Armed forces records held by other archives the national archives. The reserves play an important role in the royal engineers and we have a number of reserve units dotted around the country. Mar 30, 2016 handbook on the british army with supplements on the royal air force and civilian defense organizations september 30, 1942 by united states. Published 1943 by united states government printing office in washington. British royal army officers mess evening dress coat c1930.
The term british army was adopted in 1707 after the acts of union between england and scotland. We are not announcing a reopening date at this time and will provide updates on a regular and asneeded basis. They recorded an individuals rank and regiment, service number, birth place, occupation, attestation date and service history. Longmans, 1952 institution of royal engineers the work of the royal engineers in the european war, 191419. Although the regiment can trace their history back to the 7th armoured divisions engineers, the modern regiment trace their history to the 21st field engineer regiment. For research guides specifically on the national archives records please see the other guides in our military and maritime category. History of the 2nd west yorkshire royal engineers volunteers. Brief history of the corps of royal engineers the corps. On november 8, british and american troops landed in north africa. The british armys technical selection test tst is the current method for evaluating those candidates who wish to pursue a career in one of the british armys technical rolestrades. The british army in palestine national army museum. If a soldier did not receive an army pension then these may be the only records that survive for him.
The royal engineers res has been involved in every major conflict the british army has fought. The corps of royal engineers has a long heritage that not many corps can rival. You can use these records to trace the outline of a soldiers service in the british army between c. If you would like to send us a present, a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting or this site will vanish from the web. As the corps has no battle honours the motto signifies that the corps has seen action in all the major and almost all the minor conflicts of the british army. Royal engineers in the second world war 19391945 the. Our corps home is situated with 1 royal school of military engineering regiment in chatham, kent. For research guides specifically on the national archives records please see the other guides in. A register of the regiments and corps of the british army. Below is a collection of stories and anecdotes from the british army in ww2. Ubique royal engineers and military engineers of the. Train as a bricklayer as well as becoming a soldier in the british army as a royal engineer bricklayer. Engineers, 18161878, from 1816 to 1856, the musters are principally of the royal corps of. The corps of royal engineers in the first world war the.
This is a list of equipment of the british army currently in use. Indian society and the making of the british empire the new cambridge history of india. This guide provides advice on finding records held at the national archives known as muster rolls, pay lists and description books. Page 265 fletcher, and the officers of the royal engineers, to draw your lordships attention to the ability and diligence with which they have executed the works by which these positions have been strengthened, to such a degree, as to render any attack upon that line occupied by the allied army very doubtful, if not entirely hopeless. These craft are highly versatile and often find themselves serving in environments ranging from the arctic to the tropics.
The modern british army traces back to 1707, with an antecedent in the english army that was created during the restoration in 1660. As a former squaddie this book brought back many memories, not all of. Tamblin, army service records of the first world war surrey, 1997. Tripoli was captured on january 23, 1943 and the eighth army moved up to the mareth line. England military records genealogy familysearch wiki. History of the corps of royal engineers, volume 5 history of the corps of royal engineers, whitworth porter. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the british armed forces and is headed by the chief royal engineer. The corps of royal engineers memorial book the online. For information on pre1660 military records, see the handbooks listed at the end of this section. British army units posted to bermuda from 1701 to 1977. The british armys operations in palestine during this period were mainly directed against militant arab groups opposed to this mass jewish immigration. History of the corps of royal engineers volume i by maj gen whitworth porter 1889. The army began as a permanent organization in 1660.
