17th Construction Squadron (Australia)
| 17th Construction Squadron | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1949–1973 1977–present |
| Country | Australia |
| Branch | Australian Army |
| Type | Squadron |
| Size | 150–275 personnel |
| Part of |
1st Australian Task Force (1966–1971) 1st Construction Regiment (1977–1990) Independent Squadron (1990–2003) 6th Engineer Support Regiment (2003–present) |
| Nickname(s) | Ginger Beers |
| Motto(s) | A little bear will fix it |
| Mascot(s) | A Little Bear |
| Anniversaries | 18 June (Waterloo Dinner) |
| Engagements | RAE is not awarded Battle honours. The unit was awarded the first Honour Distinction, an award for outstanding service in operations in other than declared theatres of war. |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
John Sanderson |
The 17th Construction Squadron is an Australian Army unit consisting of personnel drawn mainly from the Royal Australian Engineers. Originally formed in 1949, the squadron is currently part of the 6th Engineer Support Regiment and is based at Holsworthy Barracks in Sydney. Personnel from the squadron have deployed on operations during the Vietnam War and the ongoing War in Afghanistan; they have also participated in peacekeeping operations in Namibia and East Timor. The squadron is regularly involved in the Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Program and has also been called upon to provide assistance to the wider Australian community following natural disasters, including most recently in the wake of the 2010–2011 Queensland floods.
17th Construction Squadron was raised out of the Eastern Command Maintenance Squadron on 20 September 1949 as a Regular unit, under the command of Captain E. Phillips. Upon formation it consisted of three troops: 8, 9 and 10. Squadron headquarters was located at Kingsford, New South Wales, along with the 9 and 10 Troops, while 8 Troop was located in the Moore Park area. The year later, Plant Troop was raised and moved to Woomera, South Australia. It had initially been planned that the squadron would form part of a regimental formation known as the 4th Construction Regiment, but the regiment was never raised and the squadron was formed as an independent unit.
During the period between 1950 and 1965 the squadron carried out considerable construction and relief tasks both within Australia and overseas. It was involved in the construction of the Woomera Rocket Range from 1950 to 1954. In 1953 it was also involved in the site construction for project "Two Zero Zero", an atomic weapons test site. Between January and October 1953, the squadron worked to prepare the site ahead of the detonation of the first atomic weapon exploded on the Australian mainland, which took place in October 1953 under the guise of Operation Totem. In 1956, work was undertaken at Moorebank where the squadron constructed a pontoon harbour and also at Randwick where work on new soldiers' accommodation was completed.
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