By WO1 Benn Goulter – RSM RA Sigs
Head of Corps, Royal Australian Corps of Signals, Brigadier Deane Limmer, CSM was flanked by some of the Corps youngest officers currently attending the Regimental Officers Basic Course at DFSS as he acknowledged Mr Reg Elder’s two decades of service to the Royal Australian Corps of Signals Museum at a special morning tea on Friday, 22 March 2024.
Brigadier Limmer spoke of Mr Elder’s impact on his own career, through his mentorship over the years, notably the Corps Officers’ Mess that Mr Elder was being farewelled from. Mr Elder, who wore a RA Sigs 75th Anniversary tie from 2000, touched on the importance of culture in our Corps, “Technology and equipment are very organic to the Corps but people and units are also very important and I refer to this history as the social history of the Corps.”
The occasion, Mr Elder’s attire and his comments were especially fitting as RA Sigs plans for the 100th Anniversary celebrations continue to develop; noted Colonel Chris Robinson, with submissions of photographs, memorabilia and stories still open.
“Last Tuesday I was looking at a photo of Signal Corps diggers relaxing on a beach in Gaza during WW2. The previous week I was reading a postcard sent by a young signalman to his mother in 1915 from Gallipoli. Corps History is not just about equipment, it is also about the people and the units who use that equipment, to fulfil the role of the Corps.” said Mr Elder.
Mr Elder joined the Army as an Apprentice Radio Mechanic in January 1952s, seeing service in Korea and Malaya and South Vietnam before leaving full time service in 1982, having commissioned, promoted to LTCOL and being selected as the Commanding Officer of 6th Signal Regiment. For the last 18 years he has been a dedicated volunteer at the Corps Museum at Simpson Barracks. During the recognition of a literal lifetime of service, Mr Elder quipped “I must say though, I thankfully avoided a staff posting to Canberra”.