Get the best deals on original ww ii british uniforms when you shop the largest online selection at. British eighth army, commanded by general sir richard l. Each author has a somewhat different approach, no doubt reflecting his particular expertise, but the overall quality of writing is excellent this is not a battlefield history of the british army. The 21st engineer regiment is a combat support regiment of the british army. Reaction forces comprising 16 air assault brigade and 3rd uk division of two armoured infantry brigades, the 12th and 20th armoured infantry brigades, and two strike brigades. Image right bmb courtesy of british military badges daniel baker. History of the royal and indian artillery in the mutiny of 1857. Ww1, royal engineer tunnelling companies, nicknamed the moles, were specialist units of the corps of royal engineers within the british army, formed to dig. Books history of the 2nd west yorkshire royal engineers volunteers the northern telegraph companies, royal engineers army troops, the 49th west riding divisional signals, 18611936. He returned to service in 1953, this time as an officer with the royal engineers, and was posted to hong kong, korea and aden.
Handbook on the british army 1943 edition open library. Since the end of the cold war, the british army has been deployed to a number of conflict zones, often as part of an. As a former squaddie this book brought back many memories, not all of them pleasant, but funny now with the passing of time. 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. It includes small arms, combat vehicles, aircraft, watercraft, artillery and transport vehicles. Dec 11, 2014 troops of the royal scots regiment in riot protection clothing in belfast, northern ireland during a drill parade in july 1970. Named major 19301940 british royal engineers trench coat j. Meteorological observations at the foreign and colonial stations of the royal engineers and the army medical department, 18521886. Get the best deals on original ww ii british uniforms when you shop the.
A bibliography of regimental histories of the british army. The eighth army s pursuit was hampered by heavy rain. This one volume history uses a series of essays by different authors to tell the history of the british army. The british army s operations in palestine during this period were mainly directed against militant arab groups opposed to this mass jewish immigration. Troops of the royal scots regiment in riot protection clothing in belfast, northern ireland during a drill parade in july 1970. They designed and built the frontline fortifications, creating cover for the infantry and positions for the artillery. 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. Signals units provide the telecommunications infrastructure for the british army wherever it operates in the world. Whether with special forces and intelligence gathering teams, or with soldiers serving in armoured formations, the royals signals will usually be deployed alongside.
Useful books the following books are useful for a more detailed guide into researching your family history. The 1st of september 2019 is the wartime memories projects 20th birthday. The following books are useful for a more detailed guide into researching your family history. Their motto is ubique everywhere awarded in 1832 as the unit has been involved in. List of units and formations of the british army 2020. Carpenter and joiner play your part in army building projects as a carpenter and joiner, supplying work both home and abroad. Since then engineers have always served in the armies of the crown, the origins of the modern corps lie with that of the royal artillery with the. It provides an overview of the arms and services, formations and units, orders of battle for various.
British military history score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. A very humorous take on the british army and its culture,slang and eccentricities. Bldg 108, chetwynd barracks, chilwell, nottingham ng9 5ha 01159 572439. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. Violence reached a height with the arab revolt of 193639. Lance corporal lopez structural finisher 35 engineer regiment. The corps of royal engineers comprises of regular and reserve units, located around the united kingdom. That is how to build a bridge in 7m 56s 17 sqn 101 regiment royal engineers show how its done.
If you are a serving or ex member of the raf or royal navy then it may be best for you not to read this book. See more ideas about british army, british army uniform and british uniforms. The regiment was first formed supporting the 7th armoured division, but today after many reforms is assigned to the 1st strike brigade in the 3rd. The corps of royal engineers memorial book being one of the largest branches of the british army, it is of little surprise that this flash book, linking to a branded website has been so successful at helping people to remember the lives of those they have loved or served with. The soldiers were part of a contingent of the british army drafted into the area to help quell disorders and outbreaks of rioting a the city caused by friction between rival catholic and protestant groups. Deeds and dates from the eighth army news for july 30, 1945 the eighth army was formed in september, 1941, and placed under the command of ltgen sir allan cunningham. Institution of royal engineers history of the corps of royal engineers, vi london.
