Overview

By Lt Chris Keogh, 104 Sig Sqn, 1CSR
(August 2002)

Role

The role of the 1^st Command Support Regiment is to provide electronic and physical support to the Headquarters 1^st Brigade.

Heritage

The 1^st Command Support Regiment's heritage is a combination of the 104^th Signal Squadron and the Headquarter Company 1^st Australian Task Force from the Vietnam War.

On the 1st April 1997 as part of the Restructuring the Army trials, the 1^st Command Support Unit was raised.  In addition to the 104^th Signals Squadron, the 1^st Command Support Unit included the 7^th Intelligence Company; 11^th Military Police Platoon; a Support Squadron; and an Electronic Warfare Squadron.

In 2001 the 1^st Command Support Unit was restructured to form the 1^st Command Support Regiment.  The 1^st Command Support Regiment consists of the 104^th Signals Squadron and Support Squadron.

1^st Command Support Regiment (1CSR)

1^st Command Support Regiment is located at Robertson Barracks,  Palmerston near Darwin, NT. 

The 1^st Command Support Regiment is an extremely busy unit supporting operational and exercise commitments.  Members from the 1^st Command Support Regiment are currently deployed in East Timor and Bougainville.

The 1^st Command Support Regiment is continually deploying on exercise to support the units in the 1^st Brigade.  For example, in June 2002, the majority of the 104^th Signal Squadron deployed to Canada in order to conduct inter-operability training (CID Borealis) with the USA, Canada, UK and NZ. The 1^st Command Support Regiment deployed on the major brigade exercise for 1^st Brigade.

History

By Maj Susan Turner, OC, 104 Sig Sqn, 1CSR
(May 2004)

104^th Signals Squadron (104 Sig Sqn)

104 Sig Sqn was raised in Nov 1965. In 1967 104 Sig Sqn assumed control of Task Force (Brigade) Communications in South Vietnam, completing its tour in late 1971. The unit has been based at Wacol, Holsworthy and Darwin.

104 Sig Sqn held their last parade in Holsworthy on 22^nd October 1996 before moving to Darwin and became fully operational in Darwin in early 1997. 104 Sig Sqn was absorbed into 1CSU as 'A Sqn' on 1^st Jan 1998 and re-born as 104^th Signals Squadron on 18^th May 2001 as part of 1CSR.

Support Squadron (Spt Sqn)

In 1993 1 Bde HQ Spt Coy was disbanded, and Technical Support Troop became embedded into 104 Sig Sqn and Admin Troop. 104 Sig Sqn took over the administration role for HQ 1 Bde.

In Jan 1998 Support or 'D' Squadron, 1CSU was formed to provide CSS and protected mobility for HQ 1 Bde and 1CSR elements. Support Squadron today comprises three main elements:

1^st Command Support Unit (1CSU)

The 1st Command Support Unit (1CSU) was raised on 1st April 1997 and formed on 1^st Jan 1998. 1CSU was a combination of 104 Sig Sqn, HQ Coy 1 Bde, 7th Intelligence Company, 72 EW Sqn and 11 MP Pl. The unit was formed as a part the Restructuring of the Army trials of the Australian Army.

1^st Command Support Regiment (1CSR)

1CSR was raised on 18^th May 2001 and is still based on the CSU concept however the Intelligence and Military Police capabilities were no longer part of the unit structure. The Regiment consists of Regimental Headquarters, 104 Sig Sqn and Support Sqn.

The 1CSR motto is "Scire Est Postestatem Habere", which means ‘Information is Power’.

Update

From Webmaster
(Dec 2008)

1^st Combat Signal Regiment (1CSR)

1CSR has been renamed 1^st Combat Signal Regiment - details coming..