Air Formation Signals list of units

Units listed from past and recent research to satisfy enquiries regarding Air Formation Signals
Currently work in progress please add comments to the list of all Air Formation Service units.

A bit of our history
A bit of our history
Royal Signals Museum
Royal Signals Museum
Air Formation Signals (Red Plane On Sky/Blue/Red) Military Formation a
Air Formation Signals (Red Plane On Sky/Blue/Red) Military Formation a
19 Air Formation Signals | Royal Air Force Changi Association
19 Air Formation Signals | Royal Air Force Changi Association
Royal Signals: 3 Air Formation Signals (Air Fmn Sigs) | The National Archives
Royal Signals: 3 Air Formation Signals (Air Fmn Sigs) | The National Archives
City of London Signals - Wikipedia 3rd Air Formation Signals (3 Air Formation Signals)
City of London Signals - Wikipedia
THE CANAL ZONERS - Royal Signals 18 AFS Regiment
THE CANAL ZONERS - Royal Signals
Army - Royal Signals (Canal Zoners list of all involved)
Army - Royal Signals
North Somerset Yeomanry - Wikipedia (4AFS) in August 1944 the unit was relieved by 8th AFS and the Yeomanry were sent home under the 'Python' scheme having served overseas for four and a half years. After home leave, the majority were then drafted to 14th AFS Regiment serving in North West Europe until the end of the war
North Somerset Yeomanry - Wikipedia
Royal Signals: 8 Air Formation Signals 1 Company (Sigs) | The National Archives
Royal Signals: 8 Air Formation Signals 1 Company (Sigs) | The National Archives
Royal Signals in the Second World War 1939-1945 - The Wartime Memories Project -
Royal Signals in the Second World War 1939-1945 - The Wartime Memories Project -
badge, unit, 12th Air Formation Signals
badge, unit, 12th Air Formation Signals

air formation signals | WW2Talk

 

Have put the following together for post VE Day using higher command WDs from Kew:

Air Formation units

21st Army Group later British Army of the Rhine (under construction)

 

Two sheets from my uncles B103 Service and Casualty Record

3 Air Formation Signals
4 Air Formation Signals

 

B 103 from Rob Shepherd, confirms that 8 AFS and 6 AFS were in the Middle East

 

Browse records of other archives | The National Archives

Browse records of other archives | The National Archives

Subsubseries within WO 169Line Sections


WO 169/19561941 Feb.- Dec.
Royal Signals: 3 Air Formation Signals (Air Fmn Sigs)
Details
WO 169/19571941 Dec.
Royal Signals: 3 Air Formation Signals, 1 Company (Air Fmn Sigs)
Details
WO 169/19581941 Mar.- June, Sept., Dec.
Royal Signals: 3 Air Formation Signals, 2 Company (Air Fmn Sigs)
Details
WO 169/19591941 Apr.- June, Aug.-Dec.
Royal Signals: 3 Air Formation Signals, 3 Company (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/19601941 May- July, Oct.- Dec.
Royal Signals: 3 Air Formation Signals, 4 Company (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/19611941 July- Dec.
Royal Signals: 4 Air Formation Signals (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/19621941 June- Dec.
Royal Signals: 5 Air Formation Signals (Air Fmn Sigs)
Details
WO 169/19631941 Sept.- Dec.
Royal Signals: 5 Air Formation Signals, 2 Company (Air Fmn Sigs)
Details
WO 169/19641941 Jan.- Apr.
Royal Signals: 3 HQ Signals (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/19651941 May- July
Royal Signals: 3 HQ Signals (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/19661941 Aug.- Dec.
Royal Signals: 3 HQ Signals (Sigs)

Air Formation Signals, North African Tactical Air Force (CSO NATAF)
Details
WO 169/111251943 Dec.
Royal Signals: Chief Air Formation Signals Officer, Mediterranean Allied Air Forces (CAFSO MAAF)
Details
WO 169/111261943 Mar.- Dec.
Royal Signals: Chief Signal Officer, 'A' HQ Eastern Mediterranean (CSO)
Details
WO 169/111271943 July
Royal Signals: Chief Signals Officer North-West African Air Force (Coastal) (CSO NWAAF)
Details
WO 169/111281943 July- Dec.
Royal Signals: Chief Signal Officer, Air Formation Signals, North-West African Air Force (CSO NWAAF)
Details
WO 169/111291943 July- Dec.
Royal Signals: 'A' Air Formation Signals (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/111301943 July- Dec.
Royal Signals: 1 Air Formation Signals HQ (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/111311943 Aug.
Royal Signals: 1 Air Formation Signals, 4 Company (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/111321943 July- Dec.
Royal Signals: 2 Air Formation Signals HQ (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/111331943 July, Sept.- Nov.
Royal Signals: 2 Air Formation Signals, 1 Company (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/111341943 Oct.- Dec.
Royal Signals: 2 Air Formation Signals, 2 Company (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/111351943 Aug.
Royal Signals: 2 Air Formation Signals, 3 Company (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/111361943 July- Dec.
Royal Signals: 2 Air Formation Signals, 4 Company (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/111371943 Jan.- Dec.
Royal Signals: 3 Air Formation Signals (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/111381943 Jan.- Dec.
Royal Signals: 4 Air Formation Signals (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/111391943 Jan.- Dec.
Royal Signals: 5 Air Formation Signals HQ (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/111401943 Jan.- July
Royal Signals: 5 Air Formation Signals, 1 Company (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/111411943 Jan.- May, Sept.- Dec.
Royal Signals: 5 Air Formation Signals, 2 Company (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/111421943 Jan.- Aug.
Royal Signals: 5 Air Formation Signals (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/111431943 Jan.- Dec.
Royal Signals: 6 Air Formation Signals (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/111441943 July- Dec.
Royal Signals: 7 Air Formation Signals (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/111451943 Jan.- June
Royal Signals: 8 Air Formation Signals HQ (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/111461943 July- Dec.
Royal Signals: 8 Air Formation Signals (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/111471943 July- Dec.
Royal Signals: 8 Air Formation Signals, 1 Company (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/111481943 July- Dec.
Royal Signals: 8 Air Formation Signals, 2 Company (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/111491943 July- Dec.
Royal Signals: 8 Air Formation Signals, 3 Company (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/111501943 Jan.- Dec.
Royal Signals: 9 Air Formation Signals HQ (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/111511943 Feb., Mar., Sept.- Dec.
Royal Signals: 9 Air Formation Signals, 1 Company (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/111521943 Sept.- Dec.
Royal Signals: 9 Air Formation Signals, 2 Company (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/111531943 Feb.- Mar., Sept.- Nov.
Royal Signals: 9 Air Formation Signals, 3 Company (Sigs)
Details

