Every Regiment has a backstory, but out of all the Regiments in the Royal Logistic Corps today, 7 Regiment arguably has the most colourful. As the British Army enters an era of significant change, it is apt to summarise the eventful past of 7 Regiment, so that its history may better be understood and its future better informed.
7 Regiment RLC has gone through many name changes in its history: amongst other names, it has been known as 7 Transport Regiment, 7 Tank Transporter Regiment and 7 Transporter Column. But there has been one constant theme for the Regiment—tank transporting. And inextricably linked with the Regiment’s function is the Polish connection. The Polish connection comes from the use of Mixed Service Organisations (MSO) by the British Army Of the Rhine in the post-war era. The MSOs were units predominantly staffed by foreign civilians, who were often refugees seeking a new life in a freer land. Some of these Polish refugees and former Prisoners of War were used to man tank transporter units that moved armoured vehicles throughout Germany. Eventually, these units fell under the command of Regular British Army HQ. Thus, 7 Transport Column RASC (Tank Transporter) was formed in 1961; with the bulk of its manpower being made up by Poles, the Regiment soon adopted many of their cultural practices and emblems. To this day, 7 Regiment’s strong Polish history is maintained through its crest, the Polish eagle, flying the Polish flag, and by fundraising for Polish charities. The enduring role of the Regiment has been that of third-line transport (the movement of materiel to the rear of fighting units), and, in particular, the transport of armoured vehicles. Since its formation, it has had a strong peacetime commitment to the routine movement of armour around Germany, a commitment it has had to fulfil despite periods of heavy involvement in out-of-area operations. These operations have included transport and logistic support to war fighting operations, as has been the case in Iraq and Afghanistan, or peace enforcement or Military Aid to the Civil Authorities in Cyprus, Northern Ireland or the Former Yugoslavia. Inevitably, during this period of high-tempo, demanding and dangerous operations, the Regiment has suffered casualties in pursuit of its mission. As 7 Regiment RLC looks to the future, leaving its German home for the first time with a permanent move to the UK, it seems prudent to capture some of the deeds, actions and valour that make up the fabric of the Regiment’s history. 7 Regiment RLC is assured of its uniqueness amongst all British Army regiments, as, despite the MSO’s disbandment in 1987, its Polish tradition and accumulated history give it a recognisable esprit de corps in which its soldiers and officers can take comfort.
