28 Engineer Regiment (United Kingdom)

28 Engineer Regiment was formed on 15 April 1951.[1] It saw service in Benghazi, Libya and in Korea with the 1st Commonwealth Division in the Korean War. In 1956, 28 Engineer Regiment deployed to Christmas Island in support of the original Operation Grapple. The primary task of the regiment was the construction of the airfield and the 'Main-Camp', from which nuclear tests would be facilitated. In January 1957, on completion of their tasks in the Pacific Ocean, a letter was received from the War Office announcing the disbandment of the regiment and the subordination of its sub-units.[2]

In 1971, the regiment was re-formed as 28 Amphibious Engineer Regiment, coming under operational control of Commander, Royal Engineers, I (BR) Corps in West Germany, and equipped with the M2 Amphibious Bridging Equipment.[1][2] This new role saw the regiment participate in countless divisional and corps level exercises across Europe, as the threat from the USSR increased and the Cold War ensued.

In 1992, the regiment was re-organised under the Options for Change reforms. 28 Amphibious Engineer Regiment was re-roled as a general support regiment tasked with supporting the 1st Armoured Division with its amphibious commitment remaining but reduced to a single squadron (23 Amphibious Engineer Squadron). Between 1994 and 2014, the regiment saw deployments to the Former Yugoslavia, Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Macedonia, Kosovo, Congo, Iraq, Afghanistan and Cyprus in a variety of roles including peace-keeping, counter-insurgency and warfighting. 28 Engr Regt was deployed on the initial invasion during Operation Telic, Iraq 2003; 23 Amph Engr Sqn and the (by then in service) M3 amphibious rigs were used to enter Basra. Additionally, the regiment deployed personnel to London in support of the 2012 Olympic Games.

Before the initial Army 2020 changes, the regiment was re-roled as a close support engineer regiment, attached to the 11th Light Brigade.[3] In 2014 the unit was disbanded as a result of the Army 2020 reforms.[2]

On 22 April 1915, the German Army deployed chlorine gas cannisters to the front line in Ypres and released the gas against the British Army units in the opposing trenches. Subsequently the British Government authorised the retaliatory use of chlorine gas during the Battle of Loos on 25 September 1915. By the end of the war, poison gas was in widespread us by both sides and gas warfare became part of the enduring image of war on the Western Front.

The development and subsequent deployment of British chemical weapons was the task given to the newly formed Special Brigade Royal Engineers; a formation raised in secret by Sir John French in June 1915 and Commanded by Lt Col C H Foulkes RE. From 1915 to 1918, Foulkes oversaw the Special Brigade’s experimentation in order to develop both offensive and defensive capabilities including a variety of lethal and incapacitating chemicals such as Phosgene and Mustard gases to deploy against the German troops and respirators and capes to protect troops in the trenches The Brigade also developed a number of means of delivering these chemicals including munitions and cannisters fired from Livens Projectors, trench mortars, artillery guns and other ordnance dropped by the Royal Flying Corps and latterly the Royal Air Force.

The Special Brigade was composed of Special Companies of the Royal Engineers, however, the soldiers were recruited from across the Army; seeking ‘Chemists’ and those with any experienced in working with chemicals. The Brigade endured through the inter-war period and into the Second World War, albeit renamed the Royal Engineers Special Warfare Group. At its peak, the Special Brigade numbered 258 Officers and 5,832 men. The Brigade conducted 768 gas operations involving 88,000 gas cylinders, 197,000 projectors and 178,000 mortar bombs; using an estimated 5,700 tonnes of various gases and chemicals. Total casualties in the Brigade during the World War I numbered 5,384; close to 88% of its total strength. 557 decorations were awarded to soldiers serving in the Brigade, including one Victoria Cross.Having relinquished responsibility for the conduct of offensive and defensive chemical warfare operations in 1942 the sub-units in the Special Warfare Groups were re-roled as Field Squadrons.

The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) is an arms control treaty that outlaws the production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons and their precursors which entered into force on 29 April 1997. As a signed and ratified members of the treaty the United Kingdom no longer has an offensive Chemical weapons program.

Counter-Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear capability exists to offer a defence for the British Military against a range of CBRN threats. This contemporary capability was delivered initially by 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards during 1991 Gulf War under command of the Divisional Engineer Group (DEG), before being passed to the Royal Yeomanry. As part of the 1998 Strategic Defence Review (SDR) the Joint NBC Regiment was formed, established at RAF Honington, Suffolk, consisting of 1st Royal Tank Regiment (less CHALLENGER 2 equipped A Squadron and CVR(T) SABRE and SCIMITAR equipped Close Reconnaissance Troop, attached to the Land Warfare Centre Battle Group) and saw the reformation of 27 Squadron RAF Regiment under command, it subsequently changed its name to the Joint CBRN Regiment in 2005.

The Joint NBC / CBRN Regiment served operationally in-role: Kuwait 1999–2003, Iraq 2003–09 and Afghanistan from 2001–11, led by Commanding Officer 1st Royal Tank Regiment, until the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR). SDSR then ordered all dismounted capability to be transferred under command of Wing Commander, 20 Force Protection Wing, RAF Regiment in 2011, reducing the scale to consist of 26 and 27 Sqns RAF Regiment. 1st and 2nd Royal Tank Regiments then amalgamated to form the Royal Tank Regiment in 2014, less FALCON Squadron who were re-established and moved under 22 (Armoured) Engineer Regiment (2014–19) in the C-CRN Area Survey and Reconnaissance mounted role, as divisional troops to 3rd (UK) Division.

Starting in 2019 the British Army has now taken back the lead user role from the RAF for delivery of Specialist C-CBRN capability on behalf of UK Defence. Over a century later the Corps of Royal Engineers have once again taken responsibility for delivery of Specialist Counter-Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (C-CBRN) capability on behalf of the British Army, supported by the Royal Tank Regiment.

The regiment reformed on 1 April 2019 as a counter-chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (C-CBRN) regiment with dismounted RE elements to be based at Rock Barracks in Woodbridge, Suffolk, whilst mounted RTR elements remain in Harman Lines, Warminster, Wiltshire.[4]

The sub-units of 28 Engineer Regiment (C-CBRN) are:

• 64 Headquarters & Support Squadron (C-CBRN), Royal Engineers;
• FALCON Squadron (C-CBRN), Royal Tank Regiment;
• 42 Field Squadron (C-CBRN), Royal Engineers;
• 77 Field Squadron (C-CBRN), Royal Engineers

Regimental emblem featuring benzene ring and frigate bird.

The emblem on the 28 Engineer Regiment flag is a Christmas Island Frigatebird emblazoned on a hexagon. The hexagon was used as an emblem by a number of Royal Engineer Special Warfare Groups in WW1, and draws inspiration from the chemical diagram for the benzene ring, a chemical structure found in a large number of chemical warfare agents. The hexagon remains part of the symbology and iconography adorning identifying badges and emblems of CBRN units and organisations of many NATO partners.

The Christmas Island Frigatebird is endemic to the Christmas Islands and was the motif for the original Operation Grapple on which 28 Engineer Regiment deployed.

• 23 Amphibious Engineering Squadron – Moved to 75th Engineer Regiment
• 71 Amphibious Engineering Support Squadron – Disbanded, Dececember 1993
• 65 Field Support Squadron – Moved to 39th Engineer Regiment
• 45 Field Support Squadron – Place into suspended animation under Op Entirety, December 2009