RAOC Territorial Army Emergency Reserve.

[High Wood]

This printed formation sign came with a collection of RAOC badges that I bought at auction. It is listed as an RAOC TAER Formation Sign. A little judicious googling has revealed that the Territorial Army Emergency Reserve, A.K.A. the Ever Readies were formed in 1962 to assist the regular army at short notice. it seems that in the mid 1960s small numbers of Ever Readies served in Aden, Cyprus and Borneo. I am not sure if this particular formation sign was used only by members of the RAOC T.A. or by all Ever Readies.

[badjez]

Each Corps had its own FS for TAER units, and there was a TAER flash to be worn by all members in whatever role they served.

15.03.62. WO Letter published upon formation of TAER stated
‘All ranks of the TAER will be entitled to wear a distinguishing arm title ‘TAER’ throughout their TAER agreement’

Photos-
1) TAER arm flash
2) RAMC AER
3) RAOC AER
4) Army Troops (TA) introduced 1952.
5) RE Field & Works units AER
6) RASC AER
7) Movement Control RE, AER
8) Transportation Units RE, AER
9) Air Formation Signals- included as all AFS units were in the AER I think.

For AER RAC- the badge was as worn by ARG (Armament Replacement Group) during the late war [Mars spitting fire]

Post 1967 many of these badges were supplemented by formation signs worn by 'Sponsored Units', such as REME.

Hope this helps, Stephen.

[High Wood]

Badjez,

many thanks for your comprehensive reply and for showing examples of the various formation signs.

If I understand it correctly, these FS were worn by all T.A. soldiers who had signed up for E.R. commitment in the same way that some Pre Great War T.F. soldiers, who had voluntarily signed up for Imperial Service, wore the Imperial Service brooch. Would the same FS be worn by the T.A. soldier serving with the regular army in theatre?

Simon.

[Postwarden]

Can I clarify some terminology on this thread please.

The Army Emergency Reserve was formed in 1924 to provide engineer, signals and transport units in wartime. Supplementary Reservists - civilians whose professions or trades qualified them to fill gaps in the Army’s wartime order of battle - often recruited from the railways or large specialist firms, served as individuals or within formed units, committing themselves to overseas service. Re-formed at the end of 1947 as part of the post-war Reserve Army, in September 1952 the SR was renamed the Army Emergency Reserve (AER), a title more descriptive of its role. As those with the specialist skills required by AER units could not be found in the small area around a single TA drill hall, the Reservists came from a wide area, annual camp the only time that AER units trained together. These reservists served in Specialist ‘Pools’ raised, trained and administered by a regular HQ.

From 1948 these pools adopted the various badges shown in Stephen's post, the majority of them introduced in 1954/55.

The Ever Readies were a separate body of Territorial non-specialists mainly infantrymen who from 1962 volunteered to serve full time without the TA as a whole being embodied. The TAER sign was added to their arm below their normal shoulder title, a similar identifying mark to that of the Imperial Service brooch.

I attach an article published in Soldier magazine detailing the experiences of a Royal Fusilier Ever Ready in Aden and some more AER signs including the hard to find ACC and Royal Armoured Corps versions. The photo shows how the TAER sign was worn - the DCLI version is unusual as it's made in one piece.

Jon

[High Wood]

Jon,

many thanks for putting me right on the difference between the specialist AER and the Ever Readies.

Simon.

[badjez]

Resurrecting an old thread to seek clarification.

There seem to be two FS attributed to RE Movement Control personnel:
A 'world map' and also the more common shield with 'MC' upon it (both pictured above).

Were these two different patterns or has one been misidentified?

Thanks, Stephen.

[Mike Jackson]

According to John Waring (JW1/650 and JW1/651) the shield sign was AER Movcon and the global map their Regular RE counterparts. In your earlier listing I'm sure that the expansion of ARG is Armoured Replacement Group. Mike

[engr9266]

While we are on the subject of the AER can you tell me if this is a RE FS or not please?
I have it as "RE ARMY EMERGENCY RESERVE RESOURCES UNIT" printed version.
Thanks,
Jerry

[Postwarden]

Jerry,

What you have it as it what it was. But what a Royal Engineers Resources Unit was or did is to me still a mystery. Can an RE collector enlighten us?

Jon

[grey_green_acorn]

Originally Posted by Postwarden

Jerry,

What you have it as it what it was. But what a Royal Engineers Resources Unit was or did is to me still a mystery. Can an RE collector enlighten us?

Jon

From early WW2 until the early 2000s there was a large rail served Royal Engineer Central Engineer Park (Stores and Resources Depot) located at Long Marston in Warwickshire. While I suspect that this was largely run by MOD civilian staff is it possible that there were associated TA or Army Emergency Reservist units?
http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/...ongmarston.htm

Tim

[fairlie63]

Originally Posted by Postwarden

Jerry,

What you have it as it what it was. But what a Royal Engineers Resources Unit was or did is to me still a mystery. Can an RE collector enlighten us?

Jon

I would put Resources down to quarrying, forestry, etc. Our Supplementary Reserve was a similar type of organization, mostly engineer based.

Keith

[engr9266]

Originally Posted by grey_green_acorn

From early WW2 until the early 2000s there was a large rail served Royal Engineer Central Engineer Park (Stores and Resources Depot) located at Long Marston in Warwickshire. While I suspect that this was largely run by MOD civilian staff is it possible that there were associated TA or Army Emergency Reservist units?
http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/...ongmarston.htm

Tim

I spent my last two years in the Army at C.E.P. Long Marston. The Royal Engineers used the term "RESOURCES" as in to Resource items that a RE unit may require for a task around the world.
There were many other regular cap badges including RPC, REME ACC/RLC, RAPC etc as well as many civilians . It was a massive stores depot for R.E. associated stores of all types. I was involved with the drawdown of stores from BAOR and the return of engineer equipment from the 1st Gulf war and also the sending of engineer equipment to Bosnia etc. This also included the AM2 equipment used to build the runway at Port Stanley after the Falklands war, in which I was also involved, after it was lifted to build the new airport there. Memories of having a train ride around the depot also.
Now it has all gone.....
Jerry