746 Communication Squadron
Encyclopedia
746 Communication Squadron is a reserve military unit in Calgary
, Alberta
, Canada
. The unit's motto is "Determined" and its badge is a Pony Express
Rider.
, Bosnia
and the Golan Heights. Soldiers have also been deployed to the Manitoba
floods, BC forest fires, Ontario
ice storms and the 2002 G8 summit
in Kananaskis Country.
From 2000 until 2003, the unit's focus was on strategic communications, typically voice and data over MSAT and HF. From 2004 on, the unit role changed to focus on tactical (field) communications, VHF and limited HF.
and line technicians, as well as a normal squadron complement of support trades.
During World War II
the main function of 13 Signals was to train communicators for posting to units going overseas. In 1949 the unit was renamed to 7th Independent Signal Squadron, Royal Canadian Corps of Signals. Two years after the 1968 unification of the Canadian Armed Forces, and the formation of Canadian Forces Communication Command, the name was changed to 746 (Calgary) Communication Squadron. The unit was moved from Mewata Armouries to the Naval Reserve building in 1987.
On 9 May 2000 the squadron became part of 74 Communication Regiment but has since become an independent squadron of 73 Communication Group once again.
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The unit's motto is "Determined" and its badge is a Pony Express
Pony Express
The Pony Express was a fast mail service crossing the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and the High Sierra from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, from April 3, 1860 to October 1861...
Rider.
Role
As with all reserve communication squadrons, the primary role is to augment the Regular Force for both domestic and international operations, including those with the UN and NATO. International deployments include most recently AfghanistanAfghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
and the Golan Heights. Soldiers have also been deployed to the Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
floods, BC forest fires, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
ice storms and the 2002 G8 summit
28th G8 summit
The 28th G8 Summit took place in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada on June 26 and June 27, 2002.-Overview:The Group of Seven was an unofficial forum which brought together the heads of the richest industrialized countries: France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada...
in Kananaskis Country.
From 2000 until 2003, the unit's focus was on strategic communications, typically voice and data over MSAT and HF. From 2004 on, the unit role changed to focus on tactical (field) communications, VHF and limited HF.
Composition
746 Communication Squadron comprises mainly signal operatorsSignaller
In the armed forces, a signaller or signaleer is a specialist soldier or seaman or airman responsible for military communications. Signallers, aka Combat Signallers or signalmen or women, are commonly employed as radio or telephone operators, relaying messages for field commanders at the front line...
and line technicians, as well as a normal squadron complement of support trades.
History
746 Communication Squadron traces its history back to Number XIII Detachment, Signalling Corps, which was housed in Mewata Armories in 1913. In 1920, Number 13 Signal Company was stood up in Calgary under the command of Major J.E. Hanning. In 1923 the unit was designated as 13th Signal Battalion, and in 1934 changed designation yet again to 13th Divisional Signals under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Harry Pryde.During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the main function of 13 Signals was to train communicators for posting to units going overseas. In 1949 the unit was renamed to 7th Independent Signal Squadron, Royal Canadian Corps of Signals. Two years after the 1968 unification of the Canadian Armed Forces, and the formation of Canadian Forces Communication Command, the name was changed to 746 (Calgary) Communication Squadron. The unit was moved from Mewata Armouries to the Naval Reserve building in 1987.
On 9 May 2000 the squadron became part of 74 Communication Regiment but has since become an independent squadron of 73 Communication Group once again.