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Airborne Engineers |
| On 22 June 1940 the Prime Minister Mr Winston Churchill announced that the British Army would have a Corps of at least five thousand parachute troops. Two days later a Royal Engineer officer, Major J F Rock, was ordered to take charge of the organisation of airborne troops and to collaborate with the RAF in their training. Thus, once again, a Royal Engineer officer was called upon to develop a new branch of our armed forces. |
 Pegasus - the flash of airborne troops So named after a mythological winged horse, born from the blood of the Gorgon Medusa when Perseus decapitated her. Pegasus was fond of drinking from the spring of Peirene at Corinth. It was here that the Bellerophon, in need of a mount on which to attack the Chimaera, found the steed and tamed it with a golden bridle given him by Athena. |
When 1 Airborne Division was formed in November 1941, the Chief Engineer Home Forces had already earmarked 9 Field Company and 261 Field Park Company to form the nucleus of the parachute divisional engineers. Ultimately it was decided that the Division would consist of two parachute and one glider-borne brigades. For these two parachute squadrons, a glider borne field company and a field park company RE were required. The field company was of normal organisation, the field park had no bridging section and the parachute squadrons had no transport except hand carts, and later, jeeps. When 6 Airborne Division was formed in the spring of 1943, the scale of Royal Engineers support was very similar and included a RE Postal Unit. |
| From early 1941 a number of raids were carried out by airborne troops against enemy installations. In February 1941 airborne Sappers partially demolished the Frazino aquaduct near Salerno and caused considerable alarm and consternation throughout Italy. 1 Parachute Squadron RE also distinguished itself in Sicily in 1943 when they helped in the capture of the Primasole Bridge. In Operation Market Garden at Arnhem the airborne Sapper units upheld the best fighting traditions of the Corps. Tasked with the seizure of the main Arnhem bridge, and the subsidiary pontoon bridge, and the removal of enemy demolition charges, the men of 1 and 4 Parachute Squadrons RE became intimately involved in the bitter fighting that characterised the Arnhem operation. |  Parachutists exiting a RAF Douglas 1940's |
 9 Parachute Squadron RE Clearing culverts in the Falkland Islands 1982 |
During the Rhine crossing in March 1945, airborne Sappers assisted in seizing the bridges over the River Issel. Airborne RE units subsequently saw service in Palestine in 1945 and in Malaya and Singapore during reoccupation.
The only airborne Sapper unit now in existence is 9 Parachute Squadron RE based in Aldershot and part of 36 Engineer Regiment which supports 5 Airborne Brigade. The all-volunteer squadron is fully parachute trained and has a squadron headquarters, three troops and a support troop. In April 1982, the Squadron embarked for the Falkland Islands as part of 5 Infantry Brigade. In true sapper tradition, the Squadron was involved in the thick of the action from clearing minefields to repairing bridges. Sergeant Ron Wrega and Corporal John Foran both won the Military Medal for their actions and maintained the fine traditions of the Squadron. |
| After the Falklands War, the Squadron had tours in Belize, Kenya, the Falklands and Canada. In 1987, in the Royal Engineers 200th Anniversary Year, the Squadron was selected to provide the Royal Guard. After six weeks of intense training, the Squadron provided the Guard for Buckingham Palace and St James’ Palace and also the Guard for the Tower of London. |
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Web links
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Links to further reading:
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Royal Engineers Museum main site
