| 143 Plant Squadron 143rd Plant Regiment 291 Construction Squadron | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active |
1947–1967 1967–2006 |
| Country |
 United Kingdom |
| Branch |
 British Army |
| Type | Heavy Construction Engineers |
| Size | Squadron |
| Part of | Corps of Royal Engineers |
| Garrison/HQ | Walsall, Staffordshire |
143 Plant Squadron, Royal Engineers (143 Plant Sqn) was a former specialist combat engineering support unit of the British Army's Corps of Royal Engineers which existed during the Cold War, but disbanded in 2006 following a reorganisation of the corps.
291 Construction Squadron[]
Following the end of the Second World War, the British Army's part-time force, the Territorial Army (TA) was reformed on 1 April 1947. Royal Engineer units were reformed as 'regiments' and 'squadrons', in accordance with the 1947 Army Council Instruction. Prior to this, the large Royal Engineer units were the 'Divisional Royal Engineers', but these were not permanent commands, rather they were simple groupings of companies. The old 'companies' were also changed, becoming 'squadrons'. Under these changes, the new 'regiments' became battalion-sized units commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel and companies were re-designated as squadrons.[1]
Among the many new units formed in 1947, was the 127th Construction Regiment based in Smethwick in Warwickshire, as the descendant to the 46th Infantry Division's Divisional Royal Engineers. This new regiment included five squadrons: 4 x construction: 212, 290, and 291, and 215 Plant Squadron. 291 Construction Squadron was one of the units and based in Walsall in Staffordshire. During this period, the regiment formed part of 23rd Engineer Group which oversaw the engineer units in Western Command.[1][2][3][4]
In 1950, the Royal Engineers were reorganised, and the squadron was transferred out of the regiment and joined the new 125th Army Engineer Regiment which had its headquarters in Cannock, Staffordshire.[2] This regiment was the descendant of the old 59th (Staffordshire) Infantry Division Divisional Royal Engineers, thus linking the Staffordshire royal engineer units. At the same time, the squadron dropped its construction role and became a field squadron, thus becoming 291 Field Squadron. However, in 1956, just six years later, the squadron left the regiment to help form the basis of the new 143rd Plant Regiment.[3][5][6]
143 Plant Regiment[]
In 1956, the 143rd Plant Regiment, Royal Engineers was formed in Walsall through the grouping of three separate plant squadrons of the Royal Engineers.[3][5] The new regiment comprised three squadrons:[3][5]
- Regimental Headquarters, in Walsall
- 215 Plant Squadron
- 276 Plant Squadron
- 291 Plant Squadron
In 1961, the Territorial Army was reorganised in what would be its last major organisation before its disbandment in 1967. As a consequence, the regiment was disbanded and the following changes occurred by squadron: 215 Plant Squadron disbanded; 276 Plant Squadron transferred to 102nd (Renfrew) Corps Engineer Regiment; and 291 Plant Squadron became independent under Western Command.[3][5]
Cold War[]
TAVR Formation[]
In 1967, as a result of the 1966 Defence White Paper, the Territorial Army (TA) was completely reorganised with many of the old units with long and distinguished histories reduced to company and platoon sizes and merged into new smaller units. Among the changes was the creation of the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve (TAVR), which was divided into three categories: TAVR I (The 'Ever-readies', ready for United Nations commitments and would serve to bring the Regular Army to war establishment, replace casualties, and be ready for rapid deployment); TAVR II (these units were to give the Regular Army administrative units not needed in peacetime. They would serve to bring the establishment and to replace losses. This category became known as the 'Volunteers' with units taking the sub-title of '(Volunteers) or (V)'. The third category, TAVR III was the largest of the branches tasked with home defence and were to maintain law and order in the event of nuclear attack and were also available for help in case of civil emergencies; these units had the subtitle of 'Territorial', not to be confused as the 'Territorials', the name for the TAVR as a whole. Lastly, TAVR IV was the smallest of the branch, comprising the University Officers' Training Corps, Regimental and Corps Bands and miscellaneous support units.[7]
143 Plant Squadron[]
Following the above changes, 291 Plant Squadron was redesignated as 143 Plant Squadron (Volunteers) and based in Walsall.[8] After the squadron's formation, it was assigned to West Midlands District, previously the old 48th (South Midland) Division/District. However, these un-centralised districts became a nuisance and caused issues rather quickly.[9][10] The squadron was comprised of a squadron headquarters and four 'troops' equivalent to platoons:[8][11][12][13]
- Squadron Headquarters, at Gordon House, Walsall
- No. 1 Plant Troop, at Gordon House, Walsall
- No. 2 Plant Troop, in Failsworth, Manchester
- No. 3 Plant Troop, in Swansea
In 1982, as a result of the 1981 Defence White Paper, many of the old disbanded territorial brigades were reformed as part of their respective regional districts. These brigades were not like their predecessors however, as with the enhancement of the TA, the brigades became purely administrative headquarters for training. Among the new brigades to be formed, the 143rd (West Midlands) Brigade was stood up in 1982 with its headquarters at Copthorne Barracks in Shrewsbury.[9][12][13] In addition to the reorganisation of the home forces, the Territorial Army was given new expanding roles in which they would more directly support the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR). Under these role changes, 143 Plant Squadron was assigned to be mobilised under 30th Engineer Brigade (Volunteers) based at Kitchener House in Stafford. The brigade's role was to keep the strategic reserve routs open and clear of obstacles.[12][13]
