15 Air Assault Close Support Squadron RLC
Encyclopedia
15 Air Assault Close Support Squadron is a Close Support
Squadron in the 13 Air Assault Regiment Royal Logistic Corps
. They provide elements of 16 Air Assault Brigade with combat supplies as well as transport during times of peace and war.
on May 8, 1878 with a group of men and their horses. Soon afterwards, the horses were replaced with mules and the Company found itself employed on transport duties throughout the British Empire
. The Company was deployed to the Egypt
Campaign of 1882-1883, and to South Africa from 1889-1902 where they deployed on supply tasks during the Second Boer War
. The Company also fought in Somaliland
in 1904 prior to its return to Britain. When World War I broke out, 15 Company was deployed to France, equipped with horse transport, in support of the British Expeditionary Force. The Company disbanded in 1919 on its return to Britain. The Unit was reformed in 1922 as 15 Motor Transport Company Royal Army Service Corps
and stationed at York
.
s and deployed on operations in the tank transporting role. The Unit was renamed 24 Company RASC and served in the Middle East, including transport duties at the Battle of El Alamein
. After the defeat of the Afrika Korps, the Unit reverted back to 15 Company and returned to Britain prior to its involvement in the invasion of Europe in 1944.
, West Germany
, was renamed 15 Company RASC. The Unit took on the GT role for a second time in January 1965 when they exchanged Tipper
and assault vehicles for 4 ton vehicles. Four months later, equipped with AEC Mk 1 10 ton cargo vehicles, the Unit changed its title on disbandment of the RASC to become 15 Squadron Royal Corps of Transport (RCT). The Unit saw a period of stability and celebrated its centenary in 1978 in Osnabrück.
as part of the 2nd Infantry Division Transport Regiment; its vehicle fleet was also changed from the 10 ton AEC to Bedford TM 8 tonne, 4 x 22,000 Ltr Truck Tanker Fuel (TTFs) and associated Materials Handling Equipment (MHE). In 1990, the Squadron deployed to Cyprus
in support of the UN under the command of Major Steve Bragg and was mainly made up of Territorial Army (TA) personnel. The regular troops were deployed on Operation Granby
(Gulf War 1) as sub-units of other squadrons.
saw the amalgamation of the RCT with the other Corps to become the Royal Logistic Corps. At the same time, 24 Airmobile Brigade was established in Colchester
requiring a Combat Service Support (CSS) Battalion. 15 Squadron already had a troop in support of the Airmobile Brigade, however now the whole unit become a second-line transport sub-unit of the CSS Battalion. The fleet consisted of DROPS MMLC, 14, 8 and 4 ton General Service Vehicles, Truck Tanker Fuel (TTFs), Unit Bulk Refuel Equipment (UBRE) and various Material Handling Equipment (MHE).
The Squadron was again re-rolled and renamed 15 Attack Support Squadron due to the formation of 16 Air Assault Brigade and the arrival of the Attack Helicopter
(AH). In April 2000, the Squadron deployed on a six-month tour of Northern Ireland on Operation Banner
. The Squadron acquired a new fleet of Multi Wheel Drive (MWD) fuel vehicles for the transportation of aviation fuel.
The Squadron deployed again to support the Brigade in 2001 upon short notice to Afghanistan
as part of Operation FINGAL in support of US War on Terrorism
.
A period of stability was established until Operation TELIC
in 2003 where the Regiment deployed to Kuwait
and Iraq
.
In March 2006, the Squadron deployed as 15 Close Support Squadron to Operation HERRICK 4, providing intimate CSS support to the 3 PARA battlegroup based in Helmand Province.
In 2007 the Squadron was redesignated 15 Air Assault Close Support Squadron and now constantly maintains a parachute element for insertion onto a Drop Zone.
