Press Release
- HRH The Princess Royal visited 21 Signal Regiment as they prepared to re-roll as an electronic warfare (EW) regiment.
- She planted a commemorative tree in the Colerne Station Jubilee Orchard in front of local school children.
- HRH also presented a number of medals to troops.
HRH The Princess Royal Visit – Thursday 24 March 2022It is always a special moment for any soldier to meet their Colonel-in Chief and this was definitely the case for all the soldiers at 21 Signal Regiment last week. 21 Signal Regiment will soon be re-rolling into the British Army’s second Electronic Warfare regiment and this provided a great opportunity to brief her on all the exciting changes and challenges that lie ahead.
The Commanding Officer Lt Col Simon Gray said, “I am delighted to host HRH The Princess Royal to 21st Signal Regiment on behalf of the Royal Corps of Signals. Her Royal Highness received updates on the unit’s operational and training commitments and had spoke with soldiers across a broad range of ranks and trades. The families were thrilled that she had the opportunity to engage with them too and after the turbulence of the last two years everyone will remember it for a long time to come”.
With the sun shining, Her Royal Highness also presented a number of Long Service and Good Conduct medals and a Meritorious Service Medal at a parade in front of the recipients’ families. Finally, she planted a Queen Elizabeth Tree in the Colerne Station Jubilee Orchard, in the presence of the local primary school.
The Regimental Sergeant Major, WO1 Andy Heighton said, “It’s fantastic to host The Princess Royal here at Azimghur Barracks, Colerne today. 21 Signal Regiment is absolutely buzzing and it’s great to see the local school kids here too. After a tough few years this has really brought the whole regimental family closer together. It’s great to be getting back to normal and able to host these very special events that will be remembered for a lifetime.”
A royal visit always instills pride across all ranks, as expressed by LCpl Whitticks. He said, “The Princess Royal’s visit was an amazing opportunity to showcase our Regiment and what we have achieved. I was proud to discuss our recent successes and explain my trade to Her Royal Highness. A lot of work went into preparing the day, the stand looked smart and everyone was well presented. The day was a massive success and we all thoroughly enjoyed it.”
