Join us

The British Army's Military Engineers

Corps of Royal Engineers

Enabling Defence to Live, Move & Fight

Royal Engineer soldiers are called Sappers! We are unique, motivated and intelligent. We are multi-skilled soldiers, combat engineers and tradesmen. We provide essential support to all areas of Defence in peacetime and on operations.

Facts & Figures

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Formed on

26 May 1716

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Role

Combat Support

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Specialism

Engineering

Our skills

Few careers can match the diversity, training and experiences the Corps of Royal Engineers can offer. No matter which path you take, officer, soldier, Regular or Reserve, you will become confident in your role, with the opportunity to gain civilian recognised qualifications up to degree level.

Most sappers are triple traded soldier, combat engineer, tradesmen and women. You can find out more about all of our career paths on the Army Role Finder

Deployments

Current UK Deployments

  • United Kingdom - Operation Interflex

Our sappers are currently supporting the training and development of Ukrainian Forces.

Overseas Deployments

  • Cyprus - Operation Tosca
  • Poland - Operation Interbow
  • Romania - Operation Biloxi
  • USA - Project Capstone

Also Exercises in Canada, Belize, Kenya, Germany and Cyprus to name a few.

Our People

You will quickly learn the skills required to become a junior leader and gain promotion.

Our senior ranks are experienced, respectful and provide excellent coaching and mentoring.

We have quality Sapper officers, that inspire and lead from the front.

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Sapper Robertson wanted an apprenticeship!
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Corporal Nishan wanted to travel!
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Corporal Lopez wanted adventure!

#SapperSmart

My apprenticeship got me qualified! Sapper Fitzgerald

Apprenticeships

Sapper Fitzgerald trained to be a fitter. She always enjoyed practical activities and sport at school, so thought the Royal Engineers would be the best fit for her.

Male or Female, as a potential Sapper you will be treated fairly and with respect throughout your career in the Corps of Royal Engineers.

There are many specialised trades in the Royal Engineers including bomb disposal and search, armoured engineer, parachute engineer, commando royal engineer and royal engineer diver to name a few.

If the Corps of Royal Engineers sounds appealing, click below.

Find Out More

#SapperFamily

I made my family proud! Sapper Sealey

Qualifications

Sapper Sealey completed his apprenticeship as a heating and plumbing engineer.

As a potential Sapper, you will complete basic training. You will learn the skills required to become a robust and confident soldier.

You will complete combat engineer training, which will give you the engineering knowledge required to use speed boats, handle explosives, build bridges, purify water, build fortifications and many other exciting tasks.

As a Sapper you will gain a trade, with the opportunity to gain civilian recognised qualifications.

#SapperStrong

We take our sport seriously! Spr Ebonie Jones

Sports Opportunities

As Sappers we take our sport seriously, and we have a great track record of our sappers representing the British Army and Great Britain sports teams throughout the years.

Whatever sport you enjoy and at whatever level, the royal engineers promotes healthy competition and will support your sporting endeavors no matter what your level.

Check out our various social media channels, for more insight of what we get up to.

@CorpsOfRoyalEngineers #SapperStrong @Proud_Sappers

Adventurous Training

Team Building & Excitment! @CorpsOfRoyalEngineers

Adventurous Training

Our Sappers get to develop their leadership skills and courage pursuing a wide variety of Adventurous Training (AT) opportunities.

Whether climbing to the summit of Mount Everest in Nepal, wreck diving off the coast of New Zealand, white-water kayaking on the Sjoa River in Norway, freefall parachuting in California or skiing in Greenland.

Regardless of what Royal Engineer Regiment you are based at, the possibilities are vast and plentiful.

@CorpsOfRoyalEngineers  @Proud_Sappers  corps_of_royal_engineers

Corps of Royal Engineers Timeline

The Corps of Engineers was formed in 1716, consisting of only 28 officers. After expansion and many expeditions around the world, the Corps of Royal Engineers was formally established in 1856, consisting of both officers and non-commissioned ranks.

  1. 1875

    Royal Engineers Army Football Club win the FA Cup

  2. 1879

    The famous defence of Rorke's Drift during the Zulu War takes place

  3. 1916

    Strategic tunneling operations assist First World War efforts

  4. 1945

    Essential engineer operations contributed to Allied success in the Second World War

  5. 2010

    Corporal J Bedford MC receives a bravery medal for his efforts in Afghanistan

  6. 2016

    The Corps celebrates 300 years of successful military engineering around the world

Corps of Royal Engineers Locations

  • 8 Engineer Brigade

    Cloutman Block, Gibraltar Barracks, Camberley, Surrey GU17 9LP 01252 863229

  • 12 (Force Support) Engineer Group

    Bldg 408, RAF Wittering, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE8 6HB 01780 417155

