First steps.
In 1946, the 5th TTr Battalion settled in the barracks ROLIN, in the city of ETTERBEEK.
The joint participation in the ceremonies organized by the latter and the Battalion, gives birth to privileged bonds which will emerge in 1966 on the sponsorship of the 5 TTr by ETTERBEEK on the initiative of Lieutenant-colonel BEGUIN, Battalion commander and accepted by the town College of the Burgomaster and aldermen.
The distance occurred since 1974, because of the relocations of the Battalion towards PEUTIE first, then later towards the Liège region, will deteriorate neither the established solid bonds nor the frequency of the meetings.

History.
EIn 1976, the many pensioning and the many transfers of elders, generate a feeling of fear to lose any contact with all the "friends" of the Battalion. Then arise a well founded desire to safeguard the bonds of friendship and a will to ensure the durability of the exceptional relations.
At the end of March, demobilized reservists and active soldiers leaving the unit suggest to those who remain to create an "Association of 5 TTr veterans".

On May 2, 1976, Adjudant-Chef STÖRM, the Regimental sergeant major presents to Lieutenant-colonel ISEUX, Battailon Commander a project of "Statutes", written on basis of documents of the National Federation of the Combatants and the law of June 27, 1921, with the assistance of Baudouin DEVOS for the aspects Law and Legislation.

In August 1976, the research of the addresses of all the veterans starts to the qualified organizations and a first serie of letters is dispatched.

On October 11, 1976 the founder committee holds its first meeting and defines the goals of the "Association of 5th TTr Battalion".

November 15, 1976, the first "Members of Honor" having accepted the title, are elected. Let us quote Mr. DEFOSSET, Burgomaster of our sponsor town ETTERBEEK, Mr. WAUQUIER, municipal secretary, aldermen DANDOY, LECLERCQ, MULLER and Mr. PELLEMAN, Head of the Sports and Fair Service.

On November 26, 1976, the Batallion Commander installs the "Founder Committee":

Regimental sergeant major STÖRM (President);
Regimental sergeant major HENRARD - (Vice-President);
1st Sergeant Major DEVOS - (S1);
Commander DENDAL (S2 - S3);
Regimental sergeant major D'HAESE (S4);
1st Sergeant Major GODALIER (Treasurer).

On November 27, 1976, is organized the first "Ball of the Association Frater".

On December 23, 1976, Colonel BEM TICHON accepts the "Presidency of Honor".

On March 20, 1977, the members are convened to the "1st General meeting" statutory which sets up, after regular elections, the 1st Committee, preserving all the above mentioned ones with some function changes and the admittance of Adjt René ANTOINE.
Thanks to the success gained by this initiative, the Association Frater decides to obtain a flag.

On December 17, 1977, during an Extraordinary General meeting, Mrs ISEUX, who agreed to be the godmother of the "flag" drawn by the Adjt-Chief STÖRM and lately acquired by the Association Frater, gives this one to our Honorary president, Major general TICHON, who immediately entrusts it to the good care of our first carry-flag, Corporal ROSSI. As for Lieutenant-colonel ISEUX, he receives his diploma of "Vice-president of Honor".

On September 16, 1978, the occasion of the 2nd General meeting makes it possible to organize the 1st "Banquet of the reunion" which will become a unavoidable habit.

On October 21, 1978, after the resignation on personal grounds of Commander DENDAL as President, Commander VANORMELINGEN succeeds to him.

On March 12, 1979, after a meticulous preparation of valid statutes, the Committee decides to pass from the form "Association in Fact" to "Non-profit-making association" and publishes the statutes in the appendices of the Belgian Monitor.

In 1982, to reinforce the contacts and to keep the members informed of all that relates to the Association, a periodical magazine is created which is called "FRATER NEWS" and which comes out quarterly.

In 1985, under the auspices of the town ETTERBEEK, a "Charter of Twinning" is signed with the Section of the National Federation of the Veterans of Etterbeek, in order to concretize the good relations which for a long time link us by the means of many contacts at the time of the patriotic events organized within our sponsor town.

In 1986, were celebrated with a particular splendour, the 20th anniversary of the sponsorship of the Battalion by ETTERBEEK and the "10th Anniversary" of the creation of the Association Frater..
In this same year, in order to preserve and to reinforce the image of FRATER within the battalion, the Board of directors of the Association Frater, after consultation with the Battailon commander, decides to create a "Price of Merit" which will be given by representatives of the Association, to elements particularly deserving, at the time of the camps organized by the Battalion, wherever it is.

On Saturdays June 13, 1992, the Association offers the Battalion at the time of a ceremony, new plates indicating the "Street Sergeant HENRIET" in the Barracks PEUTIE, of the name of a Warrant reserve officer who died accidentally on October 12, 1975, while returning at home after an exercice, in a hurry to join his young wife who awaited a happy event and he will never see again.

In 1993, the Board of directors, regularly elected by the General meeting, affiliates the Association as component of the FRNTR (Royal National Association of Signal Troops).

In 1994, on the one hand on a proposal from Colonel BEM e.r. DONNAY, former Battailon Commander and member of FRATER, become famous painter, and on the other hand thanks to the approval of Mister Vincent DE WOLF Burgomaster and the collaboration of the ETTERBEEK town services, the Association calling upon the experiment in this field of its Vice-president Henri STÖRM, organizes an "Exhibition of Works of the Artists and Craftsmen of the 5th TTr Battalion and the Association Frater". The success of this cultural activity will lead us to make it biennial.

Lastly, in 1996 occures the celebration of the "20th Anniversary" of our creation. The events organized on this occasion were reported in detail in our magazine.

Current situation.
The Association survived all the turbulences caused by the various relocations of the Battalion and especially by the many reorganizations.
The calendar of the events organized by the Association Frater and the events it organizes annually or in which it participates as invited is relatively packed.