Royal Engineers
Encyclopedia
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the Sapper
s, is one of the corps
of the British Army
.
It provides military engineer
ing and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is headed by the Chief Royal Engineer
. The Regimental Headquarters and the Royal School of Military Engineering
are in Chatham in Kent
, England
. The corps is divided into several regiment
s, barracked at various places in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Germany
.
The Royal Engineers trace their origins back to the military engineers brought to England
by William the Conqueror, specifically Bishop Gundulf
of Rochester Cathedral
, a talented military engineer, and claim over 900 years of unbroken service to the crown. Engineers have always served in the armies of the Crown; however, the origins of the modern corps, along with those of the Royal Artillery
, lie in the Board of Ordnance
established in the 15th century. In 1717, the Board established a Corps of Engineers, consisting entirely of commissioned officers. The manual work was done by the Artificer Companies, made up of contracted civilian artisans and labourers. In 1782, a Soldier Artificer Company was established for service in Gibraltar
, and this was the first instance of non-commissioned
military engineers. In 1787, the Corps of Engineers was granted the Royal prefix and adopted its current name and in the same year a Corps of Royal Military Artificers was formed, consisting of non-commissioned officers and privates
, to be officered by the RE. Ten years later the Gibraltar company, which had remained separate, was absorbed and in 1812 the name was changed to the Corps of Royal Sappers and Miners.
In 1855 the Board of Ordnance was abolished and authority over the Royal Engineers, Royal Sappers and Miners and Royal Artillery was transferred to the Commander-in-Chief of the Forces
, thus uniting them with the rest of the Army. The following year, the Royal Engineers and Royal Sappers and Miners became a unified corps as the Corps of Royal Engineers. In 1862 the corps also absorbed the British officers and men of the engineer corps of the East India Company
.
In 1911 the Corps formed its Air Battalion
, the first flying unit of the British Armed Forces
. The Air Battalion was the forerunner of the Royal Flying Corps
and Royal Air Force
.
In 1915, in response to German
mining of British trenches under the then static siege conditions of World War I
, the corps formed its own tunnelling companies
. Manned by experienced coal miners from across the country, they operated with great success until 1917, when after the fixed positions broke, they built deep dugouts such as the Vampire dugout
to protect troops from heavy shelling.
The Corps has no battle honour
s, but its motto is Ubique Quo Fas et Gloria Ducunt. This translates to "Everywhere Where Right and Glory Lead" and is often seen shortened to simply "Ubique" although the full motto should always be used for traditional, heraldic or historical purposes. The motto was granted by King William IV
in 1832, signifying that the Corps had seen action in all the major conflicts of the British Army and almost all of the minor ones as well. The Royal Engineers Museum of Military Engineering is in Gillingham in Kent.
A point of some pride to the Sappers is that their name takes the form Corps of Royal Engineers rather than, for example, Royal Engineer Corps. The distinction, they say, is that every Sapper is Royal in his own right, rather than simply being a member of a Royal Corps (such as the Royal Corps of Signals
or the Royal Regiment of Artillery
).
Before the Second World War, Royal Engineers recruits were required to be at least 5 feet 4 inches tall (5 feet 2 inches for the Mounted Branch). They initially enlisted for six years with the colours and a further six years with the reserve or four years and eight years. Unlike most corps and regiments, in which the upper age limit was 25, men could enlist in the Royal Engineers up to 30 years of age. They trained at the Royal Engineers Depot in Chatham
or the RE Mounted Depot at Aldershot
.
, it fell to the Royal Engineers to conduct some of the most significant 'civil' engineering schemes around the world. Some examples of great works of the era of empire can be found in A.J. Smithers' book; 'Honourable Conquests':
is one of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, recognisable the world over. Since its opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from every kind of performance genre have appeared on its stage. Each year it hosts more than 350 performances including classical concerts, rock and pop, ballet and opera, tennis, award ceremonies, school and community events, charity performances and lavish banquets.
The Hall was designed by Captain Francis Fowke and Major-General Henry Y.D. Scott
of the Royal Engineers and built by Lucas Brothers
. The designers were heavily influenced by ancient amphitheatre
s, but had also been exposed to the ideas of Gottfried Semper
while he was working at the South Kensington Museum.
Other irrigation and canal projects included the Ganges Canal, where Colonel Sir Colin Scott-Moncrieff (1836–1916) acted as the Chief Engineer and made modifications to the original work. Scott-Moncrieff went on to become Under Secretary of State Public Works, Egypt
where he restored the Nile
barrage and irrigation works of Lower Egypt.
was proposed shortly after the War of 1812
, when there remained a persistent threat of attack by the United States
on the British
colony of Upper Canada
. The initial purpose of the Rideau Canal was military, as it was intended to provide a secure supply and communications route between Montreal
and the British naval base in Kingston, Ontario
. Westward from Montreal, travel would proceed along the Ottawa River
to Bytown
(now Ottawa
), then southwest via the canal to Kingston and out into Lake Ontario
. The objective was to bypass the stretch of the St. Lawrence River bordering New York State, a route which would have left British supply ships vulnerable to attack or a blockade of the St. Lawrence. The construction of the canal was supervised by Lieutenant-Colonel John By
of the Royal Engineers. In 2007 it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognizing it as a work of human creative genius. The Rideau Canal was recognized as the best preserved example of a slack water
canal in North America demonstrating the use of European slackwater technology in North America on a large scale. Lt. Denison
was one of the junior Royal Engineers who worked under Lt. Colonel John By
, RE on the Rideau Canal
in Upper Canada (1826–1832). Of note, Denison carried out experiments under the direction of Lt. Col. By to determine the strength, for construction purposes of the old growth timber in the vicinity of Bytown
. His findings were published by the Institution of Civil Engineers
in England who bestowed upon him the prestigious Telford Medal
.
The Western Heights of Dover
are one of the most impressive fortifications in Britain. They comprise a series of forts, strong points and ditches, designed to protect the country from invasion. They were created to augment the existing defences and protect the key port of Dover from both seaward and landward attack. First given earthworks
in 1779 against the planned invasion that year
, the high ground west of Dover
, England
, now called Dover Western Heights, was properly fortified in 1804 when Lieutenant-Colonel William Twiss
was instructed to modernise the existing defences. This was part of a huge programme of fortification in response to Napoleon's planned invasion of the United Kingdom. To assist with the movement of troops between Dover Castle
and the town defences Twiss made his case for building the Grand Shaft in the cliff:
‘...the new barracks.....are little more than 300 yards horizontally from the beach.....and about 180 feet (54.9 m) above high-water mark, but in order to communicate with them from the centre of town, on horseback the distance is nearly a mile and a half and to walk it about three-quarters of a mile, and all the roads unavoidably pass over ground more than 100 feet (30.5 m) above the barracks, besides the footpaths are so steep and chalky that a number of accidents will unavoidably happen during the wet weather and more especially after floods. I am therefore induced to recommend the construction of a shaft, with a triple staircase....the chief objective of which is the convenience and safety of troops....and may eventually be useful in sending reinforcements to troops or in affording them a secure retreat.’
Twiss’ plan was approved and building went ahead. The shaft was to be 26 feet (7.9 m) in diameter, 140 feet (42.7 m) deep with a 180 feet (54.9 m) gallery connecting the bottom of the shaft to Snargate Street, and all for under an estimated £4000. The plan entailed building two brick-lined shafts, one inside the other. In the outer would be built a triple staircase, the inner acting as a light well with ‘windows’ cut in its outer wall to illuminate the staircases. Apparently, by March 1805 only 40 feet (12.2 m) of the connecting gallery was left to dig and it is probable that the project was completed by 1807.
Two Acts of Parliament allowed for the building of Pentonville Prison
for the detention of convicts sentenced to imprisonment or awaiting transportation. Construction started on 10 April 1840 and was completed in 1842. The cost was £84,186 12s 2d.Captain (later Major General Sir) Joshua Jebb
designed Pentonville Prison, introducing new concepts such as single cells with good heating, ventilation and sanitation.
was borne out of military necessity it was soon realised that accurate maps could be also used for civic purposes.The lessons learnt from this first boundary commission were put to good use around the world where members of the Corps have determined boundaries on behalf of the British as well as foreign governments; some notable boundary commissions include:
Much of this work continues to this day. The reform of the voting franchise brought about by the Reform Act (1832), demanded that boundary commissions were set up. Lieutenants Dawson and Thomas Drummond
(1797–1839), Royal Engineers were employed to gather the statistical information upon which the Bill was founded, as well as determining the boundaries and districts of boroughs. It was said that the fate of numerous boroughs fell victim to the heliostat and the Drummond light, the instrument that Drummond invented whilst surveying in Ireland. (In 1835 he resigned his commission on his appointment as Under Secretary of State for Ireland).
is an instrument used in surveying
which consists of a fixed sighting tube, a movable spirit level that is connected to a pointing arm, and a protractor scale. The Topographic Abney Level is an easy to use, relatively inexpensive, and when used correctly an accurate surveying tool. The Abney level was invented by Sir William de Wiveleslie Abney
(Born 24 Jul 1843 Died 3 Dec 1920) who was a Royal Engineer, an English astronomer and chemist best known for his pioneering of color photography and color vision. Sir Abney invented this instrument under the employment of the Royal School of Military Engineering
in Chatham, England
in the 1870s.
In 1873, Captain Henry Brandreth RE was appointed Director of the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, later the Admiralty
Works Department. Following this appointment many Royal Engineer officers superintended engineering works at Naval Dockyards across the world.
Early in the 19th century, cast, wrought and corrugated iron
came to be used in dockyard buildings, replacing wood as the material for frames and cladding. The experience of the Corps made them experts in the use of these new materials.
had a close relationship since Captain Brandreth's appointment. At the Chatham Dockyard
, Captain Thomas Mould RE designed the iron roof trusses for the covered slips, 4, 5 and 6. Slip 7 was designed by Colonel Godfrey Greene RE on his move to the Corps from the Bengal Sappers & Miners. In 1886 Major Henry Pilkington RE was appointed Superintendent of Engineering at the Dockyard
, moving on to Director of Engineering at the Admiralty
in 1890 and Engineer-in-Chief of Naval Loan Works, where he was responsible for the extension of all major Dockyards at home and abroad. It was under his supervision that the Royal Naval Hospital, Chatham, was built in 1905.
s (privates
) and non-commissioned officer
s also have another trade. Women are eligible for all Royal Engineer specialities.
All Sappers train as Military Engineer - Combat. Sappers then qualify one of the following additional trades:
Later, sappers can specialise in further trades and specialities, including:
Senior NCOs who have passed the appropriate Clerk of Works course can be commissioned as Garrison Engineers (Construction, Electrical or Mechanical).
is the British Army
's Centre of Excellence for Military Engineering, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), and counter terrorist search training. Located on several sites in Chatham, Kent
, Camberley
in Surrey
and Bicester
in Oxfordshire
the Royal School of Military Engineering offers superb training facilities for the full range of Royal Engineer skills.
The RSME was founded by Major (later General Sir) Charles Pasley
, as the Royal Engineer Establishment in 1812. It was renamed the School of Military Engineering in 1868 and granted the "Royal" prefix in 1962.
, which was been designated 'Royal Engineers' after Submarine Mining was transferred to the Admiralty
in 1904, the badge was made obsolete in 1909. However at the beginning of the 1914-1918 War, Inland Water Transport (IWT), previously part of the War Department Fleet, was transferred to the Royal Engineers and in 1915 the old Submarine Mining/Royal Engineers badge was reintroduced with pattern again sealed (L of C 17226).
IWT ran barges on rivers and canals up to the front line in France. Later their responsibilities were extended, and by 1916 they were also operating ships and train ferries across the Channel from a purpose built port at Richborough
. IWT vessels were also in East Africa, and Mesopotamia (Iraq) where they moved supplies on the Tigris and Euphrates from Basra to Baghdad; by 1918 over 1600 vessels were there, mainly chartered or requisitioned. IWT was disbanded in 1924, but revived in 1939. During the 1939-1945 War IWT was active in North Africa
, India
, British Malaya
, Burma, Iraq
, Normandy
, Belgium
, and the Netherlands
.
In November 1942 the Director of Transportation asked whether the flag issued to Royal Engineers small craft was correct. He seems to have been concerned with the form of the thunder-bolt. The original 1806 crest from which the badge was derived; "Out of a mural crown a dexter hand holding a thunderbolt
all proper", had been changed in 1823 to "Out of a mural crown, argent, a dexter cubit arm the hand grasping a thunderbolt
, winged and in flames, proper". Sir Gerald W. Wollaston, Inspector of Regimental Colours, wrote "thunderbolts are always subject to treatment", and in a later letter, "Wings and lightning should emanate from the body of the thunder-bolt of which they are a constituent part. In the badge the wings seem to float behind the hand. A thunder-bolt is a winged body (of no very definite formation perhaps) from which emanate flashes of lightning."
Ensigns with the revised badge were made in two sizes, 6' x 3' and 3' x 1.5', (183/ 91/ 46 cm). Small numbers were ordered in 1943 and early 1944, probably for training units, but in June orders were placed for 2,514 six feet ensigns and 1,982 three feet ensigns, for operational service.
After the war the army continued to have two separate water-borne transport organisations, Royal Engineers (Transport Services) operating ports and bulk movement in bases and on lines of communication, and Royal Army Service Corps
responsible for intercommunication and distribution movements. In July 1965 the Royal Army Service Corps
Fleet (civilian and military) and the Royal Engineers Fleet (Port Squadrons & Inland Water Transport) merged to form the Royal Corps of Transport
Fleet.
The Royal Engineers ensign was later flown on boats of the RE Berlin
Squadron and at the Royal Engineers Diving Training Wing at Gunwharf, Portsmouth
. It presumably disappeared in 1996, when all Service diving moved to the Joint Service Defence Diving School on Hornsea Island, Portsmouth
, it made a brief reappearance on one of the landing- craft beached at Arromanches during the 60th anniversary of D-Day celebrations and was flown by both 37 and 29 Armoured Engineer Squadrons on boats conducting anti-rocket patrols in the rivers and marshes
of Southern Iraq
in 2009.
