Chilwell

This is a holding page for this unit.  I'll add history and more details as soon as someone sends them to me.  If you know anything about this unt, places it has been or titles it has had then please email them to me at gordon@sappers.co.uk

508 STRE (Works) (V) was formed as a Works Team in 1979 after a re-organisation of 111 Engineer Regiment. The Unit was made up of only 30 Personel and all members were qualified tradesmen in civvy street and the Royal Engineers used their skills and expertise to carry out tasks the regulars didnt have time to complete or were lacking in knowledge.

Most of the Team members were of the rank Sergeant or above due to their qualifications. The Army sent the Unit on some cracking Tours, when most RE Units were going to Weymouth or Ripon we were deployed to many parts of Germany, Gibraltar, Cyprus, Berlin, Hong Kong and the Falkland Islands, only once can I remember us getting an English Camp when we went to Portland to design and build a Fire Training facility not long after the Falklands trouble.

Every camp we attended consisted us working with local agencies in the design and execution of the project, we had some great camps and were lucky to be in Berlin when Check Point "Charlie" was removed, in Hong Kong just before we handed back to the Chinese and in Cyprus serving with the UN when there were still daily fights across the border in Nicosia.

After another re-organisation we became part of the Military Works Force and moved to Chilwell Barracks Nottingham.

The Unit remains in existance, and unfortunately just after I left the Royal Warrant and Law was changed allowing selected or volunteers to be called up for Active Duty and I am aware several of the Unit have served in Afgan.

Although a small unit we worked hard and played hard. Our motto of We've Been, We've Seen is based on the RE Motto of Ubique.

Hope this is the sort of thing you want, Many Thanks

Phil Howell (Howlo)

This is a holding page for this unit.  I'll add history and more details as soon as someone sends them to me.  If you know anything about this unt, places it has been or titles it has had then please email them to me at gordon@sappers.co.uk

This is a holding page for this unit.  I'll add history and more details as soon as someone sends them to me.  If you know anything about this unt, places it has been or titles it has had then please email them to me at gordon@sappers.co.uk

I would like to give you some info about 521STRE, this was a Welldrilling specialist team of which I was a member on a few postings, namely 12 months in Kenya, 6 in Libya and 6 in Anguilla. All courses being done at RSME Gillingham, under Sgt "Dodger" Green ( now deceased ) and Cpl Bill Thomas. Major Theobald was OC for quite a while, WO1 Joe Bastin also a long serving member of the non drilling side of operations. I have a lot of photo's which you may be interested in of the team in Kenya and Anguilla.
 
                                                                                             Best Wishes TaffC

This from Tom Gleeson -

Prior to 1964, welldrilling in the corps was , in the main , represented by a wellboring section located at CEP Long Marston and a training facility at the RSME .

In the spring of 1964, 521 Specialist Team RE (Wellboring) was established as an entity , at Long Marston . Soon after , it relocated to the Old Barracks in Maidstone. The team personnel were ;

                                                                                              Lt `Russ` Theobald          E & MO

                                                                                          SSgt `Tom` Gleeson           C of W (M)

                                                                                            Sgt `Mick` Fisher               Welldriller

                                                                                       Cpl ` Dodger`Green               Welldriller

                                                                                    LCpl ` Scouse` Diable              Welldriller

                                                                                       LCpl ` Hargy` Hargreaves     Welder

                                                                                          Cpl ` Milly`   Millington         Stmn Tech

The first project undertaken by the team was to provide a series of wells along the proposed route of the ` Dhala Road `, linking the port of Aden with the township of Dhala on the Yemen border.

In July 1964, the team was joined by ten trainee welldrillers and two drivers.( the term wellboring was dropped in favour of welldrilling).The unit departed for Aden on the 6th August 1964. Leaving three of the trainee drillers in Aden, to form the nucleus of a welldrilling section within MELF Park Sqn, the remainder of the unit returned to the UK. in April 1965.

In the early seventies, the team relocated to Barton Stacey and in the mid eighties, moved to Chillwell , where it is now part of 170 (Infrastructure Support) Engineer Group.

If you know anything about this unt, places it has been or titles it has had then please email them to me at gordon@sappers.co.ukI had a message from Dave Sparks saying he was in worldwide planning for 523 - 

It must have been 523 that I was with on planning world wide, Places included St Helena (Original Recce), Kenya Kerio Valley and Mao Masaii Safari Park, Gibraltar, N Ireland Loyalist Strike, Scotland, Norway, Camp Gagetown New Brunswick Canada,

Brian Davies kindly sent me this in July 2014 - 

523 STRE in Aden through to1967 was responsible for the improvements and maintenance of camps, airfields and military installations at Mukieras, and at Beihan in the Federation of South Arabia (FSA) (*1) employing DEL; plus main contractors engaged in the construction of permanent accommodation and associated buildings for units of the Federal Regular Army (FRA). The Clerks of Works office/bedroom and works yard were in the FRA camps.  (I had no personal involvement and therefore I refrain to comment on the works in the State of Aden, or Ataq-Shabwah in the FSA that 523 STRE was also responsible for).  I should mention the security situation that on 18 January 1963, the Colony of Aden was incorporated into the Federation of Arab Emirates of the South against the wishes of North Yemen. The city became the State of Aden and the Federation was renamed the Federation of South Arabia (FSA).  An insurgency against British administration known as the Aden Emergency began and a "state of emergency" was declared.

