7 Close Support Company of 2 Bn REME can trace its roots back to 5 Light Repair Section, which was raised on Salisbury plain during 1940. For those who know the Corps history, this was almost two years before its own birth. After initial training the Section fought in the deserts of North Africa from 1940 until 1942, being redesignated 22 Armoured Brigade Light Repair Section. After gaining the new title of 22 Armoured Brigade Wksp, the Workshop landed on the shores Italian coastal town of Salerno in 1943. The beach landing taking place on the western coast just south of Napoli, saw the Wksp supporting 22 Armoured Brigade in the Italian campaign until it was withdrawn to take part in the Normandy Landings later that year. Under the command of 7 Armoured Division, the Wskp supported 21 Army Group in North West Europe from Normandy to the Baltic, finally stopping at Itzehoe in April/May 1945.

The following year the unit moved to the requisitioned Duerkoppwerke in the small village of Künsebeck just to the north west of Bielefeld. Subsequently the unit was again retitled, this time 7 Armd Wksp.

The old style REME cap badge. Note the King’s crown resting on top.

During 1951 the Workshop settled on its present site in Fallingbostel, then in 1961 it absorbed 32 Armoured Wksp REME. In 1970 the Wksp was redesignated 7 Field Wksp REME.

Due to the Restructuring Plan of 1975, it was decided that 7 Field Wksp and 11 Field Wksp were to amalgamate to form 7 Armoured Wksp. This ‘second coming’ came about two years after the initial plans were made, taking place on 17 December 1977.

On 17 October 1981 the Wksp given the prestigious honour of the ‘Freedom of Fallingbostel’. A remarkable gesture to a foreign army, which could only be down to the trust and good relations that had developed over the years.

Due to the Iraq’s decision to invade Kuwait, the Wksp deployed to the Saudi desert during October 1990. Returning from Op Granby in March 1991, the troops were soon warned off again, this time for Op Grapple. The Wksp would spend November 1992 until April 1993, trying to prevent the bloodshed which resulted from the collapse of the Former Republic of Yugoslavia.

The REME TRF which has posed some very difficult questions over the years. One of these being in Bosnia during the Winter of 2005/6 when a Romanian soldier asked me “why you wearing my flag?”.

With further restructuring due to ‘Options for Change’, the unit was again given a new title, this one being 2 Bn REME. Taking place on 29 September 1993, the Battalion would be one of seven regular REME battalions that were in place to serve the ES needs of the British Army.

After various other tours of the Balkans, 2 Bn REME deployed on Operation Telic in January 2003. After supporting 7 Armoured Brigade during the war fighting stage of the recent conflict in Iraq, the Battalion arrived safely back on German soil in June of the same year. Since then elements of the Battalion have seen further deployments to Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan.

During 2007 further restructuring took place, with 11 GS Coy being re-roled as a CS Coy. Becoming an asset of 7 Armoured Brigade rather than 1 UK Armoured Divison is another notable feature of the shape of things to come.

Arguably, 7 CS Coy may well be the longest serving unit in Germany