11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal & Search Regiment RLC
Active1972 - Present
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
RoleMilitary Aid to the Civil Authority
SizeRegiment
658 personnel[1]
Garrison/HQVauxhall Barracks, Didcot
Corps Royal Logistic Corps
Insignia
Tactical recognition flash

11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Search Regiment RLC is a specialist regiment of the British Army's Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) responsible for counter terrorist Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), the safe recovery or disposal of conventional munitions. The regiment also has an ammunition inspectorate role supporting the Inspector Explosives (Army). With headquarters in Didcot, the regiment has sub units geographically based throughout the UK to provide a nationwide high readiness response capability in support of the police.

History

The regiment's history commences in the period immediately after World War II. At the time, the regional Commands HQs across the UK established Ammunition Inspectorates to oversee the drawdown of the vast stockpiles of ammunition in numerous sub depots across the country, much of it was still stocked alongside many of the roads in the countryside. These Command Ammunition Inspectorates, Northern Command, Southern Command etc. were eventually grouped into one unit, 1 Ammunition Inspection and Disposal Unit RAOC, which formed on 15 March 1972 at Salisbury.[2]

In April 1982, 1 Ammo IDU became 11 Ordnance Battalion (EOD) and was relocated to Didcot. On 5 April 1993, the battalion was retitled to 11 EOD Regiment RLC, following the formation of the RLC.[3] In June 2018 the Regiment was renamed to 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Search Regiment RLC, in recognition of the importance of Search within the Explosive Ordnance Disposal community.[4]

Role

The unit is responsible for providing EOD (Improvised Explosive Device Disposal (IEDD), Conventional Munitions Disposal (CMD), Biological and Chemical Munitions Disposal (BCMD) and Radiological and Nuclear Munitions Disposal) and Ammunition Technical support to Defence and Other Government Departments, in order to support Land Forces Command Capability on UK mainland (Great Britain & Northern Ireland) and overseas.[5]

Structure

The structure is as follows:

Notable personnel

Honours

The Regiment is based at Vauxhall Barracks, Didcot, Oxfordshire having moved there from Old Sarum in 1982. Due to its long and close association with the town, the Regiment was awarded the Freedom of Didcot on 17 September 2007 and were conferred "the honour and distinction of exercising all customary Regimental Privileges when parading in or marching through the Town of Didcot". The Regiment exercised its right to march through the town of Didcot on 22 September 2007, led by the Commanding Officer Lt Col RL Maybery QGM RLC. [11]

On 19 November 2010, in a ceremony at Didcot Parkway railway station, a High Speed Train locomotive, no. 43087 operated by Great Western Railway (FGW), was named 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment Royal Logistic Corps. The ceremony was attended by Lt Col Gareth Bex (Commanding Officer); soldiers of the Regiment; Mark Hopwood, of FGW; Keith Mitchell, leader of the county council; and the MP for Wantage, Ed Vaizey.[12][13]

On 15 March 2018 the regiment was awarded the Firmin Sword of Peace, one of the highest accolades that can be bestowed upon a military unit. The award reflected in particular the regiment's specialist search operations during the Didcot Power Station tragedy (Operation BRIDLED) and the safe disposal of the hazardous chemical 2,4-Dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) from school laboratories nationwide, which posed an explosive threat to UK school children (Op MATSU).[14]

References

  1. ↑ "Army – Question for Ministry of Defence". p. 1. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  2. ↑ Observer. 1975.
  3. ↑ "Major Units 11 on". British Army units 1945 on. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  4. ↑ "11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Search Regiment RLC". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  5. ↑ "11 EOD Regiment, British Army Website". army.mod.uk. Archived from the original on 18 January 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2009.
  6. ↑ "Google Earth". earth.google.com. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  7. ↑ "A Better Defence Estate November 2016" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. p. 22. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  8. ↑ "A Better Defence Estate November 2016" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. p. 18. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  9. ↑ "Google Earth". earth.google.com. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  10. ↑ "A Better Defence Estate November 2016" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. p. 20. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  11. ↑ "Freedom of Didcot". Didcot Dynamo. 2007. p. 18. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  12. ↑ "Train named after Didcot's 11 EOD Regiment". BBC Oxford. 19 November 2010. Retrieved 20 November 2010.
  13. ↑ "Loco renamed to honour bomb disposal heroes". Didcot Herald. Newsquest Media Group. 20 November 2010. Retrieved 23 November 2010.
  14. ↑ "Sword Of Peace". RLC. 2 April 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
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