The
Royal Logistic Corps is the
British ArmyThe British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England and Scotland and...
corpsA Corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
that provides the
logistic supportLogistics is the management of the flow of goods, information and other resources, including energy and people, between the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to meet the requirements of consumers...
for the Army. It is the largest corps in the British Army.
The Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) was formed on Monday 5 April 1993, by the union of the following British Army corps:
- Royal Corps of Transport
The Royal Corps of Transport was a British Army corps formed in 1965 from the transport and movement control elements of the Royal Army Service Corps and the Royal Engineers...
- Royal Army Ordnance Corps
The Royal Army Ordnance Corps was a former corps of the British Army. It dealt only with the supply and maintenance of weaponry, munitions and other military equipment until 1965, when it took over most other supply functions, as well as the provision of staff clerks, from the Royal Army Service...
- Royal Pioneer Corps
The Royal Pioneer Corps was a British Army combatant corps used for light engineering tasks.The Royal Pioneer Corps was raised on 17 October 1939 as the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps. It was renamed the Pioneer Corps on 22 November 1940...
- Army Catering Corps
The Army Catering Corps was a corps of the British Army, responsible for the feeding of all Army units. It was originally formed in March 1941 as part of the Royal Army Service Corps, and became a corps in its own right in 1965. In 1993, as part of the Options for Change defence review, it was...
- Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army. It provides combat engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces...
Postal and Courier Service
The RLC comprises both Regular and Territorial Army units.
The RLC is the only (Combat Service Support) Corps of the British Army with battle honours, derived from the usage of previous transport elements (Royal Waggon Train, etc) as heavy cavalry.
The
Royal Logistic Corps is the
British ArmyThe British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England and Scotland and...
corpsA Corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
that provides the
logistic supportLogistics is the management of the flow of goods, information and other resources, including energy and people, between the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to meet the requirements of consumers...
for the Army. It is the largest corps in the British Army.
History
The Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) was formed on Monday 5 April 1993, by the union of the following British Army corps:
- Royal Corps of Transport
The Royal Corps of Transport was a British Army corps formed in 1965 from the transport and movement control elements of the Royal Army Service Corps and the Royal Engineers...
- Royal Army Ordnance Corps
The Royal Army Ordnance Corps was a former corps of the British Army. It dealt only with the supply and maintenance of weaponry, munitions and other military equipment until 1965, when it took over most other supply functions, as well as the provision of staff clerks, from the Royal Army Service...
- Royal Pioneer Corps
The Royal Pioneer Corps was a British Army combatant corps used for light engineering tasks.The Royal Pioneer Corps was raised on 17 October 1939 as the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps. It was renamed the Pioneer Corps on 22 November 1940...
- Army Catering Corps
The Army Catering Corps was a corps of the British Army, responsible for the feeding of all Army units. It was originally formed in March 1941 as part of the Royal Army Service Corps, and became a corps in its own right in 1965. In 1993, as part of the Options for Change defence review, it was...
- Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army. It provides combat engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces...
Postal and Courier Service
The RLC comprises both Regular and Territorial Army units.
Battle honours
The RLC is the only (Combat Service Support) Corps of the British Army with battle honours, derived from the usage of previous transport elements (Royal Waggon Train, etc) as heavy cavalry. The battle honours are:
- Peninsula
The Peninsular War was a contest between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars...
- Battle of Waterloo
In the Battle of Waterloo forces of the French Empire under Napoleon Bonaparte and Michel Ney were defeated by those of the Seventh Coalition, including an Anglo-Allied army under the command of the Duke of Wellington and a Prussian army under the command of Gebhard von Blücher...
- Lucknow
The Siege of Lucknow was the prolonged defence of the Residency within the city of Lucknow during the Indian Rebellion of 1857...
- Taku Forts
The Taku Forts , also called the Peiho Forts are forts located by the Hai River estuary, in Tanggu District, Tianjin municipality, in northeastern China. They are located 60 km southeast of Tianjin City.-History:The first fort was built during the reign of the Ming Emperor, Jiajing, between 1522...
- Pekin
Beijing is a metropolis in northern China and the capital of the People's Republic of China...
