CORPS MEMORANDUM NO 2
THE COLONEL-IN-CHIEF
Index
201. The Colonel-in-Chief is a traditional appointment that stems from the days of old when a Lord of the land would raise and maintain a force of troops in the service of the sovereign.
202. In June 1937, Her Royal Highness the Princess Mary, The Princess Royal, Cl, GCVO, GBE, TD, DCL, LLD, became the first Colonel-In-Chief of the Australian Signal Corps when, with the of His Majesty King George V, she accepted the appointment of Colonel-in-Chief. In 1965 Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal passed away.
203. To commemorate the memory of our Colonel-in-Chief a special slow march was composed by Royal Signals Director of Music. The slow march is called 'Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal'.
204. Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne, The Princess Royal, GCVO, was appointed the second Colonel-Len-Chief, Royal Australian Corps of Signals on 11th June 1977, after the position had been vacant for some twelve years. On the 13th June 1987, Princess Anne was granted the title of The Princess Royal. She is the current Colonel-in-Chief
Today
205 The Commanding Officer, School of Signals, is responsible for the safekeeping of the following mementos:
a. Princess Royal Salver. RA Sigs is affiliated with the British Army Royal Corps of Signals or the under Royal Warrant of 5th August 1920. At the conclusion of the Second World War, 1939-45, Her Royal Highness, The Princess Mary, The Princess Royal, on behalf of the Royal Corps of Signals presented to a representative of the Australian Corps of Signals (then Major K.R. Colwill), a silver salver, as a memento of the splendid co-operation that has existed between the Royal Corps of Signals and the Australian Corps of Signals throughout the Second World War 1939-1945.
b. The Princess Royal Trophy. The Princess Royal Trophy (a solid silver statuette of 'Jimmy' on a wooden base) was presented to the Australian Corps of Signals in 1939. It was used as a trophy for a competition between Signal Corps units until 1967.
c. The Princess Royal Clock. The Princess Royal Clock was presented to the Colonel-in Chief Royal Australian Corps of Signals, Her Royal Highness Princess Mary, the Princess Royal, in 1951, on behalf of the Corps by COL A D Molloy. Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal graciously entrusted the clock to the care of the Royal Australian Corps of Signals. For many years the clock was on display and in use in the office of the Chief Instructor School of Signals. It was the responsibility of the School of Signals Duty officer to wind the clock daily. After a short time on display in the Corps Museum the clock now has prominence in the office of the Director of Signals Army.
206. The above mementos now form part of Corps Property and are held for safekeeping in the Corps Officers Mess and Directorate of Signals - Army.
207. See Corps Memorandum No 11 for details on drinking a toast to her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal.
Communications to Our Colonel-in-Chief
208. All communications to Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal from the Royal Australian Corps of Signals must be cleared by the Director of Signals - Army and despatched from the Directorate. This applies even when the Representative Colonel Commandant is the nominated originator. In practice, standard greetings messages are originated by the Directorate in the name of the Representative Colonel Commandant.
Greetings to Our Colonel-in-Chief
209. Individual units or branches of the RA Sigs Association will not send greeting messages to Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, unless it is a special or unique occasion and then only with the prior concurrence of the Director of Signals - Army.
210. Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, has graciously intimated that when greetings are sent to her on the occasion of annual gatherings, such as the Corps Dinner, they should be sent to Buckingham Palace. From there they will be redirected, if necessary. Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, also wishes these greetings to be sent by post in telegraphic form to reach her at least a week in advance, so a reply may be sent in time to be read out at the dinner or gathering concerned.
211. The following forms of telegraphic message are suitable for sending greetings to Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal:
a. Corps Dinner (10th November)
'For Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal. Representative Colonel Commandant
and Officers of your Corps at their annual dinner at _________on ________
send their loyal and humble greetings to your Royal Highness'.
b. Her Royal Highness' Birthday. (15 August)
'For Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal.
All ranks of your Corps send you loyal and affectionate birthday greetings.
Representative Colonel Commandant
Royal Australian Corps of Signals'.
Christmas Cards to our Colonel-in-Chief
211. A Christmas card on behalf of all ranks of her Corps will be sent to her Royal Highness. The Princess Royal, by the Director of Signals - Army. The costs of production of the card and its dispatch will be borne by the RA Sigs General Purpose fund.
212. A personal card may also be sent to her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, by the Representative Colonel Commandant.
213. Requests for signed portraits are to be submitted to the Director of Signals - Army. Approved submissions will be sent to Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, by the Director of Signals - Army.