The Squadron deployed to Afghanistan in March 2008 on Op HERRICK 8, where it conducted numerous Combat Logistic Patrols to Sangin
, Musa Qaleh and Now Zad. Members of the Squadron were responsible for the protection and transportation of a turbine to the Kajaki Dam during Operation OQAB TSUKA (Eagles Summit in Pashtu).
Close air support
In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...
Squadron in the 13 Air Assault Regiment Royal Logistic Corps
Royal Logistic Corps
The Royal Logistic Corps provides logistic support functions to the British Army. It is the largest Corps in the Army, comprising around 17% of its strength...
. They provide elements of 16 Air Assault Brigade with combat supplies as well as transport during times of peace and war.
History
The Squadron was formed at WoolwichWoolwich
Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...
on May 8, 1878 with a group of men and their horses. Soon afterwards, the horses were replaced with mules and the Company found itself employed on transport duties throughout the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
. The Company was deployed to the Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
Campaign of 1882-1883, and to South Africa from 1889-1902 where they deployed on supply tasks during the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
. The Company also fought in Somaliland
Somaliland
Somaliland is an unrecognised self-declared sovereign state that is internationally recognised as an autonomous region of Somalia. The government of Somaliland regards itself as the successor state to the British Somaliland protectorate, which was independent for a few days in 1960 as the State of...
in 1904 prior to its return to Britain. When World War I broke out, 15 Company was deployed to France, equipped with horse transport, in support of the British Expeditionary Force. The Company disbanded in 1919 on its return to Britain. The Unit was reformed in 1922 as 15 Motor Transport Company Royal Army Service Corps
Royal Army Service Corps
The Royal Army Service Corps was a corps of the British Army. It was responsible for land, coastal and lake transport; air despatch; supply of food, water, fuel, and general domestic stores such as clothing, furniture and stationery ; administration of...
and stationed at York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
.
World War II
Again the company disbanded before reforming to enter World War II. In the beginning of the war, their duties were UK-based, operating with requisitioned civilian vehicles. On January 1942, the Company received a fleet of AEC MatadorAEC Matador
The AEC Matador was an artillery tractor built by the Associated Equipment Company for British and Commonwealth forces during the Second World War.AEC had already built a 4 x 2 lorry, also known as the Matador ....
s and deployed on operations in the tank transporting role. The Unit was renamed 24 Company RASC and served in the Middle East, including transport duties at the Battle of El Alamein
Second Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The battle took place over 20 days from 23 October – 11 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance. Thereafter, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery...
. After the defeat of the Afrika Korps, the Unit reverted back to 15 Company and returned to Britain prior to its involvement in the invasion of Europe in 1944.
Post World War II
After World War II, 15 Company was disbanded for a third time, only to reappear at York in 1951 as a General Transport (GT) Company. In 1961 the Company disbanded for a fourth time, yet its title was revived when 122 (Tipper) Company RASC, based in Scarborough Barracks OsnabrückOsnabrück
Osnabrück is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, some 80 km NNE of Dortmund, 45 km NE of Münster, and some 100 km due west of Hanover. It lies in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest...
, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, was renamed 15 Company RASC. The Unit took on the GT role for a second time in January 1965 when they exchanged Tipper
Dump truck
A dump truck is a truck used for transporting loose material for construction. A typical dump truck is equipped with a hydraulically operated open-box bed hinged at the rear, the front of which can be lifted up to allow the contents to be deposited on the ground behind the truck at the site of...
and assault vehicles for 4 ton vehicles. Four months later, equipped with AEC Mk 1 10 ton cargo vehicles, the Unit changed its title on disbandment of the RASC to become 15 Squadron Royal Corps of Transport (RCT). The Unit saw a period of stability and celebrated its centenary in 1978 in Osnabrück.
