889 SIGNALS UNIT - A Short History

   The Unit formed at the Radio Engineering, Unit (REU) Henlow on 1 March 1951 as No 1 3 Air Ministry Experimental Station (AMES) It was designated a Light Mobile Gee-H Unit, commanded by Flight Lieutenant F W Neeve. The Unit was under the administrative and functional control of the REU for the period of training, which was carried out at Chicksands.
     No 123 Light Mobile GH Unit at Chicksands was transferred from 90 Group to 3 Group, Bomber Command on 8 September 1951. It was retitled No 889 Signals Unit on 1 November 1951, and ; moved to Binbrook in April 1952.
After a short stay at Binbrook the Unit moved back to Chicksands, in 90 Group, on 11 Aug 1952.  In 1953 No 889 Signals Unit moved over to the Continent, arriving at RAF Wahn in 83 Group, 2TAF, during February. It was deployed to Wasserkuppe (Fulda) in the United States Zone of Germany on 13 November 1953, where it remained until 1 March 1955 when it moved to Butzweilerhof.
The Unit stayed for two months at Butzweilerhof, moving to Goch on 7 May 1955. It became a unit underthe control of Headquarters No 1 Signals Wing, re-equipping with Heavy Gee-H equipment. In May 1956 a site was occupied on the airfield at Schleswigland. The Officer Commanding at this time was Flight Lieutenant G Fenn. Later that year a new site was opened adjacent to the village of Ludwigsburg, 25 miles from Schleswigland.
In September 1958, Flying Officer F. G. Barnes assumed command. until relieved by Flight Lieutenant D. Hale in May 1959, the latter handing over to Flight Lieutenant G. Hopperton in November 1959. No. 889 Signals Unit took over the responsibilities of RAF Unit Schleswigland on the disbandment of that Unit with effect from 1 March 1961. On 31 October 1961, No 889 Signals Unit disbanded at Ludwigsburg in RAF Germany.
The Unit reformed on 1 September 1974 under the command of Squadron Leader G. East, located at Woodlands, Singapore, and took responsibility for the Communications Centre, Singapore, and its associated transmitter and  receiver services at Suara  and Kranji on the withdrawal of 9th Australian Signal Regiment (9th ANZUK Regiment).

Although the Australian Army left Singapore leaving 889 to operate the ANZUK communications, there were personnel from RAF, RN, RNZAF, RNZN, NZA, RAAF, RAN operating under the guise of 889 SU.

In the 1975  the British Government decided to withdraw all British forces from Singapore and in the final stages, 889 SU moved its base from Woodlands to SAF Tengah in October 1975.  The unit disbanded and the final close down message from COMMCEN Singapore was sent in February 1976 on the final withdrawal of the RAF from Singapore.