Dates: 1943 - 1977
The Royal Engineers were heavily involved in armoured warfare during the later stages of the Great War. As with any new equipment comes a new obstacle to be overcome. In this case it was trenches and shell craters. Fascines and other specialist equipments were developed in order to keep up the advance.
On the arrival of the Second World War, the British with their backward looking defence policy, decided that the Engineers should not require nor provide an armoured capability. This proved disastrous after the mauling that was Dunkirk.
Now realising that they were in it for the long slog, the British decided to develop 79th Armoured Division, commanded by Major General Hobart. The unit comprised of armoured vehicles modified for specialist roles, intended to assist with the landing phase of the Operation Overload (these vehicles became known as Hobart’s Funnies).
Within the Division were 1st Assault Brigade, Royal Engineers, which consisted a number of regiments including 42 Assault Regiment.
After the war in 1948, 42 Assault Regiment was re-designated 32 Assault Engineer Regiment. The Regiment was disbanded in 1957, except for 26 Armoured Engineer Squadron, which moved to Haig Lines, Hohne, Germany.
The need for more armoured CF assault engineers in BAOR was recognised, and in March 1965, 2 Field Squadron re-roled as an armoured engineer squadron with two troops from 26 Squadron also being absorbed. Thus 32 Engineer Regiment was reformed. The amalgamation parade was held in Hohne in June of that year, and was taken by Colonel (Retired) J.F.D. Savage DSO RE, a former member of 42 Assault Regiment RE. It was both a mounted and a foot parade, the Squadron marching past followed by a drive past of AFV’s.
The unit consisted of:
2 HQ Squadron
7 Squadron (the Shiny Black Horses),
26 Armoured Squadron.
30 Field Squadron (Sqn insignia was a Zulu shield in front of crossed assigais and thirty in Roman Numerals(descended from Roukes Drift)).
It remained so until the regiment disbanded around October/November 1977.
Forces Reunited Forum Posts involving Armoured Engineer Squadron
" The Memorial Wall displaying the names of the 179 British Service personnel who died whilst on Operation TELIC has been dismantled brick-by-brick to be brought to the UK. Sappers from 37 Armoured Engineer Squadron, based in Paderborn in Germany, have dismantled the Basra Memorial Wall which ..."
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" A service to rededicate the Basra Memorial Wall, the monument to the 178 UK Service personnel and one MOD civilian who lost their lives on Operation TELIC in Iraq, will take place at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire on Thursday 11 March 2010. The original memorial was built in ..."
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" Op OMID HAFT clears insurgents from Loy Mandeh area of Afghanistan
British forces from all three Services have supported hundreds of Afghan soldiers in carrying out a major operation to clear insurgents from one of their last remaining strongholds in central Helmand.
Operation OMID HAFT was ..."
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"Gordon served in the ACC and was with 26 Armoured Engineer Squadron, Hohne 1959-61 at least. Later he served BMH Hong Kong "
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