy lines or by ditched RAF aircrew. The birds were often able to avoid enemy fire and fly through the fog of war at great speed. They were specially trained for this task.

The Battle of Arnhem is renowned for its communications failures. But this was in no way due to Pigeon NS 15125 William of Orange whose loyalty and endeavour under extreme conditions cannot be faulted. He was released from Arnhem, with a message fixed to his leg, at 1030 hours on 19^th September 1944 and arrived at his loft in England at 1455 hours having flown over 250 miles. It was one of few messages to make its way back to the UK. For his efforts he was awarded the Dicken Medal; the animals' Victoria Cross.

The medal was instituted in 1943 as the highest award of the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals and named after its founder Mrs ME Dicken MBE. It was only awarded under conditions of conflict and William was the 21^st recipient. The medal is inscribed PDSA, For Gallantry, We also serve and engraved on the reverse with the details of the event.

William was bred by Sir William Proctor Smith of Cheshire and trained by the Army Pigeon Service of the Royal Signals. After the war he bought him out of service for £185 and ten years later reported that, 'Although now retired, he is the grandfather of many outstanding racing pigeons'. The medal was presented to the Royal Signals Museum in 1965 by Lady Smith.