Operational honours
Victoria Cross
The RLC has five
Victoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration which is, or has been, awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories. It takes precedence over all other orders, decorations and medals...
holders, these derive from the former Corps.
- Private Samuel Morley VC.
Samuel Morley VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross , the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Victoria Cross:On 15 April 1858, Morley was in position at Nathupur, near Azimgurh,...
Military Train. 15 April 1858.
- Private (Farrier) Michael Murphy VC (forfeited and re-listed)
Michael Murphy VC was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross , the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.Murphy was born circa 1837 in Cahir, Tipperary to Michael Murphy, a local blacksmith, and his...
. Military Train. 15 April 1858.
- Assistant Commissary James Langley Dalton
James Langley Dalton VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
VC. Commissariat & Transport Department. 22 January 1879.
- Second Lieutenant Alfred Cecil Herring
Alfred Cecil Herring VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
VC. Army Service Corps. 23 March 1918.
- Private Richard George Masters
Richard George Masters VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
VC. Army Service Corps. 9 April 1918.
Albert Medal
The RLC has ten
Albert MedalThe Albert Medal for Lifesaving was a British medal awarded to recognize the saving of life. It has since been replaced by the George Cross.The Albert Medal was first instituted by a Royal Warrant on 7 March 1866 and discontinued in 1971. The medal was named in memory of Prince Albert and...
holders from its former Corps. Two of the holders exchanged their Albert Medals for the George Cross in 1971.
- Lieutenant SA Rowlandson. Army Service Corps. 21 May 1916.
- Staff Sergeant TM Walton. Army Service Corps. 21 May 1916.
- Private A Anderson. Army Service Corps. 21 May 1916.
- Private JT Lawrence. Army Service Corps. 21 May 1916.
- Major LC Bearne DSO. Army Service Corps. 22 October 1916.
- Private AS Usher. Army Service Corps. 22 October 1916.
- Private A Johnson. Army Service Corps. 30 June 1918.
- Driver A Horne. Army Service Corps. 30 June 1918.
- Lieutenant G Rackham. Royal Army Service Corps. 27 October 1918. (Exchanged for GC)
- Private WC Cleall. Royal Army Service Corps. 11 August 1919. (Exchanged for GC)
George Cross
The RLC has nine holders of the
George CrossThe George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
. Eight from the former Corps and one to the RLC.
- Lieutenant William Eastman GC. Royal Army Ordnance Corps. 24 December 1940.
- Captain Robert Jephson-Jones GC. Royal Army Ordnance Corps. 24 December 1940.
- Corporal James Scully GC. Royal Pioneer Corps. 8 July 1941.
- Major Kenneth Biggs GC. Royal Army Ordance Corps. 11 October 1946.
- Staff Sergeant Sidney Rogerson GC. Royal Army Ordnance Corps. 11 October 1946.
- Driver Joseph Hughes GC. Royal Army Service Corps. 26 June 1947.
- Major Stephen Styles GC. Royal Army Ordnance Corps. 11 January 1972.
- Warrant Officer Class 1 Barry Johnson GC. Royal Army Ordnance Corps. 6 November 1990.
- Captain Peter Norton GC. Royal Logistic Corps. 24 July 2005.
George MedalThe George Medal is the second level civil decoration of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth.The GM was instituted on 24 September 1940 by King George VI. At this time, during the height of The Blitz, there was a strong desire to reward the many acts of civilian courage...
- WO2 Gary John O'Donnell
Warrant Officer Class 2 Gary John O'Donnell GM & Bar was a British Army bomb disposal expert who was awarded the George Medal twice. The George Medal is the second highest decoration for "acts of great bravery" not "in the face of the enemy". His second George Medal was the first such award in 26...
, Royal Logistic Corps. 15 December 2006. O'Donnell was later killed by an IEDAn improvised explosive device is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
whilst serving in AfghanistanThe War in Afghanistan is an ongoing coalition conflict which began on October 7, 2001, as the British military participated in the US military's Operation Enduring Freedom that was launched in response to the September 11 attacks...