Bishop Gundulf, a monk from the Abbey of Bec in Normandy came to England
in 1070 as Archbishop
Lafranc's assistant at Canterbury
. His talent for architecture had been spotted by King William I
and was put to good use in Rochester
where he was sent as Bishop
in 1077. Almost immediately the King appointed him to supervise the construction of the White Tower
, now part of the Tower of London
in 1778. Under William Rufus he also undertook building work on Rochester Castle
. Having served three Kings of England and earning 'the favour of then all' Gundulf is accepted as the first "King's Engineer". Gundulf died in 1108 and his statue adorns the West door of Rochester Cathedral
.
Because of his military engineering talent, Bishop Gundulf is regarded as the 'father of the Corps of Royal Engineers'. The Corps claims a line of Kings' Engineers pre-dating the Engineers of the Board of Ordnance
,1414, and the formal founding of the Corps in 1716, all the way back to Gundulf. This shared heritage and the close proximity to the Cathedral of the Royal School of Military Engineering in Brompton, Medway means the Corps of Royal Engineers and Rochester Cathedral
maintain strong links to this day, including holding the Corps' annual veterans and remembrance services at the Cathedral.
There are over 25 memorials to individual Officers and Soldiers of the Corps of Royal Engineers and a number of memorials representing members of the Corps that have given their lives in the discharge of their duty, including many stained glass windows presented by the Corps. The interior wall surrounding the West Door (the main entrance) is entirely given over to a mosaic memorial to the Corps' dead from campaigns of the Victorian era, including previous forays into Afghanistan
.
The Institution of Royal Engineers (InstRE), the professional institution of the Corps of Royal Engineers, was established in 1875 and in 1923 it was granted its Royal Charter
by King George V. The Institution is co-located with the Royal Engineers Museum, within the grounds of the Royal School of Military Engineering
at Brompton in Chatham, Kent
.
Members of the InstRE are awarded the post-nominal letters MInstRE. The Institution is a licensed member of the Engineering Council and was granted permission to award Engineering Technician
(EngTech) status in 2007. In 2010 the institution was granted the ability to award Incorporated Engineer (IEng) and Chartered Engineer
(CEng) status to suitably experienced and qualified Military Engineers who are members of the Institution.
There are several categories of membership:
The Institution currently publishes a journal, less formal magazine and supports a number of books and papers:
The Institution, in line with the aims of the Engineering Council supports Continuous Professional Development of all serving members of the Corps. The Corps manages CPD through the Royal Engineers Continuous Personal Development (RE-CPD) Team. The RE CPD Team is still managed and funded by the Royal Engineers Vocational Education & Training Trust (REVETT). The Trust is a registered Charity (number 1068709) largely funded through the Learning & Skills Council but also has access to limited Ministry of Defence
funding.
Based in Chatham at the Royal School of Military Engineering
, the RE CPD Team is the driving force behind most RE CPD activity and is directly involved in many qualifications schemes. The Team supports the provision of qualifications & training in many of the skills areas associated with military engineering, including construction
, civil
, electrical
and mechanical engineering
, surveying
, cartography
and telecommunications.
during the 1860s, and in particular the absorption of the officer engineer elements from the former East India Company
Army into the Corps of Royal Engineers in 1862 created the need and wish for further opportunities for the officers to study technical issues to better enable them to met the challenges of their work. This led to the suggestion of a Royal Engineer Institute, to house a technical library and a Museum.
In 1869 a Royal Commission
on Military Education was set up to investigate education within the armed services. In 1871 a proposal to build accommodate for both the Institute and parts of the School of Military Engineering was laid before the Commission. The proposal was accepted and construction began on the building. It was designed by Lieutenant (later Sir) Montague Ommanney, Royal Engineers in 1872, who went on to become King of Arms of the Order of St Michael and St George
, the herald
of the Order of St Michael and St George
. The Institute Building was completed at the end of 1873, since the Institutions move the building has become the Headquarters of the Royal School of Military Engineering
.
In 1875 a report on the proposed founding of an Institute was submitted to the Commander-in -Chief and the Secretary of State for War
, who approved it. Thereafter the Institute came into being when it was accepted at the Corps Meeting in May 1875.
It was initially called the 'Royal Engineer Institute', but in 1882 an 's' was added to the name 'Engineer' in all Corps Associations, so the Institute became the 'Royal Engineers Institute'. The title was again changed to the 'Institution of Royal Engineers' (InstRE) in 1923 when it was incorporated by Royal Charter.
Captain VG Clayton, Royal Engineers, acted as a temporary Secretary until Major WH Collins, Royal Engineers, was appointed Secretary in August 1875, but soon resigned and the position was taken over by Captain RH Vetch, Royal Engineers, in July 1876. He held the post until January 1884 and laid the foundations on which the Secretary's duties grew and continued until the First World War (1914–18).
In 1910, owing to a shortage of Royal Engineer Officers, permission to employ an officer in the post of Secretary on the active list was withdrawn, but a Government grant was secured to cover the salary of the Secretary who was to be elected from officers on the reserve or retired lists.
The home of the Institute was the Institute Building at Chatham although in 1887 a committee was appointed to consider the question of the provision of premises in London. In 1984 the Institution moved into the Ravelin Building to be co-located with the Corps museum and other 'regimental' activities.
The Aims of The Association are to promote and support the Corps among members of the Association in the following ways:
The Association is organised into a Headquarters, Groups and Branches. The Association Headquarters are located at the Royal School of Military Engineering at Brompton, Chatham. Group Headquarters are located geographically to supervise and organise Branches. Branches are established in towns, districts or units of the Corps and are administered by their elected Branch officials. There are also a growing number of National Branches which relate to various activities within the Corps. Currently these are:
Watermanship being one of the many skills required of the Sapper led to the formation of a sailing club in 1812 and later to the development of cutter rowing teams.
In 1899 the General Officer Commanding Thames and Medway
, the Royal Engineer General Sir Charles Warren
(1840–1927) presented a challenge shield for a championship cutter race on the River Medway
against the Royal Navy
. The Sapper teams were drawn from members of the Submarine Mining School, but when the service was disbanded in 1905, the tradition of cutter rowing was continued by the fieldwork squads.
The club developed and became the Royal Engineer Yacht Club in 1846, making it one of the most senior yacht clubs in the United Kingdom
. The REYC continues to this day, operating three club yachts and competing on behalf of the Corps at races around the world. The club is one of the oldest sports clubs in the British Army.
Members of the REYC, as one of the oldest clubs in the UK, are permitted to apply for permission to fly an Un-defaced Blue Ensign
along with the REYC Burgee which is formed from cannons and lions of the shield of the coat of arms
of the Board of Ordnance
.
(who was the secretary of the Football Association from 1895–1934) states in his biography that the early combination game was first used by the Royal Engineers A.F.C.
in the early 1870s, in particular prior to their 1873 tour of Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield . Wall states that the "Sappers moved in unison" and showed the "advantages of combination over the old style of individualism". He goes on to state that they were the first "to show the value of combination in Sheffield and Nottingham. Wall attended and regularly refers to the 1872 international match in his account (see below) and speaks very highly of many Scottish teams and players he does not attribute the combination game to either of these. The Engineers were also capable of dribbling the ball, for example one 1868 match reports states "Lieut Morris got off and dribbling the ball quite round his opponents, brought it in front of the goal and a kick from Lieut Dorward scored the first goal for the Royal Engineers".
Although brief, contemporary match reports confirm that passing was a regular feature of the Engineers' style. For example in a match of February 1871 against Crystal Palace it is noted that "Lieut Mitchell made a fine run down the left, passing the ball to Lieu. Rich, who had run up the centre, and who pinced another [goal]" The Engineers used their team playing style with effect against the Wanderers FC, a side considered as early as 1870 to be the MCC
of football. In a match of March 1871 against Wanderers their victory was due to "irreproachable organisation" and in particular that both their attacks and their backing up were both "so well organised" In November 1871 similar passing tactics are described in a contemporary account of a game against the Wanderers in which two goals were scored through tactical passing: "Betts, however, soon seized his opportunity, and by a brilliant run down the left wing turned the ball judiciously to Currie, who as judiciously sent it flying through the strangers' goal in first rate style" Later in the match it is reported that "Lieut G Barker, turning the ball to Lieut Renny-Tailyour who planted it between the posts" "Turning" the ball clearly points to the short pass.
a brief contemporary match report states that: "The school captain took the precaution of strengthening his backs, deputizing HDS Vidal to cooperate with Rawson and Jackson and so well did these three play in concert... they succeeded in defying the... RE forwards" What is most notable about this report is that it confirms that the Royal Engineers "played beautifully together" That the engineers were the first side to break the trend of dribbling is shown in a contemporary account of their victory against Crystal Palace in early 1872. This said that: "very little dribbling was displayed"
The early accounts cited above all confirm that the Engineers were the first club to play a passing game of cooperation and organisation with both their forwards and their defence. Although they could also play rough - as would be expected for an army team - The Engineers are the first side to be considered to play the football "beautifully". All of these developments clearly occurred before and independent of the 1872 match between England and Scotland (Queen's Park FC). It is probable that Queen's Park FC observed the Engineers' passing game during one of their visits to England to participate in the 1871–72 FA Cup. Undoubtedly, their representatives in London were well aware of the Sheffield and Engineers' style.
, Lieutenant Charles Arthur Crompton
RE and Lieutenant Charles Sherrard
RE.
The Royal Engineers from just after the Second World War until the early 1970s also had 4 Plant Troops located in the United Kingdom which were RE reinforced Plant & Engineering troops attached to various Home Commands. The Command Plant Troops were initially set up in the late 40s to clear up the beach defences around the coast and remove the minefields and were equipped with Armoured Bulldozer
s. In the 1950s once all this work was complete they took responsibility of maintaining and building all Army Ranges and various civil works in support of the civilian population and in support of civilian organisations in the event of natural disasters and crises such as the Torrey Canyon
disaster where the Southern Command Plant Troop was deployed to the West Country to clean up the mess on the beaches caused by the large volume of oil that floated ashore. The 4 Command Plant Troops were based in various locations across the United Kingdom with Southern Commend Plant Troop initially based in Tidworth, then Perham Down in Wiltshire and eventually Longmoor in Hampshire. The Midlands Plant Squadron was based in Walsall and the Northern Command plant troop was based in Ripon. The other command plant troop was based in Scotland. In Germany there was an Entire Engineering group based in Willich near Düsseldorf called the Military Civilian Plant & Engineering group that had a similar large scale Engineering, Plant and Support role for British Army of the Rhine. Each Command Plant Troop was commanded by an RE Major supported by a Military Plant Foreman.
In 1969, it was decided to amalgamate all of the Command Plant Troops into one large Squadron which had 4 troops, an HQ Troop and a large REME Attachment
to it and the Squadron - 66 Plant Squadron became the largest squadron in the entire Royal Engineers, in terms of Plant Engineering and Equipment as well as staff. Its last home was in Longmoor Hampshire - Engineer Stores Depot attached to Longmoor Military Camp
, which was also home to a Field Support Squadron. Longmoor Military Railway was from 1901 until the late 1960s the preserve of the Royal Engineers but subsequently Royal Corps of Transport and eventually Royal Logistic Corps Railway Training Centre. Its role also changed with a much wider role to support Military operations throughout NATO.
In late 1976 a Mr Trotter in Parliament asked the Secretary of State for Defence which units, apart from 66 Plant Squadron Royal Engineers, are specialists in heavy plant; whether he still intends to disband this squadron; if so, what unit will take its place; and what will be the reduction in the engineers' heavy plant capacity.
In answer to Mr Trotter 's question (See Hansard - Defence 6 December 1976) Mr. Robert C. Brown replied ...There is no directly comparable regular unit containing a similar concentration of specialist plant expertise, but specialist capability exists in parts of various regular field and base units in the United Kingdom, BAOR and elsewhere. In addition, there are two TAVR plant squadrons. As a consequence of the Defence Review, 66 Plant Squadron, Royal Engineers will disband by early 1978, but most of its heavy equipment will be taken over by other engineer units notably in the TAVR. As a result, there will be some reduction in the capacity of the Royal Engineers to plan and conduct major projects in peacetime.
These are being replaced by 66 Armoured Support Vehicles;
Both vehicles which weigh 62.5 tonnes and are powered by 1,200 horsepower engines are capable of speeds of up to 56 km/h, are designed to mount and tow the current range of in-service Royal Engineer equipment (PYTHON, AVRE Trailer, Track/Full Width Mineploughs and earth moving blades). They have purpose designed hulls, will incorporate Special to Role equipment and have major assemblies common to the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank
.
The following Royal Engineers have been awarded the Victoria Cross
(VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces.
Sapper
A sapper, pioneer or combat engineer is a combatant soldier who performs a wide variety of combat engineering duties, typically including, but not limited to, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, demolitions, field defences, general construction and building, as well as road and airfield...
s, is one of the corps
Structure of the British Army
The structure of the British Army is broadly similar to that of the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, being divided into two Commands: HQ Land Forces and the Adjutant-General. As top-level budget holders, these two organisations are responsible for providing forces at operational readiness for...
of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
.
It provides military engineer
Military engineer
In military science, engineering refers to the practice of designing, building, maintaining and dismantling military works, including offensive, defensive and logistical structures, to shape the physical operating environment in war...
ing and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is headed by the Chief Royal Engineer
Chief Royal Engineer
The Chief Royal Engineer is the official head of the Corps of Royal Engineers. He was also the professional head of the Corps until 1941, when that role was moved to that of the Engineer-in-Chief.-Origin and development:...
