Australia has the unique distinction of having had the first regularly formed signal unit in the British Empire. In 1869, small units existed in New South Wales and Victoria labelled “Torpedo and Signals Corps”. These continued until 1882, when they were disbanded. In 1885 a “Signalling Corps”, composed of 1 officer and 12 other ranks, existed in South Australia and remained active until 1901.

The “Australian Corps of Signallers” was formed on 12 January 1906. This Corps remained as a self-contained unit, until the introduction of universal training in 1911, when it was merged with Australian Engineers. In 1912, signals troops and companies formed portion of the Corps of Australian Engineers and served as such throughout World War 1 all signals units were separated from the Australian Corps of Engineers. On 1 January 1925, the Australian Corps of Signals was formed. On 10 November 1948, His Majesty King Geroge VI conferred the title “Royal” on the Australian Corps of Signals. Since then, members of the Corps have served with distinction in all operational areas in which Australian troops have been involved- Korea, Malay, Borneo, South Vietnam, Cambodia, Timor and the Middle East.

The Corps now has a regular peacetime strength of some 300 officers and 2,300 other ranks. Its members are to be found in many parts of the world and in all states of Australia. Extrapolating these figures to include family members and descendants, a conservative estimate suggests broader “Corps Family” numbers in the order of 300,000 people.