. He was later posthumously awarded a second GM in March 2009 for "repeated and sustained acts of immense bravery" for his actions in AfghanistanThe War in Afghanistan is an ongoing coalition conflict which began on October 7, 2001, as the British military participated in the US military's Operation Enduring Freedom that was launched in response to the September 11 attacks...
in two separate incidents in May and July 2008.http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/03/06/posthumous-award-for-bomb-disposal-expert-gary-o-donnell-115875-21174932/
Conspicuous Gallantry CrossThe Conspicuous Gallantry Cross is a second level military decoration of the United Kingdom armed forces.The CGC was instituted in the aftermath of the 1993 review of the honours system...
- Staff Sergeant James Anthony Wadsworth CGC ,Royal Logictics Corps. 7 March 2008
Queen's Gallantry Medal
- WO1 Eamon Conrad Heakin QGM, Royal Logistic Corps. 7 September 2004
- Captain Vincent Michael Strafford QGM, Royal Logistic Corps. 19 July 2007
- Colonel Gary O'Sullivan MBE QGM, Royal Logistic Corps.
Bar to Queen's Gallantry Medal
- Captain Eamon Conrad Heakin QGM*, Royal Logistic Corps. 7 March 2008
- Captain Vincent Michael Strafford QGM*, Royal Logistic Corps. 7 March 2008
Available trades
- Ammunition Technician
An Ammunition Technician is a British Army soldier trained to inspect, repair, test and modify all ammunition and explosives used by the British Army...
- Chef
- Driver
- Driver/ Air Despatcher
- Driver/ Communications specialist
- Driver/ Port Operator
- Driver/ Radio Operator
- Driver/ Vehicle Support Specialist
- Logistic Specialist (Supply)
- Marine Engineer
- Movement Controller
- Petroleum Operator
- Photographer
- Pioneer
- Postal and Courier Operator
- Rail Operator
- Seaman/ Navigator
- Systems Analyst
Regular Army
- Army School of Ammunition
The Army School of Ammunition is the main training school for Ammunition Technicians and Ammunition Technical Officers in the British Army. The school teaches students conventional land munitions, EOD and IEDD....
- 1 Logistic Support Regiment
- 2 Logistic Support Regiment
- 3 Logistic Support Regiment
- 4 Logistic Support Regiment
- 5 Regiment
- 6 Regiment
- 7 Regiment
- 8 Regiment
- 9 Regiment
- 10 Regiment, QOGLR
- 11 EOD Regiment
- 12 Logistic Support Regiment
- 13 Air Assault Support Regiment
- 15 Air Assault Close Support Squadron
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.-History:...
- 17 Port and Maritime Regiment (includes 79 Railway Squadron
The modern day 79 Railway Squadron is part of the 17 Port and Maritime Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps of the British Army. They are responsible for maintaining and providing the British Army with its railway transportation requirements....
)
- 19 Combat Service Support Battalion
- 21 Logistic Support Regiment
- 23 Pioneer Regiment
- 24 Regiment
- 25 Training Regiment
- 27 Regiment
- 29 Postal Courier and Movement Regiment
- ARRC Support Battalion
- The Queen's Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment, an administrative regiment of Gurkha soldiers in logistic trades (driver, logistic specialist and chef). It provides soldiers to squadrons in 10 Regiment (where it forms the majority, hence its designation), 9 Regiment and minor units.
Notable minor units and joint units with a large RLC element include:
- 20 Logistic Support Squadron, London District
- 44 Support Squadron, (Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is the British Army officer initial training centre...
)
- 89 Postal and Courier Unit, (SHAPE
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe is the central command of NATO military forces. It is located at Casteau, north of the Belgian city of Mons...
)
- 105 Logistic Support Squadron, (BATUS
The British Army Training Unit Suffield is a British Army unit located at the vast training area of Canadian Forces Base Suffield in Alberta, Canada. BATUS is the British Army's largest armoured training facility and it can accommodate live-firing and tactical effect simulation exercises up to...
)
- 132 Aviation Supply Squadron
132 Aviation Supply Squadron RLC is responsible for aviation supply support to the whole of the Army Aviation community. The unit is based in RAF Wattisham with a detachment in Army Air Corps Middle Wallop....
, 16th Air Assault Brigade
- Cyprus Service Support Unit, (British Forces Cyprus
British Forces Cyprus is the name given to the British Armed Forces stationed in the UK sovereign base areas of Dhekelia and Akrotiri on the island of Cyprus...
