101 (City of London) Engineer Regiment
101 (City of London) Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal & Search) is a regiment of the British Army's Royal Engineers. Under Army 2020 Refine, the regiment moved from a hybrid regiment to a reserve EOD&S regiment with the regimental headquarters established in Catford. It is part of 29th (Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Search) Group, 8 Engineer Brigade. The Honorary Colonel of the regiment is Col Jools Holland.
The regiment draws some heritage from 56th (London) Divisional Engineers. 56th (London) Div RE was reformed in 1947 with seniority derived from 1 Middlesex Engineer Volunteers (1860). It became part of 56th (London) Armoured Division.[1] In 1956 the Division was reorganised as an infantry division. In 1961 the regiment absorbed the remnants of 121 Regiment and reorganised as 101 (London) Corps Engineer Regiment. It was disbanded on 1 April 1967.
A new regimental headquarters grouping four (preexisting) EOD squadrons was formed on 1 June 1988, using the old 101 designation.[2]
Organization
Today the regiment consists of:
- 101 Engineer Regiment (EOD), in Catford[3]
- 217 Field Squadron (EOD), in Ilford and Southend)
- 221 Field Squadron (EOD), in Bexleyheath and Catford)
- 350 Field Squadron (EOD), in Chilwell and Chesterfield)
- 579 Field Squadron (EOD), in Tunbridge Wells, Rochester and Redhill)
The Regiment has retained an unbroken link with the London Divisions (47th, 56th, 58th, and 60th) over nearly 60 years which included both World Wars.[4] Elements of the Regiment have been actively involved in securing the City of London from the threat of unexploded ordnance since The Blitz, which included direct support to Operation Olympics, providing military forces to assist with the Security for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Operation Olympics was, according to the regimental webpage, the longest and largest military security operation on the mainland United Kingdom since World War II.
In April 2000 the then Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alderman Clive Martin, granted “City of London” status to the Regiment in recognition of its long and distinguished association with the Corporation; the Regiment retains close affiliations even today with the Curriers, Patternmakers, Fan Makers, Lightmongers and Constructors.[4] In its 150 year history the Regiment has undergone no less than thirteen changes of name, however, ‘London’ has been the one constant for the past 102 years.
References
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-02-11. Retrieved 2015-02-11.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ T.F. Mills, 2nd London and 101 Regts
- ^ "Royal Engineers Units". British Army. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
- ^ a b "101 Engr Regt (EOD)". British Army. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
Further reading
- Regimental centenary : 101st (London) Field Engineer Regiment (T.A.), 1960, 1st Middlesex Engineer Volunteers, 1860. Aldershot : Gale & Polden, 1960
- Edwards, D. K. A history of 1st Middlesex Volunteer Engineers (101 (London) Engineer Regiment, TA) 1860-1967, together with extensive notes on the formation of the volunteer and territorial forces, and complete with appendices containing matters of regimental pride. [Heathfield, Sussex], 1967.