. The Regimental Headquarters and the Royal School of Military Engineering
Royal School of Military Engineering
The Royal School of Military Engineering is the main training establishment for the British Army's Royal Engineers. After they have successfully completed their Phase 1 - Basic Soldier Training, members of the Corps of Royal Engineers attend 3 RSME, at Minley for Phase 2a - Combat Engineering...
are in Chatham in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The corps is divided into several regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
s, barracked at various places in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
History
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
by William the Conqueror, specifically Bishop Gundulf
Gundulf of Rochester
Gundulf was a Norman monk who came to England following the Conquest. He was appointed Bishop of Rochester and Prior of the Cathedral Priory there; built castles including Rochester, Colchester and the White Tower of the Tower of London and the Priory and Cathedral Church of...
of Rochester Cathedral
Rochester Cathedral
Rochester Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a Norman church in Rochester, Kent. The bishopric is second oldest in England after Canterbury...
, a talented military engineer, and claim over 900 years of unbroken service to the crown. Engineers have always served in the armies of the Crown; however, the origins of the modern corps, along with those of the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
, lie in the Board of Ordnance
Board of Ordnance
The Board of Ordnance was a British government body responsible for the supply of armaments and munitions to the Royal Navy and British Army. It was also responsible for providing artillery trains for armies and maintaining coastal fortresses and, later, management of the artillery and engineer...
established in the 15th century. In 1717, the Board established a Corps of Engineers, consisting entirely of commissioned officers. The manual work was done by the Artificer Companies, made up of contracted civilian artisans and labourers. In 1782, a Soldier Artificer Company was established for service in Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
, and this was the first instance of non-commissioned
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
military engineers. In 1787, the Corps of Engineers was granted the Royal prefix and adopted its current name and in the same year a Corps of Royal Military Artificers was formed, consisting of non-commissioned officers and privates
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
, to be officered by the RE. Ten years later the Gibraltar company, which had remained separate, was absorbed and in 1812 the name was changed to the Corps of Royal Sappers and Miners.
In 1855 the Board of Ordnance was abolished and authority over the Royal Engineers, Royal Sappers and Miners and Royal Artillery was transferred to the Commander-in-Chief of the Forces
Commander-in-Chief of the Forces
The Commander-in-Chief of the Forces, or just the Commander-in-Chief , was the professional head of the British Army from 1660 until 1904, when the office was replaced by the Chief of the General Staff, soon to become Chief of the Imperial General Staff . From 1870, the C-in-C was subordinate to...
, thus uniting them with the rest of the Army. The following year, the Royal Engineers and Royal Sappers and Miners became a unified corps as the Corps of Royal Engineers. In 1862 the corps also absorbed the British officers and men of the engineer corps of the East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
.
In 1911 the Corps formed its Air Battalion
Air Battalion Royal Engineers
The Air Battalion Royal Engineers was the first flying unit of the British Armed Forces to make use of heavier-than-air craft. It evolved into the Royal Flying Corps which in turn evolved into the Royal Air Force.-Establishment:...
, the first flying unit of the British Armed Forces
British Armed Forces
The British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the...
. The Air Battalion was the forerunner of the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
and Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
.
In 1915, in response to German
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
mining of British trenches under the then static siege conditions of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the corps formed its own tunnelling companies
Royal Engineer tunnelling companies
Royal Engineer tunnelling companies were specialist units of the Corps of Royal Engineers within the British Army, formed to dig attacking tunnels under enemy lines during the First World War....
. Manned by experienced coal miners from across the country, they operated with great success until 1917, when after the fixed positions broke, they built deep dugouts such as the Vampire dugout
Vampire dugout
The Vampire dugout , was a First World War underground brigade headquarters, located near the Belgian village of Zonnebeke. It was created below Flanders by the 171 Tunnelling Company of the Corps of Royal Engineers, after the Third Battle of Ypres/Battle of Passchendaele...
to protect troops from heavy shelling.
The Corps has no battle honour
Battle honour
A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags , uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible....
s, but its motto is Ubique Quo Fas et Gloria Ducunt. This translates to "Everywhere Where Right and Glory Lead" and is often seen shortened to simply "Ubique" although the full motto should always be used for traditional, heraldic or historical purposes. The motto was granted by King William IV
William IV of the United Kingdom
William IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death...
in 1832, signifying that the Corps had seen action in all the major conflicts of the British Army and almost all of the minor ones as well. The Royal Engineers Museum of Military Engineering is in Gillingham in Kent.
A point of some pride to the Sappers is that their name takes the form Corps of Royal Engineers rather than, for example, Royal Engineer Corps. The distinction, they say, is that every Sapper is Royal in his own right, rather than simply being a member of a Royal Corps (such as the Royal Corps of Signals
Royal Corps of Signals
The Royal Corps of Signals is one of the combat support arms of the British Army...
or the Royal Regiment of Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
).
Before the Second World War, Royal Engineers recruits were required to be at least 5 feet 4 inches tall (5 feet 2 inches for the Mounted Branch). They initially enlisted for six years with the colours and a further six years with the reserve or four years and eight years. Unlike most corps and regiments, in which the upper age limit was 25, men could enlist in the Royal Engineers up to 30 years of age. They trained at the Royal Engineers Depot in Chatham
Chatham, Medway
Chatham is one of the Medway towns located within the Medway unitary authority, in North Kent, in South East England.Although the dockyard has long been closed and is now being redeveloped into a business and residential community as well as a museum featuring the famous submarine, HMS Ocelot,...
or the RE Mounted Depot at Aldershot
Aldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
.
Honourable Conquests and Historical Construction
Britain having acquired an EmpireEmpire
The term empire derives from the Latin imperium . Politically, an empire is a geographically extensive group of states and peoples united and ruled either by a monarch or an oligarchy....
, it fell to the Royal Engineers to conduct some of the most significant 'civil' engineering schemes around the world. Some examples of great works of the era of empire can be found in A.J. Smithers' book; 'Honourable Conquests':
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert HallRoyal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
is one of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, recognisable the world over. Since its opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from every kind of performance genre have appeared on its stage. Each year it hosts more than 350 performances including classical concerts, rock and pop, ballet and opera, tennis, award ceremonies, school and community events, charity performances and lavish banquets.
The Hall was designed by Captain Francis Fowke and Major-General Henry Y.D. Scott
Henry Young Darracott Scott
Henry Young Darracott Scott RE was an English Major-General in the Corps of Royal Engineers, best known for the construction of London's Royal Albert Hall.-Life:...
of the Royal Engineers and built by Lucas Brothers
Lucas Brothers, Builders
Lucas Brothers was a leading British building business based in London.-Early history:The business was founded by Charles Thomas Lucas and Thomas Lucas . They were the sons of James Lucas , a builder, of St Pancras, London...
. The designers were heavily influenced by ancient amphitheatre
Amphitheatre
An amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used...
s, but had also been exposed to the ideas of Gottfried Semper
Gottfried Semper
Gottfried Semper was a German architect, art critic, and professor of architecture, who designed and built the Semper Opera House in Dresden between 1838 and 1841. In 1849 he took part in the May Uprising in Dresden and was put on the government's wanted list. Semper fled first to Zürich and later...
while he was working at the South Kensington Museum.
Indian Infrastructure
Much of the infrastructure of India, still enjoyed today, was created by engineers of the three presidencies armies and the Royal Engineers. Lieutenant (later General Sir) Arthur Thomas Cotton (1803–99), Madras Engineers, was responsible for the design and construction of the great irrigation works on the river Cauvery, which watered the rice corps of Tanjore and Trichinopoly districts in the late 1820s. In 1838 he designed and built sea defences for Vizagapatam. He masterminded the Godavery Delta project where 720000 acres (2,913.7 km²) of land were irrigated and 500 miles (804.7 km) of land to the port of Cocanada was made navigable in the 1840s. Such regard for his lasting legacy was shown when in 1983, the Indian Government erected a statue in his memory.Other irrigation and canal projects included the Ganges Canal, where Colonel Sir Colin Scott-Moncrieff (1836–1916) acted as the Chief Engineer and made modifications to the original work. Scott-Moncrieff went on to become Under Secretary of State Public Works, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
where he restored the Nile
Nile
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in North Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. It is long. It runs through the ten countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.The Nile has two major...
barrage and irrigation works of Lower Egypt.
Rideau Canal
The construction of the Rideau CanalRideau Canal
The Rideau Canal , also known as the Rideau Waterway, connects the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River to the city of Kingston, Ontario on Lake Ontario. The canal was opened in 1832 as a precaution in case of war with the United States and is still in use today, with most of its...
was proposed shortly after the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, when there remained a persistent threat of attack by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
colony of Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
. The initial purpose of the Rideau Canal was military, as it was intended to provide a secure supply and communications route between Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and the British naval base in Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
. Westward from Montreal, travel would proceed along the Ottawa River
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
to Bytown
Bytown
Bytown is the former name of Ottawa, Canada's capital city. It was founded on on September 26, 1826, incorporated as a town on January 1, 1850, and superseded by the incorporation of the City of Ottawa on January 1, 1855. The founding was marked by a sod turning, and a letter from Governor General...
(now Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
), then southwest via the canal to Kingston and out into Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
. The objective was to bypass the stretch of the St. Lawrence River bordering New York State, a route which would have left British supply ships vulnerable to attack or a blockade of the St. Lawrence. The construction of the canal was supervised by Lieutenant-Colonel John By
John By
Lieutenant-Colonel John By was a British military engineer, best remembered for supervising the construction of the Rideau Canal and, in the process, founding what would become the city of Ottawa....
of the Royal Engineers. In 2007 it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognizing it as a work of human creative genius. The Rideau Canal was recognized as the best preserved example of a slack water
Slack water
Slack water, which used to be known as 'The stand of the tide', is a short period in a body of tidal water either side of high water or low water essentially when the water is completely unstressed, and therefore with no rise or fall of the tide and no movement either way in the tidal stream, and...
canal in North America demonstrating the use of European slackwater technology in North America on a large scale. Lt. Denison
William Denison
Sir William Thomas Denison, KCB was Lieutenant Governor of Van Diemen's Land from 1847 to 1855, Governor of New South Wales from 20 January 1855 to 22 January 1861, and Governor of Madras from 1861 to 1866....
was one of the junior Royal Engineers who worked under Lt. Colonel John By
John By
Lieutenant-Colonel John By was a British military engineer, best remembered for supervising the construction of the Rideau Canal and, in the process, founding what would become the city of Ottawa....
, RE on the Rideau Canal
Rideau Canal
The Rideau Canal , also known as the Rideau Waterway, connects the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River to the city of Kingston, Ontario on Lake Ontario. The canal was opened in 1832 as a precaution in case of war with the United States and is still in use today, with most of its...
in Upper Canada (1826–1832). Of note, Denison carried out experiments under the direction of Lt. Col. By to determine the strength, for construction purposes of the old growth timber in the vicinity of Bytown
Bytown
Bytown is the former name of Ottawa, Canada's capital city. It was founded on on September 26, 1826, incorporated as a town on January 1, 1850, and superseded by the incorporation of the City of Ottawa on January 1, 1855. The founding was marked by a sod turning, and a letter from Governor General...
. His findings were published by the Institution of Civil Engineers
Institution of Civil Engineers
Founded on 2 January 1818, the Institution of Civil Engineers is an independent professional association, based in central London, representing civil engineering. Like its early membership, the majority of its current members are British engineers, but it also has members in more than 150...
in England who bestowed upon him the prestigious Telford Medal
Telford Medal
The Telford Medal is the highest prize awarded by the British Institution of Civil Engineers for a paper, or series of papers, in the field of engineering. It was introduced in 1835 following a bequest made by Thomas Telford, the ICE's first president....
.
Dovers' Western Heights
Dover Western Heights
The Western Heights of Dover are one of the most impressive fortifications in Britain. They comprise a series of forts, strong points and ditches, designed to protect the country from invasion...
are one of the most impressive fortifications in Britain. They comprise a series of forts, strong points and ditches, designed to protect the country from invasion. They were created to augment the existing defences and protect the key port of Dover from both seaward and landward attack. First given earthworks
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
in 1779 against the planned invasion that year
Armada of 1779
The Armada of 1779 was an exceptionally large joint French and Spanish fleet intended, with the aid of a feint by the American Continental Navy, to facilitate an invasion of Britain, as part of the wider American War of Independence, and in application of the Franco-American alliance...
, the high ground west of Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, now called Dover Western Heights, was properly fortified in 1804 when Lieutenant-Colonel William Twiss
William Twiss
General William Twiss, , was a British Army Royal Engineer, responsible for the design of many military defenses.Probably born in Kent in 1744 or 1755, Twiss worked in the ordnance office at the Tower of London from 1760, before becoming overseer of works at Gibraltar. Receiving a commission in...
was instructed to modernise the existing defences. This was part of a huge programme of fortification in response to Napoleon's planned invasion of the United Kingdom. To assist with the movement of troops between Dover Castle
Dover Castle
Dover Castle is a medieval castle in the town of the same name in the English county of Kent. It was founded in the 12th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history...
and the town defences Twiss made his case for building the Grand Shaft in the cliff:
‘...the new barracks.....are little more than 300 yards horizontally from the beach.....and about 180 feet (54.9 m) above high-water mark, but in order to communicate with them from the centre of town, on horseback the distance is nearly a mile and a half and to walk it about three-quarters of a mile, and all the roads unavoidably pass over ground more than 100 feet (30.5 m) above the barracks, besides the footpaths are so steep and chalky that a number of accidents will unavoidably happen during the wet weather and more especially after floods. I am therefore induced to recommend the construction of a shaft, with a triple staircase....the chief objective of which is the convenience and safety of troops....and may eventually be useful in sending reinforcements to troops or in affording them a secure retreat.’
Twiss’ plan was approved and building went ahead. The shaft was to be 26 feet (7.9 m) in diameter, 140 feet (42.7 m) deep with a 180 feet (54.9 m) gallery connecting the bottom of the shaft to Snargate Street, and all for under an estimated £4000. The plan entailed building two brick-lined shafts, one inside the other. In the outer would be built a triple staircase, the inner acting as a light well with ‘windows’ cut in its outer wall to illuminate the staircases. Apparently, by March 1805 only 40 feet (12.2 m) of the connecting gallery was left to dig and it is probable that the project was completed by 1807.
