1 Sqn, QOGLR

(RASC). The Company was stationed at Woolwich for 12 years until 1882, when it moved to Aldershot, remaining there until 1914. During this initial 44 years at Woolwich and Aldershot, No 1 Depot Coy largely performed Transport Depot Company duties. However, in 1891 the Company had the honour of being inspected by HRH The Duke of Cambridge, Commander in Chief. Additionally, with the outbreak of the Second Boer War, in Africa, and a change in British Army strategy and tactics to a more manoeuvrable and mounted force, the Company found itself in 1900 having to provide seventy men as RASC drivers, to be attached to the Royal Field Artillery to facilitate its new role of mounted Artillery. It is also interesting to note that in 1901, details from the Company were among the troops who lined the streets of London for the return of Field Marshal Lord Roberts VC, at the conclusion of the South African War. With the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 and the surge in manpower and soldiers required by the British Army, the unit saw itself performing the duties of Horse Transport (HT) Training Company at Aldershot for the majority of the war until 1 November 1917. From here it was merged with 621 (MT), ‘A’ Supply Company and the RASC Depot, Southport, into RASC Clearing Office, Southport. Its new role was to deal with sick and wounded soldiers of the Expeditionary Force, a stark contrast to the role they had previously occupied. Rather than training soldiers for war, they were now dealing with the consequences of it.


1938 and the looming N**i Germany threat would see the Company reformed in 26 Apr 1938, mobilising at Bourley on 1 September as part of 1 Corps Ammunition Park. With the inevitable eruption of the Second World War, the Company found itself being ordered to France, embarking at Avonmouth on 19 September 1939 and arriving at St Nazaire, France, on 20 September. Now in mainland Europe, the Company was to serve with the British Expeditionary Force, moving from France into Belgium on 11 May, 1940, before eventually being forced to withdraw and evacuate from Dunkirk on 29 May 1940. By 1944, the preparations for D-Day were in full swing and units were being pulled down to the South of England in preparation; 1 Company subsequently found itself relocated to Folkstone waiting to be called forward. With the D-Day invasion, the unit as a General Transport Company in 12 Corps returned to France, its primary role to act as a railhead within 22 Transport Column. Post Second World War, in 1946, No 1 Company’s next major deployment was with the Middle East Land Force (MELF), where it again became a General Transport Company, serving in Egypt, Libya and the Suez Canal area. For the next 12 years the Company remained and continued to operate in the Middle East; in 1950 it was reorganised as an Armoured Divisional Transport Company and was located first in Tripoli, then Benghazi and then El Kirsh. It finally returned to Tripoli, Medenine Barracks, until March 1958.


1 Company then found itself located in Stansted forming part of 19 Infantry Bde Gp, a part of the Strategic Reserve and July 1958 was the Company's first operational duty in connection with the Jordan crisis. An advance party from the unit flew to Cyprus with less than 24 hours’ notice, while the remainder would embark, with their vehicles, on HMS Albion and proceeded to sail to Cyprus via Malta. The unit stayed in Cyprus until September, after which they returned to England. After only 2 years stationed at Hargrave Park Camp, Stansted, the Company moved to Goojerat Barracks, Colchester on 24 February 1960. In January 1963, the Company was once again re-designated, continuing in the same role but being known as 1 Company RASC (Airportable Bde). It had the dual role of being in the Strategic Reserve for the re-enforcement of British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) and the continued maintenance of the Bde Gp through an airhead. This was to be the start of a very busy year for the Company. The year ended for the Company with ‘A’ Platoon being recalled from leave, on Boxing Day, to head to Cyprus with 1 Bn The Forresters to assist in the Cyprus Emergency. It came under command of 58 Coy and subsequently 7 Coy RASC. Its tasks were varied, including famine relief, ferrying patrols in Nicosia, staff car driving and general duties. One of its main tasks, however, was assisting the Royal Engineers in the construction of an airstrip, the Platoon driving both 3- and 10-ton tippers ended up moving 80,000 tons worth of rubble. The Platoon finally returned to UK the following year in June 1964.


1965 saw the formation of the Royal Corps of Transport, and with this 1 Company RASC was renamed 1 Squadron RCT. The Squadron remained based in Goojerat Barracks, Colchester, and proceeded to continue in its role of supporting 19 Infantry Bde in its worldwide airportable role. The Squadron continued to be as busy as ever however, with first ‘B’ Troop being deployed on an emergency tour to Borneo, and then ‘C’ Troop serving 9 months in Aden during the Aden Emergency. This is when we see the “Chequered Flag” become the symbol of 1 Squadron, a symbol that is still used today. Massey Ferguson presented 1 Squadron with a Chequered Flag to celebrate the Squadron using Massey Ferguson Tractors in the uprising in Aden. During this period, 1 Squadron RCT also deployed on six UNIFCYP tours of Cyprus and three further tours of Northern Ireland, two of which were Op BANNER. In addition to these operational commitments, soldiers from the Squadron could also be seen supporting units in countries such as Canada, USA, Kenya, Sudan, Denmark, France and Spain.


1991 saw the First Gulf War in Iraq. 1 Squadron RCT deployed as part of 4 Armoured Division Transport Regiment RCT during Operation GRANBY, specifically to support 40 Field Regiment RA. Initially arriving at Al Jubayl, in Saudi Arabia, on 30 Dec 1990, remaining here until Op DESERT SABRE and the physical advance into Iraq and Kuwait on the 24 Feb 1991. On the 28 Feb, after Saddam Hussein agreed to a ceasefire, the Sqn found itself in Kuwait about 20km North West of Kuwait City. With the conclusion of Op DESERT SABRE, they remained in this location in an air defence role for the Divisional Admin Area until the 22 March. After which they moved back to Saudi Arabia and finally back to the UK on 6 April.


1 Sqn RCT continued to go through more re-designations, in 1993 to become 1 Transport Squadron in the newly formed Royal Logistics Corps and re-rolled to a 3rd line Transport Squadron subordinate to 10 Transport Regiment RLC. It went on to again serve in Northern Ireland on Op BANNER in 1995, before being re-rolled as 1 Ambulance and Engineer Support Squadron a few years later in 1998. The Squadron once more found itself in Northern Ireland, before then deploying to the Balkans in 2001. In 2002 the Squadron was again re-rolled and re-designated 1 Engineer and Water Support Squadron deploying to Iraq the following year. The Squadron went through another re-designation and was re-rolled as 1 Transport Squadron, Queens Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment. Over the next six years the Squadron saw tours in Iraq, Cyprus and two tours in Afghanistan, finally being re-designated and merged with 94 Stores Squadron QOGLR to become 1 (Supply) Squadron, 10 QOGLR. The Squadron once again returned to one of its earliest homes, the home of the British Army, Aldershot. Here it has remained until this day, continuing to build and expand on its varied and colourful history. Embracing its new Gurkha kaida, it has thrived in its current role as a Supply Squadron ever adapting and overcoming challenges and commitments spanning the globe. In 2014 elements of the Squadron saw service on Op GRIDROCK, playing a key role assisting in the global humanitarian effort to battle the Ebola Crisis in Sierra Leone. On its return in 2015, the Squadron had the privilege of undertaking Public Duties, proudly mounting the Queen’s Guard at Buckingham Palace, St James’s Palace and Windsor Castle. This would not be the only time the Squadron had this honour, once again returning in 2019 to undertake this prestigious role as Queen’s Guard. In January 2020 the Squadron celebrated its 150th birthday at Woolwich barracks, back where it all began and continues its impressive heritage, proudly representing the Royal Logistic Corps and serving our Nation.