23 Parachute Engineer Regiment

26/07/2023

THE REGIMENTAL WEEKEND!

We are looking forward to seeing you all for this Friday and Saturday to celebrate 20 Years of 23 in 2023!

On Friday we will be parading through Woodbridge for the Freedom of Woodbridge parade. We will be heading towards the town square at 10am.

And on Saturday we open the doors to our home, Rock Barracks for our Open Day. Doors will open at 10am and admission is free! We will have military displays, local businesses, food and drink, live music and even a parachute display. The team has been practicing today ready for the big event.

20/06/2023

Four members of the Regt have recently passed the notorious Jungle Warfare Instructor’s Course. 9 gruelling weeks of basic soldiering in the jungle and rivers of Brunei.

The course covered everything from basic survival and fieldcraft up to offensive actions at Platoon level. Different methods of insertion were used from Helicopter abseiling to using boats in the Close Country Tropical Environment (CCTE).

Good effort to all four!

21/05/2023

This week was a sporting busy week for the Regiment, but the team rose to the challenges and put in dominating performances.

Inter-unit Athletics - 3rd place 🥉 and only 11 points behind in first place and only 1 point behind for 2nd place. Photos 1-4

Jurassic Coast Ultra. Last weekend four members of the Regt took part in the 100km Ulta marathon, with Three of them having only one week’s notice – so not long to train. SSM 9 Para Sqn led the pack, finishing in 15:21:06. Photo 5

Army Rugby league Yeoman Winners. The Rock Barracks team made up of 23 and took 🏆. Photo 6

Ex RESPA RETURN, 13 members of the Regt took part in sports parachuting with 3 of them gaining qualifications to jump in large groups.

UK Midlands 22/23 British Army Warrior Fitness Comp. The Regiment's mens team took the win 🏆 Photos to follow.

Sapper Football Cup Semi-Finals. The Regiment took on 21 Engr Regt and won 7-0 ,🏆 Photos to follow.

The week was rounded off with the Officers' Mess celebrating the 20th anniversary of the formation of the Regiment with the first Commanding Officer of the Regiment, Lt Gen Sir Chris Tickell KBE. Photo 8

Looks like the Regiment is going into the Sapper Games on great form!

British Army Sport
Corps of Royal Engineers

02/05/2023

The airfield underwent the first operational runway repair conducted by British forces since the Falklands conflict in 1982:

Major Mark Borley, Officer Commanding 51 Parachute Squadron RE, said:
The works to the runway were conducted at night and in challenging conditions, but the team’s work provided a real boost to military aircrew confidence when landing, allowing our aircraft to operate safely and get vulnerable people to safety.

The work was hot and demanding. But fulfilling a role which for which we train hard alongside a significant number of other stakeholders was incredibly rewarding, particularly on operations and in support of vulnerable people. I am extremely proud of the team; their determination and professionalism was superb and their success has made a real difference.

Royal Navy, Army, and RAF handed international evacuation operations back to Sudanese authorities after leaving the airfield in good order

01/05/2023

23 Parachute Engineer Regiment deployed from the UK to Sudan in support of the UK Joint Task Force to conduct urgent airfield damage repair at Wadi Sayyidna. The airfield was being used by multiple nations to evacuate Entitled Personnel and was in a poor state of repair, further exacerbated by the high tempo of heavy, multinational military transport aircraft.

The work, led by OC 51 Parachute Squadron, is the first time Combat Engineer Airfield Damage Repair has been conducted on Operations since the Falklands War. It enabled the continued evacuation of UK and other nations’ Entitled Personnel via military aircraft, following continued conflict within the country.

They repaired the runway between aircraft take-off and landings, often working at night so as not to disrupt the evacuation efforts. They were deployed as part of the Air Manoeuvre Task and deployment to Wadi Sayyidna with 40 CDO Royal Marines supported by personnel from and with reach-back support from 11 Group RAF and 529 Specialist Team Royal Engineers (Air Support).

15/03/2023

Plant Operators from 51 Para Sqn has been supporting during Ex CYPHER STRIKE on Salisbury Plain, constructing pits to increase the survivability of guns.

15/03/2023

In the last two weeks 51 Para Sqn have been studying and developing our role as Combat Engineers. We've been on a battlefield study to look at Airborne exploits in France, we've experimented with kit, buckets, rafts, demolition wire, conducted complex obstacle crossings on terrible terrain, at night and we've completed a Counter-Mobilty planning exercise in the local towns.

27/01/2023

Standby... GO!!!

The aspiring P Company candidates are now half way through the P Company Conditioning course. 77 volunteers started the course and at the end of week four there are now 44 remaining.

Weeks 3 and 4 have included increasingly longer and faster TABs and speed plays as well as circuit training and an introduction to the steeplechase event. Week 4 ended with an introduction to the log and stretcher which aims to prepare the candidates for two of the toughest events of test week on P Company.

By the end of week 6 the course will be down to 40 volunteers who will complete the final 2 weeks on a more arduous training area to simulate the terrain on P Company.

16/01/2023

20 YEARS OF 23" IN 2023!

Starting celebrations of 20 years of 23 Para Engr Regt, Second in Command 51 Para Sqn putting in an amazing effort by completing a month long expedition to Antarctica. The objective was to climb Vinson Massif, the highest mountain in Antarctica, and ski to the South Pole. Both were achieved despite temperatures as low as -50C.

We will be continuing to celebrate our 20th birthday all year and marking it with big events, including the open day this summer at our home, Rock Barracks.

13/01/2023

This week has seen personnel from the Regiment complete week 2 of the pre conditioning programme. So far the course has involved TABs (running with Bergans), speed plays, circuit training, strength training and 'tactical PT' including stretcher races.

The 8 week programme has been designed to ensure successful candidates have received the correct amount of physical conditioning prior to attending All Arms Pre-Parachute Selection (AAPPS) AKA P Company. Candidates who successfully complete P Company will then progress on to the Basic Parachute Course; earning them their wings.

13/01/2023

23 Parachute Engineer Regiment is getting ready for a six-week stint of Ceremonial Public Duties guarding Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, St James Palace, and Windsor Castle from late January to March.

This week, the Sappers have returned to Rock Barracks after Christmas leave to take their training to the next level. They have undergone rigorous inspections and practiced drill with guidance from the Household Division. Their training continues in London next week ahead of a final inspection to ensure they are of the highest standard.

9 Para Engr Sqn are taking the lead with support from 70 Gurkha Parachute Squadron 299 Parachute Engineer Squadron.

02/12/2022

🥇🥈🥈🥈

23 Para Engr Regt entered the Royal Engineer Cross Country championships this week.

🥇 women’s team
🥈 men’s senior team
🥈 men’s under 23 team
🥈 second fastest woman.

Some runners will go forward to the inter-Corps championships next week, whilst the rest will continue to compete hard in the Midlands League.

🏃🏼‍♀️ 🔷 🆎 🏃🏼‍♂️