WO 169/111541943 July- Dec.
Royal Signals: 10 Air Formation Signals HQ (Sigs)
Details
WO 169/111551943 Nov., Dec.
Royal Signals: 10 Air Formation Signals, 1 Company (Sigs)

 

1,2,10,15,19 Air Formation Signals listed.

Royal Signals in the Second World War 1939-1945 - The Wartime Memories Project -

RSA - 19 Signal Regiment (19 AFS)

 

I will now begin to research units and begin posting here.
Anyone interested please post comments.

 

#3
B103 shows 4 AFS 10 line section



WW1 & WW2 communications | Royal Signals Museum.

 

Excerpts from stories from previous research:
Line Cable = (telephone) line cable

Multi Air Line Cable
Air Formation Signals June 1942 withdrawal to El Alamein
21 Construction, true to fashion, stuck to its eight wire Over Head route perched up their poles, thinking that they must be up the pole making the route ready for the Afrika Corps. “Geben mir Brot und Wasser, bitte, ich bin freundlich!” became the phrase of the day.
Until it eventually dawned on someone back at Maadi and we packed up, falling back towards Alex,
noting the concrete fortifications on the way manned by Aussies.

Stopping well short of Alex we loaded up with miles of Multi Airline material and
plunged south west into the desert. We went south after some miles, past petrified
tree trunks and looked down a steep escarpment to the Quatara Depression, finding
a short way down to a decades old Permanent Line Route.
This was the WW1 Route from Wadi Natrun to Mersa Matruh.



3 GHQ Sigs (Maadi) was the centre for Signals operations

 

Air Formation Signals
Organisation

Royal Signals units were organised on infantry lines - Battalion strength units, commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel, were divided into Companies commanded by Majors and further divided into Sections of various strengths commanded by any rank from Sergeant to Captain as appropriate.
In 1946 all Royal Signals units adopted cavalry nomenclature, Battalions became Regiments, Companies became Squadrons and Sections became Troops.

Types of Sections
Dispatch Rider Sections
carried messages and small packages by motorcycle or small vehicles (notably Jeeps)
Line Sections
laid short distance, lightweight, field cables to connect, telephone instruments to switchboards within an airfield or other establishment.
Construction Sections were equipped to lay cable routes between airfields and other establishments.
UG Cable Sections specialised in laying underground, multi-core cables, usually lead covered, within and between establishments.
Line Maintenance Sections maintained, tested and repaired the lines laid by the Construction Sections.
Terminal Equipment Sections installed and maintained telephones, telephone switchboards and exchanges, teleprinter and other telegraph terminal equipment.
Telegraph Operating Sections operated telegraph terminal equipment, sent and received telegraph messages.
Technical Maintenance Sections
maintained all technical equipment used in the unit except vehicles.
Wing Signal Sections.
Completely self sufficient unit with a mix of tradesmen in small numbers capable of carrying out all of the tasks required.

The RAF provided switchboard operators, all radio equipment being installed and operated by RAF tradesmen.

 

Duplicated in error

 

Hi, A long time since Iv'e been on this web site, when I did I was trying to get information on my Grandad's unit (16 Air Formation Signals). I have been in touch with the Royal Signals Museum to no avail.
Spending some time tonight looking back at what I had previously found out, I came across this (what looks like a new) thread.
Whenever I do find anything there is always very little about 16 Air Formation Signals.
Although in this post on this thread:

I found a couple of entries. The document is not easy to read, but under the 15 Air Formation Signals section, in the 1 Company section, if I read it correctly, it would appear that on the 27th Feb 1946, 1 Company of 15 AFS were disbanded and replaced by 1 Company 16 AFS?
This would have been my Grandad's unit (he was in 56 Construction Section, 1 Company), if he was still with them and I know he served in France, Belgium and Germany. But I have nothing pin down exactly where. In the extract on 15 AFS I can't work out whether they were still in Belgium or in Germany. It mentions "14 Sep 45 – Royal Air Force Sundern formerly Damaligen Kaserne later Mansergh Barracks Gütersloh, Landkreis Gütersloh" as the last location. This would be uncanny as I lived next to Mansergh Barracks in Gutersloh in 2002

I am still looking for any more info on 16 AFS and where they landed in Normandy, the route they took dates and locations.

Thanks

 

Royal Signals units are very complex and difficult to record here goes from May 45:

56 Construction Section – Troop from 15 Jul 46 – 16 Air Formation Signals/1 Coy – 30 Corps District Signals 25 Mar 46 – GHQ Troops/11 Air Formation Sig Regt/3 Sqn 22 Aug 46
Best of luck with your research
21st Army Group later British Army of the Rhine (under construction)