Post Cold War[]
As a result of the Options for Change reform which following the Dissolution of the Soviet Union and consequential end of the Cold War, the Royal Engineers' independent squadrons were taken under control of the regional territorial regiments. Because of the squadron's location in the West Midlands, on 1 April 1992 the squadron lost its independent status and joined the Royal Monmouthshire Militia and became 143 Plant Squadron (Militia). At the same time, the squadron last No. 2 Plant Troop which joined 125 (Staffordshire) Field Support Squadron and No. 3 Troop in Swansea to 108 (Welsh) Field Squadron (Militia). Consequently, the squadron joined new No. 2 & No. 3 Troops in Cannock from 125 (Staffordshire) Field Support Squadron, thus consolidating the squadron.[8][14][15]
In 1998, the Strategic Defence Review was published, which yet again saw the squadron move, now on 1 April 1999 to 75th Engineer Regiment based in the North-West of England. At the same time, the squadron was rebadged as 143 Plant Squadron (Volunteers).[8][16][17]
In 2006, as a result of the 2003 Defence White Paper and subsequent 'Future Army Structure' programmes, the Royal Engineers and Royal Corps of Signals' TA elements were greatly reduced. In lieu with the changes, 143 Plant Squadron was disbanded and its personnel was absorbed into the neighbouring 225 (City of Birmingham) Field Squadron (Militia), part of the Royal Monmouthshire Militia.[8][15][16][17] The squadron's lineage was continued by two troops until this was reduced to just No. 1 Troop based in Walsall under 225 Squadron until 2014 when these troops were disbanded as a result of the Army 2020 reforms.[15][17][18][19][20]
Today the squadron's old location at Gordon House in Walsall is used by 159 Theatre Support Company of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.[21][22]
Footnotes[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Watson & Rinaldi, p. 287
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Watson & Rinaldi, p. 296
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Watson & Rinaldi, p. 303
- ↑ Watson, Dr. Graham (10 March 2002). "United Kingdom: The Territorial Army 1947". http://www.orbat.info/history/historical/uk/ta47.html.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Watson & Rinaldi, p. 298
- ↑ Watson & Rinaldi, p. 395
- ↑ Frederick, p. 326
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Watson & Rinaldi, p. 320
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "TA Command Structure 1967 - 2000". 2007-08-25. http://www.win.tue.nl/~drenth/BritArmy/Lineage/TACOMMANDSTRUCT67/index.html.
- ↑ Paxton, J. (1972). The Statesman's Year-Book 1972-73: The Encyclopaedia for the Businessman-of-The-World. Palgrave Macmillan UK. p. 104. ISBN 978-0-230-27101-2. https://books.google.com/books?id=l43JDQAAQBAJ&q=HQ+UK+Land+Forces+1972+9+district+headquarters&pg=PA104.
- ↑ "TA - 143 Plant Squadron R.E.(V) | The Sappers site". http://www.sappers.co.uk/squadrons/ta-143-plant-squadron-rev. Retrieved 2022-02-01
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Vieux-Bill, Louis (May 2021). "British Army of the Rhine Order of Battle, July 1989". https://www.orbat85.nl/documents/BAOR-July-1989.pdf.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Fritz, Alter (October 2018). "British Army of the Rhine & Royal Air Force Germany 1989: Organisation and stationing of the British Armed Forces in Germany in 1989". https://www.relikte.com/_basis/docs/baor-rafg-3.pdf.
- ↑ "Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia) [UK"]. 2007-12-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20071205070822/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-wales/militia/monRE.htm. Retrieved 2022-02-01
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Watson & Rinaldi, p. 313
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 "75 Engineer Regiment (V) [UK"]. 2007-12-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20071218045308/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/vols-tavr/art-eng-sig/engr75.htm. Retrieved 2022-02-01
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Watson & Rinaldi, pp. 315–316
- ↑ Mackinlay, p. 127
- ↑ Watson & Rinaldi, p. 321
- ↑ "Summary of Army 2020 Reserve Structure and Basing Changes". 3 July 2013. http://www.army.mod.uk/documents/general/20130703-SUMMARY_OF_ARMY_2020_RESERVE_STRUCTURE_AND_BASING.pdf.
- ↑ "Army Reserve Centre Gordon House, Sutton Road, Walsall WS1 2PA". British Army. https://apply.army.mod.uk/what-we-offer/army-reserve-centres/midlands/walsall-gordon-house.
- ↑ "Freedom of Information (Act) question regarding locations of Army Reserve units". 6 July 2020. https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/664382/response/1596315/attach/3/20200706%20FOI05506%20Arbeely%20Response%20Letter%20ArmySec.pdf?cookie_passthrough=1.
References[]
- Watson, Graham E.; Rinaldi, Richard A. (2018). The Corps of Royal Engineers: Organization and Units 1889 – 2018. United Kingdom: Tiger Lilly Books. ISBN 978-1717901804.
- Frederick, John Bassett Moore (1984). Lineage Book of British Land forces 1660–1978: Biographical Outlines of Cavalry, Yeomanry, Armour, Artillery, Infantry, Marines and Air Force Land Troops of Regular and Reserve Forces. I. Wakefield: Microform Academic. ISBN 978-1851170074. OCLC 830764316.
- Mackinlay, Gordon Angus (2007). "A Moment in Time", The British Army at a Moment in Time – 1 July 2007: A Look at and from it of the makeup of the Regular and Territorial Army. Norwich, Norfolk, United Kingdom: University of East Anglia. https://books.google.com/books?id=LVn8vgEACAAJ.