ORGANISATIONS

ENGINEER REGIMENT

A possible organisation for an Engineer Regiment deployed on operations with 1 (UK) Armoured Division could be as follows:

(1) This Regiment would send most of its soldiers to man the engineer detachments that provide support for a Division's battlegroups
(2) Field Squadron (a Field Squadron will have approximately 68 vehicles and some 200 men)
(3) Field Support Squadron
(4) Or Medium Girder Bridge
(5) Combat Engineer Tractor

This whole organisation is highly mobile and built around the AFV 432 and Spartan series of vehicles. In addition to the Regimental REME LAD, each squadron has its own REME section of approximately 12 - 15 men.

The smallest engineer unit is the field troop which is usually commanded by a Lieutenant and consists of approximately 44 men. In an armoured division a field troop can be expected to have up to four sections and each section is mounted in an APC. Engineer Regiments in the UK may have only three sections and may be mounted in wheeled vehicles such as Land Rovers and 4 Ton Trucks. An engineer troop will carry equipment, stores and explosives to enable it to carry out its immediate battlefield tasks.

There are generally 3 x Field Troops and 1 x Support Troop in each Field Squadron. An Engineer Regiment could be expected to have 3 x Field Squadrons, a Field Support Squadron, a Headquarters Squadron and a REME LAD. An Engineer Regiment generally has between 600 and 700 all ranks (depending upon role and task).

An Engineer Field Troop assigned to work in support of a Battlegroup operating in the area of the FEBA would normally resemble the following:-

Force Support: Engineer Force Support is provided by 28 Engineer Regiment which consists of 1 Sp Sqn, 1 Fd Sqn, 1 Fd Sp Sqn, and 1 Amphibious Engineer Squadron with 1 TA Amphibious Engineer Troop.

EOD and Search: 101 and 33 Engineer Regiment provide EOD and Search through 5 Regular and 3 TA EOD Sqns, assisted by a Support Squadron. In addition 36 Engineer Regiment provide Advanced Search through 5 Search Squadrons (of which 2 are QGE). 36 Engineer Regiment retains the ability to re-role to provide Force Support as required.

Close Support: 16 Air Assault Brigade and 3 Commando Brigade are provided by 23 and 24 Engineer Regiments respectively. They have no heavy armour and are made up of Field Squadrons, each containing 3 Field Troops.

CLOSE SUPPORT REGIMENT

The in barracks organisation for a Close Support Engineer Regiment is as follows:

28 REGIMENT RE

The current organisation of 28 Regiment resembles the following:

33 ENGINEER REGIMENT (EOD)

33 Engineer Regiment (EOD) is currently configured as follows: 3 Field Squadrons (EOD) which each have a unique operational role and one Headquarters and Support Squadron (EOD) who hold specialist EOD support equipment. Additionally there is an Explosive Ordnance Clearance (EOC) Group who work as independent teams:

23 ENGINEER REGIMENT (AIR ASSAULT)

23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault) was established in September 2002 and officially formed on 7 January 2003 to provide engineer support to 16 Air Assault Brigade. Sub units are currently dispersed around the UK, but will collocate in Woodbridge on completion of a new barracks in 2006.

The UK Engineer Field Regiment (Regular and TA) is generally a wheeled organisation that would normally have 2 x Field Squadrons, a Support Squadron and possibly an Airfield Damage Repair (ADR) Squadron. Engineer Regiments supporting 3(UK) Division are likely to be structured along the lines of the Armoured Divisional Engineer Regiment.