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ROYAL MONMOUTHSHIRE ROYAL ENGINEERS (MILITIA) |
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The Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia) – or R MON RE(M) to use its correct abbreviation – is the senior Regiment of Britain’s Reserve army. It has its roots in the 16th century but is very much a 21st century Regiment.
The name can be misleading, because units of the Regiment can be found in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Cwmbran, Gorseinon, Swansea as well as Monmouthitself. Contact details can be found further down this page. Although we have our own unique Cap Badge we are part of the Corps of Royal Engineers – ‘The Sappers’. |
Why the Senior Regiment?
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This is because we are both an old Regiment and have also given continuous loyal service to the Crown. Our first ‘Muster Roll’ is dated 1539 and can be seen in the Public Record Office. We have served continuously ever since under titles such as the Monmouthshire Militia, the Monmouthshire Light Infantry Militia, the Royal Monmouthshire Engineer Militia (from 1877) and finally the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia) since 1896.
Many historians confuse age with seniority. The Honourable Artillery Company based in London, although old, have not given continuous loyal service to the Crown. They fought for the Parliamentary cause in the English Civil War and only joined the Army proper in the Nineteenth century. R Mon RE(M)’s seniority is confirmed in Queens Regulations. |
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What is our role?
We are a general support Engineer Regiment which means that in War and other operations we support the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps as part of a Multi-National Engineer Brigade. We would ensure that LoCs – Lines of Communication – are kept open by building heavy capacity bridges, repairing roads and other infrastructure. Also controlling the vast amount of resources that would be required in any theatre of operations. This could be specialised engineer equipment such as bridges, water purification units or locally obtained material such as roadstone from quarries, wood from timber yards, the list is endless.
What do we do in Peacetime?
Obviously, we train for our operational role. However, our most important task is to recruit and train the volunteers we need in order to fulfil our operational role should we ever be needed.
All our sub units have their own recruit teams who go out actively recruiting new volunteers and then train them to the highest possible standards.
After basic training you follow a modular training package that earns you credits (as well as pay!) that allows you to specialise as a:
Military Engineer
Signaller
Driver
Plant Operator
Resource Specialist
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As well as all this individual training, you will also do what is known as Collective Training where the Squadron you belong to takes part in Regimental Exercises to test just how good our training has been. The Regiment does not just have, or need, Royal Engineers. Each sub unit has vacancies for AGC Clerks and RLC Chefs. It also has its own REME Workshop at Cwmbran which as well as REME craftsmen requires RLC stores specialists. |
What Equipment Do We Have?
Our peacetime holding of equipment is extensive. As well as the Land Rovers and 4 tonne lorries, you see everyday on the roads we also have:
DROPS lorries (self loading pallet lorries)
Articulated Low Loaders
Cranes
Recovery Vehicles
Bulldozers
Excavators
Bucket Loaders
Tipper Trucks
Generators
Searchlights
Also there is all the equipment these vehicles actually carry when we deploy away from our ‘TACs’ (Territorial Army Centres) – everything from a Shovel to a Nerve Agent Detector!
Do You Get Paid For Being in the TA?
Yes, your daily rate of pay varies depending on your rank and experience. There is also an annual tax-free Bounty for proving yourself proficient at Military Skills as well as attending regularly.
In addition, you get your travel to the TAC reimbursed so do not be put off by living a long way away.
What are the Prospects if I join?
The TA is not an alternative job, but having said that there is the option to do 6,12 or 24 month attachments with the Regular Army. Normal peacetime training is conducted over weekends and a 2 week Annual Camp.
The TA offers a sense of fulfilment and comradeship that is rarely found in ‘civvy-street’. It is quite possible to join as a private soldier – a Sapper – and work your way up to a Sergeant Major. Alternatively you may wish to seek a Commission and perhaps one day become the Commanding Officer.
How Do I Find Out more Information and Perhaps even Join-Up?
Contact your nearest TAC from the list below. The best time is between 9 and 4, Monday to Friday,  when the offices are manned.
101 Headquarters Squadron
Based at Monmouth. Recruits from the Hereford, Ross on Wye, Forest of Dean and North Monmouthshire areas. This Squadron provides the ‘C2’ for the Regiment (Command and Control) with its large Signals Troop and other Specialisations
Contact:
101 HQ Squadron (Militia)
R MON RE(M)
The Castle
Monmouth
NP25 3BS
Tel: 01600 772363
Fax: 01600 772088
100 Field Squadron
Based at Cwmbran but with troops in the heart of Bristol (Whiteladies Road) and Cardiff (Llandaff North). A field squadron can take on any job in the most arduous conditions.
Contact:
100 Field Squadron (Militia)
Chapman House
Ty Coch Way
Cwmbran
NP44 7HB
Tel: 01633 838006
Fax: 01633 868373
108 Field Support Squadron
Based right in the heart of Swansea (between the Vetch Field and the Prison!) with a sub unit of its own in Gorseinon. As its name implies, this Squadron provides the vital support for the Regiment and other units to operate. In addition to is resources troop it also has its own plant troop as well as a searchlight troop. This Squadron has everything from a Motorcycle to a Bulldozer.
Contact:
108 (Welsh) Field Support Squadron (Militia)
John Chard VC House
Glamorgan Street
Swansea
SA1 3SY
Tel: 01792 459727
Fax: 01792 649800
225 Plant Squadron
Situated just off the Junction 2 of the M5 on one of the main routes into the City of Birmingham. This Squadron holds a variety of plant equipment from road rollers to large bulldozers. Main operational role is route repair but in peacetime, they practice this by doing a variety of tasks on Army Ranges, for local authorities, nature reserves etc.
Contact:
225 Plant Squadron
Gundolf House
TA Centre
Wolverhampton Road
Oldbury
Warley
West Midlands
B68 8DH
Tel: 0121 552 2480
Fax: 0121 552 2480 Ext 8154
REME Workshop
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REME stands for Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. It is their role to repair the equipment and vehicles that the Royal Engineers cannot do themselves. They are co-located with 100 Field Squadron (but in their own modern purpose-built TAC) and so recruit from the Cwmbran area. Recruits to REME receive training as Vehicle and Recovery Mechanics. Civilian qualifications can be used to progress you up the pay scales if you already have them. | Contact:
REME Workshop R MON RE(M)
Ty John Williams VC
Ty Coch Way
Cwmbran
NP44 7HB
Tel: 016333 877451
Fax: 01633 877450
Museum
The Regiment is very fortunate in having its own Museum. As well as displaying Regimental History it also looks at the development of Monmouth as a fortified border town and the life of Monmouth’s most famous son Henry V. To visit the Museum’s web site go to:
www.monmouthcastlemuseum.org.uk
Thank you for visiting our web-site. We are always pleased to hear from potential recruits, or anyone with an interest in Military History who wants to learn more about this famous Regiment.
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