214 Signal Squadron receive Afghanistan medals
Sixty officers and soldiers from 214 Signal Squadron, part of 21st Signal Regiment (Air Support), have received Afghanistan operational service medals in York Minster.
Members of 214 Signal Squadron were presented with their medals by the Right Honourable Lord Mayor of York, Councillor David Horton, on 25 November 2011.
21st Signal Regiment (Air Support) undertook a six-month operational tour of duty in Afghanistan supporting 3 Commando Brigade, and subsequently 20 Armoured Brigade, by delivering mission critical communications to the front line.
They installed equipment that allowed tactical commanders to not only direct their troops, but also target insurgents and support helicopter operations including casualty evacuation.
Lieutenant Colonel Graham Addley, Commanding Officer 21st Signal Regiment (Air Support), said he was extremely impressed with the expertise and enthusiasm shown by all his soldiers throughout the tour:
After a very busy year of preparation and training, the officers and soldiers of the Regiment have excelled in Afghanistan and I am extremely proud of them.
Our key role was to manage and continuously improve communications and computer networks that we provided to the Brigade, and across Helmand and Kabul.
This required soldiers to move around in very austere conditions, and in extreme temperatures for most of the tour.
They conducted themselves with the utmost professionalism and deserve the hard-earned praise they received from the senior commanders they supported. It is clear they made a real difference.
Brigadier Jonathan Cole OBE, Commander of 11 Signal Brigade, said:
Every army needs support of the community where it’s based, and I’m aware 214 Signal Squadron receive great hospitality from the people of York, and long may it continue.
I’d like to congratulate each soldier that attended the Minster today for completing a very successful tour, they supplied the nerve system to commanders around Afghanistan. We owe a lot to them.
I’d also like to thank the soldiers’ friends and families because without their support they wouldn’t have been able to do what they did out there.