11th Engineer Regiment (Australia)

The 11th Engineer Regiment (11ER) is an Australian Army Reserve engineer regiment trained for sapper/combat engineer and construction engineer operations. While 11 ER was formed as a result of recent Australian Army modernisation efforts, 11 ER's lineage is traced back to 11th Field Company (11 Fd Coy). During World War I, this unit was renowned for action during the Battle of the Somme and the Hindenburg Line. During World War II, it fought the Japanese at Kokoda and on Bougainville. The Regiment's Headquarters is located at Gallipoli Barracks in Brisbane, Queensland with subunits located across Queensland. 11ER is part of 11th Brigade, attached to Forces Command.

World War I
The 11th Engineer Regiment traces its history back to the 11th Field Company, Australian Engineers (AE), which consisted of Queensland and South Australian soldiers in 1915. The 11 Fd Coy was raised for overseas service with the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) and served with distinction in France during World War I, where it saw action in the Battle of the Somme and the Hindenburg Line before returning to Australia and disbandment in 1919.

In 1921 the Australian government decided to restructure the part-time Citizens Forces units to replicate the numerical designations and perpetuate the honours of the AIF. As a result, on 1 May 1921, the unit was re-raised as the 7 Fd Coy of the 1st Division, based in Ipswich.

World War II
Due to the provisions of the Defence Act (1903) which precluded deploying the Militia outside of Australian territory, following the outbreak of World War II, the Australian government decided to raise an all volunteer force for overseas service, known as the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF). During this time the units of the Militia undertook brief periods of continuous service to undertake training and other defensive tasks in Australia in an effort to improve the nation's defences in case of war in the Pacific. With Japan's entry into the war following the attacks on Pearl Harbor and Malaya, the strategic situation worsened and units of the Militia were mobilised for war service. 7 Fd Coy was called out for full-time service in May 1942 and was eventually gazetted as an Australian Imperial Force unit. The unit served in Papua New Guinea and fought against the Japanese along the Kokoda Track and on Bougainville until the end of the war. 7 Fd Coy returned to Australia on 3 January 1946 and disbanded once again on 4 February 1946. A second Queensland unit, the 11th Field Company, which had been based at Kelvin Grove and Toowong before the war, also saw active service in New Guinea and Bougainville during this time.

Post World War II
On 1 December 1971, Divisional Engineers reorganised into regiments and 7 Fd Sqn became part of the 2nd Field Engineer Regiment (2 FER). 2 FER consisted of 7 Fd Sqn, 2 Field Squadron (2 Fd Sqn), 24 Support Squadron (24 Spt Sqn) and a Workshops. 17 Construction Squadron, on its return from Vietnam in late 1971, was renamed 17 Field Squadron (17 Fd Sqn) and in mid-1973 was merged with 7 Fd Sqn, 2 FER.

In August 1981, 2 FER became 2/3 FER following the disbandment of 1 FER and the merging of 3 FER. 2/3 FER was based at Enoggera, Queensland and consisted of 1 Field Squadron (Holsworthy), 7 Fd Sqn (Enoggera), 18 Field Squadron (Townsville) and a Workshop. In July 1987, 35 Field Squadron and 11 Field Squadron (11 Fd Sqn—formerly 11th Field Company and ex-5 FER located at Kelvin Grove and Ipswich), was transferred to 2/3 FER.

Following the Force Structure Review in 1991, 2/3 FER was restructured into 1, 2 and 3 Combat Engineer Regiments (CERs) with 2 CER being raised first on 24 November 1991 and remaining at Enoggera as part of 7th Brigade. During the Ready Reserve implementation of the 1990s, 2 CER increased its establishment of Reserve members. These members were initially concentrated in 7 Combat Engineer Squadron, however by 2003, these reservists were eventually concentrated in 11 Combat Engineer Squadron. After the implementation of PLAN BEERSHEBA in 2013, 11 Combat Engineering Squadron was scheduled for transfer to the newly titled 11 ER on 1 January 2015. 11 ER now comprises two Combat Engineer Squadrons and a Construction Squadron.

Composition/Location

 * Regimental HQ (Enoggera)
 * 11 Works Section (Enoggera)
 * 35 Combat Engineer Squadron (Townsville)
 * 1 Combat Engineer Troop (Townsville)
 * 2 Mobility Support Troop (Townsville)
 * 3 Combat Engineer Troop (Rockhampton)
 * 11 Combat Engineer Squadron (Enoggera)
 * 27 Combat Engineer Troop (Enoggera)
 * 28 Combat Engineer Troop (Enoggera)
 * 29 Mobility Support Troop (Enoggera)
 * 104 Construction Squadron (Greenbank)
 * Plant Troop (Greenbank)
 * Construction Troop (Greenbank)
 * Resources Troop (Greenbank)