Maidstone

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

The 24 Field Squadron RE Jersey, Corp Colours, personalised with your Name or Nickname, Troop   (1, 2, HQ, etc) and years you served there.  (eg 1972 - 1978) They are taking orders now at this link -  http://www.tour-tops.co.uk/store.html#!/~/product/category=8438106&id=33...  for a discounted price of £36.50 for the first 30 tops sold, giving a fantastic saving of £7.00 per top. These are made to order and are not produced in bulk. Squadron logo on the front left breast and dominating the rear of the shirt. Made from 320gm Heavy Weight Eyelet material which will not shrink or fade, they wash at low temps and dry quickly naturally.

I know nothing about the size or makeup of this unit, so please feel free to email me using the CONTACT link in the top menu and let me have any info you can to put on here - it just makes the site more interesting.  REgards, Gordon

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

Bob Young sent me this - "Hello Gordon,A bit more info for you,50 Sqn were in Osnabruck for a number of years-I can't help with the actual dates but I went to them in 1960 and they had been there for some time then,I left in 1963 and I believe that they left Osnabruck not long after that.Incidently,28 Amphibious Regt.started life as 1 troop 50 Sqn.during the time I was there.Regards Bob"

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.

Roy Bloor runs an excellent website for 60 Sqn members, and the membership there is very healthy from what I can see.  Sappers.co.uk is really just a big email address book, if you want to see the photographs and get involved in a good social site for your squadron then I'd recommend visitng http://www.60squadronvets.co.uk/ once you've put your service history on here.  REgards, Gordon

60 Field Squadron (26 Field Engineer Regiment) was formed December 1950 at Hameln. It was then disbanded in 1958.

 In April 1964 it was re-formed at Shorncliffe (36 Engineer Regiment) and was later deployed to Aden in Nov 1964 returning in August 1965 to Maidstone. Further deployments were as follows:

          Mar – Oct 1967, Aden Taff C writes - During our tour of Aden we lost Sapper Terry Allchin on the 4th June 1967, Killed by an IED near Habilayn. 1 Troop were up in Dhala at the time working to try to get a water supply and storage tank built for the village ( see pic's ) and every night after sundown the camp would be attacked by mortar and small arms fire from the surrounding Jebels.

          Dec 1969 – Aug 1970, Gibraltar (1 Troop went to Cyprus) Submitted by Richard Brookes on Sat, 2011-10-08 18:39 - 60 Squadron actually went to Gib in January 1969, except 1Troop, who went to RAF El Adem in Libya, when Ghaddafi seized power we sailed from Tobruk to Famagusta on an LSL, the trip took 3 days. we spent about 3 months at Dhekelia with 62(NE)Support Squadron.

          Sep 1970 – Jan 1971, Long Kesh, Northern Ireland  Submitted by Dundas on Thu, 2012-02-02 16:40 - Northern Ireland 1970/71 60 Sqn were based in Antrim, at what is now Maserine Bks. It was just Nissen huts and some tents when we got there, and during our time there we built the first Twynhams. 1 Troop spending several weeks at Crossmaglen and Enisskillen.

          Nov 1972 – Feb 1973, Long Kesh, Northern Ireland

In Apr 1977 renamed to 60 Field Support Squadron and moved to Waterbeach (39 Engineer Regiment). Deployed to the Gulf War Sep 90 – Mar 91.

In 2006 renamed to 60 HQ and Support Squadron (Air Support)

      Also from Taff C:              
                 In Anguilla I was with 521 STRE drilling for fresh water in several locations around the island. It was just after they had their uprising, which the Para's went out and sorted out. There was a Squadron out there I think it may have been 39? they were trying to upgrade the roads, which were really no more than tracks. The government at the time had also sent lots of Metropolitan police officers out there to help keep things in control, and we spent many a day off playing them at volley ball, ( I don't think they had much more to do!! ) and then seeing who could drink the most after.
                 Kenya was a long tour, broken only by 10 days R&R in Mombassa at a resort called Silversands which at the time was run by the Navy. We split the team into two, each drilling in different areas, hundreds of miles from anywhere, ending up in the North East Province where the Ethiopia and Somalia borders meet. Entertainment was volleyball on a court cleared out of the bush, and played against some great guys from the Kenyan Army defence platoon who were with us. Now and again we would have a film sent up by air with the supplies, but not very often.
                In Northern Ireland 60 Sqn were based in Antrim ( I think it was then called Antrim "B" camp ) it's now Maserine Bks. Again 1 Troop were sent to some interesting places, Crossmaglen and Eniskillen being two of them.                I also met up with some of my old mates in 1 Troop when I was sent straight from Kenya ( after 10 days leave at home ) to El Adem in Libya, again to do water well drilling, and also cleaning out an existing well at the British military cemetary. The rest of 1 Troop and the Squadron having gone on to Gibraltar.t

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 believe this was generally referred to as 9 Para, but I'm not sure if it has always been so?  Just in case, I have left off all references to Para, Indep, Cdo, Airborne, Airfield, Support, Hug, Pugh or Barney McGrue, and the unit is simply referred to as 9sqn on this site.  I'm sure you're all smart enough to work out if you served with these people or not!

I have had an interesting email from Trevor Stimpson - formerly of 20 Sqn, explaining how some people from 20 Sqn were attached to 9Sqn for a time.  Most of them will have registered under 20 Sqn, but I thought I'd copy it here for those who haven't.  You can find a link to Trevor's 20 Sqn website for these guys here http://www.freewebs.com/20sqnrefalklands/

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The Airborne Engineers Scotland branch now has 37 members who, although mainly reside in close proximity to Edinburgh, are spread the length and breadth of Scotland. We also act as a 'mother branch' to several members in England, Australia, Thailand and Canada. Our Branch members have served in various units, including 4 Parachute Squadron R.E., 9 Independent Parachute Squadron R.E., 131 Parachute Engineer Regiment, and 131 Independent Parachute Squadron R.E.  You can find them here - http://www.airbornesappersscotland.co.uk/

 Meetings take place at 1300 hrs. on the third Sunday of every second month from January, within The Royal British Legion, Central Branch, Rodney Street, Edinburgh. Please come and join us at one of our meetings, you will be made very welcome.