562 Parachute Squadron Royal Corps of Transport (Volunteers) - Organisation and History

Organisation and History

1947 When the Territorial Army (TA)was reformed in the UK included in the Order of Battle was 16th Airborne Division (TA) with its Divisional Headquarters in Chelsea, South-West London. The Division included a Royal Army Service Corps Column which came into existence on 1 January 1947, though recruiting did not open until 1 May.

The Headquarters of 16th Airborne Divisional Column, RASC (TA) was initially at The Duke of York's Headquarters at Chelsea, but in 1949 it was re-located to the TA Centre at Hayes Bridge, Southall, Middlesex. The Column comprised three Companies;

1560th Company (Airborne Divisional Composite), RASC (TA), at Park Lane, Tottenham, N.17.

1561st Company (Airborne Divisional Composite), RASC (TA), at Vine Street, Uxbridge.

1562nd Company (Airborne Divisional Composite), RASC (TA), at Hayes Bridge, Southall.

The four-figure numbers allocatted to the Companies denoted that they were newly-raised units of the TA, having not existed prior to the Second World War.

The Commanding Officer and Adjutant were regular officers: the Regimental Sergeant Major, Permanent Staff Instructors (PSI) and a small cadre of drivers were regular soldiers. All other posts were filled by TA volunteer soldiers. The organisation of these companies was similar to the regular army RASC company except that they were on war establishment and had a smaller composite platoon. The Parachute course for the TA was compressed into two weeks to meet their limited training availability, but included the 8 qualifying jumps.

1951 A new numbering system for RASC (TA) units was adopted whereby all Companies were given a three-figure number. As a result the "1" prefix, was dropped and the Companies became known as 560th, 561st and 562nd Companies (Parachute Brigade Transport), RASC (Middlesex) (TA).

1952 Each of the Companies were allocated their own integral Light Aid Detachments (LAD)of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME). These were up-graded to Company Workshops in 1955.

1955 560th Coy re-located to the TA Centre in Tottenham High Rd, N.17 and 561st Company re-located to the TA Centre at Cowley. In that same year it was announced by the War Office that 16th Abn Div(TA)would disband the following year and be replaced by a single Parachute Brigade. The RASC unit required for the Brigade would be reduced to a single Company.

1956 In October, 44th Independent Parachute Brigade Group (TA) was created, with Headquarters at The Duke of York's HQ, Chelsea, London S.W.3. The 16th Airborne Divisional Column was temporarily placed under command of this Brigade as it underwent the process of disbandment and reorganisation into one Company.

1957 In February 16 Airborne Divisional Column, RASC (TA)was disbanded and 562nd Company (Independent Parachute Brigade Transport), RASC (Middlesex) (TA) became the sole RASC unit in the Brigade. It remained at Hayes Bridge along with its REME Workshops.

1965 In 1965 there was a general re-organisation of the British Army Corps structure which led to the Royal Army Service Corps transport and supply functions being separated and the corps disbanded. The new military transport organisation formed from this restructuring was the Royal Corps of Transport (RCT). The supply function was transferred to an enlarged Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC). As a result of these changes and formation of the new corps 562nd Coy was redesignated as 562nd (Middlesex) Independent Parachute Squadron, RCT (TA)

1967 That year saw a transformation of Reserve Forces (Army) and the Territorial Army became the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve (TAVR). 562 Independent Parachute Squadron, RCT (Volunteers)was formed on 1 April 1967 as a successor unit to the old 562 Para Sqn RCT (TA). The Squadron HQ and HQ Troop remained at Hayes Bridge, Southall along with "C" Troop, whilst "A" Troop was formed at the Cedars TA Centre, Portway, West Ham, London E.15 and "B" Troop at Lordship Lane, Dulwich, London S.E.22. The Squadron continued to support 44 Parachute Brigade (Volunteers) as its integral RCT unit.

A new unit, 395 Air Despatch Troop, RCT (Volunteers), had been formed in 1967 at Coulsdon, Surrey. This was the first Air Despatch unit to be raised outside of the Regular Army and in 1971 the Troop was relocated to Bristol and then subsequently to Chippenham in Wiltshire, so as to be near to its Regular Army counterpart, 47 Air Despatch Squadron, RCT. Some personnel from the Troop at Coulsdon transferred to "B" Troop, of the squadron at Dulwich.

On the demise of the RASC there had still been a requirement for a combat supplies function to provide ammunition, fuel and rations to 44 Parachute Brigade (V). This function was assigned to a Combat Supplies Platoon formed within 562 Para Sqn. This platoon was based at Southall and manned by RAOC Territorial Army soldiers trained in that particular role,(See potted history of this sub unit below).

Final Orbat

• 562 Parachute Squadron Royal Corps of Transport (Volunteers)
• HQ Troop, C Troop, Combat Supplies Platoon, Workshops all based at the Drill Hall Southall Middlesex.
• A Troop was based in The Cedars Drill Hall West Ham.
• B Troop was based at the Drill Hall Lordship Lane Dulwich.

The squadron was commanded by a Major and was established along traditional lines with a Captain second in command (2i/c). Other Captains held appointments, Transport Control officer (TCO) being one. The transport troops were usually commanded by a Subaltern with a Staff Sergeant (SSGT) as 2i/c. The REME workshop was commanded by either a Captain or Subaltern with a Warrant Officer Class Two who held the appointment of Artificer Quartermaster Sergeant (AQMS) as 2i/c. HQ troop was of course the nerve centre organisationally of the unit where the Squadron Sergeant Major and Chief Clerk amongst other appointments were to be found. As an independent TA squadron there were also a number or regular army soldiers posted to the establishment of the Squadron. Their primary role was to advise the command elements in training matters and ensuring the unit retained its fully trained operational status. These soldiers were known as Permanent Staff Instructors (PSI’s).

• Officer Commanding Major could either be a regular or TA soldier.
• WO2 PSI (Training Responsibility)
• SSGT (SQMS) Squadron Quartermaster Sergeant (Maintenance of weapons and stores)
• SSGT Chief Clerk (Admin and Documentation)
• WO2/SSGT REME (Training Responsibility for the Workshop)

This unit's role was transport support to the Territorial Army's 44 Parachute Brigade (V). When this Brigade was disbanded in March 1978 562 Parachute Squadron Royal Corps of Transport (Volunteers) was redesignated 562 Squadron Royal Corps of Transport (Volunteers) and taken under the command of 151 (Greater London) Transport Regiment RCT (Volunteers). With the loss of the parachuting role and the coveted "Red Beret" significant numbers of the unit transferred to other TA units that still retained a parachute role. The Parachute Regiment's 10th Battalion being the biggest beneficiary as like the squadron it to was based in London.