They recorded an individuals rank and regiment, service number, birth place, occupation, attestation date and service history. Corps of royal engineers military wiki fandom military wikia. As well as gallantry in war, their skills are in even greater demand. History of the corps of royal engineers has been published in twelve. Uniforms in the british army are specific to the regiment or corps to which a soldier belongs. Officers and sncos should be familiar with it, in order that they are aware what information is available to assist them during courses, training and operations. Provide essential support to all areas of the british army in peacetime and on operations. The great war was the first in which chemical weapons were deployed. The corps of royal engineers, usually just called the royal engineers re, and.
The corps of engineers was formed in 1716, consisting of only 28 officers. Members of the unit were to be dispersed to other british army units and 59 independent. London, new york, longmans, green, 1889, also by whitworth porter page images at hathitrust. British expeditionary force order of battle 1940 wikipedia. The organisation of divisions and brigades of british army in 1939, at the outbreak of the second world war, is listed below the ultimate head of all the british armed forces was nominally king george vi, with the various departments of state coming underneath. The corps of royal engineers the british army s military engineers. After expansion and many expeditions around the world, the corps of royal engineers was formally established in 1856, consisting of both officers and noncommissioned ranks. Army secretariat army headquarters idl 24 blenheim building. Japan, this book recounts the engineer role in the campaigns in north. Useful books the following books are useful for a more detailed guide into researching your family history. The object of this handbook is to furnish a simple guide for the u.
Royal engineers numbered about 4,000 officers and men organized mostly as steel companies. The regimental headq uarte rs and t he royal school of military e ngineering are in chatham in kent, england. They are a soldier first, then a combat engineer and then a tradesman. Royal artillery and royal engineers being vested in the commanderinchief of the army.
Publications on british army electronic battle box version 7 land doctrine army doctrine publications. This is done, not by narrative, but by delving into unit history rather than campaign history, thus offering a different perspective for the historian. This guide provides advice on finding records held at the national archives known as muster rolls, pay lists and description books. United states army in the world war, 19171919, organization of. Prior to the outbreak of the second world war, the repair and maintenance of vehicles and technical equipment in the british army was the responsibility of the royal army ordnance corps r. The group comprised five of the eight royal engineers quarrying companies formed during the. There are a number of specialised trades in the corps of royal engineers including bomb disposalsearch, armoured engineer, parachute engineer, commando royal engineer and royal engineer diver to name a few. Corps of royal electrical and mechanical engineers the. The brigade was formed at upavon in 2005 and, under the army 2020 reorganisation, moved to gibraltar barracks at minley in 2014. Royal engineers in the second world war, the wartime memories project. The rsme also provides training for the royal navy, royal air force, other arms and services of the british army, other government departments, and foreign and commonwealth countries as. They designed and built the frontline fortifications, creating cover for the infantry and positions for the artillery.
Royal engineers tie, re corps tie, bow tie, royal engineers regimental braces, royal engineers watch strap, royal engineers socks, regimental belt and regimental scarf, blazer badge, cummerbund, beret and re corps regimental gifts for the sappers at the royal engineers corps shop. Reme exists to keep the punch in the army s fist the corps of the royal electrical and mechanical engineers reme provides engineering support and is responsible for maintaining and repairing the army s equipment. You can use these records to trace the outline of a soldiers service in the british army between c. The story of the corps of royal engineers covers over nine hundred crowded years and cannot be rivalled by any other arm or service. The war office covered the army in the united kingdom, and the middle east command. The special companies of the royal engineers poison gas. Open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Scrapbooks, autograph books, photo albums, newspaper clippings, letters, postcards and ephemera relating to ww2. British army fatal casualties ulster troubles, 19691998. Army center of military history and the historical division.
The royal army service corps repaired and maintained their own vehicles. Within the royal engineers, everyone performs 3 functions. That is how to build a bridge in 7m 56s 17 sqn 101 regiment royal engineers show how its done. Royal tank regiment and royal engineers workshops, sack hill, warminster. The focus is on the british army, the prepartition indian army also known as the british indian army and those of the dominions australia, canada, new zealand and south africa. The special companies of the royal engineers were formed to develop the british response. British army electronic battle box army rumour service.
Commando sappers enable the commando brigade to live, move and fight. The regiment, formed originally in 1947, provides field deployable geographic services, including geodetic survey, terrain analysis, information management and dissemination and geospatial intelligence geoint. Handbook on the british army with supplements on the royal air force and civilian defense organizations september 30, 1942 by united states. Meteorological observations at the foreign and colonial stations of the royal engineers and the army medical department, 18521886. We provide essential support to all areas of the british army in peacetime and on operations. French or british armies in order to receive realistic instruction. Media in category royal engineers the following 107 files are in this category, out of 107 total. The professional head of the army was the chief of. Royal electrical and mechanical engineers prior to the outbreak of the second world war, the repair and maintenance of vehicles and technical equipment in the british army was the responsibility of the royal army ordnance corps r.