Pentonville Prison
Pentonville (HM Prison)
HM Prison Pentonville is a Category B/C men's prison, operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service. Pentonville Prison is not actually within Pentonville itself, but is located further north, on the Caledonian Road in the Barnsbury area of the London Borough of Islington, in inner-North London,...
for the detention of convicts sentenced to imprisonment or awaiting transportation. Construction started on 10 April 1840 and was completed in 1842. The cost was £84,186 12s 2d.Captain (later Major General Sir) Joshua Jebb
Joshua Jebb
Sir Joshua Jebb was a Royal Engineer and the British Surveyor-General of convict prisons.He participated in the Battle of Plattsburgh on Lake Champlain during the War of 1812, and surveyed a route between Ottawa River and Kingston where Lake Ontario flows into Saint Lawrence River...
designed Pentonville Prison, introducing new concepts such as single cells with good heating, ventilation and sanitation.
Boundary Commissions
Although mapping by what became the Ordnance SurveyOrdnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
was borne out of military necessity it was soon realised that accurate maps could be also used for civic purposes.The lessons learnt from this first boundary commission were put to good use around the world where members of the Corps have determined boundaries on behalf of the British as well as foreign governments; some notable boundary commissions include:
- 1839 - Canada-United States
- 1858 - Canada-United States (Captain (later General Sir) John Hawkins RE)
- 1856 and 1857 - Russo-Turkish (Lieutenant Colonel (later Sir) Edward StantonEdward Stanton (diplomat)General Sir Edward Stanton, KCB, KCMG was a British officer and diplomat.Edward Stanton was the son of William H. Stanton, Esq., of Stroud, Gloucestershire. Born on 19 February 1827, he was educated at Woolwich Academy. He was commissioned as second lieutenant in the Royal Engineers on 19 December...
RE) - 1857 - Russo-Turkish (Colonel (later Field Marshal Sir) John SimmonsJohn Lintorn Arabin SimmonsField Marshal Sir John Lintorn Arabin Simmons GCB GCMG , was a British soldier.-Military career:Simmons was the fifth son of Captain Thomas Frederick Simmons, Royal Artillery of Langford in Somerset...
RE) - 1878 - The Bulgarian
- 1880 - Græco-Turkish (Major (later Major General Sir) John Ardagh RE)
- 1884 - Russo-Afghan (Captain (later Colonel Sir) Thomas HoldichThomas HoldichColonel Sir Thomas Hungerford Holdich, KCMG, KCIE, CB was an English geographer and president of the Royal Geographical Society. He is best known as Superintendent of Frontier Surveys in British India and author of numerous books, including The Gates of India, The Countries of the King's Award and...
RE) - 1894 - India-Afghanistan (Captain (later Colonel Sir) Thomas HoldichThomas HoldichColonel Sir Thomas Hungerford Holdich, KCMG, KCIE, CB was an English geographer and president of the Royal Geographical Society. He is best known as Superintendent of Frontier Surveys in British India and author of numerous books, including The Gates of India, The Countries of the King's Award and...
RE) - 1902 - Chile-Argentine (Colonel Sir Delme Radcliffe RE)
- 1911 - Peru-Bolivia (Major AJ Woodroffe RE)
Much of this work continues to this day. The reform of the voting franchise brought about by the Reform Act (1832), demanded that boundary commissions were set up. Lieutenants Dawson and Thomas Drummond
Thomas Drummond
Captain Thomas Drummond , from Edinburgh, Scotland, was an army officer, civil engineer and senior public official. Drummond used the Drummond light which was employed in the trigonometrical survey of Great Britain and Ireland. He is sometimes mistakenly given credit for the invention of limelight,...
(1797–1839), Royal Engineers were employed to gather the statistical information upon which the Bill was founded, as well as determining the boundaries and districts of boroughs. It was said that the fate of numerous boroughs fell victim to the heliostat and the Drummond light, the instrument that Drummond invented whilst surveying in Ireland. (In 1835 he resigned his commission on his appointment as Under Secretary of State for Ireland).
Abney Level
A Topographic Abney LevelTopographic Abney Level
A Topographic Abney Level is an instrument used in surveying which consists of a fixed sighting tube, a movable spirit level that is connected to a pointing arm, and a protractor scale. The Topographic Abney Level is an easy to use, relatively inexpensive, and when used correctly an accurate...
is an instrument used in surveying
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
which consists of a fixed sighting tube, a movable spirit level that is connected to a pointing arm, and a protractor scale. The Topographic Abney Level is an easy to use, relatively inexpensive, and when used correctly an accurate surveying tool. The Abney level was invented by Sir William de Wiveleslie Abney
William de Wiveleslie Abney
William de Wiveleslie Abney FRS was an English astronomer, chemist, and photographer.-Biography:Abney was born in Derby, England, the son of Edward Abney vicar of St Alkmund's Derby, and owner of the Firs Estate...
(Born 24 Jul 1843 Died 3 Dec 1920) who was a Royal Engineer, an English astronomer and chemist best known for his pioneering of color photography and color vision. Sir Abney invented this instrument under the employment of the Royal School of Military Engineering
Royal School of Military Engineering
The Royal School of Military Engineering is the main training establishment for the British Army's Royal Engineers. After they have successfully completed their Phase 1 - Basic Soldier Training, members of the Corps of Royal Engineers attend 3 RSME, at Minley for Phase 2a - Combat Engineering...
in Chatham, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in the 1870s.
H.M. Dockyards
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
Works Department. Following this appointment many Royal Engineer officers superintended engineering works at Naval Dockyards across the world.
Early in the 19th century, cast, wrought and corrugated iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
came to be used in dockyard buildings, replacing wood as the material for frames and cladding. The experience of the Corps made them experts in the use of these new materials.
Chatham Dockyard
Chatham being the home of the Corps, meant that the Royal Engineers and the DockyardChatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, leading to a requirement for additional...
had a close relationship since Captain Brandreth's appointment. At the Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, leading to a requirement for additional...
, Captain Thomas Mould RE designed the iron roof trusses for the covered slips, 4, 5 and 6. Slip 7 was designed by Colonel Godfrey Greene RE on his move to the Corps from the Bengal Sappers & Miners. In 1886 Major Henry Pilkington RE was appointed Superintendent of Engineering at the Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard
Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, leading to a requirement for additional...
, moving on to Director of Engineering at the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
in 1890 and Engineer-in-Chief of Naval Loan Works, where he was responsible for the extension of all major Dockyards at home and abroad. It was under his supervision that the Royal Naval Hospital, Chatham, was built in 1905.
Trades
All members of the Royal Engineers are trained combat engineers and all sapperSapper
A sapper, pioneer or combat engineer is a combatant soldier who performs a wide variety of combat engineering duties, typically including, but not limited to, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, demolitions, field defences, general construction and building, as well as road and airfield...
s (privates
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
) and non-commissioned officer
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
s also have another trade. Women are eligible for all Royal Engineer specialities.
All Sappers train as Military Engineer - Combat. Sappers then qualify one of the following additional trades:
- Military Engineer - Armoured Crewman
- Military Engineer - Bricklayer and Concretor
- Military Engineer - Bomb Disposal
- Military Engineer - Building and Structural Finisher
- Military Engineer - Carpenter and Joiner
- Military Engineer - Command, Communications and Information Systems Specialist
- Military Engineer - Construction Materials Technician
- Military Engineer - Draughtsman (Design)
- Military Engineer - Draughtsman (Electrical and Mechanical)
- Military Engineer - Driver
- Military Engineer - Electrician
- Military Engineer - Fabricator (Welder)
- Military Engineer - Fitter (Air Conditioning and Refrigeration)
- Military Engineer - Fitter (General)
- Military Engineer - Geographical Technician
- Military Engineer - Heating and Plumbing
- Military Engineer - Plant Operator Mechanic
- Military Engineer - Resources Specialist
- Military Engineer - Surveyor (Engineering)
- Military Engineer - Surveyor (Topographical)
Later, sappers can specialise in further trades and specialities, including:
- Counter Terrorist Advanced Search
- Explosive Ordinance Disposal
- Amphibious Engineer
- Clerk of Works (Construction)
- Clerk of Works (Electrical)
- Clerk of Works (Mechanical)
- Commando Engineer
- Army Diver
- Military Plant Foreman
- Parachute Engineer
- Regimental Signals Instructor
Senior NCOs who have passed the appropriate Clerk of Works course can be commissioned as Garrison Engineers (Construction, Electrical or Mechanical).
Units
The Royal Engineers comprises units of both the Regular Army and the Territorial Army. There is also a higher engineer formation:Theatre Troops
- 8 Force Engineer Brigade
- 12 (Air Support) Engineer Group (25 and 39 Engineer Regiments, 529 Specialist Teams (STRE)RE)
- 29 (Land Support) Engineer Group (33 and 101 (V) Regiments)
- 170 (Infrastructure Support) Engineer Group (previously Military Works Force)
- HQ Works Group
- Royal Engineers Specialist Advisory Team (RESAT)
- Technical Information Centre Royal Engineers
- 62 Works Group (Water utilities, water development and well drilling)
- 506 STRE (Water Infrastructure) (Volunteers)
- 519 STRE (Works)
- 523 STRE (Works)
- 521 STRE (Water Development)
- 63 Works Group (Electrical power generation and distribution)
- 504 STRE (Power Infrastructure) (Volunteers)
- 518 STRE (Works)
- 528 STRE (Power)
- 535 STRE (Works)
- 64 Works Group (Fuels, fuel production and distribution)
- 516 STRE (Fuels)
- 524 STRE (Works)
- 527 STRE (Works)
- 65 (Volunteers) Works Group (Civilian infrastructure, railway and ports infrastructure)
- STRE
- STRE
- STRE
- STRE
- STRE
- 66 Works Group (Air Support and geotechnical engineering)
- 510 STRE (Volunteers)
- 517 STRE (Works)
- 522 STRE (Works)
- 530 STRE (Materials)
- 67 Works Group
- 502 STRE (Works)
- 505 STRE (Works)
- HQ Works Group
Regiments
- 21 Engineer Regiment
- 7 Headquarters and Support Squadron
- 1 Armoured Engineer Squadron
- 4 Armoured Engineer Squadron
- 73 Armoured Engineer Squadron
- 22 Engineer Regiment
- 6 Headquarters and Support Squadron
- 3 Armoured Engineer Squadron
- 5 Armoured Engineer Squadron
- 52 Armoured Engineer Squadron (2008)
- 23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault)23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault)23 Engineer Regiment is an Royal Engineers regiment in the British Army that was formed in 2003. It provides engineer support to 16 Air Assault Brigade in both the parachute and air assault role. The regiment is currently based at Rock Barracks just outside Woodbridge in Suffolk and consists of...
- part of 16 Air Assault Brigade- 12 (Nova Scotia) Headquarters and Support Squadron (Air Assault)
- 9 Parachute Squadron
- 51 Parachute Squadron
- 299 Para Field Squadron (V) [Wakefield/Hull/Gateshead]
- 24 Commando Engineer Regiment24 Commando Regiment Royal Engineers24 Commando Engineer Regiment is a unit of the British Army's Royal Engineers which supports 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines. It was formed in April 2008...
- (Attached to 3 Commando Brigade3 Commando Brigade3 Commando Brigade is a commando formation of the British Armed Forces and the main manoeuvre formation of the Royal Marines. Its personnel are predominantly Royal Marines, supported by units of Royal Engineers, Royal Artillery, The Rifles, and the Fleet Air Arm, together with other Commando...
, Royal Marines) - (based at Chivenor). As part of the restructuringDelivering Security in a Changing WorldThe 2003 Defence White Paper, titled Delivering Security in a Changing World, set out the future structure of the British military, and was preceded by the 1998 Strategic Defence Review and the 2002 SDR New Chapter, which responded to the immediate challenges to security in the aftermath of the...
of the armed forces in 2004, it was announced that the engineering support for 3 Commando Brigade3 Commando Brigade3 Commando Brigade is a commando formation of the British Armed Forces and the main manoeuvre formation of the Royal Marines. Its personnel are predominantly Royal Marines, supported by units of Royal Engineers, Royal Artillery, The Rifles, and the Fleet Air Arm, together with other Commando...
would be increased to a full regiment, with 24 (Commando) Engineer Regiment to be formed.- 54 Commando Headquarters and Support Squadron24 Commando Regiment Royal Engineers24 Commando Engineer Regiment is a unit of the British Army's Royal Engineers which supports 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines. It was formed in April 2008...
- 56 Commando Field Squadron24 Commando Regiment Royal Engineers24 Commando Engineer Regiment is a unit of the British Army's Royal Engineers which supports 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines. It was formed in April 2008...
- 59 Commando Squadron
- 131 Commando Squadron (TA)
- 54 Commando Headquarters and Support Squadron
- 25 Engineer Regiment (In November 2011 it was announced that 25 Engineer Regiment will be disbanded as a savings measure by no later than 31 May 2012.)
- Control of all squadrons passed to 39 Engineer Regiment.
- 26 Engineer Regiment
- 38 Headquarters and Support Squadron
- 8 Armoured Engineer Squadron
- 30 Armoured Engineer Squadron
- 33 Armoured Engineer Squadron (2008)
- 28 Engineer Regiment
- 64 Headquarters and Support Squadron
- 23 Amphibious Engineer Squadron + 412 Troop(Volunteers) TA
- 42 Field Squadron
- 45 Field Support Squadron (Disbanded)
- 65 Field Support Squadron
- 32 Engineer Regiment
- 2 Headquarters and Support Squadron
- 26 Armoured Engineer Squadron
- 31 Armoured Engineer Squadron
- 39 Armoured Engineer Squadron
- 33 Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) [Hybrid Regiment with Regular & Territorial Army Squadrons]
- 49 Field Squadron (EOD)
- 58 Field Squadron (EOD)
- 61 Field Squadron (EOD)
- 217 (London) Field Squadron (EOD)(V) {HollowayHolloway, LondonHolloway is an inner-city district in the London Borough of Islington located north of Charing Cross and follows for the most part, the line of the Holloway Road . At the centre of Holloway is the Nag's Head area...