)
- Joint Helicopter Support Unit, RAF Odiham.
Territorial Army
- Operational Headquarters Support Group
- The Scottish Transport Regiment
-Role:The Scottish Transport Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps , is a regiment of the Territorial Army in the United Kingdom. The Scottish Transport Regiment is the only regiment of the RLC based in Scotland. It role is to provide general transport support at 'third line' for the British Army...
- Catering Support Regiment
The Catering Support Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps, is a regiment of the Territorial Army in the United Kingdom.The regiment was formed as part of the Royal Logistic Corps in 1993 and was the successor to the Central Volunteer Headquarters of the Army Catering Corps. In 1998 the Regiment was...
- 88 Postal and Courier Regiment
- 150 (Yorkshire) Transport Regiment
- 151 (Greater London) Logistic Support Regiment
- 152 (Ulster) Transport Regiment
- 155 (Wessex) Transport Regiment
- 156 (North-West) Transport Regiment
The 156 Transport Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, is a regiment of the Territorial Army in the United Kingdom.- Units :*235 Squadron *234 Transport Squadron*236 Squadron*238 Squadron...
- 157 (Wales and Midlands) Logistic Support Regiment
- 158 (Royal Anglian) Transport Regiment
- 159 Support Regiment
159 Supply Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps is a regiment of the Territorial Army, the volunteer reserve force of the British Army. It has its Regimental Headquarters at Carters Green, West Bromwich, in the West Midlands conurbation....
- 160 Transport Regiment
160 Transport Regiment Royal Logistic Corps, is a regiment of the Territorial Army in the United KingdomIt is a National TA unit, formed in April 1995, which recruits personnel from all over the country and is based at Prince William of Gloucester Barracks, Grantham, LincolnshireIt provides 3rd...
- 162 Movement Control Regiment
The 162 Movement Control Regiment Royal Logistic Corps, is a regiment of the Territorial Army in the United Kingdom.In 2006 it was amalgamated with the 163 Movement Control Regiment and is now the only volunteer Movement Control Regiment in the Territorial Army...
- 165 Port & Maritime Regiment
- 166 Supply Regiment
- 168 Pioneer Regiment
- 383 Commando Petroleum Troop
383 Commando Petroleum Troop of the Royal Logistics Corps is an elite unit responsible for the handling, supply and storage of bulk fuels from ship-to-shore and under front-line combat conditions....
- 395 Air Dispatch Troop
General information
Headquarters
The Corps Headquarters is at
Princess Royal Barracks, DeepcutThe Princess Royal Barracks, Deepcut, commonly referred to as Deepcut Barracks, is the headquarters of the Royal Logistic Corps of the British Army. Located near Camberley, Surrey, England it was the headquarters of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps until the formation of the RLC in 1993...
. It is headed by a Director (a Brigadier) as the professional head of the Corps. There is a also a cermonial head (instituted in 2009), who heads the Corps and its wider family such as the Associations and Cadets, known as the Master-General of Logistics. The latter is currently Gen Sir Kevin Donahugue, who holds the post of Chief of Defence Material, the senior military post with regard to logistics and acquisition in the Ministry of Defence.
Colonel-in-Chief
The current Colonel-in-ChiefIn the British and other Commonwealth armies, the Colonel-in-Chief of a regiment is its patron. This position is distinct from that of Colonel of the Regiment. They do not have an operational role. They are however kept informed of all important activities of the regiment, and pay occasional...
(an honorary position) is HRH The Princess RoyalAnne, Princess Royal is the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
. The Deputy Colonels-in-Chief are HRH The Duke of GloucesterPrince Richard, 2nd Duke of Gloucester is a member of the British Royal Family, the youngest grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary. He has been Duke of Gloucester since his father's death in 1974...
and HRH The Duchess of Kent.
Cap Badge
The corps'
cap badgeA cap badge, also known as head badge or hat badge, is a badge worn on uniform headgear and distinguishes the wearer's nationality and/or organisation. The wearing of cap badges is a convention commonly found among military and police forces, as well as uniformed civilian groups such as the Boy...
is an amalgamation of the forming corps' cap badges:
- The star is from the Royal Corps of Transport
The Royal Corps of Transport was a British Army corps formed in 1965 from the transport and movement control elements of the Royal Army Service Corps and the Royal Engineers...
