135 Geographic Squadron Royal Engineers is the only unit in the Army Reserve to support
42 Engineer Regiment (Geographic)
42 Engineer Regiment (Geographic) is a Royal Engineers regiment of the British Army. The regiment, formed originally in 1947, provides field deployable geographic services, including geodetic survey, terrain analysis, information management and di ...
, a
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is heade ...
regiment of the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
. The squadron, formed originally in 1948, is a Joint Force Command specialist Royal Engineer unit that provides geographic support to all elements of UK Defence; particularly to Army headquarters, formations and units. The Squadron forms the 4th Sub-Unit within the Regiment assisting in delivering this capability.
The regiment consists of a squadron HQ and two troops:
* Squadron HQ (Ewell, Wyton)
* 338 Troop (Reading)
* 339 Troop (Ewell)
History
On 5 October 1948 135 Survey Engineer Regiment was formed with squadrons in Thame, London, Chessington and Southampton. Under a major organisation in April 1967, the regiment was reduced to squadron size and re-titled 135 Field Survey Squadron RE consisting of a squadron HQ, 337, 338 and 339 troops all based at Ewell. The squadron's role was changed to reinforce the Geographic branch at HQ British Army Of the Rhine (BAOR) working closely with 14 Geographic Squadron of 42 Engineer Regiment. In June 1986 the Squadron was re-titled 135 Independent Topographic Squadron RE with an additional troop (340 Troop) to carry out the role of map supply. To mark the new the title the Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors presented a new unit flag. In 2000 the squadron was re-titled to 135 Independent Geographic Squadron (Volunteers). On 1 April 2014 the squadron officially became part of 42 Engineer Regiment (Geographic) and subsequently changed its name to 135 Geographic Squadron (Reserves). The Regiment became a hybridised Unit composed of both Regular and Reserve Squadrons.
The squadron operates the Bulk Replication, Tactical Map Distribution Point and Forward Map Distribution Point vehicle systems as part of the Field Deployable
GEOINT
In the United States, geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) is intelligence about the human activity on earth derived from the exploitation and analysis of imagery, signals, or signatures with geospatial information. GEOINT describes, assesses, and vis ...
(FDG) capability.
The squadron also has a positioning survey role and regularly deploy on survey tasks.
Since 2001, a total of 38 soldiers from 135 Geo Squadron have deployed on 53 operational tours in 7 operational theatres.
Freedoms
* 1949:
Epsom and Ewell, Surrey.
References
External links
* {{official, https://www.army.mod.uk/who-we-are/corps-regiments-and-units/corps-of-royal-engineers/
Squadrons of the Royal Engineers