{{Infobox military unit | unit_name = Military Works Force<br>170 Infrastructure Engineer Group | image = 170th Engineer Group Badge.png | image_size = 150px | dates = 1978–2022 | country = {{flag|United Kingdom}} | branch = {{army|United Kingdom}} | type = Engineers | size = | nickname = 170 Infra Sp Engr Gp | website = [http://www.army.mod.uk/royalengineers/units/28733.aspx 170 Infra Sp Engr Gp] }}
'''170 (Infrastructure Support) Engineer Group''' was an engineering group of the British Army's Corps of Royal Engineers.
== History ==
=== Military Works Force === In 1978, following the 1975 Mason Review, the '''Military Works Force''' was formed at Chetwynd Barracks to control the Corps of Royal Engineers's works groups. It controlled the specialist engineering units and helped in commanding and providing those special services. The group was originally formed with the control of just two Commanders Royal Engineers (CREs) each with three Specialist Teams Royal Engineers (STREs), but this force was later expanded. At one time, the command controlled 530 STRE (Maintenance), but it is unknown when this STRE was formed, disbanded, and assigned to the group.<ref name=":0">Watson and Rinaldi, p. 218</ref> The four CREs of the command included;<ref name=":0" />
* Headquarters, Chetwynd Barracks * 62 Chief Engineer (Works) [Water utilities, water development, and well drilling] * 63 Chief Engineer (Works) [Electrical power generation and distribution, originally utilities and force protection] * 64 Chief Engineer (Works) [Fuels, fuel production, and distribution] * ''65 Chief Engineer(Works) (V)'' [Civilian infrastructure, railway and ports infrastructure lines of communications]<ref name=":0" />
=== 170 Engineer Group === In 2003, the 2003 Delivering Security in a Changing World reforms were announced. By 2005, engineer groups were regulated and renamed, one the changes being the Military Work Force being renamed as '''170 (Infrastructure Support) Engineer Group''' and placed under the 8th Force Engineer Brigade. In addition to the changed of the group, the CRE units were re-titled as Works Groups. The name was also brought to represent the group as a military organisation rather than a civil organisation.<ref name=":1">Watson and Rinaldi, p.267</ref> Between 2005 and 2023, the group saw many units come and go, those who were included, but no longer;<ref name=":1" />
* 67 Works Group (2011–2015) [Disbanded under Army 2020] *Royal Monmouthshire Militia RE (2013—????) [Removed before 2015] * Provisional Reconstruction Team (Operation Herrick)<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url=http://www.army.mod.uk/royalengineers/units/28733.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180103011731/http://www.army.mod.uk/royalengineers/units/28733.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=2018-01-03|title=170 Infra Sp Engr Gp - British Army Website|date=2018-01-03|access-date=2019-10-09}}</ref>
During the sub-groups' time within the engineer group, many saw themselves take on a territorial, later reserve, specialist team. Following the initial Army 2020 reforms, each works group control a reserve specialist team regularly, as opposed to randomly for deployments. Following these initial reforms, the group was due to take control of the Royal Monmouthshire Militia, but this was reverted in 2015 when the refine announced they were to move under control of Headquarters Royal Engineers, 3rd (United Kingdom) Division.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite book|url=http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2014-0042/20140110-PQ01968B-SOames-A2020-Update-Glossy-U.pdf|title="Transforming the British Army, an Update"|date=July 2013}}</ref>
In 2015, the Army 2020 Refine was published, as an "updated chapter" to the initial Army 2020 reform. Under this refine, the group HQ is to move to Gamecock Barracks, and is also due to have a decrease of 9 personnel.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite book|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/632554/2017-02130.pdf|title="Information on the Army 2020 refine exercise"}}</ref>
=== Disbandment === 170 (Infrastructure Support) Engineer Group disbanded in September 2022, with all the units resubordinating to 12 (Force Support Engineer) Group.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=20241209 FOI24068 Zacchi Response Letter ArmyPolSec.pdf |url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/170_engineer_group_chetwynd_barr/response/2866992/attach/html/3/20241209%20FOI24068%20Zacchi%20Response%20Letter%20ArmyPolSec.pdf.html |access-date=2024-12-23 |website=www.whatdotheyknow.com}}</ref>
=== Structure on disbandment === At disbandment, the group had the following structure;<ref name=":4" />
* Group Headquarters, Chetwynd Barracks (Moving to Gamecock Barracks) ** 43 Headquarters and Support Squadron, Chetwynd Barracks (Moving to Gamecock Barracks) *20 Works Group (Air Support), RAF Wittering ** ''510 STRE<ref name=":1" group="Notes">STRE - Specialist Team, Royal Engineers</ref> (Air Infrastructure) (Reserve)'' ** 529 STRE (Air Support), RAF Wittering ** 531 STRE (Airfields), RAF Waddington and RAF Coningsby ** 532 STRE (Air Support), RAF Wittering ** 534 STRE (Airfields), RAF Wattisham and RAF Marham * 62 Works Group, Chetwynd Barracks (Providing water support) (Moving to Gamecock Barracks) ** 519 STRE (Works) ** 521 STRE (Water Development) ** 522 STRE (Works) ** 523 STRE (Works) ** 524 STRE (Works) ** ''508 STRE (Works) (Reserve)'' * 63 Works Group, Chetwynd Barracks (Providing power support) (Moving to Gamecock Barracks) ** 518 STRE (Works) ** 528 STRE (Power) ** ''504 STRE (Power Infrastructure) (V)'' * ''65 Works Group (Reserve), Chetwynd Barracks (Infrastructure support) (Moving to Gamecock Barracks)'' ** ''506 STRE (Water Infrastructure) (V)'' ** ''507 STRE (Railway Infrastructure) (V)'' ** ''508 STRE (Works) (V)'' ** ''509 STRE (Works Infrastructure) (V)'' ** ''525 STRE (Works) (V)'' ** ''526 STRE (Works) (V)'' * 66 Works Group, Chetwynd Barracks (Air support) (Moving to Gamecock Barracks) ** 517 STRE (Works) ** 530 STRE (Materials)
== Commander == Commanders of the Engineer Group included:<ref>[http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/REGIMENTAL%20COs.pdf Regiments and Commanding Officers, 1960–].</ref>
* 2005-2008: Col. J. David McIlroy * 2008-2011: Col. W.H. Smith * 2011-2013: Col. Steven P.W. Boyd * 2013-2015: Col. David J. Brambell * 2015-2017: Col. James Crawford * 2017-2020: Col. Peter T. Quaite * 2020-2023: Col. Gavin P. Hatcher
== Notes == <references group="Notes" />
== References == {{Reflist}}
== Sources == * {{cite book |last1=Watson|first1=Graham E.|first2=Richard A.|last2=Rinaldi |title=The Corps of Royal Engineers: Organisation and Units 1889-2018 |publisher=Tiger Lilly Books |year=2018 |ISBN=978-1717901804}}
Category:Military units and formations established in 1978 Category:Groups of the Royal Engineers Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 2022