The royal school of military engineering is the main training establishment for the british army s royal engineers. The british colonies in east and west africa and the far east also provided many soldiers to fight for the british army, so are integral to this website. As of 2019, the british army comprises just over 79,300 trained regular fulltime personnel and just over 27,200 trained reserve parttime personnel. The british army is the principal land warfare force of the united kingdom, a part of british armed forces. Ww1, royal engineer tunnelling companies, nicknamed the moles, 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. The purpose of this book is to bring into focus one of the cornerstones of the success of the british army, and to provide an insight into the complexity and diversity of the royal corps of signals. Tm 30410 handbook on the british army with supplements on the royal air force and civilian defense organizations 19420930. As a result of this rich history, our museum holds a vastly diverse and historically significant collection.
The brigade has been also regionally aligned with the south asian region as part of defence engagement. A history of the british army, volume 1 sir john william fortescue on. British army order of battle september 1939 wikipedia. The corps of royal engineers, usually just called the royal engineers re, and commonly known as the sappers, is a corps of the british army. Combat engineer corps of royal engineers british army. Professional papers of the corps of royal engineers by great britain.
The british army has enjoyed historical continuity to a unique degree. The corps of royal engineers motto is ubique, meaning everywhere, reflecting the fact that there is no campaign of the british army in which the royal engineers have not played their part. Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the internet. The regiment, which was formed in april 2008, is one of two british army units attached to 3 commando brigade, royal marines, the other being 29 commando regiment royal artillery. List of british army regiments and corps wikipedia. Located at brompton barracks chatham, the home of the corps of royal engineers, 1 royal school of military engineering regiment 1 rsme regt provides artisan engineer training to the corps of royal engineers and the wider field army, fleet and raf. Military service other than the militia was usually a lifetime career. It is a story of heroism that has been told in many books and films. They will be found wherever the army is located at home or overseas. Google book from the collections of university of michigan language english. We are multiskilled soldiers, combat engineers and tradesmen.
Royal engineers on this continent in the 19th century will be valuable to. Hq lines of communication british expeditionary force. Tm 30410 handbook on the british army with supplements on. Docs british military history british military history. Tm 30410 handbook on the british army with supplements on the royal air force and civilian defense organizations 19420930 confidential. Infantry, royal artillery, royal engineers and other corps. The corps of royal enginee rs, usually just called the royal engin eers re, and commonly known as the sappers, is a corps of the british army. Papers on subjects connected with the duties of the corps, 18371876.
Handbook on the british army 1943 edition open library. England military records genealogy familysearch wiki. Corps of royal engineers fibiwiki families in british india society. There was great moral shock and outrage at the first use of chlorine, released by the germans against defenceless french troops in the ypres salient. A list of all current honorary colonels in the british army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the british armed forces and is headed by the chief royal engineer. Army dress regulations all ranks part 1 introduction, glossary of terms and orders of dress ministry of defence ps12a january 2011. The history of the corps of royal engineers is currently in its 12th volume. The uniforms of the british army currently exist in twelve categories ranging from ceremonial uniforms to combat dress with full dress uniform and frock coats listed in addition. Great britain army military construction operations history. The british army electronic battle box is a tremendously useful resource. The royal engineers can claim 900 years of unbroken service to the crown, from the military engineers engaged by william the conqueror, specifically bishop gundulf of rochester cathedral. Royal engineers in the second world war 19391945 the. The regimental headquarters and the royal school of military engineering are in chatham in kent, england.
This book focuses on military british north america from 1820. Professional papers of the corps of royal engineers. I am treating your correspondence as a request for information under the freedom of information. Published 1943 by united states government printing office in washington. Diving within the british army particularly the royal engineers has a long and distinguished history and, as a specialist army diver, personnel carry out tasks such as underwater searches, repairing military ships or even aiding the civil police. These records identify individuals who served or were eligible to serve in the military. Recollections of a life in the british army during the latter half of the 19th. British army fatal casualtiesulster troubles, 19691998. Our commando sappers are the royal engineer soldiers and officers who provide combat engineering solutions to the very high readiness forces of 3 commando brigade royal marines. The royal engineers are combat soldiers with a technical edge and have a role in every area of the battlefield. The corps of engineers us army center of military history. Also available from the institution of royal engineers instre, as books or a cdrom. Tamblin, army service records of the first world war surrey, 1997. This is a current list of regiments and corps of the british army household cavalry and royal armoured corps household cavalry.
The corps can claim direct descent from the military engineers brought to england by william the conqueror and an unbroken record of service to the crown since then. Watts, my ancestor was inthe british army london, 2009. It was announced on 4 july 2012 that 24 commando engineer regiment was to disband under army 2020. British army the corps of royal engineers the corps of.
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