}
- 101 (City of London) Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) [Hybrid Regiment with Regular & Territorial Army Squadrons]
- 22 Headquarters and Support Squadron (EOD)
- 17 Field Squadron (EOD)
- 21 Field Squadron (EOD)
- 221 Field Squadron (EOD)(V) {Rochester/CatfordCatfordCatford is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-Architecture:...
} - 579 Field Squadron (EOD)(V) {Tunbridge WellsRoyal Tunbridge WellsRoyal Tunbridge Wells is a town in west Kent, England, about south-east of central London by road, by rail. The town is close to the border of the county of East Sussex...
}
- 35 Engineer Regiment
- 44 Headquarters and Support Squadron
- 29 Armoured Engineer Squadron
- 37 Armoured Engineer Squadron
- 77 Armoured Engineer Squadron
- 36 Engineer Regiment (Search)
- 50 Headquarters and Support Squadron (Search)
- 20 Field Squadron (Search)
- 69 Gurkha Field Squadron (Search), Queen's Gurkha Engineers
- 70 Gurkha Field Support Squadron (Search), Queen's Gurkha Engineers
- 38 Engineer Regiment (based at WaterbeachWaterbeachWaterbeach is a large fen-edge village located 6 miles north of Cambridge in Cambridgeshire in England, and belongs to the administrative district of South Cambridgeshire. The parish covers an area of 23.26 km².- Village :...
)- 32 Headquarters and Support Squadron
- 11 Field Squadron
- 15 Field Support Squadron
- 25 Field Squadron
- 39 Engineer Regiment
- 60 Headquarters and Support Squadron (Air Support)
- 10 Field Squadron (Air Support) based at RAF LeemingRAF LeemingRAF Leeming is a Royal Air Force station in North Yorkshire, UK.HRH The Duchess of Cornwall is the Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Leeming. The Station Commander is Group Captain Anthony Innes....
- 48 Field Squadron (Air Support)
- 43 Headquarters and Support Squadron (Air Support) (Formally 25 Engr Regt)
- 34 Field Squadron (Air Support) (Formally 25 Engr Regt)
- 53 Field Squadron (Air Support) (Formally 25 Engr Regt)
- 42 Engineer Regiment (Geographic)
- 13 Geographic Squadron
- 14 Geographic Squadron ( based in MönchengladbachMönchengladbachMönchengladbach , formerly known as Münchengladbach, is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located west of the Rhine half way between Düsseldorf and the Dutch border....
) - 16 Geographic Support Squadron
- 62 Cyprus Support Squadron Royal Engineers (British Forces CyprusBritish Forces CyprusBritish Forces Cyprus is the name given to the British Armed Forces stationed in the UK sovereign base areas of Dhekelia and Akrotiri on the island of Cyprus...
)
The Royal School of Military Engineering
The Royal School of Military EngineeringRoyal School of Military Engineering
The Royal School of Military Engineering is the main training establishment for the British Army's Royal Engineers. After they have successfully completed their Phase 1 - Basic Soldier Training, members of the Corps of Royal Engineers attend 3 RSME, at Minley for Phase 2a - Combat Engineering...
is the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
's Centre of Excellence for Military Engineering, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), and counter terrorist search training. Located on several sites in Chatham, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, Camberley
Camberley
Camberley is a town in Surrey, England, situated 31 miles southwest of central London, in the corridor between the M3 and M4 motorways. The town lies close to the borders of both Hampshire and Berkshire; the boundaries intersect on the western edge of the town where all three counties...
in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
and Bicester
Bicester
Bicester is a town and civil parish in the Cherwell district of northeastern Oxfordshire in England.This historic market centre is one of the fastest growing towns in Oxfordshire Development has been favoured by its proximity to junction 9 of the M40 motorway linking it to London, Birmingham and...
in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
the Royal School of Military Engineering offers superb training facilities for the full range of Royal Engineer skills.
The RSME was founded by Major (later General Sir) Charles Pasley
Charles Pasley
General Sir Charles William Pasley KCB was a British soldier and military engineer who wrote the defining text on the role of the post-American revolution British Empire: An Essay on the Military Policy and Institutions of the British Empire, published in 1810. This text changed how Britons...
, as the Royal Engineer Establishment in 1812. It was renamed the School of Military Engineering in 1868 and granted the "Royal" prefix in 1962.
- Royal School of Military EngineeringRoyal School of Military EngineeringThe Royal School of Military Engineering is the main training establishment for the British Army's Royal Engineers. After they have successfully completed their Phase 1 - Basic Soldier Training, members of the Corps of Royal Engineers attend 3 RSME, at Minley for Phase 2a - Combat Engineering...
- Combat Engineer School
- 3 Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment
- 55 Training Squadron Royal Engineers
- 57 Training Squadron Royal Engineers
- 63 Training Support Squadron Royal Engineers
- Communication Information Systems Wing
- 3 Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment
- Construction Engineer School
- 1 Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment
- 24 Training Squadron Royal Engineers
- 36 Training Squadron Royal Engineers
- Civil Engineering Wing
- Electrical and Mechanical Wing
- 1 Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment
- Royal Engineers Warfare Wing (Founded in 2011 and split between Brompton Barracks, Chatham and Gibraltar Barracks, Kent, this is the product of the amalgamation between Command Wing, where Command and Tactics were taught and Battlefield Engineering Wing, where combat engineering training was facilitated.)
- United Kingdom Mine Information and Training Centre
- Defence Explosive Munitions and Search School (formally Defence EODBomb disposalBomb disposal is the process by which hazardous explosive devices are rendered safe. Bomb disposal is an all encompassing term to describe the separate, but interrelated functions in the following fields:*Military:...
School and the National Search Centre) - Defence Animal CentreDefence Animal CentreThe Defence Animal Centre is a training centre, based in Melton Mowbray, east Leicestershire, that trains animals for all three armed forces. It is also of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps. The DAC now comes under command of the Royal School of Military Engineering.-History:The Army moved in in...
- Royal School of Military SurveyRoyal School of Military SurveyThe Defence College of Intelligence Royal School of Military Survey is ajoint services survey training facility associated with the Corps of Royal Engineers but attached to the United Kingdom Defence Intelligence and Security Centre ....
(until 1 April 2006)
- Combat Engineer School
- 28 Training Squadron, Army Training Regiment BassingbournBassingbournBassingbourn can refer to:* Bassingbourn cum Kneesworth, a civil parish in Cambridgeshire, England* RAF Bassingbourn or Bassingbourn Barracks, a former military airbase located in Cambridgeshire...
- Diving Training Unit (Army), (DTU(A))
- Band of the Corps of Royal Engineers
Territorial Army
- Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia)Royal Monmouthshire Royal EngineersThe Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers is the most senior regiment in the British Territorial Army, having given continuous loyal service to the crown since 1539. It is part of the reserve forces, and is the only remaining Militia unit in the British Army...
- 100 Field Squadron [Cwmbran/Bristol/Cardiff]
- 101 Headquarters Troop [Monmouth]
- 108 (Welsh) Field Squadron [Swansea/Gorseinion]
- 225 Field Squadron [Birmingham]
- The Jersey Field Squadron [St Helier]
- 71 Engineer Regiment (Volunteers) (Air Support)
- 102 (Clyde) Field Squadron (Air Support) [Paisley/Barnsford Bridge]
- 124 Field Squadron (Cumbernauld)
- 236 Field Squadron [Elgin]
- Headquarters Troop RAF LeucharsRAF LeucharsRAF Leuchars is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. It is located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the university town of St Andrews.-Operations:...
- 10 Orkney Field Troop [Orkney Islands]
- 72 Engineer Regiment (Volunteers) Close Support
- 103 (Tyne Electrical Engineers) Field Squadron (Air Support) [Newcastle/Sunderland(2Tp)]
- 106 (West Riding) Field Squadron [Sheffield/Bradford]
- 73 Engineer Regiment (Volunteers) (Air Support)
- 129 Headquarters and Support Squadron [Nottingham]
- 350 Field Squadron (Air Support) [Nottingham]
- 575 (Sherwood Foresters) Field Squadron (Air Support) [Chesterfield]
- 75 Engineer Regiment (Volunteers) (Field)
- 107 (Lancashire and Cheshire) Field Squadron [Birkenhead]
- 125 (Staffordshire) Field Support Squadron [Stoke-on-Trent]
- 202 Field Support Squadron [Manchester]
- 101 (City of London) Engineer Regiment (EOD) [Hybrid Regiment - Regular & TA]
- 221 Field Squadron (EOD)(V) [Rochester/Catford]
- 579 Field Squadron (EOD)(V) [Tunbridge Wells]
- 33 Engineer Regiment (EOD) [Hybrid Regiment - Regular & TA]
- 217 (London) Field Squadron (EOD) [Holloway]
- 131 Independent Commando Squadron Royal Engineers (Volunteers) [London/Bath/Plymouth/Birmingham] ' formed 24 Commando Regiment Royal Engineers24 Commando Regiment Royal Engineers24 Commando Engineer Regiment is a unit of the British Army's Royal Engineers which supports 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines. It was formed in April 2008...
in early 2007
- 135 Independent Geographic Squadron Royal Engineers (Volunteers) [Ewell]
- Engineer and Logistic Staff CorpsEngineer and Logistic Staff CorpsThe Engineer and Logistic Staff Corps is a part of the Royal Engineers in the British Territorial Army. It is intended to provide advisers on engineering and logistics to the British Army at a senior level.- History :...
(Volunteers)
- 170 (Infrastructure Support) Engineer Group (previously Military Works Force)
- 62 Works Group [Regular]
- 506 STRE (Water Infrastructure)
- 63 Works Group [Regular]
- 504 STRE (Power Infrastructure)
- 64 Works Group [Regular]
- 503 STRE (Fuels Infrastructure)
- 65 Works Group
- 507 STRE (Railway Infrastructure)
- 509 STRE (Ports Infrastructure)
- 508 STRE (Works)
- 525 STRE (Works)
- 526 STRE (Works)
- 62 Works Group [Regular]
- 591 Independent Field Squadron
- Is the only Royal Engineer TA Unit in Northern Ireland.
Corps' Ensign
The Royal Engineers, Ports Section, operated harbours and ports for the army and used mainly specialised vessels such as tugs and dredgers. Although the former Submarine Mining Service badge had been incorporated into their EnsignEnsign
An ensign is a national flag when used at sea, in vexillology, or a distinguishing token, emblem, or badge, such as a symbol of office in heraldry...
, which was been designated 'Royal Engineers' after Submarine Mining was transferred to the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
in 1904, the badge was made obsolete in 1909. However at the beginning of the 1914-1918 War, Inland Water Transport (IWT), previously part of the War Department Fleet, was transferred to the Royal Engineers and in 1915 the old Submarine Mining/Royal Engineers badge was reintroduced with pattern again sealed (L of C 17226).
IWT ran barges on rivers and canals up to the front line in France. Later their responsibilities were extended, and by 1916 they were also operating ships and train ferries across the Channel from a purpose built port at Richborough
Richborough
Richborough is a settlement north of Sandwich on the east coast of the county of Kent, England. Richborough lies close to the Isle of Thanet....
. IWT vessels were also in East Africa, and Mesopotamia (Iraq) where they moved supplies on the Tigris and Euphrates from Basra to Baghdad; by 1918 over 1600 vessels were there, mainly chartered or requisitioned. IWT was disbanded in 1924, but revived in 1939. During the 1939-1945 War IWT was active in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, British Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
, Burma, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
In November 1942 the Director of Transportation asked whether the flag issued to Royal Engineers small craft was correct. He seems to have been concerned with the form of the thunder-bolt. The original 1806 crest from which the badge was derived; "Out of a mural crown a dexter hand holding a thunderbolt
Thunderbolt
A thunderbolt is a discharge of lightning accompanied by a loud thunderclap or its symbolic representation. In its original usage the word may also have been a description of meteors, or, as Plato suggested in Timaeus, of the consequences of a close approach between two planetary cosmic bodies,...
all proper", had been changed in 1823 to "Out of a mural crown, argent, a dexter cubit arm the hand grasping a thunderbolt
Thunderbolt
A thunderbolt is a discharge of lightning accompanied by a loud thunderclap or its symbolic representation. In its original usage the word may also have been a description of meteors, or, as Plato suggested in Timaeus, of the consequences of a close approach between two planetary cosmic bodies,...
, winged and in flames, proper". Sir Gerald W. Wollaston, Inspector of Regimental Colours, wrote "thunderbolts are always subject to treatment", and in a later letter, "Wings and lightning should emanate from the body of the thunder-bolt of which they are a constituent part. In the badge the wings seem to float behind the hand. A thunder-bolt is a winged body (of no very definite formation perhaps) from which emanate flashes of lightning."
Ensigns with the revised badge were made in two sizes, 6' x 3' and 3' x 1.5', (183/ 91/ 46 cm). Small numbers were ordered in 1943 and early 1944, probably for training units, but in June orders were placed for 2,514 six feet ensigns and 1,982 three feet ensigns, for operational service.
After the war the army continued to have two separate water-borne transport organisations, Royal Engineers (Transport Services) operating ports and bulk movement in bases and on lines of communication, and Royal Army Service Corps
Royal Army Service Corps
The Royal Army Service Corps was a corps of the British Army. It was responsible for land, coastal and lake transport; air despatch; supply of food, water, fuel, and general domestic stores such as clothing, furniture and stationery ; administration of...
responsible for intercommunication and distribution movements. In July 1965 the Royal Army Service Corps
Royal Army Service Corps
The Royal Army Service Corps was a corps of the British Army. It was responsible for land, coastal and lake transport; air despatch; supply of food, water, fuel, and general domestic stores such as clothing, furniture and stationery ; administration of...
