Royal Corps of Transport

Royal Corps of Transport
Royal Corps of Transport regimental badge
Active	1965–1993
Country	Worldwide
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Garrison/HQ	Buller Barracks, Aldershot
Nickname(s)	Troggs, Rice Crispie Tasters, Rickshaws Cabs and Taxis,The Waggoners
Motto(s)	Nil sine labore ("Nothing without labour")
March	Wait for the Wagon

The Royal Corps of Transport (RCT) was a British Army Corps established to manage all matters in relation to the transport of men and materiel for the Army and the wider Defence community. It was formed in 1965 and later in 1993 was disbanded to allow its units and trades to be amalgamated into the Royal Logistic Corps. The Depot and Training Regiment RCT was at Buller Barracks in Aldershot.

Its earliest origins link the RCT to the Commissariat, a civilian organisation responsible directly to the Treasury, which provided food and supplies to Oliver Cromwell’s New Model Army. However, the very first military transport unit, the Corps of Waggoners, was formed in 1794. This evolved into the Royal Waggon Train which served throughout the Napoleonic Wars, notably at the Battle of Waterloo.

Following its disbandment in 1833, there were a number of short-lived organisations such as the Military Train and the Land Transport Corps, but it was not until the formation of the Army Service Corps in 1899 that transport and supplies became a well organised permanent body.

At the outbreak of the First World War the Army Service Corps numbered 6,500 men, by 1918 this number had grown to 325,000 men. In recognition of the Army Service Corps’ contribution to the war effort of 1914-1919 the Corps was granted the ‘Royal’ prefix and was thus known as the Royal Army Service Corps.

Was formed in 1965 from the transport (land, water and air) elements of the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) and the movement control element of the Royal Engineers (RE). The Royal Army Service Corps’ functions of supply and transport were separated. The RCT became responsible for transport whilst supplies became the responsibility of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps. In 1993, following the Options for Change review, the Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) was formed by the amalgamation of The Royal Corps of Transport, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Royal Pioneer Corps, Army Catering Corps, and Postal and Courier elements of the Royal Engineers.