Long Marston

1 Engineering Stores Depot

I only heard about this unit today (Jan 2012) from John "Wally" Warren, so my apologies for not adding it before.  If you've got any memories or photos of the place, here's the unit to add them to.  REgards, Gordon

According to Wally -  

 

From memory, it WAS a Engineering Stores Depot.

Holding everything from Pontoon's, Bailey's, Hafbe's, Lafbe's, Petter Engine's etc etc. Down to the smaller stuff.

It was approx 9 Sq. Miles in area, and had its own Railway sidings and Engine's. 

It had Training Dog Handling unit, along with us guys, who were in classrooms learning how to type, and undertake clerical tasks, appertaining to all Store requirements.

 

I do recall that Guard Picket Duty was a long, long walk around the allocated part of this large site.

Direct from my stint at this Depot, I was sent via Barton Stacey to Iserlohn.

I dropped some of my kit in the Barracks, and was whisked away to Hameln the same day, where I started my job as a Store man in a mock River Crossing under fire.

Straight in the deep end......

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31 Squadron

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

35 Squadron

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

519 STRE

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

520 STRE

Yet another holding page for this unit until someone can tell me something about it.  How many people were in it?  Did you work from offices or workshops or what?  Were you posted everywhere or generally left on site?  Let me know and I'll fill in some more details.

REgards, Gordon

Thanks to Alan Hodge for this info - 

With Respect to Squadrons

520 STRE was re-formed in 1977 (unsure of the previous lives) at Barton Stacey as a specialist team with a specific task, which was to survey all the military units, large and small throughout UK with a view to utility services.

All officers and SNCOs  with all SNCOs being  Clerks of Works E. M  or C.   Split into teams of Four.  Officer and clerk of Works E,M and C.

My Team was     Major “Nick Nicholas”, Wo2 “Dick” Gay, SSgt Bob Clowe and me a SSGT at the time.

There were if I recall correctly, 3 teams.  The OC was Major  “John” Peel  a descendant of the “do ye ken” one.

 I do not know when it was Disbanded as I was posted to Nepal (with Dick Gay  also) before the surveys were completed.

 Regards

Alan Hodge

521 STRE

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.

523 STRE

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.

527 STRE

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

62 CRE

I know very little about 62 CRE, I believe it is made up of various STREs so I don't know if I need to add this as a separate unit or not, but it's here if you need it.  I'd appreciate any info you can give me about it please.  REgards, Gordon

64 CRE

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.

HQ Engineer Resources

This is just a temporary holding page for this unit, until I get some more information from some of it's members to put up on here.  Regards, Gordon

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REMDT - Mobile Display Team

This is a page for this unit was created in response to the following email from Rick Tootle

Hi Gordon,
 
Found your site from a link attached to 'I'm a sapper........ Royal Engineer Mobile Display Team. Come to think of it, it was just a six month tour for me but the OC Capt G Watts was a two year man. The unit had its own UIN, shed and vehicles but not sure who owned the unit. Either HQ at Long Marston or Chatham. Always out on the road visiting shows etc along with many other display teams and we often met up with the posties.
 
REgards
Rick


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