My unaccompanied posting to 523 STRE in Aden commenced 14 Dec 1966 - Gatwick 7hr flight - transferred to Normandy Lines in Khormaksar district on arrival.

15 Dec – Reported to 523 STRE HQ offices in Al Mualla district, the team’s office was on upper floor(s) in a multi-storied street property.  Armed British soldiers patrolled the area on foot.

16 Dec – Told that I would be replacing CW(C) John Rainey in Beihan who was completing his tour of duty, but before this I would relieve CW(C) Ken Paige in Mukieras as he had been granted home leave R&R over New Year - who I already knew from 154 DCRE Rheindahlen.

18 Dec – Flew to Mukieras with Capt(GE) Skipp RE landing on an oiled airstrip runway.

19 and 25 Dec – Night - Mortar attacks near the tented British camp. 

27 Dec – Ken Paige departed for leave.

After Ken Paige returned I flew to Beihan with Lt(GE) Broadbent RE. 

Around June of 1967 Major Cole RE visited from Chatham to include in his training film the activities of the Well Drilling Troup (TA’s from Essex I believe); and my activities.

For the record, the FRA 5th Bn in Beihan eventually reduced their British permanent liaison personnel to three: a Major; a medic: Chris Briarwood (SRN); and a Sgt administrator: Eddie Matthews.

The British army based there was the Chestnut Troop of the RHA – subsequently withdrawn on May 9th. (*2)  In the town the Church of Scotland had a doctor and nurses for medical needs of the locals.

Key 523 STRE DEL were Foreman: Ali bin Ali, and Chargehand Aworth bin Hussein, a member of the Hussein ruling family.  On my departure the responsibility for the DEL was passed to a Greek PWD man who arrived from Aden. All signs, sapper flag and such belongings of 523 STRE were taken to HQ in Aden.I remained until the building contract was completed and I returned home to the UK on 3 Sep 1967.

In conclusion: In 1964, Britain had announced its intention to grant independence to the FSA in 1968, but that the British military would remain in Aden – that did not happen after a change of government in London decided otherwise.  On 30 November 1967 British troops were evacuated.   Along with any other units in post at the time 523 STRE therefore ceased to be based in Aden. 

(*1)   Not to be confused with neighbouring country Saudi Arabia.

(*2)   Reported on May 9th 1967 in The Daily Telegraph.

1998 - 2000 when it was part of 62 CRE (Wks). We were the first STRE deployed to Macedonia/ Kosovo.

Added by popular (well, one person) request, but please let me have some info if you can.  REgards, Gordon

I haven't got any information on this unit, so if you can email me something to put on this page then I'd appreciate it.  Meanwhile you can still add this unit to your service history to get back in touch with old mates.  REgards, Gordon

This is a holding page for this unit so you can add it to your works history and find other people who served here.  Sorry it's so dull, but I don't know anything about the unit unless someone tells me.

From Edward Penny - During my time with 64 CRE we had the following STRE's 516 [BP] 519 [E&M] 520 [E&M] 521 [WD]. The CRE in 1980 had undetaken two major jobs on in St Helena and another in Tuvalu. But the Stalag was a good posting, and it had it moments.

I haven't got any information on this unit, so if you can email me something to put on this page then I'd appreciate it.  Meanwhile you can still add this unit to your service history to get back in touch with old mates.  REgards, Gordon

This is a holding page for this unit.  I'll add history and more details as soon as someone sends them to me.  If you know anything about this unt, places it has been or titles it has had then please email them to me at gordon@sappers.co.uk

This is the main page for the squadron or unit. More info will be added here as I get the time, but for now it's a "base" for establishing comms with other members of the same unit. You can post messages for other members of the same unit using the messages link above this blurb, and you can also search for other members of this unit. Once you find them, click on their name to send an email direct to them. Please note that this website doesn't "remember" your emails, they are sent direct from you to the recipient without sappers.co.uk getting in the way. That helps you get in touch quickly and it keeps everything simple and free. Have fun. Gordon

I had this email from Steve Glover this morning (Jan 2012) -

Within HQ MWF were 62 CRE (Const) conccting of 523 and 527 STREs (I think) and 64 CRE (E&M)  consisting of 516(BP), 521(WD), 519(E&M) and 520 all STREs could these be added to the drop down. ^$ units are correct but I'm not to sure about 62 as I joined them later at Chilwell when MWF had been completely reshuffled.

I had this from Nigel Burt in January 2014 - good info as I had heard nothing beforehand:

501 STRE(BP)(V), 502 STRE(BP)(V) and 503 STRE(BP)(V) were all Bulk Petroleum Specialist Teams within 65 CRE(V), part of MWF(V), based at Gibraltar Barracks/Minley Manor.  Devolving from Sponsored Units, their personnel predominantly came from Esso, BP and Shell (not necessarily in that order).  The Teams were amalgamated into 503 STRE(Fuels Infra)(V), becoming the TA element of 64 Wks Gp RE, 170 (Infra Sp) Engr Gp RE, providing the Army with specialist knowledge of oil extraction and refining facilities.