1 Combat Engineer Regiment (1 CER)

1 Combat Engineer Regiment HQ: Edmonton, AB

Origins of 1 Combat Engineer Regiment

In response to the demands of both NATO commitments in Europe and UN Operations in Korea, the Canadian Forces (CF) stood up both 58th and 59th Independent Field Squadrons respectively on May 4th 1951. As the Combat Engineer element of 27th Canadian Infantry Brigade Group, 58th Independent Field Squadron was based out of Hameln Germany. After serving two years in Germany, the unit moved to CFB Chilliwack in Vedder Crossing, B.C. in Dec 1953. With the authorized formation of 1st Canadian Division, in 1953, the 58th was redesignated as the 3rd Field Squadron of the 1st Field Engineer Regiment on 16th Oct 1953. Less than 5 months later it deployed to Korea and returned to Canada in 1955 to make its home at Work Point Barracks in Esquimalt.

In 1957 the Squadron moved from Esquimalt to Chilliwack, B.C. In the period of 1957-58, 1 Field Engineer Regiment was disbanded with the dissolution of 1 Can Infantry Division and on 30th Apr 1958, 3rd Field Squadron became an independent Field Squadron and renamed 3 Field Squadron. It was allocated to 1 Canadian Infantry Brigade Group based in Calgary.

Ever keen to develop its capabilities, engineer squadrons began experimenting with Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCUBA) in the 1960’s to conduct reconnaissance of bridge launching sites and recover lost equipment. Once the dive requirement was confirmed for the Army, it was decided that the skills be concentrated in the field engineer trade not only due to their requisite tech skills and tactical training but because the majority of foreseen tasks were engineer-oriented with the exception of recce. During the early 1970’s, army diving developed from experimental testing into an operational capability.

With the introduction of integration and unification of the three separate services in the late 1960’s, 3 Fd Sqn began receiving officers and men from air and sea elements, and in 1971 the Military Engineering family consisting of field engineers, construction engineers, survey engineers and firefighters were formally recognized as the Military Engineering (MILE) branch of the Canadian Forces. In 1975, 3 Field Squadron was redesignated as 3 Field Engineer Squadron and in 1977 to 1 Combat Engineer Regiment. In 1996, 1 CER moved from Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Chilliwack to CFB Edmonton to its new home in the Patton Building. [1]

1 CER completed its reorganization in June 2005. The Regiment is now organized into a Regimental Headquarters element and five subunits including four Field Squadrons and an Administration Squadron.