  • 25 (Close Support) Engineer Group

    Picton Barracks, Bulford, Salisbury, SP4 9NY 01980 672670

  • 29 EOD & Search Group

    Montgomery House, Queen’s Ave, Aldershot, GU11 2JN 01252 787729

  • 1 Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment

    Brompton Bks, Chatham, Kent ME4 4UG 01634 822851

  • 3 Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment

    Gibraltar Barracks, Blackwater, Camberley, Surrey, GU17 9LP 01252 863273

  • 20 Works Group Royal Engineers (Air Support)

    RAF Wittering, Peterborough, Cambs, PE8 6HB 01780 417260

  • 21 Engineer Regiment

    Claro Bks, Ripon, N Yorks, HG4 2RD 01765 632202

  • 23 Amphibious Squadron

    Based in Sennelager, Germany

    Affiliated with 21 Engineer Regiment

  • 22 Engineer Regiment

    Swinton Bks, Perham Down, Andover, Hants SP11 9LQ 01980 651758

  • 23 Parachute Engineer Regiment

    Rock Bks, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 3LU 01394 462555

  • 24 Commando Royal Engineers

    RMB Chivenor, Barnstaple, N Devon, EX31 4AZ 01271 857775

  • 26 Engineer Regiment

    Swinton Bks, Perham Down, Andover, Hants SP11 9LQ 01980 603774

  • 28 Engineer Regiment (C-CBRN)

    RAF Honnington, Bury St-Edmunds, Suffolk, IP31 1EE 01359 237255

  • 32 Engineer Regiment

    Marne Barracks, Catterick, North Yorks, DL10 7NP 01748 875677

  • 35 Engineer Regiment (EOD&S)

    Carver Barracks, Wimbish, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB10 2YA 01223 203609

  • 36 Engineer Regiment

    Invicta Park Bks, Maidstone, Kent ME14 2NA 01622 7673202

  • 39 Engineer Regiment

    Kinloss Bks, Kinloss, Forres, Moray IV36 3UH 01309 616608

  • 42 Engineer Regiment (Geo)

    RAF Wyton Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28 2EA 01480 524514

  • 33 Engineer Regiment (EOD&S)

    Carver Bks, Wimbish, Saffron Walden, Essex CB10 2YA 01223 203707

  • 62 Works Group Royal Engineers

    Bldg 104, Chetwynd Barracks, Chilwell, Nottingham NG9 5HA 01159 572314

  • 63 Works Group Royal Engineers

    Bldg 103, Chetwynd Barracks, Chilwell, Nottingham NG9 5HA 01159 572232

  • 65 Works Group Royal Engineers

    Bldg 102, Chetwynd Barracks, Chilwell, Nottingham NG9 5HA 01159 572875

  • 66 Works Group Royal Engineers

    Bldg 108, Chetwynd Barracks, Chilwell, Nottingham NG9 5HA 01159 572439

  • 71 Engineer Regiment

    Leuchars Station, ST ANDREWS, Fife, KY16 0JX 01334 857632

  • 75 Engineer Regiment

    Peninsula Barracks, O’Leary St. Warrington WA2 7QS 01925 642842

  • 101 (City of London) Engineer Regiment (EOD&S)

    Hudson House, Bromley Road, London, SE6 2RH 02086 979214

  • Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia)

    The Castle, Monmouth, NP25 3BS 01600 712935

Apprenticeships in the #SapperFamily

Corps of Royal Engineers Equipment

Trojan Armoured Vehicle

Obstacles Trojan is designed to open routes through complex battlefield obstacles and clear a path through minefields.

Engineering equipment

Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD)

EOD Dragon Runner and Wheelbarrow support EOD activity.

Engineering equipment

M3 Amphibious Bridging Vehicle

Bridge The M3 amphibious rig can be used as a ferry or a bridge.

Engineering equipment

Mastiff

90 kph Mastiff is a heavily armoured, 6 x six-wheel-drive patrol vehicle with a top speed of 90 kph.

Protected patrol vehicles

SPARTAN & CVR(T) VEHICLES

CVR(T) vehicles Samaritan is an ambulance vehicle, Sultan an armoured command vehicle and Sampson an armoured recovery vehicle

Reconnaissance vehicles

Terrier

30 tonnes Despite weighing 30 tonnes, Terrier is an agile and versatile piece of equipment.

Engineering equipment

Titan Armoured Bridge Launcher

60 metres Titan enables troops and vehicles to cross gaps of up to 60 metres by laying a selection of close support bridges.

Engineering equipment

Young soldiers stand to attention as a decorated soldier walks past

Hundreds of young soldiers march towards their future careers

Hundreds of young soldiers marched towards their future careers after graduating from the Army Foundation College Harrogate today.

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Skills for Life: How Army apprenticeships can empower careers

As one of the UK’s largest Apprenticeship Employer Providers  the British Army has 4000 personnel starting an apprenticeship every year and is celebrating this achievement as part of National Apprenticeship week.

Recruitment

Interested in joining the Corps of Royal Engineers?

Careers