1980s
The Squadron returned to the UK in 1983 and was based in Gaza Barracks CatterickCatterick Garrison
Catterick Garrison is a major Army base located in Northern England. It is the largest British Army garrison in the world with a population of around 12,000, plus a large temporary population of soldiers, and is larger than its older neighbour...
as part of the 2nd Infantry Division Transport Regiment; its vehicle fleet was also changed from the 10 ton AEC to Bedford TM 8 tonne, 4 x 22,000 Ltr Truck Tanker Fuel (TTFs) and associated Materials Handling Equipment (MHE). In 1990, the Squadron deployed to Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
in support of the UN under the command of Major Steve Bragg and was mainly made up of Territorial Army (TA) personnel. The regular troops were deployed on Operation Granby
Operation Granby
Operation Granby was the name given to the British military operations during the Gulf War. 53,462 troops were deployed during the conflict. The total cost of operations was £2.434 billion of which at least £2.049 billion was paid for by other nations such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia; £200...
(Gulf War 1) as sub-units of other squadrons.
1990s
In 1993, the Logistic Support Review and Options for ChangeOptions for Change
Options for Change was a restructuring of the British Armed Forces in 1990, aimed at cutting defence spending following the end of the Cold War....
saw the amalgamation of the RCT with the other Corps to become the Royal Logistic Corps. At the same time, 24 Airmobile Brigade was established in Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
requiring a Combat Service Support (CSS) Battalion. 15 Squadron already had a troop in support of the Airmobile Brigade, however now the whole unit become a second-line transport sub-unit of the CSS Battalion. The fleet consisted of DROPS MMLC, 14, 8 and 4 ton General Service Vehicles, Truck Tanker Fuel (TTFs), Unit Bulk Refuel Equipment (UBRE) and various Material Handling Equipment (MHE).
The Squadron was again re-rolled and renamed 15 Attack Support Squadron due to the formation of 16 Air Assault Brigade and the arrival of the Attack Helicopter
Attack helicopter
An attack helicopter is a military helicopter with the primary role of an attack aircraft, with the capability of engaging targets on the ground, such as enemy infantry and armored vehicles...
(AH). In April 2000, the Squadron deployed on a six-month tour of Northern Ireland on Operation Banner
Operation Banner
Operation Banner was the operational name for the British Armed Forces' operation in Northern Ireland from August 1969 to July 2007. It was initially deployed at the request of the Unionist government of Northern Ireland to support the Royal Ulster Constabulary . After the 1998 Belfast Agreement,...
. The Squadron acquired a new fleet of Multi Wheel Drive (MWD) fuel vehicles for the transportation of aviation fuel.
CSS to 16 Air Assault Brigade
In 2001, the Squadron deployed to Macedonia on Operation Bessemer to assist with disarming the Macedonian population.The Squadron deployed again to support the Brigade in 2001 upon short notice to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
as part of Operation FINGAL in support of US War on Terrorism
War on Terrorism
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
.
A period of stability was established until Operation TELIC
Operation Telic
Operation TELIC was the codename under which all British military operations in Iraq were conducted between the start of the Invasion of Iraq on 19 March 2003 and the withdrawal of the last remaining British forces on 22 May 2011...
in 2003 where the Regiment deployed to Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
and Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
.
In March 2006, the Squadron deployed as 15 Close Support Squadron to Operation HERRICK 4, providing intimate CSS support to the 3 PARA battlegroup based in Helmand Province.
In 2007 the Squadron was redesignated 15 Air Assault Close Support Squadron and now constantly maintains a parachute element for insertion onto a Drop Zone.
The Squadron deployed to Afghanistan in March 2008 on Op HERRICK 8, where it conducted numerous Combat Logistic Patrols to Sangin
Sangin
Sangin is a town in Helmand province of Afghanistan, with population of approximately 14,000 people. It is located on in the valley of the Helmand River at 888 m altitude, 95 km to the north-east of Lashkar Gah. Sangin is notorious as one of the central locations of the opium trade in the...
, Musa Qaleh and Now Zad. Members of the Squadron were responsible for the protection and transportation of a turbine to the Kajaki Dam during Operation OQAB TSUKA (Eagles Summit in Pashtu).