33 Signals Regiment
Encyclopedia
33 Signals Regiment, formerly known as 763 Communication Regiment, is a primary reserve unit of the Communications and Electronics Branch
in Ottawa
, Ontario
.
.
VC armoury at 2100 Walkley Road, Ottawa
, Ontario
.
Armoury in Ottawa and its support services were provided by CFB Ottawa
. In the summer of 2010 it was renamed 33 Signals Regiment following its entrance into 33 Canadian Brigade Group (CBG).
33 (Ottawa) Signals Regiment specializes in tactical and strategic communication, employing voice, electronic and telecommunication systems. Their mandate is to provide individual and collective support to Canadian Forces operations, both domestic and international. Many of their members have served in various UN and NATO peacekeeping missions around the world. This unit also provides communication support to the Army Reserve. Some units in the Communication Reserve also provide manning support to the Navy Transportable Tactical Command Centres.
The regimental unit has served in most places the Canadian Forces are stationed across the nation and on deployed operations including Bosnia, East-Timor, the Middle East and Afghanistan.
The regiment has a strong history of supporting domestic operations ranging from Operation Recuperation in 1998 (North American ice storm of 1998
), to Operation Abacus in 1999 (Y2K), Operation Nanook (annual northern sovereignty operations), and Operation Cadence in 2010 (support to the G8/G20 Leader's Summit).
The regiment has also shown continued support to local community and charity events such as the Scott Tokessy Baseball Tournament, the Canadian Blood Services Blood Bank and, most notably for the past 25 years providing communications links and a safety presence for the Canadian Ski Marathon
.
Shortly following his appointment, HLCol Fogarty formed the Regimental Council of the Regiment, made up of 33 distinguished members from the business community to advise the Command Team at 33 Signals Regiment, promote the relationship between the business community and the Army, provide assistance on different initiatives important for the regiment and to assist in fund-raising initiatives for soldiers and their families.
Communications and Electronics Branch
The Communications and Electronics Branch is a personnel branch of the Canadian Forces .-History:Major Wallace Bruce Matthews Carruthers was the founder of the Canadian Signalling Corps, forerunner of the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals and the Communications and Electronics Branch of the...
in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
Location
The unit is currently located at Major Edward James Gibson HollandEdward James Gibson Holland
Major Edward James Gibson Holland VC was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.- Early life :Holland was born in Ottawa, Ontario, and attended Lisgar...
VC armoury at 2100 Walkley Road, Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
History
33 Signals Regiment began on 12 October 1922 as the 3rd Battalion, Canadian Corps of Signals. It was redesignated as the 3rd Divisional Signals Regiment in 1926 and was divided into signal companies for the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions in the Second World War. Following the war it became the 3rd Signal Regiment until 1970 when it was allocated to Canadian Forces Communication Command (authorized on 1 April 1965) and redesignated as 703 Communication Regiment. Its mandate was to provide operationally trained communications personnel and to support the Regular Force in ongoing peacetime tasks and activities. On 1 June 1976 the unit was renamed 763 (Ottawa) Communication Regiment. The newly formed 76 Communication Group took command of 763 Communication Regiment from 70 Communication Group on 1 April 1977. The Regiment was housed at Wallis HouseWallis House
Wallis House is a prominent Ottawa, Canada landmark located at the corner of Rideau Street and Charlotte Street. It was built to house the Carleton County Protestant General Hospital. This was the second hospital in the city, after the Catholic hospital run by the Grey Nuns...
Armoury in Ottawa and its support services were provided by CFB Ottawa
CFB Ottawa
Canadian Forces Base Ottawa was a Canadian Forces Base located in Ottawa, Ontario.CFB Ottawa was formed in 1972 to consolidate several Department of National Defence properties in the national capital region for administrative purposes.The two largest components of CFB Ottawa were the former CFB...
. In the summer of 2010 it was renamed 33 Signals Regiment following its entrance into 33 Canadian Brigade Group (CBG).
33 (Ottawa) Signals Regiment specializes in tactical and strategic communication, employing voice, electronic and telecommunication systems. Their mandate is to provide individual and collective support to Canadian Forces operations, both domestic and international. Many of their members have served in various UN and NATO peacekeeping missions around the world. This unit also provides communication support to the Army Reserve. Some units in the Communication Reserve also provide manning support to the Navy Transportable Tactical Command Centres.
Regimental badge
In July 1982, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth approved a regimental badge having a right arm rising from a tree-lined river, to reflect the traditional source of unit members as the Ottawa Valley. The arm holds a bow to show the operational environment. A double curve motif formed from a two-string wampum completes the design. In Algonquin legend, such a motif exuded power that could be oriented to protect the bearer or as a way to transmit the bearer's power not as electromagnetic energy (as we do today) but as intangible information, providing the recipient with the power of knowledge. The motto, tigoapi, tigamoa, is Algonquin for "anyplace, anytime". The wording and the general theme of the design's components reflect the first known local inhabitants.Training
Training is a year-round activity and soldiers are expected to attend up to two weekend training activities per month. Training is conducted at E.J.G. Holland VC Armoury and other locations. Once fully trained, soldiers can apply for various full-time and part-time employment opportunities available throughout the year.Peacetime activity
The regiment is not without distinction, having won the Malloch Trophy, symbolic of the best signals unit in Canada, both pre and post-war more than any other unit in the history of the competition.The regimental unit has served in most places the Canadian Forces are stationed across the nation and on deployed operations including Bosnia, East-Timor, the Middle East and Afghanistan.
The regiment has a strong history of supporting domestic operations ranging from Operation Recuperation in 1998 (North American ice storm of 1998
North American ice storm of 1998
The North American ice storm of 1998 was a massive combination of five smaller successive ice storms which combined to strike a relatively narrow swath of land from eastern Ontario to southern Quebec to Nova Scotia in Canada, and bordering areas from northern New York to central Maine in the...
), to Operation Abacus in 1999 (Y2K), Operation Nanook (annual northern sovereignty operations), and Operation Cadence in 2010 (support to the G8/G20 Leader's Summit).
The regiment has also shown continued support to local community and charity events such as the Scott Tokessy Baseball Tournament, the Canadian Blood Services Blood Bank and, most notably for the past 25 years providing communications links and a safety presence for the Canadian Ski Marathon
Canadian Ski Marathon
The Canadian Ski Marathon is the world's longest ski tour. It is held annually just north of the Ottawa River between the regions of Montreal and Ottawa, capital of Canada, in February and usually covers a distance of...
.
Honorary lieutenant-colonel
On March 24, 2010, Justin Fogarty was formally appointed honorary lieutenant-colonel of the 33 Signals Regiment. HLCol Fogarty is a partner with Davis LLP, and co-chair of their Business Solutions and Restructuring Group.Shortly following his appointment, HLCol Fogarty formed the Regimental Council of the Regiment, made up of 33 distinguished members from the business community to advise the Command Team at 33 Signals Regiment, promote the relationship between the business community and the Army, provide assistance on different initiatives important for the regiment and to assist in fund-raising initiatives for soldiers and their families.