- The crossed axes are from the Royal Pioneer Corps
The Royal Pioneer Corps was a British Army combatant corps used for light engineering tasks.The Royal Pioneer Corps was raised on 17 October 1939 as the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps. It was renamed the Pioneer Corps on 22 November 1940...
- The laurel and garter band is from the Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army. It provides combat engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces...
- The shield in the centre is from the Royal Army Ordnance Corps
The Royal Army Ordnance Corps was a former corps of the British Army. It dealt only with the supply and maintenance of weaponry, munitions and other military equipment until 1965, when it took over most other supply functions, as well as the provision of staff clerks, from the Royal Army Service...
- The motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used...
, "We sustain", is from the Army Catering CorpsThe Army Catering Corps was a corps of the British Army, responsible for the feeding of all Army units. It was originally formed in March 1941 as part of the Royal Army Service Corps, and became a corps in its own right in 1965. In 1993, as part of the Options for Change defence review, it was...
The inscription on the garter band "
Honi soit qui mal y penseThe Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry, or knighthood, originating in medieval England, and presently bestowed on recipients in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms; it is the pinnacle of the honours system in the United Kingdom...
" can be translated as "Evil to him who evil thinks". It is often seen on the insignia of Regiments and Corps with 'Royal' in their title.
Common Nicknames
The corps is nicknamed "The Loggies", or the "Really Large Corps", another term of endearment is "REME luggage carriers". The Corps forms approximately 17% of the British Army and is the army's single largest component. Royal Logistic Corps soldiers can belong to any one of 18 trade groups.
Affiliations
The corps has the alliances with the logistic units of Australia, India, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka. It is affiliated with 4 Livery Companies of the City of London.
Notable Achievements
In the 2004 Olympic Games held in
AthensAthens , the capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery; as one of the world's oldest cities, its recorded history spans around 3,400 years....
, the Royal Logistic Corps had the most athletes from the British Army competing in the Games. These were Private
Musa AuduMusa Audu is a Nigerian athlete who specializes in 400 metres. He is notable for winning the bronze medal in the 2004 Olympics 4 x 400 metres relay as part of the Nigerian team....
(
Nigeria-Medalists:-Athletics:The entire 17-person Nigerian Athletics team participated in races of 400 metres or shorter, but the only entries that qualified for finals were three of the four relay teams...
), Private Seidu Duah (
Ghana-Athletics:Men's 100 metres:* Aziz ZakariMen's 200 metres:* Christian NsiahWomen's 800 metres:* Akosua SerwaaMen's 4x100 metre Relay:* Christian Nsiah, Tanko Braimah, Aziz Zakari, and Leonard Myles-MillsWomen's Heptathlon:...
), Lance Corporal Josephus Thomas (
Sierra Leone-Athletics:Neither Sierra Leonen athlete managed to qualify for a final, with Bangura's 47th place the best result.Men's 100 metres:* Lamin Tucker**Round 1: 10.72 s Women's 100 metres:...
) and Corporal Joselyn Thomas (Sierra Leone). Private Audu achieved success at the Olympics when he was part of 4 x 400m relay final that won the Bronze medal for Nigeria.
Order of precedence
See also
- Royal Logistic Corps Museum
The Royal Logistic Corps Museum or RLC Museum at Princess Royal Barracks, Deepcut, Surrey, England is the regimental museum for the Royal Logistic Corps. It is open to the public free of charge....
- Royal Army Service Corps
The Royal Army Service Corps was a former 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...
- Options 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....
- Distance in military affairs
Geographic distance is a key factor in military affairs. The shorter the distance the greater the ease with which force can be brought to bear upon an opponent....
- British logistics in the Boer War
- British logistics in the Falklands War
According to Admiral Sandy Woodward, who commanded the British fleet during the Falklands War, the British Army, Royal Air Force, the Ministry of Defence and the Secretary of State for Defence, as well as the United States Navy, all “initially suspected the operation was doomed.” The logistical...
External links