Royal Canadian Corps of Signals in the First Battle of the Next War
In January 2021, Royal Canadian Corps of Signals (RCCS) members from across Canada coming from 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, 4 Canadian Division Support Group, Canadian Forces Joint Signal Regiment, and 77 Line Regiment will deploy on Operation REASSURANCE as part of the re-named enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) Signal Squadron on ROTO 15. This Signal Squadron, reporting to Task Force Latvia, will have many projects and challenges over the 6 month deployment, including support to The Royal Canadian Dragoons (RCD) Battle Group (BG) augmenting Captain Hogg’s Signal Platoon, and improving interoperability. There are nine nations within the eFP BG in Latvia: a UK led BG in Estonia to the North, a German led BG in Lithuania to the immediate South, and a US led BG in Poland to the far South. All of this to deter Russia through our commitment, capabilities, cohesion, and, if necessary – under a NATO Article 5 – to defend Latvia. That first battle of the next war would see a near-peer adversary with capabilities in Space, Cyber, Electronic Warfare (EW), and the use of Unmanned Aerial Surveillance (UAS).
This mission of deterrence can be seen in many examples throughout history, and as this year we mark the 75th Anniversary of Victory in Japan, I would like to highlight RCCS members in ‘C Force’, which was force generated from across Canada and deployed to Hong Kong to support multinational forces deterring Japan. C Force had the first Canadian casualties of WWII on 8 December 1941 as well as one of the first battles of the Pacific War in WWII.
I have been reading “Beyond the Call” by Mr. Penny that covers the Battle of Hong Kong, and the three and a half years spent in Japanese Prisoner of War (POW) camps. I would highly encourage all RCCS members read this book. Printed works – specifically on RCCS – are few, so it should be cherished for the clarity they bring on “what we are about, the why for our service”.
Written by:
Major J.L.M. Boudreau
Commanding Officer 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group Headquarters and Signal Squadron
Commanding Officer enhanced Forward Presence Signal Squadron, Rotation 15
From Library and Archives Canada of Canadian and British POWs in August 1945