Please Take Note
Sad News
Dr. Robin M Ward Former Officer Commanding 300 Parachute Squadron
Royal Engineers Passed Away 17 February 2021. Funeral arrangements
are not yet known but numbers will be restricted. -------------
In keeping with The Scottish Governments
suggestion that we curtail our movements and only travel for
necessary journeys the Committee have decided to suspend all meetings
and events until further notice. ----------------
General Service
Medal 1962 with Clasp South Arabia
Dear former members
of 131 Parachute Engineer Regiment, and in particular former members of
300 Parachute Field Squadron Royal Engineers who were in the firefight
at Al-Milah, Radfan on 12 April 1965, when WO2 John F. Lonergan of 300
Para Sqn and Sgt Cyril Atfield of the RAPC attached to 24 Field Squadron
Royal Engineers were killed in action and five others were wounded.
I have to
inform you the fight for the General Service Medal 62 with Clasp South
Arabia has now come to an end after six years of trying. Those of us who
fought for the medal have gone as far as is possible. The last resort
was for an Internal Review with the Ministry of Defence. The Internal
Review was carried out by Air Commodore Nigel Bradshaw MSc BEng RAF who
admitted several failures in the MOD for which he apologised, but said
those soldiers who were in Aden in 1965, that had not completed 30 days
in theatre, were not entitled to the GSM62. However, he said that those
who were killed or wounded in action or through non combat injuries
which resulted in repatriation without serving the required number of
days in theatre, were entitled to receive medallic recognition.
The Parliamentary Ombudsman was unable to
assist in any way.
How can it be fair
that a soldier in a medal earning area for one day, can have non combat
injuries, and be awarded medallic recognition, whereas a soldier in a
medal earning area can be in combat, not injured and not serving the
required number of days in theatre, is not entitled to receive a medal?
This point is being
raised because on the day 300 Para Sqn were deployed to Al-Milah in open
3 ton trucks one of the trucks overturned slightly injuring some of the
Sappers, with Sapper Lawrence Leach suffering a severe leg injury which
necessitated him being airlifted by helicopter to Khormaksar Hospital
and later repatriated to the UK. In that scenario Sapper Leach having
served only one day in Aden and not having combat injuries would be
entitled to be awarded the General Service Medal with Clasp South
Arabia.
Surely any fair minded person would find this extremely unfair and
discriminatory, but not the Ministry of Defence.
Lawrence Leach or
his family are entitled to the GSM62 with Clasp South Arabia. If you are
out there please claim your medal.
The aforemetioned begs the question. How
many others have fallen foul of the Ministry of Defence's incompetence,
when it comes to awarding medallic recognition?
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Gil Nicol receiving Presidents
Commendation from Gordon McLeod, Chairman AEA Scotland.
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Lest we forget
Saving Private Robert
(Bob) Urquhart “C” Coy 15 (Scottish) Battalion The Parachute Regiment.
 
On 7 May 1966, members of 300 Parachute Squadron
Royal Engineers and 15 (Scottish) Battalion The Parachute Regiment
parachuted into Black Bog, Northern Ireland. While 15 Para were
due to carry out their exercise, 300 Para Sqn RE were on DZ clearance.
During the drop, those already on the ground were
horrified to witness that someones parachute had failed to develope
properly and he plunged into Black Bog. Only his legs were above ground
and everyone thought he was dead, until his legs moved. Had it not been
for the quick actions of Sappers Gordon McLeod and Alex Cockburn and
others from 300 Para Sqn RE, who have sadly passed away, pulling him out of
the bog, there is no doubt Bob Urquhart would have perished. Although
Bob later thanked those Sappers who had saved him, they were not fully
recognised for their actions.
----------------------------------------------------
Major General Michael Lawrence Riddell-Webster CBE DSO Governor of
Edinburgh Castle, presenting former Captain Eoghann maclaclainn with the
General Sevice Medal with Clasp South Arabia, at Edinburgh Castle on 16
December 2018.

Captain Eoghann maclachlainn was deployed to
Aden on 1 April 1965 as part of 131 Parachute Engineer Regiment (TA),
tasked with making road improvements to the main supply route running
from Aden to Dhala in the North. Captain maclachlainn was serving in 300
Para Sqn RE (the Scottish Squadron), numbering around 90 strong at this
time. In the early hours of Monday 12 April 1965, while based in a
camp near the village of Al Milah, along with 24 Field Sqn, Royal
Engineers, 300 and 24 Sqns came under prolonged and accurate small arms
and mortar fire from a nearby ridge. The dissidents were eventually
driven off by a combination of browning machine guns mounted on Ferret
armoured cars and by individuals firing from the camp sangars. During
this firefight, Sergeant Major John Lonergan of 300 Para. Sqn and
Sergeant Atfield, Royal Army Pay Corps attached to 24 Sqn, were killed.
Captain maclachlainn and Sergeant George Gibson Earl, both from 300 Para
Sqn, were among 5 others seriously wounded. Whilst those serving in
131 Parachute Engineer Regiment were not in theatre long enough to be
awarded the GSM with South Arabia clasp, Captain maclachlainn’s injury
under these circumstances means he qualifies to be presented with the
medal, as has now been recognised by the MOD Medal Office. ADC/GofEC
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Renaming
Ceremony Kingsbury ARC to "Lonergan Lines" 12 April 2016.
Please click the link to view all photographs
http://mod.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4223c93d7a2d2a26bb3e084f4&id=de603cab27&e=bb52c688e6
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The Birth and Early Years
2 Troop 300 Airborne Squadron R.E.
"The Edinburgh Troop".
By D. H. Thomas.
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The History of 131 Commando Squadron Royal Engineers 1947 to
Present Day ----------------------

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