There are also description books for the royal artillery, 17491863 and 17731876. Military working animals, their handlers and maintainers. The raiding craft in service with the british army are operated in large numbers, predominately with the royal engineers and the royal logistic corps, for supporting both bridging and amphibious operations. A brief history of the royal engineers the story of the corps of royal engineers covers over nine hundred crowded years and cannot be rivalled by any other arm or service. Younghusband we have 10s of thousands of postcards in. Bomb hunters tells the story of the british armys elite bomb disposal experts, men who face death every day in the most dangerous region of the most lethal. Household cavalry and royal armoured corps household cavalry. Use this guide if you are researching the british army, the royal navy andor the royal air. Royal engineers began preparing for further trouble with the usa. The results of the tst determine which technical roles are available to prospective soldiers. British military records genealogy familysearch wiki. Aug 12, 2007 british forces building a bridge in afghanistan.
By november 25, eighth army troops were at agheila, from which the enemy began to withdraw on december 12, employing delaying tactics. This website covers the british army and british indian army before, during and after the second world war, in the time period from 1930 to 1956. Photos of the british army in northern ireland 19691979. It first went into action as an army on november 17, 1941, when it crossed the frontier of cyrenaica to meet the thrust of rommels africa korps. Brief history of the corps of royal engineers the online book. Mccreery, included the 2nd polish corps and the british 5th, 10th, and th corps, and it included eight divisions from four different nations, as well as four italian battle groups and a jewish brigade. Two others were planned but never built as british army fortifications protecting the old royal naval dockyard from possible french or american. It also indicates the cavalry amalgamations that would take place forty years later as part of the government cuts of the early 1920s. 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 corps of royal engineers, usually just called the royal engineers re, and commonly known as the sappers, is a corps of the british army.
Watts, my ancestor was inthe british army london, 2009. The online resource covering 1930 1950 british army, british indian army and britains allies. Members of the british army swear allegiance to the monarch as their commanderinchief, but the bill of rights of 1689 requires parliamentary consent for the crown to. List of british army regiments and corps wikipedia. Earlier armies were raised as needed, usually as county militia units. Handbook on the british army with supplements on the royal air force and civilian defense organizations september 30, 1942 by united states. Vehicles can be identified by their registration number or more correctly erm, their chassis number or during ww1 or ww2 by their war department number. How to start your family history research royal engineers museum. Corps of royal engineers ww1 including royal engineers signal services formed in 1908 the forerunner of the royal corps of signals.
The res has been involved in every major conflict the british army has fought and has ever since lived up to its motto ubique everywhere. 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. London, new york, longmans, green, 1889, also by whitworth porter page images at hathitrust. Corps of royal engineers fibiwiki families in british india society.
Chassis number was allocated by the manufacturer, and is recorded on the chassis number plate of a vehicle, and is often also stamped on the chassis although you will often need to know where on the chassis to. Use this guide if you are researching the british army, the royal navy andor the royal air force and are interested in collections which are held by archives other than the national archives. This is a list of british army cavalry and infantry regiments that were created by childers reforms in 1881, a continuation of the cardwell reforms. The corps of royal engineers in the first world war this section of the long, long trail will be helpful for anyone wishing to find out about the history of the units of the royal engineers. He was promoted to the rank of colonel in 1973 and he retired from the army in 1979. Arthur was a good friend and a true british gentleman. The royal school of military engineering group provides a wide range of training not only in all the engineering disciplines that are fundamental to the royal engineers, but also.
The blues and royals royal horse guards and 1st dragoons for operational purposes the two household cavalry regiments form a pair of joint units. All smithsonian museums and smithsonian libraries locations continue to be closed to support the effort to contain the spread of covid19. Multiskilled soldiers, combat engineers and tradesmen, providing essential support to all areas of the british army. Regiments of the british army royal engineers turnerdonovan military books. Browse and buy a vast selection of british army books and collectibles on. They recorded an individuals rank and regiment, service number, birth place, occupation, attestation date. Troops engaged in railway protection duties near haifa, 1936. 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 resultant battle of sidi rezegh was the key battle of this. The british army is the principal land warfare force of the united kingdom, a part of british armed forces.
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