Fleet (civilian and military) and the Royal Engineers Fleet (Port Squadrons & Inland Water Transport) merged to form the Royal Corps of Transport
Royal Corps of Transport
The Royal Corps of Transport was a British Army Corps formed in 1965 from the transport elements of the Royal Army Service Corps and the movement control element of the Royal Engineers . The depot was Buller Barracks in Aldershot...
Fleet.
The Royal Engineers ensign was later flown on boats of the RE Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
Squadron and at the Royal Engineers Diving Training Wing at Gunwharf, Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
. It presumably disappeared in 1996, when all Service diving moved to the Joint Service Defence Diving School on Hornsea Island, Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
, it made a brief reappearance on one of the landing- craft beached at Arromanches during the 60th anniversary of D-Day celebrations and was flown by both 37 and 29 Armoured Engineer Squadrons on boats conducting anti-rocket patrols in the rivers and marshes
Mesopotamian Marshes
The Mesopotamian Marshes are a wetland area located in southern Iraq and partially in southwestern Iran. Historically the marshlands, mainly composed of the separate but adjacent Central, Hawizeh and Hammar Marshes, used to be the largest wetland ecosystem of Western Eurasia...
of Southern Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
in 2009.
Bishop Gundulf, Rochester and King's Engineers
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1070 as Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Lafranc's assistant at Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
. His talent for architecture had been spotted by King William I
William I of England
William I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...
and was put to good use in Rochester
Diocese of Rochester
The Diocese of Rochester is a Church of England diocese in South-East England and forms part of the Province of Canterbury. It is an ancient diocese, having been established in 604; only the neighbouring Diocese of Canterbury is older in the Church of England....
where he was sent as Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
in 1077. Almost immediately the King appointed him to supervise the construction of the White Tower
White Tower (Tower of London)
The White Tower is a central tower, the old keep, at the Tower of London.-History:The castle which later became known as the Tower of London was built by William the Conqueror in 1066. It began as a timber fortification enclosed by a palisade. In the next decade work began on the White Tower, the...
, now part of the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
in 1778. Under William Rufus he also undertook building work on Rochester Castle
Rochester Castle
Rochester Castle stands on the east bank of the River Medway in Rochester, Kent, England. The 12th-century keep or stone tower, which is the castle's most prominent feature, is one of the best preserved in England or France. Located along the River Medway and Watling Street, Rochester was a...
. Having served three Kings of England and earning 'the favour of then all' Gundulf is accepted as the first "King's Engineer". Gundulf died in 1108 and his statue adorns the West door of Rochester Cathedral
Rochester Cathedral
Rochester Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a Norman church in Rochester, Kent. The bishopric is second oldest in England after Canterbury...
.
Because of his military engineering talent, Bishop Gundulf is regarded as the 'father of the Corps of Royal Engineers'. The Corps claims a line of Kings' Engineers pre-dating the Engineers of the Board of Ordnance
Board of Ordnance
The Board of Ordnance was a British government body responsible for the supply of armaments and munitions to the Royal Navy and British Army. It was also responsible for providing artillery trains for armies and maintaining coastal fortresses and, later, management of the artillery and engineer...
,1414, and the formal founding of the Corps in 1716, all the way back to Gundulf. This shared heritage and the close proximity to the Cathedral of the Royal School of Military Engineering in Brompton, Medway means the Corps of Royal Engineers and Rochester Cathedral
Rochester Cathedral
Rochester Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a Norman church in Rochester, Kent. The bishopric is second oldest in England after Canterbury...
maintain strong links to this day, including holding the Corps' annual veterans and remembrance services at the Cathedral.
There are over 25 memorials to individual Officers and Soldiers of the Corps of Royal Engineers and a number of memorials representing members of the Corps that have given their lives in the discharge of their duty, including many stained glass windows presented by the Corps. The interior wall surrounding the West Door (the main entrance) is entirely given over to a mosaic memorial to the Corps' dead from campaigns of the Victorian era, including previous forays into Afghanistan
Afghanistan
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...
.
The Institution of Royal Engineers (InstRE)
See also: Institution of Royal Engineers and RE - Continuous Professional Development.The Institution of Royal Engineers (InstRE), the professional institution of the Corps of Royal Engineers, was established in 1875 and in 1923 it was granted its Royal Charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
by King George V. The Institution is co-located with the Royal Engineers Museum, within the grounds of the Royal School of Military Engineering
Royal School of Military Engineering
The Royal School of Military Engineering is the main training establishment for the British Army's Royal Engineers. After they have successfully completed their Phase 1 - Basic Soldier Training, members of the Corps of Royal Engineers attend 3 RSME, at Minley for Phase 2a - Combat Engineering...
at Brompton in Chatham, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
.
The Institution Today
The present objectives of the Institution are to promote and advance the science of military engineering and to promote the military efficiency of the Corps of Royal Engineers. In pursuit of these objects the Institution provides a forum for debate through its sponsorship of joint professional meetings; the publication of articles in its Journal; the maintenance of a Museum and Library for the Corps' heritage and archive collection; and the administration of prize funds, a memorials fund and a scholarship fund.Members of the InstRE are awarded the post-nominal letters MInstRE. The Institution is a licensed member of the Engineering Council and was granted permission to award Engineering Technician
Engineering technician
An engineering technician is a specialist who is trained in the skills and techniques related to a specific branch of engineering, with relatively practical understanding of the general engineering concepts...
(EngTech) status in 2007. In 2010 the institution was granted the ability to award Incorporated Engineer (IEng) and Chartered Engineer
Chartered Engineer (UK)
In the United Kingdom, a Chartered Engineer is an engineer registered with Engineering Council UK . Contemporary Chartered Engineers are master's degree-qualified and have gained professional competencies through training and experience...
(CEng) status to suitably experienced and qualified Military Engineers who are members of the Institution.
There are several categories of membership:
- Fellowship (FInstRE) of the Institution is conferred on members of note by the Council. This is a personal honour and is not conferred on the holder of an office as such.
- Membership (MInstRE) of the Institution is open to serving and retired officers, warrant officers, senior and junior NCOs, both RegularRegular armyA regular army consists of the permanent force of a country's army that is maintained under arms during peacetime.Countries that use the term include:*Australian Army*British Army*Canadian Forces, specifically "Regular Force"*Egyptian army*Indian Army...
and Territorial, of the Corps of Royal Engineers, and to those who are of similar rank in the engineer arm of the land forces of CommonwealthCommonwealthCommonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has sometimes been synonymous with "republic."More recently it has been used for fraternal associations of some sovereign nations...
countries, and such other friendly nations as the Council of the Institution shall determine. - Honorary Members (HonMInstRE) are elected by the Council. This is a personal honour and is not conferred on the holder of an office as such. Members of the Royal Engineers are not eligible for election as Honorary Members.
- Honorary Associate Membership is reserved for the Chief Engineers of the armed forces of friendly nations and others who by their appointment hold an office with whom the Institution have an affiliation.
- Associate Membership is no longer offered. In the streamlining of membership existing Associate Members were granted permission to become full members on application.
The Institution currently publishes a journal, less formal magazine and supports a number of books and papers:
- Royal Engineers Journal is published three times per year and contains articles that have some military engineering connection. The first Journal was published in August 1870. The idea for the publication was proposed at the Corps Meeting of May 1870 by Major R Harrison and seconded By Captain R Home, who became its first editor. (The Journal eventually superseded the Professional Papers, which were started by Lieutenant WT Denison in 1837 and continued to be published until 1918).
- Royal Engineers List is a list of all serving and retired officers and warrant officers. The first list was published in 1876 as part of the Journal, in 1905 it became a separate publication.
- History of the Corps of Royal Engineers is currently in its 12th volume. The first two volumes were written by Major General Whitworth PorterWhitworth PorterWhitworth Porter was an English Major General.Porter published the first two volumes of History of the Corps of Royal Engineers in 1889, a work continued through 11 volumes.-References:...
and published in 1889. The most recent Volume was published in October 2011 and covers the years 1980 to 2000.
- The Sapper is a monthly magazine for all ranks first published in August 1895. It was originally proposed by three Corporals; Piggott, Avis and Beaumont and was taken up by Engineer Clerk Sergeant SW Hirst. The first few editions were published at the School of Military Engineering (SME) Printing School. Today, past issues of The Sapper Magazine can be viewed, free, online.
The Institution, in line with the aims of the Engineering Council supports Continuous Professional Development of all serving members of the Corps. The Corps manages CPD through the Royal Engineers Continuous Personal Development (RE-CPD) Team. The RE CPD Team is still managed and funded by the Royal Engineers Vocational Education & Training Trust (REVETT). The Trust is a registered Charity (number 1068709) largely funded through the Learning & Skills Council but also has access to limited Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
funding.
Based in Chatham at the Royal School of Military Engineering
Royal School of Military Engineering
The Royal School of Military Engineering is the main training establishment for the British Army's Royal Engineers. After they have successfully completed their Phase 1 - Basic Soldier Training, members of the Corps of Royal Engineers attend 3 RSME, at Minley for Phase 2a - Combat Engineering...
, the RE CPD Team is the driving force behind most RE CPD activity and is directly involved in many qualifications schemes. The Team supports the provision of qualifications & training in many of the skills areas associated with military engineering, including construction
Construction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
, civil
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
, electrical
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
and mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
, surveying
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
, cartography
Cartography
Cartography is the study and practice of making maps. Combining science, aesthetics, and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality can be modeled in ways that communicate spatial information effectively.The fundamental problems of traditional cartography are to:*Set the map's...
and telecommunications.
History of the Institution
The expansion of the British EmpireBritish Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
during the 1860s, and in particular the absorption of the officer engineer elements from the former East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
Army into the Corps of Royal Engineers in 1862 created the need and wish for further opportunities for the officers to study technical issues to better enable them to met the challenges of their work. This led to the suggestion of a Royal Engineer Institute, to house a technical library and a Museum.
In 1869 a Royal Commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
on Military Education was set up to investigate education within the armed services. In 1871 a proposal to build accommodate for both the Institute and parts of the School of Military Engineering was laid before the Commission. The proposal was accepted and construction began on the building. It was designed by Lieutenant (later Sir) Montague Ommanney, Royal Engineers in 1872, who went on to become King of Arms of the Order of St Michael and St George
King of Arms of the Order of St Michael and St George
The King of Arms of the Order of St Michael and St George is the herald of the Order of St Michael and St George.-Kings of Arms:*1818-1831: Sir George Nayler*1832: Sir Harris Nicolas*1832-1859: Sir Charles Douglas*1859-1869: Sir Henry Drummond Wolff...
, the herald
Herald
A herald, or, more correctly, a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between pursuivant and king of arms. The title is often applied erroneously to all officers of arms....
of the Order of St Michael and St George
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
. The Institute Building was completed at the end of 1873, since the Institutions move the building has become the Headquarters of the Royal School of Military Engineering
Royal School of Military Engineering
The Royal School of Military Engineering is the main training establishment for the British Army's Royal Engineers. After they have successfully completed their Phase 1 - Basic Soldier Training, members of the Corps of Royal Engineers attend 3 RSME, at Minley for Phase 2a - Combat Engineering...
.
In 1875 a report on the proposed founding of an Institute was submitted to the Commander-in -Chief and the Secretary of State for War
Secretary of State for War
The position of Secretary of State for War, commonly called War Secretary, was a British cabinet-level position, first held by Henry Dundas . In 1801 the post became that of Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. The position was re-instated in 1854...
, who approved it. Thereafter the Institute came into being when it was accepted at the Corps Meeting in May 1875.
It was initially called the 'Royal Engineer Institute', but in 1882 an 's' was added to the name 'Engineer' in all Corps Associations, so the Institute became the 'Royal Engineers Institute'. The title was again changed to the 'Institution of Royal Engineers' (InstRE) in 1923 when it was incorporated by Royal Charter.
Captain VG Clayton, Royal Engineers, acted as a temporary Secretary until Major WH Collins, Royal Engineers, was appointed Secretary in August 1875, but soon resigned and the position was taken over by Captain RH Vetch, Royal Engineers, in July 1876. He held the post until January 1884 and laid the foundations on which the Secretary's duties grew and continued until the First World War (1914–18).
In 1910, owing to a shortage of Royal Engineer Officers, permission to employ an officer in the post of Secretary on the active list was withdrawn, but a Government grant was secured to cover the salary of the Secretary who was to be elected from officers on the reserve or retired lists.
The home of the Institute was the Institute Building at Chatham although in 1887 a committee was appointed to consider the question of the provision of premises in London. In 1984 the Institution moved into the Ravelin Building to be co-located with the Corps museum and other 'regimental' activities.
The Royal Engineers' Association
The Royal Engineers Association was formed under the conditions of a Deed of Declaration of Trust by the amalgamation of the original Royal Engineers Association and the Royal Engineers Benevolent Fund Ltd on 19 November 1968. The original Royal Engineers Association was founded in 1912 under the name of The Royal Engineers Old Comrades Association. Its name was changed to the Royal Engineers Association in 1952. The Royal Engineers Benevolent Fund Ltd was originally established as the RE Charitable Fund in 1868. It was incorporated as a Friendly Society on 29 January 1925 and changed its name to the RE Benevolent Fund on 23 July 1943.The Aims of The Association are to promote and support the Corps among members of the Association in the following ways:
- By fostering esprit de corps and a spirit of comradeship and service.
- By maintaining an awareness of Corps traditions.
- By acting as a link between serving and retired members of the Corps.
- To provide financial and other assistance to serving and former members of the Corps, their wives, widows and dependants who are in need through poverty.
- To make grants, within Association guidelines, to the Army Benevolent Fund and to other charities which further the objectives of the Association.
The Association is organised into a Headquarters, Groups and Branches. The Association Headquarters are located at the Royal School of Military Engineering at Brompton, Chatham. Group Headquarters are located geographically to supervise and organise Branches. Branches are established in towns, districts or units of the Corps and are administered by their elected Branch officials. There are also a growing number of National Branches which relate to various activities within the Corps. Currently these are:
- Bomb DisposalBomb disposalBomb disposal is the process by which hazardous explosive devices are rendered safe. Bomb disposal is an all encompassing term to describe the separate, but interrelated functions in the following fields:*Military:...
