Britain at War – August 2019

http://www.britainatwar.com^27

IMAGE

of WAR

WINDRUSHED TO KOREA

Southampton Docks, United Kingdom, October 2, 1950

Men of the 55th Field Squadron, Royal Engineers, boarding the HMT Empire Windrush. The
ship, famously associated with bringing West Indian immigrants to the UK, was heavily used
as a troopship until she sank following a major fire on March 30, 1954. Sent to bolster the
British contingent involved in the UN effort during the Korean War, the 55th became part of
28 Engineer Regiment, established in 1951 to support 1st Commonwealth Division. The
regiment returned home in 1955 and disbanded in 1957, following a short deployment
to Christmas Island to build/maintain an air base and support atomic weapons
testing. It re-formed in 1970 and operated in various guises until 2014.
A new counter-CBRN unit (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear)

• amalgamated from RAF, Royal Tank Regiment, and Royal Engineer
  assets – is expected to re-form as 28 Engineer Regiment soon.
  (TOPFOTO)