, - Military Survey,
- Armoured Engineers,
- Radio,
- Junior Leaders,
- AirborneAirborne forcesAirborne forces are military units, usually light infantry, set up to be moved by aircraft and 'dropped' into battle. Thus they can be placed behind enemy lines, and have an ability to deploy almost anywhere with little warning...
Engineers, - Amphibious Engineers,
- Commando Engineers,
- Plant,
- Postal and Courier (RE).
Royal Engineers' Yacht Club
In 1899 the General Officer Commanding Thames and Medway
Medway
Medway is a conurbation and unitary authority in South East England. The Unitary Authority was formed in 1998 when the City of Rochester-upon-Medway amalgamated with Gillingham Borough Council and part of Kent County Council to form Medway Council, a unitary authority independent of Kent County...
, the Royal Engineer General Sir Charles Warren
Charles Warren
General Sir Charles Warren, GCMG, KCB, FRS was an officer in the British Royal Engineers. He was one of the earliest European archaeologists of Biblical Holy Land, and particularly of Temple Mount...
(1840–1927) presented a challenge shield for a championship cutter race on the River Medway
Medway
Medway is a conurbation and unitary authority in South East England. The Unitary Authority was formed in 1998 when the City of Rochester-upon-Medway amalgamated with Gillingham Borough Council and part of Kent County Council to form Medway Council, a unitary authority independent of Kent County...
against the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. The Sapper teams were drawn from members of the Submarine Mining School, but when the service was disbanded in 1905, the tradition of cutter rowing was continued by the fieldwork squads.
The club developed and became the Royal Engineer Yacht Club in 1846, making it one of the most senior yacht clubs in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The REYC continues to this day, operating three club yachts and competing on behalf of the Corps at races around the world. The club is one of the oldest sports clubs in the British Army.
Members of the REYC, as one of the oldest clubs in the UK, are permitted to apply for permission to fly an Un-defaced Blue Ensign
Blue Ensign
The Blue Ensign is a flag, one of several British ensigns, used by certain organisations or territories associated with the United Kingdom. It is used either plain, or defaced with a badge or other emblem....
along with the REYC Burgee which is formed from cannons and lions of the shield of the coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of the Board of Ordnance
Board of Ordnance
The Board of Ordnance was a British government body responsible for the supply of armaments and munitions to the Royal Navy and British Army. It was also responsible for providing artillery trains for armies and maintaining coastal fortresses and, later, management of the artillery and engineer...
.
The Royal Engineers A.F.C.: The first combination team (late 1860s to mid 1870s)
Sir Frederick WallFrederick Wall
Sir Frederick Joseph Wall was an English football player and administrator. Wall played for the Royal Engineers, and after retiring became Secretary of the Football Association, a position he held from 1895 to 1934. He was knighted in 1930, and famously called Jimmy Hogan a traitor after the latter...
(who was the secretary of the Football Association from 1895–1934) states in his biography that the early combination game was first used by the Royal Engineers A.F.C.
Royal Engineers A.F.C.
The Royal Engineers Association Football Club is an association football team representing the Corps of Royal Engineers, the "Sappers", of the British Army. In the 1870s it was one of the strongest sides in English football, winning the FA Cup in 1875 and being Cup Finalists in four of the first...
in the early 1870s, in particular prior to their 1873 tour of Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield . Wall states that the "Sappers moved in unison" and showed the "advantages of combination over the old style of individualism". He goes on to state that they were the first "to show the value of combination in Sheffield and Nottingham. Wall attended and regularly refers to the 1872 international match in his account (see below) and speaks very highly of many Scottish teams and players he does not attribute the combination game to either of these. The Engineers were also capable of dribbling the ball, for example one 1868 match reports states "Lieut Morris got off and dribbling the ball quite round his opponents, brought it in front of the goal and a kick from Lieut Dorward scored the first goal for the Royal Engineers".
Royal Engineers in 1868
By early 1868 a contemporary match report states "For the R.E.s Lieuts Campbell, Johnon and chambers attracted especial attention by their clever play"Royal Engineers in 1869
As early as 1869 the Royal Engineers football club is documented in a contemporary match report as having "worked well together" and "had learned the secret of football success - backing up". In this match failure of the opposite team was attributed to "a painful want of cooperation" against the Engineers.Royal Engineers in 1870
Another contemporary match report clearly shows that by 1870, ball passing was a feature of the Engineers style: "Lieut. Creswell, who having brought it up the side then kicked it into the middle to another of his side, who kicked it through the posts the minute before time was called"Royal Engineers in 1871
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
of football. In a match of March 1871 against Wanderers their victory was due to "irreproachable organisation" and in particular that both their attacks and their backing up were both "so well organised" In November 1871 similar passing tactics are described in a contemporary account of a game against the Wanderers in which two goals were scored through tactical passing: "Betts, however, soon seized his opportunity, and by a brilliant run down the left wing turned the ball judiciously to Currie, who as judiciously sent it flying through the strangers' goal in first rate style" Later in the match it is reported that "Lieut G Barker, turning the ball to Lieut Renny-Tailyour who planted it between the posts" "Turning" the ball clearly points to the short pass.
Royal Engineers in 1872
There is evidence that opponents sometimes adjusted their playing style to counteract the organisation and passing of the Engineers. For example in February 1872 against Westminster schoolWestminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
a brief contemporary match report states that: "The school captain took the precaution of strengthening his backs, deputizing HDS Vidal to cooperate with Rawson and Jackson and so well did these three play in concert... they succeeded in defying the... RE forwards" What is most notable about this report is that it confirms that the Royal Engineers "played beautifully together" That the engineers were the first side to break the trend of dribbling is shown in a contemporary account of their victory against Crystal Palace in early 1872. This said that: "very little dribbling was displayed"
Summary of the Royal Engineers early playing style
The evidence above contains detailed descriptions of passing that are lacking in reports of the 1872 Glasgow international. For example, in a lengthy account the Scotsman newspaper makes no mention of passing or combination by the Scottish team and specifically describes the Scottish attacks in terms of dribbling: "The Scotch now came away with a great rush, Leckie and others dribbling the ball so smartly that the English lines were closely besieged and the ball was soon behind" and "Weir now had a splendid run for Scotland into the heart of his opponents' territory." Although the Scottish team are acknowledged to have worked better together during the first half, this contemporary account acknowledges that in the second half England played similarly: "During the first half of the game the English team did not work so well together, but in the second half they left nothing to be desired in this respect." The Scotsman concludes that the difference in styles in the first half is the advantage the Queens' Park players had "through knowing each others' play" as all came from the same club. Unlike the 1872 Glasgow international - which was drawn - the contemporary evidence above shows that the Engineers' team playing style benefited their team play by winning games. Similarly, the 5th March 1872 match between Wanderers and Queens park contains no evidence of ball passingThe early accounts cited above all confirm that the Engineers were the first club to play a passing game of cooperation and organisation with both their forwards and their defence. Although they could also play rough - as would be expected for an army team - The Engineers are the first side to be considered to play the football "beautifully". All of these developments clearly occurred before and independent of the 1872 match between England and Scotland (Queen's Park FC). It is probable that Queen's Park FC observed the Engineers' passing game during one of their visits to England to participate in the 1871–72 FA Cup. Undoubtedly, their representatives in London were well aware of the Sheffield and Engineers' style.
Rugby
The Army were represented in the very first international by two members of the Royal Engineers, both playing for EnglandEngland national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
, Lieutenant Charles Arthur Crompton
Charles Arthur Crompton
Lieutenant Charles Arthur Crompton RE, was a rugby union international who played for England in the first rugby international against Scotland in 1871...
RE and Lieutenant Charles Sherrard
Charles Sherrard
Charles Sherrard RE was a rugby union international who represented England from 1871 to 1872. Additionally, along with Lieutenant Charles Arthur Crompton RE, he was the first member of the armed forces to represent their national side.-Early life:...
RE.
Successor units
Several units have been formed from the Royal Engineers.- The Air Battalion Royal EngineersAir Battalion Royal EngineersThe Air Battalion Royal Engineers was the first flying unit of the British Armed Forces to make use of heavier-than-air craft. It evolved into the Royal Flying Corps which in turn evolved into the Royal Air Force.-Establishment:...
(formed 1911) was the precursor of the Royal Flying CorpsRoyal Flying CorpsThe Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
(formed 1912) which evolved into the Royal Air ForceRoyal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
in 1918. - The Telegraph Battalion Royal Engineers became the Royal Engineers Signals Service, which in turn became the independent Royal Corps of SignalsRoyal Corps of SignalsThe Royal Corps of Signals is one of the combat support arms of the British Army...
in 1920. - The Royal Engineers were responsible for railway and inland waterway transport, port operations and movement control until 1965, when these functions were transferred to the new Royal Corps of TransportRoyal Corps of TransportThe Royal Corps of Transport was a British Army Corps formed in 1965 from the transport elements of the Royal Army Service Corps and the movement control element of the Royal Engineers . The depot was Buller Barracks in Aldershot...
. (See also Railway Operating DivisionRailway Operating DivisionThe Railway Operating Division was a division of the Royal Engineers formed in 1915 to operate railways in the many theatres of the First World War...
.) - In 1908, the Army Postal Corps (formed in 1882) and the Royal Engineers Telegraph Reserve (formed in 1884) amalgamated to form the Royal Engineers Postal Section. This later became the Army Postal and Courier Service and remained part of the RE until the formation of the Royal Logistic CorpsRoyal Logistic CorpsThe Royal Logistic Corps provides logistic support functions to the British Army. It is the largest Corps in the Army, comprising around 17% of its strength...
in 1993 - see (British Forces Post OfficeBritish Forces Post OfficeThe British Forces Post Office provides a postal service to HM Forces, separate from that provided by Royal Mail in the United Kingdom. BFPO addresses are used for the delivery of mail in the UK and around the world...
).
The Royal Engineers from just after the Second World War until the early 1970s also had 4 Plant Troops located in the United Kingdom which were RE reinforced Plant & Engineering troops attached to various Home Commands. The Command Plant Troops were initially set up in the late 40s to clear up the beach defences around the coast and remove the minefields and were equipped with Armoured Bulldozer
Armored bulldozer
The armored bulldozer is a basic tool of combat engineering. These combat engineering vehicles combine the earth moving capabilities of the bulldozer with armor which protects the vehicle and its operator in or near combat. Most are civilian bulldozers modified by addition of vehicle armor/military...
s. In the 1950s once all this work was complete they took responsibility of maintaining and building all Army Ranges and various civil works in support of the civilian population and in support of civilian organisations in the event of natural disasters and crises such as the Torrey Canyon
Torrey Canyon
The Torrey Canyon was a supertanker capable of carrying a cargo of 120,000 tons of crude oil, which was shipwrecked off the western coast of Cornwall, England in March 1967 causing an environmental disaster...
disaster where the Southern Command Plant Troop was deployed to the West Country to clean up the mess on the beaches caused by the large volume of oil that floated ashore. The 4 Command Plant Troops were based in various locations across the United Kingdom with Southern Commend Plant Troop initially based in Tidworth, then Perham Down in Wiltshire and eventually Longmoor in Hampshire. The Midlands Plant Squadron was based in Walsall and the Northern Command plant troop was based in Ripon. The other command plant troop was based in Scotland. In Germany there was an Entire Engineering group based in Willich near Düsseldorf called the Military Civilian Plant & Engineering group that had a similar large scale Engineering, Plant and Support role for British Army of the Rhine. Each Command Plant Troop was commanded by an RE Major supported by a Military Plant Foreman.
In 1969, it was decided to amalgamate all of the Command Plant Troops into one large Squadron which had 4 troops, an HQ Troop and a large REME Attachment
Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
The Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers is a corps of the British Army that has responsibility for the maintenance, servicing and inspection of almost every electrical and mechanical piece of equipment within the British Army from Challenger II main battle tanks and WAH64 Apache...
to it and the Squadron - 66 Plant Squadron became the largest squadron in the entire Royal Engineers, in terms of Plant Engineering and Equipment as well as staff. Its last home was in Longmoor Hampshire - Engineer Stores Depot attached to Longmoor Military Camp
Longmoor Military Camp
Longmoor Military Camp is a British Army training camp and training area on the A3 road between Liss and Liphook in Hampshire, England. The village of Greatham lies to the south....
, which was also home to a Field Support Squadron. Longmoor Military Railway was from 1901 until the late 1960s the preserve of the Royal Engineers but subsequently Royal Corps of Transport and eventually Royal Logistic Corps Railway Training Centre. Its role also changed with a much wider role to support Military operations throughout NATO.
In late 1976 a Mr Trotter in Parliament asked the Secretary of State for Defence which units, apart from 66 Plant Squadron Royal Engineers, are specialists in heavy plant; whether he still intends to disband this squadron; if so, what unit will take its place; and what will be the reduction in the engineers' heavy plant capacity.
In answer to Mr Trotter 's question (See Hansard - Defence 6 December 1976) Mr. Robert C. Brown replied ...There is no directly comparable regular unit containing a similar concentration of specialist plant expertise, but specialist capability exists in parts of various regular field and base units in the United Kingdom, BAOR and elsewhere. In addition, there are two TAVR plant squadrons. As a consequence of the Defence Review, 66 Plant Squadron, Royal Engineers will disband by early 1978, but most of its heavy equipment will be taken over by other engineer units notably in the TAVR. As a result, there will be some reduction in the capacity of the Royal Engineers to plan and conduct major projects in peacetime.
Equipment
- ChieftainChieftain tankThe FV 4201 Chieftain was the main battle tank of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s. It was one of the most advanced tanks of its era, and at the time of its introduction in 1966 had the most powerful main gun and heaviest armour of any tank in the world...
Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineer (ChAVRE) - Chieftain Armoured Vehicle Layer Bridge (ChAVLB)
These are being replaced by 66 Armoured Support Vehicles;
- TROJAN is a minefield breaching vehicle. It prepares routes, mark safe routes using an Obstacle Marking System, breach complex obstacles and provide short dry and wet gap crossing utilising its excavator arm, earth moving blade and a midi fascine. It will plough through minefields, build trenches and dig defensive ditches
- TITAN will carry and lay the current range of In-Service Close Support bridges laying them faster, and in a wider variety of terrain conditions, than previous equipment. TITAN can lay a bridge over a 26 metre gap in two minutes, making it the fastest Support Vehicle in the world at this task. This gives commanders a potential battle winning edge and allows them to choose from a more flexible range of armoured vehicles.
Both vehicles which weigh 62.5 tonnes and are powered by 1,200 horsepower engines are capable of speeds of up to 56 km/h, are designed to mount and tow the current range of in-service Royal Engineer equipment (PYTHON, AVRE Trailer, Track/Full Width Mineploughs and earth moving blades). They have purpose designed hulls, will incorporate Special to Role equipment and have major assemblies common to the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank
Challenger 2 tank
FV4034 Challenger 2 is a British main battle tank currently in service with the armies of the United Kingdom and Oman. It was designed and built by the British company Vickers Defence Systems . The manufacturer advertises it as the world's most reliable main battle tank...
.
Order of precedence
Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
- Tom Edwin AdlamTom Edwin AdlamLieutenant Colonel Tom Edwin Adlam VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
, 1916, ThiepvalThiepvalThe Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme is a major war memorial to 72,191 missing British and South African men who died in the Battles of the Somme of the First World War between 1915 and 1918 who have no known grave...
, France - Adam ArchibaldAdam ArchibaldAdam Archibald VC was a Scottish First World War recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
, 1918, OrsOrsOrs is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It is located on the Sambre–Oise Canal, in a small wood called Bois l'Évêque.-History:The commune was a theater of intense fighting in November 1918 for control of the canal...
, France - Fenton John AylmerFenton John AylmerLieutenant General Sir Fenton John Aylmer, 13th Baronet of Donadea VC KCB was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross...
, 1891, Nilt Fort, India - Mark Sever BellMark Sever BellColonel Mark Sever Bell VC CB was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces...
, 1874, Battle Of Ordashu, Ashanti (now Ghana) - John Rouse Merriott ChardJohn Rouse Merriott ChardColonel John Rouse Merriott Chard VC was a British Army officer who received the Victoria Cross for his role in the defence of Rorke's Drift in 1879....
, 1879, Rorke's DriftRorke's DriftThe Battle of Rorke's Drift, also known as the Defence of Rorke's Drift, was a battle in the Anglo-Zulu War. The defence of the mission station of Rorke's Drift, under the command of Lieutenant John Chard of the Royal Engineers, immediately followed the British Army's defeat at the Battle of...
, South Africa - Brett Mackay CloutmanBrett Mackay CloutmanLieutenant-Colonel Sir Brett Mackay Cloutman VC MC was an English First World War recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.Cloutman was commissioned into the Kent Fortress...
, 1918, Pont-Sur-SambrePont-sur-SambrePont-sur-Sambre is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*...
, France - Clifford CoffinClifford CoffinMajor General Clifford Coffin VC, CB, DSO & Bar was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.He was 47 years old, and a temporary brigadier general in the Corps...
, 1917, WesthoekWesthoek (region)Westhoek or Maritime Flanders is a region in Belgium and France and includes the following areas:#Belgian Westhoek including the West Flanders arrondissements of Diksmuide, Ypres, and Veurne including the cities of Veurne, Poperinge, Wervik, Ypres, De Panne, Langemark-Poelkapelle, and Diksmuide...
, Belgium - James Morris Colquhoun ColvinJames Morris Colquhoun ColvinJames Morris Colquhoun Colvin VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
, 1897, Mohmand Valley, India - James Lennox DawsonJames Lennox DawsonColonel James Lennox Dawson VC was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
, 1915, Hohenzollern RedoubtHohenzollern RedoubtThe Hohenzollern Redoubt, near to Auchy-les-Mines in France, was a German fortification on the Western Front in World War I.-Introduction:The British first attacked the Redoubt on September 25, 1915, the first day of the Battle of Loos...
, France - Robert James Thomas Digby-JonesRobert James Thomas Digby-JonesRobert James Thomas Digby-Jones was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
, 1900, LadysmithSiege of LadysmithThe Siege of Ladysmith was a protracted engagement in the Second Boer War, taking place between 30 October 1899 and 28 February 1900 at Ladysmith, Natal.-Background:...
, South Africa - Thomas Frank DurrantThomas Frank DurrantThomas Frank Durrant VC was a soldier in the British Army during the Second World War and a posthumous English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces...
, 1942, St. NazaireSt. Nazaire RaidThe St Nazaire Raid or Operation Chariot was a successful British amphibious attack on the heavily defended Normandie dry dock at St Nazaire in German-occupied France during the Second World War. The operation was undertaken by the Royal Navy and British Commandos under the auspices of Combined...
, France - Howard Craufurd ElphinstoneHoward Craufurd ElphinstoneMajor-General Sir Howard Craufurd Elphinstone VC KCB CMG was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Early career and the Crimean War:Born in Livonia Elphinstone joined...
, 1855, Sevastopol, Crimea - George de Cardonnel Elmsall FindlayGeorge de Cardonnel Elmsall FindlayColonel George de Cardonnel Elmsall Findlay VC MC & Bar was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.Findlay was commissioned into the Royal Engineers in January...
, 1918, Catillon, France - Gerald GrahamGerald GrahamLieutenant General Sir Gerald Graham, VC GCB GCMG was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Early life:He was born in Acton, Middlesex, and after studying at...
, 1855, Sevastopol, Crimea - William HackettWilliam HackettWilliam Hackett VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
, 1916, Givenchy, France - Reginald Clare HartReginald Clare HartGeneral Sir Reginald Clare Hart, VC, GCB, KCVO , was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:Hart was born at Scarriff, County Clare and educated at...
, 1879, Bazar Valley, Afghanistan - Lanoe HawkerLanoe HawkerLanoe George Hawker VC, DSO was a British flying ace, with seven credited victories, during the First World War. He was the first British flying ace, and the third pilot to receive the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded...
, 1915 {While serving with the RFC} - Charles Alfred JarvisCharles Alfred JarvisCharles Alfred Jarvis VC was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
, 1914, JemappesJemappesJemappes is a Walloon town in south-western Belgium, province Hainaut. Since 1976, it is part of the city Mons...
, Belgium - Frederick Henry JohnsonFrederick Henry JohnsonFrederick Henry Johnson VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
, 1915, Hill 70, France - William Henry JohnstonWilliam Henry JohnstonWilliam Henry Johnston VC was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
, 1914, MissyMissy-sur-AisneMissy-sur-Aisne is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-References:*...
, France - Frank Howard KirbyFrank Howard KirbyGroup Captain Frank Howard Kirby VC CBE DCM was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
, 1900, Delagoa Bay Railway, South Africa - Cecil Leonard KnoxCecil Leonard KnoxCecil Leonard Knox VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
, 1918, Tugny, France - Edward Pemberton LeachEdward Pemberton LeachGeneral Sir Edward Pemberton Leach VC KCB KCVO was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces...
, 1879, Maidanah, Afghanistan - Peter Leitch, 1855, Sevastopol, Crimea
- William James LendrimWilliam James LendrimWilliam James Lendrim VC was born Carrick-on-Shannon, County Leitrim, Ireland and was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:He was 25 years old, and a...
, 1855, Sevastopol, Crimea - Wilbraham Oates LennoxWilbraham Oates LennoxLieutenant-General Sir Wilbraham Oates Lennox VC KCB was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:Lennox was 24 years old, and a lieutenant in the Corps...
, 1854, Sevastopol, Crimea - Henry MacDonaldHenry MacDonaldHenry MacDonald VC was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
, 1855, Sevastopol, Crimea - James John McLeod INNESJames John McLeod InnesLieutenant General James John McLeod Innes VC CB was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.Born in British India to Scottish parents Innes was educated...
, 1859, Sultanpore, India - Cyril Gordon MartinCyril Gordon MartinCyril Gordon Martin VC CBE DSO was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
, 1915, Spanbroek Molen, Belgium - James McPhieJames McPhieJames McPhie VC was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
, 1918, Aubencheul-Au-BacAubencheul-au-BacAubencheul-au-Bac is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*...
, France - Philip NeamePhilip NeameLieutenant General Sir Philip Neame VC, KBE, CB, DSO, KStJ was a British Army officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces...
, 1914, Neuve Chapelle, France - John PerieJohn PerieJohn Perie VC was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
, 1855, Sevastopol, Crimea - Claude RaymondClaude RaymondClaud Raymond VC was a British recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces...
, 1945, Talaku, Burma (now Myanmar) - John RossJohn Ross (VC)John Ross VC was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
, 1855, Sevastopol, Crimea - Michael SleavonMichael SleavonMichael Sleavon VC was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross.-Details:At the age of 31, Sleavon was a corporal in the Corps of Royal Engineers during the Indian Mutiny...
, 1858, JhansiJhansiJhansi Hindi:झाँसी, , Marathi: झाशी, is a historical city of India. Jhansi is the administrative headquarters of Jhansi District and Jhansi Division. The original walled city grew up around its stone fort, which crowns a neighboring rock. This district is on the bank of river Betwa.The National...
, India - Arnold Horace Santo WatersArnold Horace Santo WatersSir Arnold Horace Santo Waters VC, CBE, DSO, MC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:He was 32 years old, and an acting major in the 218th Field...
, 1918, OrsOrsOrs is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It is located on the Sambre–Oise Canal, in a small wood called Bois l'Évêque.-History:The commune was a theater of intense fighting in November 1918 for control of the canal...
, France - Thomas Colclough WatsonThomas Colclough WatsonLieutenant Colonel Thomas Colclough Watson VC was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
, 1897, Mamund Valley, India - Theodore WrightTheodore WrightTheodore Wright VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
, 1914, MonsBattle of MonsThe Battle of Mons was the first major action of the British Expeditionary Force in the First World War. It was a subsidiary action of the Battle of the Frontiers, in which the Allies clashed with Germany on the French borders. At Mons, the British army attempted to hold the line of the...
, Belgium
Memorials
- Royal Engineers World War I memorial at La Ferté-sous-Jouarre
- National Memorial ArboretumNational Memorial ArboretumThe National Memorial Arboretum is a national site of remembrance at Alrewas, near Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. It gives its purpose as:-Origins:...
at Alrewas, Staffordshire - The memorial to the Royal Engineers at Arromanches, the site of the Mulberry Harbours during WW2 - http://www.haworth-village.org.uk/360/1940/arromanches-002.asp
Further reading
- "Follow the Sapper: An Illustrated History of the Corps of Royal Engineers", by Colonel Gerald Napier RE. Published by The Institution of Royal Engineers, 2005. ISBN 0903530260.
- The History of the Corps of Royal Sappers and Miners: From the Formation of the Corps in March 1772, to the Date when Its Designation was Changed to that of Royal Engineers, in October 1856, by Thomas William John Connolly. Published by Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, 1857.
- History of the Corps of Royal Engineers, by Whitworth Porter, Charles Moore Watson. Published by Longmans, Green, 1889.
- The Royal Engineer, by Francis Bond Head. Published by John Murray, 1869.
- Papers on Subjects Connected with the Duties of the Corps of Royal Engineers, by Great Britain Army. Royal Engineers. Published by The Corps, 1874.
- Professional Papers of the Corps of Royal Engineers, by Great Britain Army. Royal Engineers, Royal Engineers' Institute (Great Britain). Published by Royal Engineer Institute, 1892.
- The Royal Engineers in Egypt and the Sudan, by Edward Warren Caulfeild Sandes. Published by Institution of royal engineers, 1937.
- Citizen Soldiers of the Royal Engineers Transportation and Movements and the Royal Army Service Corps, 1859 to 1965, by Gerard Williams, Michael Williams. Published by Institution of the Royal Corps of Transport, 1969.
- Royal Engineers, by Derek Boyd. Published by Cooper, 1975. ISBN 0850521971.
- The Royal Engineers, by Terry Gander. Published by I. Allan, 1985. ISBN 0711015171.
- Versatile Genius: The Royal Engineers and Their Maps : Manuscript Maps and Plans of the Eastern Frontier, 1822-1870, by University of the Witwatersrand Library, Yvonne Garson. Published by University of the Witwatersrand Library, 1992. ISBN 1868380238.
See also
- Malen Island
- Mine Information Training CentreMine Information Training CentreThe Mine Information Training Centre is run by the Royal Engineers of the British Army.-External links:*...
- Royal Engineers, Columbia detachmentRoyal Engineers, Columbia detachmentColumbia detachment of the Royal Engineers was a British military contingent that played a major role in the settlement, development and security of the new British Columbia. Sent at the request of Governor James Douglas to help maintain order during the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush, the detachment was...
External links
- Official Royal Engineers MOD Site
- Institution of Royal Engineers
- Royal Engineers - Continuous Professional Development
- Site for finding current and former serving members of the Corps
- 7 Fd Sqn Memories
- 29 Fld Sqn (vets) Association
- 60 HQ & Sp Sqn History
- Royal Engineers Association
- Royal Engineers Museum and Library
- Royal Engineers Band
- The Royal Engineers in Halifax: Photographing the Garrison City, 1870-1885
- The Columbia Detachment of the Royal Engineers, an online history and biographies of the Royal Engineers in colonial-era British ColumbiaColony of British ColumbiaThe Colony of British Columbia was a crown colony in British North America from 1858 until 1866. At its creation, it physically constituted approximately half the present day Canadian province of British Columbia, since it did not include the Colony of Vancouver Island, the vast and still largely...
- Airborne Engineers Association
- Engineering Council UK
- Rochester Cathedral
- History of 555 Field Company Royal Engineers in WW2